Clothing Purchase Preferences and Textile Waste Management Practices in Greece: A Practice Theory-Based Study

Abstract

The clothing and textile industry is under increasing pressure to comply with European sustainability directives, including the European Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the revised Waste Framework Directive, effective October 2025. While global interest in sustainable textile practices grows, limited research has examined clothing consumption and disposal behaviors in Greece, particularly through the lens of practice theory. This study addresses that gap by exploring the dynamics of these practices using a structured questionnaire distributed online via Google Forms in 2024 with 250 valid responses. Chi-square (χ²) tests and regressions analyses were used to assess associations among certain categorical variables. Our findings reveal that older consumers tend to spend more on clothing and show a preference for fast fashion. Frequent shoppers also lean toward fast fashion, yet they demonstrate greater concern for material composition. Higher sustainability awareness is associated with a preference for purchasing fewer garments or opting for higher-quality items. Notably, discomfort with recycled materials predicts reluctance toward industrial recycling and reinforces the tendency to choose durable clothing that lasts longer.

1. Introduction

The clothing and textile industry is both energy-intensive and waste-generating, accounting for approximately 3–10% of global CO₂ emissions [1]. Simultaneously, it faces significant pressure to comply with European directives, including the revised Waste Framework Directive (Directive (EU) 2025/1892) [2], which enters into force in October 2025. The latter mandates that EU Member States establish Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes by 2028. In Greece, policymakers have begun implementing the 2018 Waste Framework Directive (Directive 851/2018/EU) [3], which requires separate textile collection by 2025 across all EU countries.

In 2020, the EU generated approximately 6.96 million tonnes (Mt) of textile waste, equivalent to 16 kg per person for that year. Of this, 4.4 kg per person was collected separately for reuse and recycling, while 11.6 kg per person was disposed of in mixed household waste. Notably, 82% of textile waste is post-consumer, while the remaining 18% originates from manufacturing processes or unsold products [4]. The European Waste Catalogue distinguishes post-consumer waste as either waste clothing (20 01 10) or waste textiles (20 01 11), while post-industrial textile waste is categorized under 04 02 00, depending on fiber origin and manufacturing stage. According to McKinsey & Company [1], textile waste in Europe is projected to rise to 8.5–9 Mt by 2030, driven by increased consumption, population growth, and GDP expansion.

As global attention toward textile sustainability grows, numerous studies have examined consumer behavior in clothing consumption and disposal. Gwozdz et al. [5] conducted surveys in Germany, Poland, Sweden, and the United States to analyze consumption patterns from purchase to disposal, with all respondents tending to dispose of their clothes sustainably. Soyer and Dittrich [6] explored how Dutch consumers can be encouraged to adopt sustainable practices across the garment lifecycle. Paço et al. [7] conducted an international study on attitudes and behaviors related to sustainable consumption. According to their findings, respondents tend to evaluate the composition and the origin of material, while avoiding purchasing certain apparel products and preferring to follow fashion trends.

Most existing research focuses on clothing disposal, particularly the social dimensions of the practice. Bianchi and Birtwistle [8] investigated motivations for donating garments in Australia and Chile. Fenitra et al. [9] examined clothing donation behavior in Indonesia. Joung and Park-Poaps [10] identified environmental and economic factors influencing disposal among college students. Lang et al. [11] explored demographic and personal attributes affecting disposal frequency. Laitala [12] synthesized decades of empirical literature on clothing disposal, and P & D [13] provided a comprehensive review of current knowledge. Morell-Delgado et al. [14] studied textile waste practices in Catalonia. They also reported that the most significant variables were age, concern about the environment, and the generation rates of textile waste. Also, they found that young respondents were not concerned about textile waste in general, leading to incorrect disposal pathways. Nencková et al. [15] examined consumer behavior toward textile waste in the Czech Republic. They found that older people (>60 y) in the Czech Republic do not separate textile waste, while significantly fewer tended to dispose of it. Furthermore, this group tended to extend the product’s life through reuse.

