Analysing the role of consumer behaviour, and the adoption of green business models and circular economy principles in apparel SMMEs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v14i6.4297Keywords:
Consumer Behaviour, Green Business Models, Circular Economy, Fast Fashion, SMMEsAbstract
This research explores the social and environmental impacts of fast fashion in Durban-based SMME, focusing on sustainability opportunities and challenges in the local clothing industry. Adopting a qualitative research design, using content analysis and snowball sampling, the study investigates the practices of apparel enterprises, the role of consumer behaviour, and the adoption of green business models and circular economy principles. Key findings indicate that there is greater awareness and implementation of sustainable practices in large businesses, including the use of renewable energy and fair labour practices. But there is insignificant implementation by small businesses owing to financial constraints and resource limitations. The study finds gaps in consumer education about the negative impacts of fast fashion and calls for specific education and policy intervention. The research uses dynamic capabilities theory to justify how companies reshape resources in reaction to pressures for sustainability and defines community involvement as a new aspect of sustainable action. Its recommendations involve investment in sustainable design, education for consumers, and collaboration among multiple stakeholders. The research adds to sustainability discourse and calls for localized, adaptive strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of fast fashion in emerging markets.
Downloads
References
Bryman, A. et al. (eds) (2021) Research methodology: business and management contexts. Second edition. Oxford University Press Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd. Available at: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=cat09081a&AN=dutc.oai.edge.durban.folio.ebsco.com.fs00001076.457c2f2a.4990.40c8.bbbb.45e614e73d02&site=eds-live&scope=site (Accessed: 10 October 2024).
Charmaz, K., 2006. Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Sage.
Clark, T., Foster, L., Bryman, A. and Sloan, L., 2021. Bryman's social research methods. Oxford university press.
Crossley, J. 2021. What is Thematic Analysis? Available: https://gradcoach.com/what-is-thematic-analysis/ (Accessed 15 November 2024).
de Oliveira, L.G., Miranda, F.G. and de Paula Dias, M.A., 2022. Sustainable practices in slow and fast fashion stores: What does the customer perceive?. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 6, p.100413. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2022.100413
Elf, P., Werner, A. and Black, S., 2022. Advancing the circular economy through dynamic capabilities and extended customer engagement: Insights from small sustainable fashion enterprises in the UK. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31(6), pp.2682-2699. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2999
Fashion’s Environmental and Humanitarian Impact’, Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law, 25(3), pp. 541–567. Available: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=a9h&AN=171930377&site=eds-live&scope=site (Accessed 27 August 2024).
Foss, N.J. and Saebi, T. (2018) ‘Business models and business model innovation: Between wicked and paradigmatic problems’, Long Range Planning, 51(1), pp. 9–21. doi:10.1016/j.lrp.2017.07.006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2017.07.006
Froehlich, C. and Bitencourt, C.C. (2019) ‘Dynamic Capabilities for the Development of Innovation Capability’, Brazilian Journal of Management / Revista de Administração da UFSM, 12(2), pp. 286–301. doi:10.5902/19834659. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5902/1983465918308
Goel, V. and Michaelides, M., 2022. What Is the Economic Impact of Fast Fashion?—Economics Research Question. Int. J. Sci. Res. Sci. Technol, 9, pp.571-581.
Hennink, M., Hutter, I. and Bailey, A., 2020. Qualitative research methods. Sage.
Huq, F.A. and Stevenson, M., 2020. Implementing socially sustainable practices in challenging institutional contexts: Building theory from seven developing country supplier cases. Journal of Business Ethics, 161(2), pp.415-442. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3951-x
Igini, M. 2023. 10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics. Available: https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/ (Accessed 13th August 2024)
Kleinheksel, A.J., Rockich-Winston, N., Tawfik, H. and Wyatt, T.R., 2020. Demystifying content analysis. American journal of pharmaceutical education, 84(1), p.7113. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe7113
Lamptey, T. et al. (2021) ‘A framework for the adoption of green business models in the Ghanaian construction industry’, Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 10(3), pp. 536-553–553. doi:10.1108/SASBE-08-2020-0130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-08-2020-0130
Linden, AR. 2016. An analysis of the Fast Fashion Industry. Bard College: Bard Digital Commons.
