The Influence of Social Media and Sustainability Advocacy on the Purchase Intention of Filipino Consumers in Fast Fashion

Abstract

The large consumption of fast fashion brings many negative environmental impacts. Filipino consumers love and buy fast fashion because it is relatively cheap but trendy, and there are lots of fashionable designs to choose from. Despite the shortage in water supply and disposal issues of fast fashion, people still continue to purchase. The lack of awareness of consumers on sustainable fashion consumption led the researchers to conduct a study that aims to identify factors affecting Filipino consumers’ buying decisions on fast fashion using the combined theory of planned behavior, elaboration likelihood model, and hedonic motivation. A total of 407 participants were gathered through a convenience sampling approach, and the data collected were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The result shows that attitude towards fast fashion is the highest contributing factor to purchase intention. While social media positively affects purchase intention, sustainability advocacy negatively impacts the consumers’ intention to buy fast fashion. The awareness of sustainability leads to consumption reduction of fast fashion garments. Surprisingly, perceived product price and quality do not show a significant influence on purchase intention. Incorporating sustainability advocacy on social media may be a great strategy to encourage the sustainable consumption of fashion garments. The findings of this study could be a great tool to influence fashion companies and government institutions to promote sustainability awareness and transition marketing strategies to the sustainable consumption of fashion.

1. Introduction

Fast fashion is dominating the fashion industry across the globe. Fast fashion is the clothes that are cheaply produced with low quality [1]. Because of the low-cost value of these clothes, people, especially the younger generation, tends to buy them often with different variations of styles and trends. Some of the famous fast fashion brands include Forever 21, H&M, Zara, Gap, Uniqlo, Mango, Shein, and so on. These famous brands produce massive of clothing that offers affordable prices than luxury fashion brands. In the Philippines, the average consumer bought 60 percent more clothing from these global brands from 2000 to 2014 [2].

According to Statista, the revenue generated from the sales of fast fashion items of SSI Group in the Philippines amounted to about PHP 3.71 billion in 2021 [3]. The average sales of fast fashion from 2017 to 2019 was PHP 6.86 billion, which is about half of the revenue generated in 2020 to 2021, PHP 3.45 billion, due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, a lot of fashion companies have lost revenues and some have even closed and filed for bankruptcy. Major fast fashion brands such as Zara have lost profits [4].

Despite the reduction of fast fashion consumption during COVID-19, a massive amount of clothing is still being produced, consumed, and disposed of. Due to the high volume of clothes production, fast fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world. The report shows in 2019 that 62 million metric tons of apparel were consumed globally [5]. The fashion industry causes 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, uses approximately 1.5 trillion liters of water every year [6], uses polyester fibers that do not decay as natural fibers do, uses toxic textile dyes that end up polluting rivers and oceans, and the disposal of tons of clothes that are being thrown into dumpsites [7].

The environmental impact brought by fast fashion is not known to many consumers, especially the youth. That is why several awareness movements have been initiated by governments and other sustainable advocates. Some governments across the world are moving towards sustainability and green consumerism. UAE, for instance, is promoting and has been taking initiatives in implementing strategies to achieve the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) [8]. The Philippine government also takes projects and activities in promoting sustainable consumption and production [9]. Still, the influence of these initiatives on Filipino consumers is yet to be determined.

Most of the research related to fast fashion focuses mainly on sustainable supply chain management and issues related to the environment [10]. While the Philippine government is moving towards sustainability, the responsibility of Filipino consumers for the negative effect of fast fashion must also be addressed. Some studies are related to the consumer purchase intention on fast fashion; however, there has been no study conducted that analyzes the behavior of Filipino purchase intention towards fast fashion that relates to the influence of sustainability advocacy. Filipino consumers are concerned about the behavior of other consumers on social media. The purchase intention is significantly influenced by other consumers’ purchases leading to actually buying a product and sharing product information with peers on social commerce platforms [11].

One of the most used theories in determining consumer purchase intention on fast fashion is the theory of planned behavior (TPB). To further understand Filipino consumer buying behavior, this study uses the combined theories of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), elaboration likelihood model (ELM), and hedonic motivation.

Considering the fast-growing consumption of apparel and the effects of fast fashion on the environment, the researchers aim to analyze the behavioral purchase intention of Filipino consumers in the fast fashion industry. In line with this, the question: “How do social media and sustainability advocacy influence the purchase intention of Filipino consumers in buying fast fashion?” should be addressed. Specifically, the researchers aim to identify the impact of social media strategy and sustainability advocacy on fast fashion, determine the significant factors affecting the Filipino consumer purchase intention on fast fashion, and determine the awareness of the Filipino consumer on the effect of fast fashion on environmental sustainability.

