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Sustainability within Fashion Business Models: A Systematic Literature Review

Author

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  • Thorey S. Thorisdottir

    (School of Business, University of Iceland, Gimli Saemundargata 2, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Lara Johannsdottir

    (Environment and Natural Resources, School of business, University of Iceland, Gimli, Saemundargata 2, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland)

Abstract

Production, marketing, and consumption of fashion products result in negative environmental impacts due to the massive production volume of fashion items. However, there is limited literature on how the fashion industry integrates sustainability-related practices into business models, how sustainability is measured within the business models, or what drives the sustainability-emphasis of the fashion industry. Therefore, it is consequential to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature concerning how the fashion industry integrates sustainability into business models, if and how sustainability-related practices are measured to ensure transparency and lead to improvements, and to recognize what drives sustainability in fashion business models. The key aspects regarding sustainability integration into business models include organization values, entrepreneurship, innovation, and internationalization processes. With regards to measurement of impacts and reporting, it is evident that Corporate Social Responsibility, the Global Reporting Initiative, and the Apparel and Footwear Sector Supplement are of relevance for the industry, mainly with regards to the supply chain. The drivers influencing sustainability practices are government and regulatory pressure, market pressure, closed-loop pressure, value creation, innovation, equity, authenticity, functionality, localism, and exclusivity. The findings are of relevance both for academia and the fashion industry, as the paper provides evidence on what has already been studied by academia, but also highlights a need for further studies on the fashion industry with regards to sustainability practices. This paper; therefore, opens a path for academics to consider empirical studies on how to investigate the sustainability strategies of fashion businesses, elements of fashion business models, driving forces influencing actions, measurements, key performance indicators, transparency, and disclosure, just to name a few examples.

Suggested Citation

  • Thorey S. Thorisdottir & Lara Johannsdottir, 2019. "Sustainability within Fashion Business Models: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-26, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:8:p:2233-:d:222497
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    Cited by:

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    14. Melissa Monika Wagner & Tincuta Heinzel, 2020. "Human Perceptions of Recycled Textiles and Circular Fashion: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-28, December.
    15. Rosangela de Fátima Pereira Marquesone & Tereza Cristina Melo de Brito Carvalho, 2022. "Examining the Nexus between the Vs of Big Data and the Sustainable Challenges in the Textile Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-17, April.
    16. Thorey S Thorisdottir & Lara Johannsdottir, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility Influencing Sustainability within the Fashion Industry. A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-64, November.
    17. Nadia Preghenella & Cinzia Battistella, 2021. "Exploring business models for sustainability: A bibliographic investigation of the literature and future research directions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2505-2522, July.
    18. Xiaoxiao Zhou & Ryoga Miyauchi & Yuki Inoue, 2023. "Sustainable Fashion Product Innovation: Continuous Value of Apparel Products on Second-Hand Product Trading Platforms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-17, May.
    19. Louisa von der Assen, 2023. "Digitalization as a Provider of Sustainability?—The Role and Acceptance of Digital Technologies in Fashion Stores," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-20, March.
    20. Noemi Sinkovics & Denanjalee Gunaratne & Rudolf R. Sinkovics & Francisco-Jose Molina-Castillo, 2021. "Sustainable Business Model Innovation: An Umbrella Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-17, June.

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