Despite this growing body of research, the mechanisms and interactions behind textile use (consumption) and wasted clothing disposal practices remain unclear. Practice theory focuses on the interactions and dynamics among three elements. The first is materiality, including textiles and infrastructures. The second addresses the significances and ideas (i.e., meanings) of each practice by asking what and why. Finally, the third element refers to the skills involved in wise product consumption and disposal.

To date, no study has examined clothing consumption and textile waste disposal through the lens of practice theory. Through this sociological approach, it can be examined both what consumers do with their clothes, from buying them to their end of life, and why they do it. Therefore, this study, which was applied to Greece, addresses two research questions:

RQ1: What is the consumers’ behavior towards clothing purchase in Greece, and how is it influenced by age and sustainability awareness?

RQ2: What are the consumers’ textile waste disposal practices, and are they affected by clothing purchasing behavior and sustainability awareness?

By answering these questions, the study seeks to understand clothing consumption and disposal practices in Greece using practice theory as the analytical framework. It also explores how the adoption of separate textile collection in Greece may contribute to shifting consumer habits from (unsustainable) fast fashion towards more sustainable slow fashion.

Currently in Greece, the National Recycling Organization is developing a new system for recycling the textile waste stream under the National Action Plan on Circular Economy (NAPCE) [16]. So far, several private entrepreneurs have established bins on curbsides (mostly purple) across the country with the municipalities’ collaboration. According to Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules for clothing and footwear [17] the end-of-life (EoL) stage begins when the product in scope and its packaging is discarded by the user and ends when the product is returned to nature as a waste product or enters another product’s life cycle (i.e., as a recycled input). At the same time, the clothing and apparel industry is driven by ultra-fast fashion trends and the linear economy model (take-make-waste). More specifically, fast fashion is associated with frequent clothing disposal due to rapid trend cycles and low-cost production. In contrast, slow fashion promotes sustainability by encouraging durable design, ethical production, and mindful consumption throughout the garment lifecycle [18].

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Theoretical Framework: Practice Theory

This study adopts the practice theory as a conceptual lens to examine how clothing-related behavior is socially and materially embedded. Traditional sociological analyses often overlook the full complexity of how practices are acquired, adapted, and performed. Practice theory helps address this gap by explaining how materials, significancies and ideas (meanings), and competencies interact dynamically [19].

According to the review by Klitkou et al. [20], materials consist of physical surroundings, material objects, and infrastructures, such as garments, disposal systems, and shops, which form the performance of practice. Meanings (significancies and ideas) refer to the reasoning of conducting the practice, in this case cultural values, personal identity, and beliefs regarding sustainability. Finally, competencies imply the skills and knowledge that are required to perform the practice, such as digital literacy for online shopping and consciousness of textile recycling options. A detailed analysis based on the research questions is shown in the following

Table 1. Applying integrated practice theory in the two research questions (RQ).

Elements	RQ1: What is the consumers’ behavior towards clothing purchase in Greece, and how is it influenced by age and sustainability awareness?	RQ2: What are the consumers’ textile waste disposal practices, and are they affected by clothing purchasing behavior and sustainability awareness?
Materials	Garments, online and physical shops, labels and price tags, fibers	Discarded garments, blue, green and purple bins, donation sites, i.e., church, voluntary clothing collection sites
Meanings (significancies, ideas)	Personal and social motivation, such as identity expression, trendiness, sustainability awareness	Beliefs associated with environmental responsibility, circular fashion, and waste reduction
Competencies	Knowledge of type of fashion, i.e., fast and slow fashion, skills for assessing material composition and for budget, personal preferences	Awareness of textile waste pathways, i.e., recycling, repair, resale, second-hand market

. This framework allowed us to interpret consumer behavior by highlighting how social norms, material conditions, and individual capabilities interact.