The result of this study could serve as theoretical guidance to the Philippine government and other agencies or departments in creating policies to promote the sustainable consumption of fast fashion. Understanding the purchase intention and the factors influencing the buying decision of the consumer could be a great tool in creating strategies to promote sustainability. In addition, this study increases awareness of the effect of fast fashion on the environment.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Conceptual Framework

The fast fashion industry produces massive amounts of clothing in different styles that can be worn in different seasons. People buy fast fashion due to its lookalike luxury fashion style that can be bought at a lower price [12]. Because of this, manufacturers produce a high volume of clothing that causes harm to the environment. Due to the cheap cost of materials used to produce fast fashion, the final product is not durable enough to use in the long term, and consumers usually change fashion styles and trends [12,13]. According to a study conducted on global sustainability, the climate impact of clothing and footwear consumption increases carbon dioxide equivalent over the 15 years up to 2015 [14].

In general, purchase intention is used to predict consumer purchases [15] and it differs from one person to another. Different views and perspectives of people for a particular product vary from time to time depending on the situation, location, and circumstances. Based on previous studies, consumers’ view on sustainability in the fashion industry is relatively low compared to other industries [16,17]. A study argued that the awareness and knowledge of consumers about the product may significantly affect purchase intention [18]. Consumers are more willing to buy sustainable fashion if customers have a better knowledge and understanding of sustainability and eco-friendly products [19]. However, in another study on sustainable practices in slow and fast fashion stores, consumers in Brazil are not willing to pay more for a greener product even if they care about the environment [20].

The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is a theory developed by Ajzen (1985) stating that a person’s behavior is influenced by intentions, which are affected by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control [21,22]. The behavior of human beings is predicted and analyzed using the TPB. The variables attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control are all included in this study. Attitude (ATT) refers to the favorable or unfavorable disposition of a person, institution, object, or event [23]. Subjective norm (SN) is the perceived social pressure to perform or not perform and perceived behavioral control (PBC) refers to the perceived difficulty or ease of performing the behavior [21].

The elaboration likelihood model (ELM), developed by John Cacioppo and Richard Petty, uses central route processing and peripheral route processing. Central route processing or high involvement refers to a person’s attitude to diligently consider the information on product-relevant attributes [24]. In this study, high involvement includes product quality (PP) and product price (PP). Peripheral route processing or low involvement uses peripheral cues to associate positively or negatively with the message, such as marketing or advertising [25]. Social media (SM) and sustainability advocacy (SA) are the factors used to analyze the peripheral route in this study. The framework of ELM in this study is designed similarly to the previous study combining TPB and ELM theory, where the latent constructs used are central and peripheral routes only [26].

The general principle of hedonic motivation (HM) is to initiate behavior that leads to rewards or away from with punishment [27]. Some researchers claimed that the ultimate motive behind hedonism is pleasure, positive affection, and positive emotion [28]. Positive feelings and good experiences towards a particular product or event will lead to satisfaction and behavioral purchase intention.

A combination of these three theories provides a broader scope, and significant latent constructs are then included to make the analysis more substantial to the study. The ELM theory describes the change in attitude that includes low involvement, such as product quality and price, and high involvement, such as social media and sustainability advocacy. TPB provides psychological analysis which includes perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and attitude. Hedonic motivation is included to understand the emotional involvement of pleasure or experience of Filipino consumers in fast fashion.

Sustainability advocacies are projects or movements of people, organizations, and government institutions to encourage citizens in adopting and implementing sustainability practices. Sustainability advocacy is added as one of the latent constructs to determine the significance of sustainability awareness of consumers buying fast fashion brands. It will serve as a key indicator of the importance of promoting sustainable fashion.

Based on a previous study conducted in Ho Chi Minh City, the findings suggest that companies or establishments need to use strategies that promote sustainable fashion consumption [29]. In another study in Taiwan, environmental awareness is one of the key indicators of consumers’ purchase intention on sustainable apparel [30]. In this study, sustainability advocacy refers to the knowledge or awareness of consumers towards the environmental impact of fast fashion. The awareness of consumers of sustainability may affect purchase intention. Therefore, the first hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 1 (H1):

Sustainability advocacy significantly influences behavioral intention on fast fashion.

Consumers are now becoming more aware of the unethical and negative environmental impact of fast fashion. Because of this, consumers are now moving towards slow fashion with quality, rather than buying low-quality fashions every week [31]. Education campaigns and promotions that contribute to an increase in consumers’ sensitivity to quality brings positive benefit to the environment in the long run [32]. Therefore, the second hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 2 (H2):

Sustainability advocacy significantly influences perceived product quality.

Fast fashion brands are known for their affordable prices to the market. On the other hand, sustainable or slow fashion price is high. Sustainability affects the price of fashion, and consumers tend to move towards natural and durable materials for sustainable fashion [33]. One of the barriers to green consumerism is the high price [34]. However, another study on luxury brands shows that price is not a major barrier [12]. This study aims to identify the relationship between consumer awareness of environmental effects and the price of buying fast fashion. Therefore, the third hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 3 (H3):

Sustainability advocacy significantly influences perceived product price.

