Sustainable Fashion and Consumer Practices: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

With rising environmental concerns in the global fashion industry, discussions of ethical consumerism- a practice in which consumers consider factors beyond price and quality when making purchase decisions- have increased. Fast fashion is increasingly a topic of conversation among industry experts, activists, and governments worldwide. Given that India is one of the largest markets worldwide, understanding consumers' perspectives and practices is essential. The country’s various artisan-based, material-based factors are historically prominent in India. Yet, there is limited clarity on whether Indian consumers are aware of sustainable fashion and the factors contributing to the awareness-action gap. Demographic factors significantly influence consumption choice. However, the impact of circular economy models, such as thrift stores, remains unexplored. Using a mixed-methods design with 500 survey responses and 25 interviews, the study identifies key statistical findings and themes that influence Indian consumers' fashion consumption more sustainably, using Jamovi and MAXQDA. This includes studying gender, income, and culture as key factors and examining how awareness does not lead to circular practices. However, the study has certain limitations, including a low Cronbach’s alpha, time constraints, and sampling methods, among others. Given its exploratory nature, the study thus lays a strong foundation for future research using either a repeated-measures design or experiments.