Exploring the intended purchase behaviour towards sustainable fashion: An examination of the millennials in South Africa

Background: Fast fashion, driven by low cost and rapid production cycles, has intensified global clothing consumption and waste. Although ethical fashion has emerged as a sustainable alternative, fast fashion remains dominant despite consumers’ stated environmental concerns (EC) and positive attitudes. Objectives: This study examines the factors influencing South African millennials’ intention to purchase ethical fashion, using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) extended with perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE), environmental knowledge (EK), EC and situational context. Method: A quantitative survey was conducted with 302 South African millennials. Data were analysed using Stata and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the extended TPB framework. Results: Findings reveal a growing inclination to consume ethical fashion among millennials. Within the TPB, attitude was the strongest predictor of intention, followed by subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioural control (PBC). Perceived consumer effectiveness also significantly predicted intention, while EK positively influenced attitudes. In contrast, situational factors showed no significant impact on intention. Conclusion: Ethical fashion intentions in South Africa are driven largely by attitudes, social influence and consumers’ belief in their effectiveness. The lack of influence from situational barriers suggests ethical consumption may be increasingly resilient to contextual constraints. Contribution: The study extends TPB to the context of sustainable fashion in an emerging economy, providing both theoretical and practical insights. Businesses can leverage these findings by highlighting consumer effectiveness, enhancing environmental education and aligning marketing strategies with value-driven motivations to promote ethical fashion adoption.