2.2. Survey Design and Data Collection

To investigate the dynamics between the elements of clothing consumption and disposal practices, a structured questionnaire was developed and disseminated online via Google Forms during the first quarter of 2024. The survey targeted Greek residents, and 250 valid responses were recorded. The questionnaire consisted of four parts. The first part was about collecting basic information, including age, gender, and educational background, with three questions in total. The second part focused on clothing consumption, exploring the frequency of purchases, expenditure levels, and motivations behind clothing choices, with a total of seven questions. The third part highlighted fashion preferences and was administered only to respondents familiar with the concepts of fast and slow fashion. This part examined attitudes toward fashion trends and sustainability, with two questions. Finally, the fourth part referred to clothing disposal by investigating disposal methods and respondents’ attitudes toward sustainability and textile waste management and included five questions. The sequence of questions was designed to be progressive, with the third section conditional on respondents’ awareness of fast and slow fashion. Although online surveys have numerous strengths, such as flexibility, speed, and timeliness, they also have limitations, including occasionally unclear instructions, low response rates, and limited representativeness [21]. The full questionnaire used in this study is included in the Supplementary File S1.

In this study, disposal refers to the act of getting rid of clothing—i.e., the end-of-life stage with the current owner—regardless of whether the item is discarded as waste or directed toward reuse or recycling [12]. Reuse is defined as the continued use of a garment after its perceived end-of-life, either for its original purpose (primary reuse) or for a different function (secondary reuse) [18]. Disposal methods such as “voluntary clothing collection areas,” “church donations,” and “giving garments to others” are categorized as reuse practices.

Recycling involves reclaiming textile fibers to produce new products, either through upcycling (creating higher-value items) or downcycling (converting garments into lower-value raw materials) [18]. In this study, disposal methods such as “separate collection bins for clothes only (purple bins)” and “reuse through another use (e.g., rags, etc.)” are both considered material recycling options. Conversely, disposal to “mixed waste bins (green/grey bins)” and to “packaging waste separate collection bins (blue bins)” is classified as incorrect, since the appropriate bins for the separate collection of wasted clothes in Greece are a different color (purple or red). That is, the use of non-purple/red bins imply an incorrect disposal pathway.

2.3. Data Analysis

Regarding the questions in Part One, age is a categorical variable, as responses were grouped by generation: Gen Z (15–29), Gen Y (30–44), Gen X (45–59), and Baby boomers (60–78), that respectively received integer values 1 to 4 during statistical analysis. This ordinal categorization aided the statistical analysis and aimed to represent generational differences in textile consumption and disposal practices. Also, gender was considered a categorical variable (male/female) and was coded according to

Table 2. Groups of responses to the questions from Part One of the survey.

Questions	Variables Assigned
	1	2	3	4
Age	15–29 (Gen Z)	30–44 (Gen Y)	45–59 (Gen X)	60–78 (Baby boomers)
Gender	Male	Female

.

The questions from Part Two that were analyzed statistically are “How often do you purchase clothes?”, “How much money do you spend on clothes annually?”, “Do you pay attention to the materials used in your clothes?”, “Would you be interested in clothing made from recycled materials, which usually lowers the purchase cost?”, and “Do you know what fast fashion, slow fashion, and second-hand clothing are?”. The grouping of purchase frequency and annual spending was based on Greek conditions, including salaries, habits, and lifestyle. The grouping of that variable is presented in

Table 3. Groups of responses to the questions from Part Two of the survey.

Questions	Variables Assigned
	1	2	3	4	5
How often do you purchase clothes?	Weekly	Monthly	Every 3 months	Every 6 months	Once a year
How much money do you spend on clothes annually?	0–100 €	100–200 €	200–300 €	300–500 €	>500 €
Do you pay attention to the materials used in your clothes?	Not at all	Little	Medium	Enough	Very
Would you be interested in clothing made from recycled materials, which usually lowers the purchase cost?	Not at all	Little	Medium	Enough	Very
Do you know what fast fashion, slow fashion, and second-hand clothing are?	Yes	No

.

Regarding the questions from Part Three, the variable analyzed statistically is: “Provided that you are familiar with fast fashion, slow fashion, and secondhand clothing, which do you prefer when making purchases?” The grouping of that variable is explained in

Table 4. Groups of responses to the questions from Part Three of the survey.

