Consumption of traditional handicraft fashion: Motivations, intentions and behaviours of Chinese consumers

Abstract

Traditional handicraft apparel espouses ecological ethos and symbolises the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Owing to its distinct attribute of being handmade, it forms a characteristic branch of slow fashion and denotes a sustainable trend in the field of fashion design. However, slow fashion consumption research is relatively scarce. To gain further insights into the reasons, motivations and intentions of Chinese consumers related to the purchase of traditional handicraft fashion, the slow fashion consumption literature was referenced in this study, incorporating the theories of planned behaviour and self-concept. Moreover, structural equation modelling was used to scrutinise the consumption of traditional handicraft fashion. Results revealed that both self-concepts and perceived behaviour control (PBC) significantly impacted the consumption of conventional fashion. However, the internalised traditional cultural identity derived from the actual-self-aspect revealed a negligible relationship with traditional handicraft fashion consumption. In comparison, a significant impact was evinced by self-image enhancement from the ideal-self-aspect. Moreover, the reasons for PBC had the most significant influence on the consumption of traditional handicraft fashion compared to other considered factors. This study explores a specialised theoretical conventional handicraft model fashion consumption based on the mature theories of planned behaviour and self-concept, thus contributing to a sub-field in slow fashion consumption research. It also identifies and elucidates the factors that are pivotal to the revival of the traditional handicrafts sector in China and provides theoretical direction to improve the product planning and marketing of traditional fashion brands. • Since fashion consumption has explicit characteristics, the planned behaviour theory and self-concept need to be combined to do deep analysis of sustainable fashion consumption. • Both self-concepts and perceived behaviour control exert a significant impact on the consumption of traditional fashion. • PBC were found to exercise the strongest influence on the consumption of traditional handicraft fashion of Chinese consumers. • Self-image enhancement from the ideal-self-aspect has a stronger impact on intention than the internalised traditional cultural identity derived from actual self-aspect.