Adoption of sustainability principles in the fashion industry: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Sustainability has become a crucial issue today in order to align lifestyle with the physical limits of the planet, so economic, social, and political agents must urgently adopt actions. In the case of the textile industry, it has traditionally been characterized by short and highly changing fashion cycles, leading to unsustainable production and consumption practices by producers and consumers, generating between 2 and 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, as well as a significant amount of waste. However, significant improvements have been observed in the sector in recent years to adopt sustainability principles, so this research article proposes a systematic literature review to identify them. Our findings show progress in four dimensions: (a) changes in consumer behavior: increased awareness and value towards sustainability; (b) new value propositions based on sustainability principles; (c) application of circular economy principles to the fashion industry; and (d) new business models and niches in the sustainable fashion industry. Additionally, a future research agenda is proposed, highlighting the main challenges that need to be addressed in each of the analyzed dimensions.