Hedonic motivation refers to the positive feelings or emotions of consumers towards fast fashion. A study in the USA shows that hedonic motivation positively influences the intention of sustainable fashion [35]. The study affirms the correlation between hedonic motivation with green purchase intention [36]. Therefore, the fourth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 4 (H4):

Sustainability advocacy significantly influences hedonic motivation.

Consumers’ attitudes towards a product may change when adequate information on the positive and negative is given. A study conducted shows that consumers’ attitude toward fashion brands is affected by the perception of social responsibility [37]. The awareness of consumers on sustainability activities plays a significant role in attitude [38]. The attitude towards fast fashion may change when consumers are knowledgeable about its environmental impact. Therefore, the fifth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 5 (H5):

Sustainability advocacy significantly influences attitude.

Perceived behavioral control refers to the availability and ease or difficulty of acquiring fast fashion. A case study on fast fashion shows that consumers tend to show behaviors such as urgency to buy if there is a perceived scarcity [39]. Another study in Vietnam shows that perceived behavioral control significantly affects purchase intention [40]. One of the emphases of this study is to provide an assessment of the effect of sustainability awareness on the perceived behavioral control of individual consumers. Therefore, the sixth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 6 (H6):

Sustainability advocacy significantly influences perceived behavioral control.

In this study, subjective norm refers to the influence of family, friends, and colleagues on the consumption of fast fashion. In a study conducted on the purchase intention of luxury fashion products in India, it was clear that subjective norms have a positive influence on the consumer’s purchase intention [41]. Young adults in China connect to more responses to the subjective norm when buying sustainable fast fashion [42]. The focus of this study is to determine the connection between the knowledge of individuals and groups of people on fast fashion’s impact on the environment. Therefore, the seventh hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 7 (H7):

Sustainability advocacy significantly influences subjective norm.

Subjective norm refers to the belief that a group of people or an important person will approve of a particular behavior [43]. The people around a person have a great influence on the decision of buying a certain product. Several studies show that subjective norm often results in purchase intention [44,45]. The focus of this study is to identify the behavior of consumers toward buying fast fashion. Therefore, the eighth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 8 (H8):

Subjective norm significantly influences behavioral intention on fast fashion.

A study performed on the purchase intention of fast fashion in Indonesia shows that perceived behavioral control directly affects purchase intention [46]. Perceived behavioral control (PBC) is assessed by the ease or difficulty of the behavior [47]. In this study, PBC refers to the availability and accessibility of fast fashion. Consumers tend to buy often if there is an increase in the availability of resources. Therefore, the ninth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 9 (H9):

Perceived behavioral control significantly influences behavioral intention on fast fashion.

According to the result of a study regarding sustainable fashion in Turkey, the attitude construct shows the highest influence to purchase intention [48]. Attitude refers to how positively or negatively a person evaluates the target behavior [21]. In this study, attitude refers to how important fast fashion is. Therefore, the tenth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 10 (H10):

Attitude significantly influences behavioral intention on fast fashion.

A lot of people are now hooked up on social media. Consumers tend to buy a product based on social media marketing, influencers, reviews, and advertisements. Famous fast fashion brands have accounts on different social media platforms to promote and introduce new product lines and promotional events. Influencers online convince followers to purchase fast fashion by providing good feedback and by trying out the apparel themselves. The previous study shows that fashion consciousness is influenced by the reviews and opinions posted on social media platforms [49].

The attitude toward a certain product differs from one person to another. Several factors can affect one’s attitude. In a study conducted on undergraduate students, social media affects their attitudes and impacts their daily life [50]. Advertising and promotions using social media provide a positive attitude toward consumers [51]. Therefore, the eleventh hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 11 (H11):

Social media significantly influences attitude.

Fast fashion shops are now available on different social media platforms. The ease of use and security in purchasing using social media stores for consumers who find it easier to obtain goods [52]. People can view product details, reviews, and other valuable information online. Based on a previous study, the perceived behavioral control for online videos and blogs is highly reliable [53]. This study will determine the positive correlation of social media on perceived behavioral control. Therefore, the twelfth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 12 (H12):

Social media significantly influences perceived behavioral control.

Social media influencers and bloggers have their own sites to surf. People can interact with the influencer, as well as the other viewers to get ideas on a particular product. Subjective norm has a significant impact on actual behavior as a result of social interactions [54]. In purchasing sustainable fashion, the subjective norm is the pressure perceived by the social environment such as families and friends [55]. Getting positive or negative comments from other people impacts the perception of fashion. Therefore, the thirteenth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 13 (H13):

Social media significantly influences subjective norm.