Lindgren, P., Knoth, N.S.H., Sureshkumar, S., Friedrich, M.F. and Adomaityte, R., 2021. " Green Multi Business Models” How to Measure Green Business Models and Green Business Model Innovation?. Wireless Personal Communications, 121, pp.1303-1323. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-021-09189-2
Maiti, R. 2024. Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact. Available: https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/ (Accessed 5th August 2024)
Mohajan, H.K., 2018. Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects. Journal of economic development, environment and people, 7(1), pp.23-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26458/jedep.v7i1.571
Mohamed, Z. (2022) ‘Contending with the Unforeseen “Messiness” of the Qualitative Data Analysis Process’, Waikato Journal of Education, 27(2), pp. 85–90. Available at: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=eric&AN=EJ1367610&site=eds-live&scope=site (Accessed: 26 October 2024). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15663/wje.v27i2.945
Neumann, H. L., Martinez, L. M., Martinez, L. F. 2021. Sustainability efforts in the fast fashion industry: consumer perception, trust and purchase intention, 12(3) Part 1: 571-590. Available: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/SAMPJ-11-2019-0405/full/html (Accessed 15th September 2024)
Nowell, L.S., Norris, J.M., White, D.E. and Moules, N.J., 2017. Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International journal of qualitative methods, 16(1), p.1609406917733847. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
Oliveira-Dias, D. et al. (2022) ‘Fostering business model innovation for sustainability: a dynamic capabilities perspective’, Management Decision, 60(13), pp. 105–129. doi:10.1108/MD-05-2021-0590. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-05-2021-0590
Parker, C., Scott, S. and Geddes, A., 2019. Snowball sampling. SAGE research methods foundations.
Peña, M.C.B., Cruz, J.R.D., Cabral, R.A.L.B., Ramos, M.R.T. and Basilio, E.R., 2023. Students' Level of Awareness on the Waste Contribution of the Fast Fashion with Their Clothing Consumption Behavior. International Journal of Environment, Engineering and Education, 5(3), pp.129-140. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55151/ijeedu.v5i3.105
Peters, G., Li, M. and Lenzen, M., 2021. The need to decelerate fast fashion in a hot climate-A global sustainability perspective on the garment industry. Journal of cleaner production, 295, p.126390. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126390
Rajagopal (2018) Consumer behaviour theories: convergence of divergent perspectives with applications to marketing and management. First edition. Business Expert Press (Consumer Behaviour Collection). Available at: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=cat09116a&AN=dut.EBC5309967&site=eds-live&scope=site (Accessed: 4 September 2024).
Rauturier, S. 2023. What is Fast Fashion and Why Is It So Bad? (blog) Available: https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-fast-fashion/ (Accessed 6th August 2024)
Ren, X., 2023. Analysis on the development of fast fashion-based on the influence of new media. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, 8, pp.2537-2542. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54097/ehss.v8i.5027
Shao, P. and Lassleben, H., 2021. Determinants of consumers’ willingness to participate in fast fashion brands’ used clothes recycling plans in an omnichannel retail environment. Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research, 16(7), pp.3340-3355. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer16070181
Shi, L. et al. (2019) ‘The Evolution of Sustainable Development Theory: Types, Goals, and Research Prospects’, SUSTAINABILITY, 11(24), p. 7158. doi:10.3390/su11247158.
Shi, L. et al. (2019) ‘The Evolution of Sustainable Development Theory: Types, Goals, and Research Prospects’, SUSTAINABILITY, 11(24), p. 7158. doi:10.3390/su11247158. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11247158
Silverman, R.M. and Patterson, K., 2021. Qualitative research methods for community development. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003172925
Webster, G., 2023. Too Fast of Fashion: A Literature Review on the Destructive Social and Environmental Impacts of Fast Fashion. Perspectives, 15(1), p.10.
Webster, G., 2023. Too Fast of Fashion: A Literature Review on the Destructive Social and Environmental Impacts of Fast Fashion. Perspectives, 15(1), p.10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7064/15/20230660
Williams, E. 2022. Appalling or Advantageous? Exploring the Impacts of Fast Fashion from Environmental, Social, and Economic Perspectives. Journal for Global Business and Community, 13(1): 1-12. Available: https://jgbc.scholasticahq.com/article/36873-appalling-or-advantageous-exploring-the-impacts-of-fast-fashion-from-environmental-social-and-economic-perspectives (Accessed 5th August 2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.56020/001c.36873
Zhou, Q. et al. (2022) ‘Environmental perspectives of textile waste, environmental pollution and recycling’, Environmental Technology Reviews, 11(1), pp. 62–71. doi: 10.1080/21622515.2021.2017000. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21622515.2021.2017000
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Kiara Ramdial, Winiswa Mavutha
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
For all articles published in IJRBS, copyright is retained by the authors. Articles are licensed under an open access Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, meaning that anyone may download and read the paper for free. In addition, the article may be reused and quoted provided that the original published version is cited. These conditions allow for maximum use and exposure of the work, while ensuring that the authors receive proper credit.