Questions	Variables Assigned
	1	2	3
Provided that you are familiar with fast fashion, slow fashion, and second-hand clothing, which one do you prefer mostly when making purchases?	Fast fashion	Slow fashion	Second-hand clothing

.

Finally, regarding the questions from Part Four, the ones whose results met part of the criteria for the statistical analysis are: “How often do you dispose of your clothes?”, “Based on the disposal frequency you selected, approximately how many bags of clothes do you dispose of? (Each bag refers to a standard black or blue garbage bag with a volume of 45–50 L)”, “Would you be willing to purchase an environmentally friendly garment that costs more?”, and “What do you think is the best way to reduce textile waste production?”.

Table 5. Groups of responses to questions from Part Four of the survey.

Questions	Variables Assigned
	1	2	3	4	5
How often do you dispose of your clothes?	Every 6 months	Once annually	Every 2 years	>2 years	I store them
Based on the disposal frequency you selected before, approximately how many bags of clothes do you dispose of? (Each bag refers to a standard black or blue garbage bag with a volume of 45–50 L)	1	2	3	4	5
Would you be willing to purchase an environmentally friendly garment that costs more?	Yes	No
What do you think is the best way to reduce textile waste production?	Buying fewer clothes	Buy quality clothes that last longer	Reusing old clothes in other ways	Clothing repair	Recycling on an industrial scale

presents the grouping of the responses included in Part Four of the survey.

2.4. Statistical Analysis

Quantitative data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 29) [22]. First, a bivariate correlation test was conducted to investigate whether there are correlations among the categorical variables. The Spearman coefficient (ρ) was calculated between the categorical variables under investigation to assess the type of associations (positive, negative) between categorical variables. In cases of significance, a Chi-square (χ²) test was also performed to reconfirm the association between the variables. When statistically significant relationships were identified (at p < 0.05), both linear regression and Ordinal Logistic Regression (OLR) analyses were performed to confirm the direction and strength of these associations and to generate the corresponding regression equations. From the (significant) regression equations, the calculated slopes were evaluated to further confirm the type and magnitude of association between the variables. Diagnostic checks included normal probability plots of residuals, which confirmed normality, and plots of residuals versus predicted values, which showed no specific trends. Only results meeting the criteria of normal distribution and statistical significance (p < 0.05) are reported. Figure 1 presents the statistical analysis mechanism for this study. The detailed results of the statistical analysis are available in Supplementary File S1.

For the multiple-response question regarding clothing disposal methods, descriptive statistics were used to explore patterns across demographic variables, i.e., age.

3. Results

3.1. Research Question 1: What Is the Consumers’ Behavior Towards Clothing Purchase in Greece, and How Is It Influenced by Age and Sustainability Awareness?

The statistical analysis aimed to examine whether consumer habits, demographic characteristics, and sustainability awareness were related, and in which direction these relationships occurred. The Chi-square test showed significant associations between age and annual clothing expenditure (p < 0.001), attention to material composition (p = 0.008), and preferences for fast fashion, slow fashion, or second-hand clothing (p < 0.001). These findings indicate that age influences several aspects of clothing behavior. Regression analysis showed that a one-unit increase in age predicts a 0.233-unit increase in annual clothing expenditure and a 0.308-unit increase in material awareness. Conversely, age was associated with a 0.255-unit shift toward lower preference values, suggesting that older respondents are more likely to prefer fast fashion than younger respondents.

Regarding the categorical variable of “How often do you think you purchase clothing”, the Chi-square test showed significant associations with annual clothing expenditure (p = 0.001), attention to material composition (p = 0.008), and preferences for fast fashion, slow fashion, or second-hand clothing (p < 0.001). Regression analysis indicated that a one-unit increase in purchase frequency predicts a 0.23-unit increase in annual expenditure and a 0.31-unit increase in material awareness. However, higher purchase frequency is also associated with a 0.26-unit shift toward lower preference values, suggesting that frequent shoppers tend to prefer fast fashion over slow or second-hand options. It is noted that the linear regression models for the first two categorical variables are identical, which is a coincidence, even though four variables were used to group the dependent variable “Age” and five variables to group the dependent variable “How often do you purchase clothes?”.

