THE ANALYSIS OF THE SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION PATTERNS OF GENERATION Z IN FASHION INDUSTRY

This paper focuses on the sustainable consumption patterns of generation Z in fashion industry and on the factors influencing buying of fashion garments produced in line with the notion of sustainable development. Young consumers are increasingly aware of harmful environmental effects of the fashion industry, problems of child labour, exploitation of workers and overcrowded factories, as well as the quality of produced garments. However, in the process of purchasing decision, due to a behaviour gap, such awareness does not lead towards ethical consumption choices in fashion industry. Accordingly, it is important to investigate which factors affect their ethical consumption and how strong they influence their actual buying behaviour. We set multivariate PLSSEM model in order to analyse the impact of consumer awareness of environmental protection, participation in environmental activities, family, peers and the media influence onto the importance of sustainable consumption elements of generation Z when buying fashion items. Rendering the analysis, it was concluded that the media, family and peers indirectly through the involvement in the environmental problems of the community positively affect sustainable consumption of fashion, while environmental awareness has shown no significant impact on the same variable.