When a certain perceived product quality is advertised or criticized by an influencer, people will perceive and take the information positively or negatively. Consumers perceive quality based on product information [56]. The mediation of social media over a product has a big impact on how the consumer makes the decision. Good presentation and interesting product variants can be a measurement of product quality [57]. The product image is being affected by the comments and reviews seen online. Therefore, the fourteenth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 14 (H14):

social media significantly influences perceived product quality.

Social media advertises product promotions, discounts, and other sales strategies to promote a certain product. Advertisers reposition their strategies to market the product and companies can set their target price [58]. Since many customers are surfing the internet, companies present marketing strategies through advertisements and social media influencers to attract people to buy their products. Previous study shows that when internet penetration increases, the average price decreases [59]. Consumers will be more informed and aware of the prices of competitors; thus, companies tend to reduce the price and provide discounts and promotions. With this, the purpose of this study is to determine the effect of social media on the perceived product price of fast fashion. Therefore, the fifteenth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 15 (H15):

Social media significantly influences perceived product price.

A previous study shows that online advertisement affects hedonic motivation which resulted in actual purchasing [60]. Social media brings different experiences and opportunities for users to explore and learn from people across the globe. Hedonic factors such as trend discovery and adventure are significantly associated with product browsing on the internet [61]. The satisfaction of using social media may affect one’s behavioral intention of buying fashion. Therefore, the sixteenth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 16 (H16):

Social media significantly influences hedonic motivation.

Several studies show the correlation between behavioral intention with social media. According to Forbes, 80% of consumers are relying on and making purchase decisions based on social media posts [62]. In a study conducted on Irish female millennials, participants admitted continuing to buy fast fashion despite knowing the damages and unethical consequences brought by fast fashion with the influence of social media influencer reviews [63]. Therefore, the seventeenth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 17 (H17):

Social media significantly influences behavioral intention on fast fashion.

Hedonic motivation is the willingness to initiate actions to increase positive experiences and decrease negative experiences [64]. The emotional attachment and attraction of fast fashion to consumers are conveyed through satisfaction and enjoyment of using the garments. The previous study shows that hedonic motivation is related to the impulse buying behavior of fast fashion [65]. Therefore, the eighteenth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 18 (H18):

Hedonic motivation significantly influences behavioral intention on fast fashion.

Price, in general, influences the decision making of consumers to purchase an item [66]. The fast fashion industry attracts consumers due to the cheap price offered with different styles to choose from. Consumers are most likely to come and buy fast fashion during a sales promotion or discounted prices [67]. Fast fashion brands allure consumers to hoard good bargains and collect additional items from brands [68]. Therefore, the nineteenth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 19 (H19):

Perceived product price significantly influences behavioral intention on fast fashion.

Fast fashion is known to be massively produced due to its cheap and low quality. Perceived quality mediates fashion involvement’s effect on purchase intentions [69]. Quality and aesthetics play an important factor to consumers when purchasing clothing, including sustainable fashion [70]. The focus of this study is to identify the perceived quality of consumers in purchasing fast fashion. Therefore, the twentieth hypothesis is formulated as follows:

Hypothesis 20 (H20):

Perceived product quality significantly influences behavioral intention on fast fashion.

To summarize, the theoretical framework used in this study is shown in Figure 1.

2.2. Respondents

The convenience sampling method is used to identify the participants in this study. The survey questionnaire is distributed online through google forms on different social media platforms such as Facebook Messenger, Facebook Groups, and WhatsApp. The purpose of this study is to analyze the behavior and factors affecting the buying decision of Filipino people with fast fashion. The respondents include ages 15 to 64 years old as a working-age population stated by the Philippine Statistics Authority [71]. The age restriction is specified to obtains an unbiased response from Filipino consumers who have the capability of buying and awareness of making decisions themselves. A total of 407 samples were collected during the survey distribution.

2.3. Questionnaire

The first part of the questionnaire is the demographic information of the respondents which includes age, gender, monthly income or allowance, and monthly expenses on clothing (Appendix A). In general, women shop for clothing more than men [72,73]. In this study, the female respondents constitute 70.8% of the population sampled. These are summarized in

Table 1. Demographic profile of respondents.

Variable	Category	Count	Percentage
Age	15–24 years old	141	34.6
	25–34 years old	152	37.3
	35–44 years old	77	18.9
	45–54 years old	21	5.2
	55–64 years old	16	3.9
Gender	male	119	29.2
	female	288	70.8
Monthly Income/Allowance	PHP 0–14,999.00	188	46.2
	PHP 15,000.00–29,999.00	90	22.1
	PHP 30,000–49,999.00	62	15.2
	Above PHP 50,000.00	67	16.5
Monthly Expenses on Clothing	PHP 0–999.00	205	50.4
	PHP 1000.00–2999.00	132	32.4
	PHP 3000.00–4999.00	41	10.1
	PHP 5000.00–9999.00	14	3.4
	above PHP 10,000.00	15	3.7
Occupation Status	Student	132	32.4
	Unemployed	32	7.9
	Employed Full-time	186	45.7
	Employed Part-time	17	4.2
	Self Employed	40	9.8

.

