Are you Willing to Rent Clothes? Associated Consumption Values from the Consumer’s Point of View

The need to mitigate the unsustainability of the fashion industry leads to the implementation of new business models, including fashion retail rental. This model represents a significant business opportunity (it is estimated that online rental alone will reach USD 1.99 trillion by 2029). However, very little is known about why consumers rent clothes. With the aim of supporting the fashion industry in responding to the environmental pressures it currently faces, this study proposes and validates a model that explains consumers’ intentions to participate in retail clothing rental models. This is done by integrating the theory of planned behavior and the theory of consumption values, conducting a quantitative study using consumer data in Spain, where the clothing rental market is still in its early stages. Structural equation modelling results confirm that attitude is the primary antecedent of rental intention. Emotional, sustainable, and functional-economic values exert a significant positive influence on attitude. However, social value does not have a statistically significant effect. Furthermore, emotional value emerges as a direct predictor of intention, underscoring its dual role in shaping both attitudes and behavioral intentions. This study contributes to the literature by confirming that the integrated model (the application of TCV-Theory of consumption values-within circular business models) is useful for explaining consumers’ intention to participate in the retail clothing rental services. From a managerial perspective, the findings suggest that clothing rental companies should prioritize strategies that enhance emotional engagement, such as curated collections, gamified experiences, and styling services to generate positive consumer attitudes. Communicating the environmental benefits of renting and offering flexible, cost-effective subscription models can further improve the adoption of these behaviors. Given the minimal influence of social value, campaigns related to sustainable consumption should be developed, as well as educational initiatives. These actions may bridge the attitude-behavior gap and accelerate the transition toward circular fashion consumption.