Degrowth Implementation in Fashion Brands: A Multi-case Study

Aerielle Rojas ()
Additional contact information
Aerielle Rojas: University of Leeds

A chapter in Fashion for the Common Good, 2024, pp 129-146 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Similar to macroeconomic criticisms of environmental degradation, authors argue that fashion is in dire need of degrowth to achieve sustainability (Fletcher and Tham, 2019; Niinimaki et al., 2020; Klitgaard and Krall, 2012; Hankhammer et al., 2021). Degrowth is defined as reducing production and consumption for the sake of increasing sustainability (Schnieder et al., 2010). However, there are few works empirically exploring degrowth implementation on a business level, (Nesterova, 2020; Khmara and Kronenberg, 2018; Hankammer et al., 2021). There are even less empirical findings on degrowth fashion implementation. Thus, this study empirically explores how fashion brands implement degrowth through three aims: their definition of degrowth, what values they have, or think are needed for degrowth, and the specific degrowth activities they implement. To accomplish this, a multi-case study was conducted which analysed both brands’ online websites and resources, and semi-structured interview data. The results were organised into four main themes: definitions, values, implementation, and challenges. Findings reveal how degrowth implementation among fashion brands remain limited by distinct internal, external, and ideological challenges. This includes how interviewed brands were limited by age and/or scale in implementing certain solutions or felt disadvantaged due to degrowth’s slow external acceptance. However, despite these, data largely reveals that degrowth fashion brands are in early, radical development. They are characterized by strong responsibility, transparency, and awareness values, as well as implementing streams of alternative growth. This study overall furthers the field of degrowth fashion research with empirical evidence of its development.

Keywords: Fashion degrowth; alternative growth; B Corporation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-031-50252-1_8

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9783031502521

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-50252-1_8

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Springer Books from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().