Ethical fashion consumption: Market research and fashion sustainability in Canada and beyond

Abstract

Today’s consumers are very connected and knowledgeable and have very high expectations of businesses in terms of corporate social and environmental responsibilities. Yet, researchers have demonstrated the existence of a behaviour gap between consumers’ intention and their action. While they expect brands to be more responsible and are willing to pay more from the ones that ‘do good’, that willingness to purchase more ethical products fails to translate to a concrete purchase in reality. This behaviour gap is a real challenge to ethical fashion brands, a challenge that must be addressed in order to support the growth of the market and ensure that sustainability truly becomes the fashion industry framework. This chapter supports to a certain extent the arguments of the Professors Kate Fletcher (University of Arts London) and Lynda Grose (California College of Arts) in favour of creating longer-lasting garments through the design for sustainability approach. Their work has, among other things, put the user back to the centre of discussions and his relationship with clothing and how this relationship should affect systemic change in the industry. The purpose of this chapter is to bring the consumer behavioural paradox to light and to share through a case study one way ethical fashion brands could bridge consumers’ expectations and thus empower them in their choice to live more sustainably.