The categorical variable of “How much money do you spend on clothes annually?” was significantly associated with respondents’ fashion preferences (p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that a one-unit increase in annual spending corresponds to a 0.091-unit shift toward lower preference values, indicating that individuals who spend more on clothing tend to favor fast fashion over slow fashion or second-hand options.

According to the linear regression modeling approach, material awareness is significantly associated with both fashion preferences (p < 0.001) and perceptions of the most effective way to reduce textile waste (p < 0.001). A one-unit increase in material awareness corresponds to a 0.13-unit shift toward higher preference values, indicating a tendency to favor slow or second-hand fashion over fast fashion. It is also associated with a 0.29-unit shift toward lower preference values in the waste reduction question, suggesting that individuals with higher awareness are more likely to support buying fewer or higher-quality garments rather than relying on industrial-scale recycling. Although these results are statistically significant, not all of them are equally robust. This is also highlighted by the results of the ordinal regression. More specifically, the Spearman coefficient was significant, and its positive or negative value indicates a significant positive or negative association between the variables, respectively. The same finding is reached by the positive or negative estimate of the Ordinal Logistic Regression model (see last columns of

Table 6. Summary of the most robust results of the statistical analysis.

X	Y	Spearman Coefficient	${\mathbf{\chi }}^2$	Linear Regression Analysis	Ordinal Logistic Regression
Age	How much money do you spend on clothes annually?	$\rho =0.16$ $p=0.014$	$p=0.001$	$R^2=0.25$ $p=0.012$ $Y=2.68+0.233·X$	$Estimate=0.295$ $p=0.014$
Age	Do you pay attention to the materials used in your clothes?	$\rho =0.30$ $p<0.001$	$p=0.008$	$R^2=0.81$ $p<0.01$ $Y=2.92+0.308·X$	$Estimate=0.612$ $p<0.001$
Age	Provided that you are familiar with fast fashion, slow fashion and second-hand clothing, which do you prefer when making purchases?	$\rho =-0.24$ $p<0.001$	$p=0.0000035$	$R^2=0.065$ $p<0.001$ $Y=2.1-0.26·X$	$Estimate=-0.481$ $p<0.001$
How often do you purchase clothes?	How much money do you spend on clothes annually?	$\rho =0.16$ $p=0.014$	$p=0.001$	$R^2=0.025$ $p=0.012$ $Y=2.68+0.233·X$	$Estimate=0.295$ $p=0.014$
How often do you purchase clothes?	Do you pay attention to the materials used in your clothes?	$\rho =0.30$ $p<0.001$	$p=0.008$	$R^2=0.081$ $p<0.001$ $Y=2.92+0.308·X$	$Estimate=0.612$ $p<0.001$
How often do you purchase clothes?	Provided that you are familiar with fast fashion, slow fashion and second-hand clothing, which do you prefer when making purchases?	$\rho =-0.24$ $p<0.001$	$p<0.001$	$R^2=0.065$ $p<0.001$ $Y=2.06-0.255·X$	$Estimate=-0.481$ $p<0.001$
How much money do you spend on clothes annually?	Provided that you are familiar with fast fashion, slow fashion and second-hand clothing, which do you prefer when making purchases?	$\rho =-0.14$ $p=0.026$	$p<0.001$	$R^2=0.018$ $p=0.034$ $Y=1.81-0.091·X$	$Estimate=-0.185$ $p=0.028$
Do you pay attention to the materials used in your clothes?	Provided that you are familiar with fast fashion, slow fashion and second-hand clothing, which do you prefer when making purchases?	$\rho =0.17$ $p=0.007$	$p<0.001$	$R^2=0.018$ $p=0.032$ $Y=1.07+0.126·X$	$Estimate=0.280$ $p=0.014$
Do you pay attention to the materials used in your clothes?	What do you think is the best way to reduce textile waste production?	$\rho =-0.20$ $p=0.002$	$p<0.001$	$R^2=0.046$ $p<0.001$ $Y=3.70-0.289·X$	$Estimate=-0.335$ $p=0.004$

