Exploring the determinants of college students' consumptive behavior towards fast fashion products: A factor analysis approach

Fast fashion has become a global phenomenon that offers clothes with the latest designs, affordable prices, and rapid production cycles. This trend is especially appealing to college students, who frequently engage in consumptive behavior to express identity, follow trends, or gain social acceptance. This study aims to explore the underlying factors that influence college students' consumptive behavior toward fast fashion products by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The research involved 382 fashion students from Yogyakarta State University, Indonesia, and examined five primary constructs: Attitude Toward Behavior (ATB), Subjective Norm (SN), Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC), Intention (INT), and Behavior (BEH). A 32-item questionnaire was used, followed by model respecification that improved the model's validity and reliability, resulting in a more refined 26-item instrument. The findings revealed that subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention had a significant influence on consumptive behavior, while attitude toward behavior did not significantly affect intention. The SEM model explained 83.6% of the variance in intention and 86.6% in actual behavior, indicating strong predictive power. These results highlight the critical role of social pressure and perceived self-efficacy in shaping purchasing decisions, rather than personal attitudes alone. Moreover, the study underscores the importance of addressing the environmental implications of fast fashion consumption among youth. By understanding the psychological drivers behind such behavior, this research contributes valuable insights for developing targeted educational interventions and sustainable fashion campaigns within academic settings. Future studies are recommended to incorporate longitudinal and cross-cultural comparisons to generalize findings and evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral change strategies.