The fashion industry is one of the most profitable industries in the world. Significant impacts on the environment arise throughout the overall value chain. Reasons for this are new fashion phenomena such as "Fast Fashion" which includes cheap production, large purchase quantities and garments with short life cycles.
The aim of this bachelor thesis is to analyse the environmental impacts of the fashion industry and examine the extent of which these impacts are known by consumers. It is intended to provide information about possible alternatives to Fast Fashion in form of a shift in consumer behavior as well as possible actions for companies such as Corporate Social Responsibility strategies.
To acquire a profounder knowledge about consumer behavior in terms of clothing, the following research question guides this paper: To what extent do environmental impacts caused by the fashion industry influence consumer behavior? To find an explanation, an online survey is conducted, aimed at students aged 17 to 30 years. The responses to the survey show that there is less awareness and little knowledge of the environmental impacts of clothing, illustrating that there are no signs of a radical change towards slow and sustainable fashion. The results confirm that alternative options are only accepted to a very limited extent and that a perceived too high price is an essential criterion for rejection.
In the future it will be necessary to create awareness and consciousness about current and future fashion models to initiate a comprehensive change in thinking. Further research could focus on encouraging consumers to change their consumption habits as well as on developing strategies for fundamental changes in the fashion business.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Sustainability
2.1.1 Introduction – The Sustainable Use of Resources
2.1.2 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
3 Corporate Social Responsibility
3.1 Concept
3.2 Reporting
3.3 CSR Policies implemented by Companies
4 The Fashion Industry Worldwide
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Textile Value Added Chain
4.2.1 Textile Value Added Chain worldwide
4.2.2 The Textile Value Added Chain and Environmental Externalities
4.2.3 Social Impacts of the Textile Value Added Chain
4.3 Conclusion
5 CSR and Fashion
5.1 Overview
5.2 The Meaning of Fashion
5.3 Fast Fashion
5.4 Sustainable Consumption of Fashion
5.4.1 The Power of Consumers
5.4.2 The Power of Companies
5.5 CSR reports of European fashion companies
5.5.1 Mango
5.5.2 H&M
5.5.3 Inditex
5.5.4 Primark
6 Empirical Part
6.1 Research Questions and Hypotheses
6.2 Survey Tool and most important Variables
6.3 Conduct / Implementation
6.4 Methodology
6.5 Results
6.5.1 Univariate statistics
6.5.2 Models and Hypotheses Testing
6.6 Survey Results Summary
7 Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this bachelor thesis is to evaluate the current environmental situation within the fashion industry and to examine how implemented Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) measures impact consumer behavior. The study explores the extent to which consumers are aware of the environmental impacts caused by fashion production and consumption, and investigates whether this awareness influences their actual purchasing decisions, specifically their willingness to pay a premium for more sustainable clothing.
- Analysis of the textile value-added chain and its environmental externalities.
- Evaluation of CSR policies and reporting practices among major European fashion retailers.
- Investigation of consumer awareness regarding environmental issues in the fashion industry.
- Testing of empirical models to understand correlations between environmental awareness, price, quality, and consumer willingness to pay.
- Exploration of sustainable fashion concepts, including Fast Fashion, Slow Fashion, and the Circular Economy.
Extract from the Book
4.2.2.1 The Fibre Production
The cotton production is very complex, since the seed must be obtained, the plant grown and then harvested. This process has a major impact on the environment. Fibre production consumes a high proportion of land, water, chemicals and crude oil. A distinction must be made between natural fibres and man-made fibres. Natural fibre is divided into animal (e.g. sheep's wool, camel hair) and vegetable (e.g. cotton, linen). Chemical fibres are divided into synthetic chemical fibres (obtained from crude oil) and cellulosic chemical fibres (raw material cellulose from plants) (Hessnatur Lexikon, 2020b). Man-made fibres of synthetic origin are based on synthetic polymers. Representatives of this fibre group are polyester and polyamide (Hessnatur Lexikon, 2020a). In relation to the global production volume of textile fibres, the share of man-made fibres amounts to 73.4% according to data from 2018 (IVC, 2019b).
In addition, 1% of global oil production is used to produce synthetic chemical fibres. In comparison: 50 litres of petrol can be used to drive 1,000 km by car just like for the production of 80 polyester blouses (IVC, 2019a). Today, two thirds of all textile fibres are produced synthetically (Umweltministerium BW, 2017). The production of chemical fibres is highly energy-intensive and requires a corresponding use of chemicals (Jepsen et al; Ben Purvis et al., 2019).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the environmental challenges posed by the global fashion industry and sets the research context regarding consumer awareness.
2 Sustainability: Discusses the theoretical foundations of sustainable resource use and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
3 Corporate Social Responsibility: Defines CSR, explores reporting requirements, and outlines how companies integrate CSR into their business models.
4 The Fashion Industry Worldwide: Analyzes the structure of the textile value chain and explores the environmental and social impacts at each stage, from raw material production to disposal.
5 CSR and Fashion: Examines how major European fashion retailers like H&M and Inditex integrate sustainability into their practices and reports, and defines the concepts of Fast and Slow Fashion.
6 Empirical Part: Presents the methodology and results of the survey conducted among students, testing hypotheses related to consumer behavior and environmental awareness.
7 Conclusion: Summarizes the key findings of the thesis, concluding that while awareness influences purchasing behavior, price remains a significant barrier, and emphasizes the need for fundamental changes in the industry.
Keywords
Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, Fashion Industry, Sustainability, Textile Value Added Chain, Environmental Impact, Consumer Behavior, Fast Fashion, Slow Fashion, Circular Economy, Eco-labels, Quantitative Research, Environmental Awareness, Sustainability Reporting, Willingness to Pay
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This thesis examines the environmental impacts generated by the global fashion industry and analyzes how these factors, combined with consumer awareness and knowledge, influence purchasing behavior.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work covers sustainability concepts, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in a corporate context, the complexities of the textile value-added chain, and empirical analysis of consumer attitudes toward sustainable fashion.
What is the central research question?
The research is guided by the question: "To what extent do environmental impacts caused by the fashion industry influence consumer behavior?"
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study uses a quantitative research approach, utilizing an online survey distributed to students, which is then analyzed using univariate statistics and linear regression models in IBM SPSS.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the environmental impact of cotton production, chemical usage in manufacturing, transport emissions, the role of CSR reports for major European brands, and the behavioral drivers—such as price and quality—behind consumer fashion choices.
How can this research be characterized by keywords?
Key topics include Corporate Social Responsibility, sustainability, the fashion industry, environmental awareness, consumer behavior, and the transition toward a circular economy.
What did the survey reveal about price sensitivity?
The survey indicated that while a high percentage of respondents (96.1%) expressed a willingness to pay more for sustainable fashion, the majority (84.2%) would only accept a price increase of up to 20%, suggesting that high prices remain a primary barrier for many.
What role does gender play in fashion consumption according to the thesis?
The study investigates the relationship between gender and environmental awareness, noting that while women are statistically more involved in purchasing clothing for the household, the survey results did not find a statistically significant difference in the awareness levels between the gender groups.
- Quote paper
- Nathalie Martin (Author), 2020, Environmental Concerns in the Fashion Industry. An Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1030462