Values of p < 0.05 indicate significance of results, i.e., presence of association. X is the independent variable and Y are the dependent variables; in the Ordinal Logistic Regression modeling, the table includes only the estimate (i.e., slope) and its p.

and

Table 7. Results of the statistical analysis regarding the question “Would you be interested in clothing made from recycled materials, which usually lowers the purchase cost?”.

X	Y	Spearman Coefficient	${\mathbf{\chi }}^2$	Linear Regression Analysis	Ordinal Logistic Regression
Would you be interested in clothing made from recycled materials, which usually lowers the purchase cost?	What do you think is the best way to reduce textile waste generation?	$\rho =-0.20$ $p=0.002$	$p=0.02$	$R^2=0.051$ $p<0.001$ $Y=3.2-0.31\cdot X$	$Estimate=-0.335$ $p=0.004$

Values of p < 0.05 indicate significance of results, i.e., presence of association. X is the independent variable and Y are the dependent variables; in the Ordinal Logistic Regression modeling, the table includes only the estimate (i.e., slope) and its p.

). Table 6 includes the significant results only. In all cases, there was a complete agreement among the association trends as calculated by the Spearman correlation tests, the linear regression and the Ordinal Logistic Regression models.

3.2. Research Question 2: What Are the Consumers’ Textile Waste Disposal Practices, and Are They Affected by Clothing Purchasing Behavior and Sustainability Awareness?

This section examined whether consumers’ awareness of recycled materials is related to their disposal practices. The Chi-square test showed a significant association between willingness to buy clothing made from recycled materials and perceptions of the best way to reduce textile waste (p = 0.02). Regression analysis indicated that a one-unit increase in discomfort with recycled materials corresponds to a 0.306-unit shift toward lower preference values. This suggests that individuals uneasy with recycled content are more likely to favor strategies such as buying fewer garments or choosing longer-lasting items (Table 7). As previously, there was a complete agreement among the association trends revealed by the Spearman correlation test, the linear regression and the Ordinal Logistic Regression modeling.

A descriptive statistical analysis was conducted to examine how demographic and social characteristics relate to clothing consumption preferences, sustainability awareness, and disposal practices. Figure 2 presents the variability in the textile waste management preferences according to age genres. The figure implies that almost all ages choose sustainable solutions, such as prevention, preparation for reuse, and recycling (which includes donations of clothes to others).

An important aspect of the responses is the configuration of the textile waste management replies of the respondents (

Table 8. Percentage of the concurrent respondents’ replies on the disposal practices question.

Disposal Options (Responses)	One Response	Two Responses	Three Responses	Four Responses	Five Responses	Grand Total
1. Voluntary clothing collection areas	3.2% *	6.3%	7.3%	2.2%	0.8%	19.8%
2. Church	0.2%	2.6% **	3.0%	1.8%	0.8%	8.5%
3. Mixed (residual) waste bins	0.2%	0.6%	0.0%	0.2%	0.0%	1.0%
4. Separate collection bins for clothes only	4.0%	6.5%	6.5%	1.8%	0.8%	19.6%
5. Packaging waste separate collection bins	0.4%	0.4%	0.2%	0.2%	0.0%	1.2%
6. Donation to other people	11.7%	11.9%	10.3%	3.0%	0.8%	37.8%
7. Reuse through alternative uses (e.g., dusting rags)	0.8%	2.8%	4.8%	2.8%	0.8%	12.1%
Grand Total	20.6%	31.1% ***	32.1%	12.1%	4.0%	100.0%

For example: * 3.2% of the respondents selected only this response (response 1). **: 2.6% of the respondents selected two responses, one of which included the church disposal option; ***: 31.1% of the respondents selected only two responses (among the 7) when asked about their disposal practices. Note that no respondents selected together 6 or all 7 responses, and for this reason no separate columns appear for the “six responses” and “seven responses”.