The second part of the questionnaire is the identification of the latent variables affecting purchase intention. The factors affecting consumer buying behavior towards fast fashion are based on the TPB and ELM, and HM which include the latent constructs Purchase Intention (PI), Attitude (ATT), Subjective Norms (SN), Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC), Perceived Product Quality (PQ), Perceived Product Price (PP), influenced by Social Media (SM), Influenced by Sustainability Advocacy (SA), and Hedonic Motivation (HM). A 5-point Likert scale is used to measure the latent constructs from 5 as “I Strongly Agree” to 1 as “I Strongly Disagree” to determine the influence of each statement on the respondents with the behavioral intention of buying fast fashion (

Table 2. Questionnaires for the TPB, ELM, and HM.

Variable	Code	Statement	Reference
Purchase Intention	PI1	I intend to buy more fast fashion brands soon.	[15,19,29,30,36]
	PI2	I believe I will buy more fast fashion products in the future than I do now.
	PI3	The possibility of purchasing fast fashion is high.
	PI4	I recommend other people to buy fast fashion.
Subjective Norm	SN1	My family’s opinion of my fashion choices is important to me.	[43,44,45,54]
	SN2	My friends’ opinions of my fashion choices are important to me.
	SN3	My colleagues’ opinions (i.e., school, work, etc.) of my fashion choices are important to me.
	SN4	How people online view my fashion choices is important to me.
Perceived Behavioral Control	PBC1	Fast fashion made it easier for me to buy fashion style I want.
	PBC2	There are a lot of fast fashion brands I can choose from.	[44,52]
	PBC3	I am capable of buying fast fashion brands.
	PBC4	I can buy fast fashion anywhere.
Attitude	ATT1	Fast fashion brands are important to me.	[33,44,45]
	ATT2	The fast fashion garments I buy are important for my image.
	ATT3	Fast fashion garments that look good are important to me.
	ATT4	I like fast fashion brands
Hedonic Motivation	HM1	I am satisfied with fast fashion.
	HM2	I feel good after shopping fast fashion.	[36,60,61,64]
	HM3	I enjoy buying fast fashion.
	HM4	I am pleased to wear different styles of fast fashion.
Perceived Product Price	PP1	The price of fast fashion garments is important to me.	[33,36,57]
	PP2	Fast fashion is affordable.
	PP3	I buy fast fashion because it is cheap.
	PP4	I buy fast fashion because it offers discounts and promotions.
Perceived Product Quality	PQ1	The quality of fast fashion garments is important to me.	[57,74]
	PQ2	The comfort and fit of fast fashion garments are important to me.
	PQ3	Fast fashion suits my taste and style.
	PQ4	Fast fashion are durable.
Social Media	SM1	Being part of an online community is important to me.	[74,75,76,77]
	SM2	The relationship I have with a social media influencer (e.g., a celebrity or blogger) informs my fashion choices.
	SM3	The ability to exchange information on fashion garments with a social media influencer is important to me.
	SM4	I am more likely to like a brand if an online influencer reviews it positively.
Sustainability Advocacy	SA1	I only buy fashion garments from companies that are ethically or sustainably certified.	[19,22]
	SA2	I only buy fast fashion garments from companies that protect the environment.
	SA3	I am aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion.
	SA4	I buy apparel from stores that promotes sustainability.

).

Lastly, the third part of the questionnaire is the identification of the knowledge of respondents on fast fashion and its negative effect on the environment. It also includes a question where respondents were asked if the volume of purchase will be changed upon knowing the effect.

Structural equation modeling (SEM) based on partial least squares (PLS) is used with SmartPLS software to analyze the correlation between the latent variables and test the validity of the hypothesis generated. SEM is used to address research questions in social, psychological, and behavioral sciences [22,78].

3. Results

The goodness of fit model is used to determine the statistical fitness of the data collected. Standardized root mean squared residual (SRMR) is utilized to assess the exact fit of the model [79]. In this study, the SRMR is 0.064, which is <0.08 as a recommended acceptable value [80]. The Normed Fit Index (NFI) result is 0.806, which is within the range of acceptable value of 0.6–1.0 [81]. Thus, the data is deemed to be a good fit.

Table 3. Construct reliability and validity.

