Browsing by Author "Santos, Maria Lemos dos"
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- Understanding generation Z's perceptions of sustainable fashionPublication . Santos, Maria Lemos dos; Tavares, Patrícia Isabel Ramos Pego NunesThe fashion industry plays a crucial role in the global economy, emphasizing both its cultural influence and its economic relevance. However, its environmental impact is increasingly scrutinized, as this sector is responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions, high water consumption, and waste generation. This reality has led to growing pressure on companies in the sector to adopt more sustainable practices, in line with the expectations of an increasingly aware and demanding consumer regarding environmental issues. Generation Z has established itself as one of the first generations to grow up in a highly digital environment and is marked by an accentuated and growing awareness of environmental crises. This group is emerging as a key player in redefining consumption patterns, imposing on brands the need for greater transparency, social responsibility and sustainability. What was once seen as a niche strategy has become, for this audience, a central requirement in terms of brand loyalty and support. Despite the growing concern about ethical and sustainable consumption, Generation Z faces several barriers in realizing these intentions into actual purchases. Among the main obstacles are the high cost of sustainable products and the difficulty of accessing these options, which are often restricted to specific markets. This discrepancy between sustainability ideals and purchasing behavior reveals the complexity of sustainable consumption within this group. Although there are already solutions to overcome some of these barriers, such as the rise of resale platforms and the popularization of second-hand brands, these alternatives are still not widely accepted or accessible to everyone. In this context, this study aims to explore Generation Z ’s perceptions of sustainability in the fashion sector, investigating the practices and values that this generation associates with the concept of sustainable fashion. It also aims to identify the factors that influence their purchasing decisions and how environmental concerns shape their consumption behavior. This research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of sustainable consumption by this group, providing new perspectives that can help the fashion industry adapt to more ethical, sustainable and socially responsible business models. 4 This exploratory and descriptive research adopts a qualitative approach based on individual semi-structured interviews with twenty participants aged between twenty and twenty-seven. This methodology allows for an in-depth exploration of how Generation Z understands and interacts with sustainable fashion concepts, collecting detailed narratives and personal experiences. The cross-sectional study captures current attitudes and behaviors, providing a comprehensive view of this group's perceptions of sustainability in the fashion industry. The study results highlight Generation Z's strong emphasis on sustainability and their awareness of its importance in the fashion industry. Although they value practices such as eco-friendly materials, ethical working conditions and brand transparency, there is a gap between their sustainability ideals and actual purchasing behavior. Despite these obstacles, participants express an interest in supporting sustainable fashion if it becomes more accessible and affordable, and are already starting to do so by supporting second-hand fashion. This underlines the crucial role of Generation Z in defining the future of sustainable fashion, emphasizing the need for the industry to prioritize sustainability and address this generation's unique perspectives and challenges to promote more sustainable consumption patterns and greater environmental and social responsibility.