). That is, which replies were concurrently selected. The vast majority of concurrent replies was three (32.1%) and two (31.1%). In both configurations, the dominant response was the “Donations to others” (10.3% and 11.9%, respectively), followed by separate collection (6.5%). Moreover, one management option was selected by 20.6% of the respondents, while the configurations of four and five concurrent responses were selected by 12.1% and 4% of the sample, respectively. Regarding the disposal methods, citizens principally give away their clothes to others when they do not need them anymore (37.8%), then place them to separate collection bins for clothes (19.6%) and/or equally donate them to voluntary clothing collection places (19.8%).

4. Discussion

4.1. Implications for Practice Theory

The findings of this study highlight the complex and often contradictory nature of textile consumption and disposal practices in Greece. Nevertheless, when interpreted through the lens of practice theory, these behaviors emerge not only from isolated individual choices but from the dynamic interaction of materials, significancies and ideas (meanings), and competencies that shape everyday routines.

4.2. Clothing Purchase Practices and Influencing Factors (RQ1)

Age emerged as a relevant factor in shaping clothing-related behaviors, while the associations observed in the model point to generational differences in how consumers evaluate garments and engage with the market. The reduced influence of trend-driven preferences among older individuals, together with their greater attention to material composition, aligns with the findings of Morell-Delgado et al. [14]. Those authors suggest a more stable and experience-based approach to clothing choices. In the Greek context, these patterns may reflect differences in economic stability, cultural expectations regarding appearance, or familiarity with traditional retail practices. Such generational dynamics offer insight into how sustainable and circular textile consumption can be achieved, providing retailers with clearer opportunities for targeted strategies within the green transition.

Purchase frequency showed meaningful associations with both expenditure patterns and material awareness. This finding indicates that frequent buyers engage with the market in ways that combine higher spending with some attention to garment quality. At the same time, its negative relationship with fashion-driven preferences, together with the link between higher expenditure and fast fashion orientation, echoes the dynamics identified by Lang et al. [11]. Within the Greek context, these patterns reveal a misalignment between material infrastructure, cultural norms, trends, affordability or self-presentation, and competencies in material awareness. This misalignment suggests that frequent buyers may be willing to purchase higher-quality garments but lack accessible options, as these garments do not align with their budgets and style preferences. Retailers could address this gap by increasing the availability of higher-quality garments at affordable prices, thereby supporting more sustainable consumption pathways.

Material awareness was positively correlated with preferences for slow fashion and second-hand clothing. These consumers tend to buy fewer garments and prioritize durability, aligning with Soyer and Dittrich [6], who found that purchasing quality clothing is a common sustainable practice. Moreover, Paço et al. [7] observed that consumers evaluate material composition and origin, avoid certain clothing products, and selectively follow fashion trends. In terms of practice theory, these findings suggest that sustainability awareness strengthens competencies and reshapes the concepts of value, durability, and responsible consumption. In the Greek context, this emerging configuration of concepts and competencies indicates that a fraction of the Greek consumers are already practicing green transition actions in textile sustainability.

Interest in recycled materials was associated with the belief that reducing consumption and purchasing durable garments are effective strategies to minimize textile waste. Jalil and Shaharuddin [23] also emphasized the role of behavioral intention and sustainable disposal practices in predicting eco-fashion consumption, including garments made from organic, recyclable, and renewable materials. Moreover, this finding shows that preferences for recycled textiles appear to influence not only the purchasing decisions but also the perceptions on appropriate disposal pathways (with regard to RQ2) which are all elements of sustainable textile waste management.