Latent Constructs	Cronbach’s Alpha	rho_A	Composite Reliability	Average Variance Extracted (AVE)
Attitude	0.86	0.87	0.91	0.71
Hedonic_Motivation	0.92	0.93	0.95	0.82
Perceived_Behavioral_Control	0.88	0.89	0.92	0.74
Product_Price	0.84	0.84	0.89	0.67
Product_Quality	0.85	0.85	0.90	0.68
Purchase_Intention	0.89	0.89	0.92	0.75
Social_Media	0.90	0.90	0.93	0.77
Subjective_Norms	0.89	0.89	0.92	0.75
Sustainability_Advocacy	0.88	0.88	0.92	0.73

shows the summary of the construct reliability and validity of the data. Cronbach’s Alpha is used to measure the internal consistency or reliability of the survey data [82]. Based on the result, all indicators fit with the acceptable values of Cronbach’s Alpha > 0.7, rho_A > 0.7, composite reliability > 0.7, and average variance expected > 0.5 [83].

The analytical result of the model in determining the purchase intention of fast fashion is shown in Figure 2. According to the rule of thumb, the indicator loading value should be >0.7 [83]. All sets of questions in all latent constructs are accepted since all the values meet the criteria.

Based on the variance inflation factor (VIF) value in this study which is less than 5, the model poses no collinearity problem [84].

Table 4. Path analysis result.

Relationship	Hypothesis	Path Coefficient	Sample Mean (M)	Standard Deviation (STDEV)	T Statistics (|O/STDEV|)	p Values	2.5%	97.5%	Decision
Sustainability_Advocacy -> Purchase_Intention	H1	−0.520	0.192	0.056	3.496	0.000	−0.130	0.025	Significant
Sustainability_Advocacy -> Product_Quality	H2	0.465	0.463	0.055	8.496	0.000	0.348	0.568	Significant
Sustainability_Advocacy -> Product_Price	H3	0.330	0.360	0.062	5.903	0.000	0.242	0.482	Significant
Sustainability_Advocacy -> Hedonic_Motivation	H4	0.267	0.263	0.051	5.193	0.000	0.160	0.361	Significant
Sustainability_Advocacy -> Attitude	H5	0.220	0.218	0.050	4.398	0.000	0.116	0.314	Significant
Sustainability_Advocacy -> Perceived_ehavioral_Control	H6	0.431	0.428	0.060	7.132	0.000	0.304	0.542	Significant
Sustainability_Advocacy -> Subjective_Norm	H7	0.034	0.031	0.049	0.692	0.489	−0.065	0.131	Not Significant
Subjective_Norm -> Purchase_Intention	H8	0.069	0.070	0.045	1.513	0.131	−0.019	0.161	Not Significant
Perceived_ehavioral_Control -> Purchase_Intention	H9	0.164	0.165	0.077	2.120	0.034	0.016	0.313	Significant
Attitude -> Purchase_Intention	H10	0.606	0.280	0.085	3.246	0.001	0.111	0.441	Significant
Social_Media -> Attitude	H11	0.514	0.515	0.049	10.458	0.000	0.407	0.612	Significant
Social_Media -> Perceived_ehavioral_Control	H12	0.172	0.174	0.061	2.830	0.005	0.055	0.295	Significant
Social_Media -> Subjective_Norm	H13	0.606	0.606	0.046	13.291	0.000	0.518	0.688	Significant
Social_Media -> Product_Quality	H14	0.232	0.233	0.052	4.469	0.000	0.135	0.333	Significant
Social_Media -> Product_Price	H15	0.257	0.259	0.059	4.375	0.000	0.146	0.371	Significant
Social_Media -> Hedonic_Motivation	H16	0.404	0.405	0.054	7.434	0.000	0.290	0.508	Significant
Social_Media -> Purchase_Intention	H17	0.010	0.378	0.053	7.067	0.000	−0.100	0.119	Significant
Hedonic_Motivation -> Purchase_Intention	H18	0.368	0.368	0.065	5.699	0.000	0.237	0.490	Significant
Product_Price -> Purchase_Intention	H19	−0.032	−0.034	0.058	0.544	0.587	−0.150	0.080	Not Significant
Product_Quality -> Purchase_Intention	H20	0.059	0.059	0.061	0.963	0.336	−0.065	0.180	Not Significant

shows the path analysis result of the model. The sample mean, standard deviation, T statistics, and P values are measured to see the significant relationship of the latent constructs based on the hypothesis generated. A p value of <0.05 represents a significant relationship between the latent variables. Most of the hypotheses generated are significant except SN to PI, PP to PI, PQ to PI, and SA to SN.

Table 5. Knowledge of fast fashion.

Knowledge of Fast Fashion			Knowledge of Negative Impact of Fast Fashion
Likert Scale	No. of Respondents	%	No. of Respondents	%
5 (“I Strongly Agree”)	37	9%	55	14%
4	32	8%	56	14%
3	129	32%	125	31%
2	136	33%	120	29%
1 (“I Strongly Disagree”)	73	18%	51	13%

shows the consumers’ knowledge of fast fashion. The majority of the respondents have sufficient knowledge of fast fashion between 3 (32%) and 4 (33%). Similarly, the familiarity with the negative effect of fast fashion on the environment is between 3 (31%) and 4 (29%). Therefore, the respondents are well aware of fast fashion.

4. Discussion

4.1. Theoretical Implications

As H1 is accepted (B = −0.520), this study proves that sustainability advocacy negatively impacts the purchase intention of buying fast fashion. This is in line with research conducted in Indonesia where customer awareness of the sustainability movement contributes to the significant effect of purchase intention [85]. Among the indicators, stores that promote sustainability (SA4; λ = 0.890) had the highest impact. Thus, companies implementing and promoting sustainability encourage consumers to be more responsible in purchasing fast fashion.

Sustainability advocacy demonstrates a correlation between perceived product quality, H2 (B = 0.465), and perceived product price, H3 (B = 0.366). Implementing sustainability in fashion generally corresponds to a higher price and better quality. Still, consumers are selecting sustainable products with competitive prices and high-quality products [86]. However, in another study, consumers are hesitating to switch to sustainable fashion because fast fashion offers affordable prices [87]. A product having good quality will last longer. Thus, the optimistic mindset of people toward green consumption despite the higher price is now becoming a trend.

For H4 (B = 0.267), sustainability advocacy positively influences hedonic motivation. The result confirms a previous study on centennials being influenced to buy green products with hedonic motivation [88]. The hedonic motivation is validated with green purchases among consumers with moral concerns and obligations.

In this study, sustainability advocacy significantly affects attitude (H5; B = 0.220) and perceived behavioral control (H6; B = 0.431). The result validates the previous research that attitude and perceived behavioral control affect the intention in buying sustainable fashion [89]. As government introduces and promotes sustainability for people’s awareness, the attitude toward sustainable products will change positively. As a result, suppliers and manufacturers are producing sustainable products to be available to the market.

On the other hand, the subjective norm does not correlate with sustainability advocacy (H7; B = 0.034) and purchase intention (H8; B = 0.069). This is in contrast with research on the younger generation’s purchase intention on fast fashion [46] and consumers with green purchases [90]. In this study, family, friends, and peers do not influence either the intention of buying fast fashion or the awareness of sustainable fashion. This proves that consumers decide of their own free will without the interjection of the people around them.

For H9 (B = 0.164), perceived behavioral control positively affects purchase intention. This finding is in line with the previous study on retail fashion online [91]. The indicator (PBC2; λ = 0.899), a lot of fashion brands to choose from, has the highest impact. Consumers are attracted to fast fashion due to the different variety of fashion styles and resource availability.

The factor with the most significant effect on purchase intention is attitude (B = 0.606), as validated with H10. The indicators include the importance of fast fashion brands (ATT1; λ = 0.878), the importance of image (ATT2; λ = 0.828), fast fashion that looks good (ATT3; λ = 0.833), and fast fashion satisfactory (ATT4; λ = 0.834). The result shows consistency with the previous study conducted on the younger generation where attitude is found to be the most important determinant in purchasing fast fashion [46]. A person’s attitude towards fast fashion is a crucial indicator of purchasing.

Similar to a study conducted to determine the purchase intention of consumers [92], social media positively impacts attitude (H11; B = 0.514), perceived behavioral control (H12; B = 0.172), and subjective norm (H13; B = 0.606). Consumers change their attitudes toward a product because of the information derived from social media, the availability of resources, and the influence of peers. Social media is used by individuals and companies to make decisions. Technology has made it easier to surf and analyze data extracted from social media to view the opinions of people. Because of this, social media has become a reliable site to obtain information.

Social media influences perceived product quality (H14; B = 0.232) and perceived product price (H15; B = 0.257). The result is congruent with a study on the Facebook platform where social media marketing positively affects perceived quality [75]. In another study conducted on Instagram, social media, price, and quality affects the decision of consumers to buy [74]. The effect of social media has the influence to control the perceived price and quality of a product.

In this study, social media impacts hedonic motivation as validated with H16 (B = 0.404). The findings support the previous research that social media marketing has a significant effect on consumer satisfaction [76]. Social media strategies bring customers enjoyment and find satisfaction in shopping for goods.

Undoubtedly, social media significantly affects purchase intention in fast fashion as confirmed in H17 (B = 0.010). The indicators include the importance of being in an online community (SM1; λ = 0.791), having an online relationship with social media influencers (SM2; λ = 0.930), the ability to exchange information with social media influencers (SM3; λ = 0.928), and influencers reviewing products (SM4; λ = 0.843). The findings agree with the previous study that social media advertising [77] and fashion influencers [93] constitute a positive influence on purchase intention in fast fashion. Consumers are relying on the acquired information by communicating with online influencers.