4.3. End of Life (EoL) Clothing Management Practices and Their Determinants (RQ2)

Descriptive analysis indicated that consumers across all age groups engage in sustainable disposal practices, adhering to the waste management hierarchy (Directive 2008/98/EC) [24]. This was supported by multiple-response data on disposal methods. In the Czech Republic, older consumers (60+) were less likely to separate textile waste but more inclined to extend product life through reuse [15]. In contrast, Gen Z respondents (18–35) frequently donated unwanted clothing to charity [20], while younger consumers (18–30) also gave garments to family and friends [13]. These findings are reinforced by Paço et al. [7] and Gwozdz et al. [5], who reported widespread sustainable disposal behavior among respondents.

Despite this, Soyer and Dittrich [6] noted that sustainable disposal practices received the lowest mean score, with respondents showing limited interest in swapping or selling garments. Instead, they preferred donating or giving away redundant clothing.

In the Greek context, the prevalence of donation, reuse, and informal redistribution indicates that a fraction of Greek consumers are already engaging with elements of the green transition in textile sustainability. These practices also highlight an opportunity for retailers and policymakers to strengthen the green transition by expanding accessible infrastructure for second-hand collection, repair, and redistribution, building on behaviors that consumers are willing to adopt.

4.4. Practical Implications and Limitations

By applying practice theory, this study offers an innovative framework for analyzing clothing consumption and disposal behaviors. The Greek case study adds regional specificity to global research on garment life cycles, marking a first in the literature. These insights can inform policymakers and industry stakeholders in designing strategies to promote sustainability and circularity in the textile sector. More specifically, effective interventions must address the three elements of the practice theory. In terms of materials, interventions must ensure accessible and clearly marked textile collection systems, repair services, and slow fashion retail options. Concerning the meanings (significancies/ideas), interventions must address public narratives that normalize reuse, repair, and circular fashion. Finally, regarding competencies, a practical intervention could be to educate consumers on topics related to material quality, recycling pathways, and textile care.

Although consumers demonstrate awareness of the environmental impacts of the clothing industry, the limited explanatory power of the measured variables suggests that additional factors may influence purchasing behavior and sustainability perceptions. Future research should explore the determinants of actual disposal choices and assess the alignment between stated sustainability preferences and observed behaviors. Furthermore, investigating the volume and environmental impact of post-industrial textile waste would provide valuable data for sustainability planning for all countries.

5. Conclusions

The novelty of this study lies in examining textile consumption and disposal practices in Greece through the lens of practice theory that studies how materials, significancies, and competencies interact to jointly shape consumer behavior. By analyzing 250 survey responses, the findings demonstrate that textile-related purchase and waste disposal practices cannot be explained solely by behavioral attitudes. Instead, those practices are affected and shaped by an interaction of infrastructures (shops, bins, labels), cultural norms (trendiness, sustainability values), and individuals’ awareness (knowledge of materials and textile composition, awareness of recycling options).

Practice theory can explain why green transition may stall even when awareness is high; this is because sustainable changes require not awareness alone but also the alignment of materials, significancies, and competencies.

According to this study’s findings, senior age citizens, such as Gen X (45–59) and Baby boomers (60–78), tend to spend more money on clothing and demonstrate greater material awareness; yet, they still show a preference for fast fashion, even within the context of sustainable fashion. Frequent buyers are more inclined to invest in higher-quality garments while simultaneously exhibiting fast fashion tendencies. Those with higher annual clothing expenditures, i.e., >500 €/year, similarly lean toward fast fashion preferences. In terms of material awareness and waste reduction beliefs, the results indicate that greater understanding is associated with a preference for individual actions, such as purchasing fewer items or choosing longer-lasting garments. Respondents who expressed interest in recycled materials also tended to believe that reducing consumption and prioritizing durability are effective strategies to minimize textile waste. Finally, sustainable disposal practices were observed across almost all age groups, with Gen Z (15–29) and Gen X (45–59) demonstrating greater sustainability awareness and consciousness than Gen Y (30–44) and Baby boomers (60–78). Consequently, given the dynamics revealed in the practices of textile consumption and disposal in Greece, findings indicate that targeted interventions, such as awareness campaigns, workshops on sustainability in the textile sector covering the entire life cycle of a garment, and info days, are needed to address the challenges that arise.