For H18 (B = 0.368), hedonic motivation positively affects purchase intention. Consumers are buying fast fashion due to the pleasure it brings them when shopping. This is in line with the top indicator, enjoyment in buying fast fashion (HM3; λ = 0.932). The result of this research supports the previous study where consumers feel excited and enjoy shopping activities [94]. Consumers receive satisfaction and positive emotion towards buying fast fashion.

Surprisingly, perceived product price (H19) and perceived product quality (H20) do not show a significant impact on purchase intention. This is in contrast to previous findings on counterfeit luxury brands that suggested that quality and price positively influence purchase intention [95]. In another study, perceived quality is one of the important predictors of purchase intention, and price consciousness moderated interest in clothing and purchase intention [96]. The probable reason behind the result can be due to other features fast fashion has, such as it offers a variety of trendy styles. The price and quality of the product are not considered because people will dispose of it eventually after wearing for a few times or when the style becomes outdated.

Lastly, despite the awareness of the negative impact of fast fashion on the environment, it was found that 62% (253) are still willing to buy fast fashion but will be decreased, 20% (82) of the respondents claimed that there will be no changes on their decision in buying fast fashion, and 17% (71) says to stop. In a previous study, it was demonstrated that consumers may have a positive attitude toward sustainable fashion; however, it is not reflected in actual purchasing [97]. A person may feel responsible for the environment, but actions toward sustainability are still a challenge.

4.2. Practical Implications

This study has several practical implications for government institutions, fashion companies, and individual consumers in the Philippines. The findings of this research suggest that sustainability awareness may negatively affect the decision of consumers in buying fast fashion. This means that when consumers are aware of the negative impact of fast fashion on the environment, their attitude towards buying changes negatively. Consequently, the feeling of obligation, responsibility, and concern towards the environment leads individuals to reduce or stop their consumption of fast fashion. Customers may shift towards sustainable fashion. Thus, policymakers, government, the Philippine Congress, and private institutions may promote and spread awareness of sustainability using advertisements on local television and radio. The Philippine government may also promote sustainability in fast fashion by conducting seminars for different sectors of public organizations, as well as in schools. Raising awareness among Filipino consumers, especially the youth, on the negative impact of fast fashion may bring a positive attitude towards sustainability and become responsible consumers.

In general, the online community is large and consumers are well-equipped with social media. In this study, social media is found to affect all the other factors. Social media is a crucial factor for Filipino consumers in purchase decision making. With the combination of social media and sustainability advocacy, Filipino consumers may gain more knowledge on sustainability. This study recommends using social media influencers in promoting sustainable fashion since it has the greatest effect. Philippine government and private institutions may post advertisements and promotions on social media pages on the negative effect of fast fashion. The attitude of consumers towards fast fashion may change when they have full knowledge of its effect on the environment. In this case, companies may need to move in the direction of sustainable fashion. Different methods, processes, or ways may be adopted to create and encourage sustainability.

4.3. Limitations and Future Research

This study provides additional information to understand better the behavior of Filipino consumers in the context of fast fashion. However, several factors need to be considered in future research, such as the following:

• This study uses the combined theory of TPB, ELM, and hedonic motivation. Future research may add, remove, or change the combination of theories in analyzing behavioral purchase intention. Different statistical tools and processes may also be used;
• This study is conducted on Filipino consumers. Other nationalities may also be explored to find out the different perspectives of individuals on fast fashion and sustainability;
• Since the survey gathered is limited only to 407 participants, a greater number of random samples may change the result. Collecting data in different platforms of distribution may also be helpful to gain a substantial sample;
• This study was analyzed based on the general population in the Philippines. Future studies may include cross analysis in terms of gender, age, income, monthly expense, and occupation status;
• The focus of this study is fast fashion. Future research may also include slow fashion and sustainable fashion.

5. Conclusions

The popularity of fast fashion among consumers results in negative impacts on the environment. There are various studies about sustainability and fast fashion; however, the influence of social media and sustainability advocacy on the purchase intention of fast fashion of Filipino consumers is still limited. In this study, the combined TPB, ELM, and hedonic motivation theory are used to analyze the factors affecting the purchase intention of fast fashion. A total of 407 respondents were gathered and each answered a 3-part questionnaire.

Structural equation modelling was used to analyze the relationship of each factor with purchase intention. The moderating effect of social media and sustainability advocacy was also performed. Based on the model, attitude (B = 0.606) has the highest effect on purchase intention followed by sustainability advocacy (B = −520), hedonic motivation (B = 0.368), perceived behavioral control (B = 0.164), and social media (B = 0.010). Surprisingly, subjective norm (B = 0.069), perceived product quality (B = 0.059), and perceived product price (B = −0.32) do not show significant relation with purchase intention. After knowing the negative impact of fast fashion on the environment, the majority of the respondents opted to reduce their consumption. Therefore, the findings of this study may serve as a theoretical background for promoting sustainability awareness to individuals, companies, and policymakers.