International Journal of Sustainable Fashion & Textiles - Volume 4, Issue 2, 2025

Young consumers’ green purchase behaviour has been researched by identifying the influence of green product attributes, social sustainability attributes and environmental sustainability attributes. Consumers’ attitude–behaviour gap regarding sustainable handloom product consumption establishes the need for this research, which uses the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to understand the factors – subjective norms, personal attitude and perceived behaviour control (PBC) – influencing consumers’ handloom textile purchase intention, with consumer involvement and knowledge of textile products acting as additional moderating factors. The modified framework of TPB identifies antecedents of handloom purchase intention as perceived image, attitude and perceived environmental benefits, with consumer knowledge and involvement moderating the relationship between antecedents and consumer purchase intention. Data collected from 213 respondents aged between 18 and 24 years was analysed using structural equation modelling of partial least squares. Partial least square results indicate a significant relationship between perceived image on purchase intention, attitude and perceived environmental benefits. Consumer attitude influences purchase intention positively. Perceived environmental benefits failed to influence purchase intention significantly. The relationship of the moderating factors involvement and consumer knowledge is significant with purchase intention; however, the moderating effect of these factors is insignificant on image–purchase intention, attitude–purchase intention and perceived environmental benefits–purchase intention. The model suggests substantial out-of-sample predictive power for the purchase intention and environmental benefits construct. cIPMA is significant for all independent factors, with attitude, involvement and perceived image high on both the importance performance spectrum and necessity effect size, indicating that increasing these factors would result in high purchase intention for handloom textile products among young consumers.

Extending product lifetimes through repair is a central strategy in sustainable consumption and circular economy initiatives. This article examines how consumers evaluate textile damages and potential to repair, drawing on wardrobe interviews with 28 Norwegian households. Over a six-month period, we tracked 3211 clothing and household textile items going out of use, of which only 107 (3.3 per cent) had been repaired or altered prior to disposal, almost exclusively as home repairs. Based on participant evaluations, we developed a three-level repair scale that reflects perceived repair complexity and feasibility. This scale, combined with item-level damage data, reveals both practical and conceptual challenges in promoting textile repair. Repairability in textiles is more complex than in other product groups, such as electronics, because many common damages fall outside the scope of conventional repair schemes. We argue for a practice-based understanding of repairability that accounts for the interaction between damage types, consumer competences, cultural meanings and systems of provision. Our policy recommendations highlight the need to go beyond product design and service provision to also support social learning, cultural normalization and the integration of repair into everyday life, recognizing its social and cultural significance as essential for effectively extending clothing lifespans.

The fashion and textile industry’s socio-environmental impacts need immediate solutions. However, the lack of clarity about systemic supply chain problems acts as a major obstacle. Blockchain technology (BCT) established itself as a transformative solution to enhance supply chain traceability and transparency in luxury fashion through the Aura Blockchain Consortium. Nonetheless, the potential of BCT in the fast fashion industry has received insufficient attention despite extensive studies about its use in luxury fashion. This research investigates the practicality of implementing Aura’s digital product passports (DPPs), multi-token minters (MTMs) and Blockchain Agnosticism platform to improve fast fashion transparency and traceability and consumer trust. This study follows a qualitative case study approach to evaluate technical, economic and operational barriers while highlighting collaborative innovations of BCT. The findings indicated that DPP and blockchain-agnostic features show partial feasibility for the fast fashion industry. The low margin structure and greenwashing practices, along with overproduction issues, make the MTM system less effective for fast fashion. The research suggests that BCT adoption needs regulatory changes to address structural unsustainability in the fast fashion industry.

This article investigates the underexplored history of alternative textile fibres developed in Italy during the Autarky period (1935–43), offering a unique historical perspective on sustainable material innovation in times of resource scarcity. By examining the production and promotion of fibres such as raion, broom, hemp and the casein-based Lanital – created in response to international sanctions and the unavailability of imported raw materials – this research reveals how locally sourced materials were leveraged to achieve national self-sufficiency. Despite their eventual decline in the 1960s with the rise of synthetic acrylics, these fibres are experiencing renewed interest amid today’s sustainability concerns in the fashion industry. Drawing on primary sources, including period magazines and industrial documentation, the study not only reconstructs the technical and cultural narratives of these materials but also critically assesses their relevance and limitations in the contemporary context, bridging historical innovation and modern ecological imperatives and contributing to current debates on sustainable textile practices and the viability of bio-based fibre alternatives.

Clothing and textiles are increasingly made of synthetic (fossils-based) fibres, enabling rapid growth in overall production volumes in this sector, with significant environmental impact. This research aims at understanding the strategies of companies that are actively working to confront this trend by trying to avoid or reduce synthetic content in their products. Fifteen companies are interviewed to gather their strategies in resisting synthetic fibres. These include four companies born with a plastic-free mindset, five companies that define themselves as a wool or cotton company despite using other materials, and six companies that aim at reducing synthetic use as part of a broader approach to sustainability and the quality of the products offered. The study analyses the barriers and enablers that affect their endeavours and proposes a series of policy recommendations to counter current developments. Barriers experienced by companies include synthetics’ low price, their physical characteristics enabling elasticity, durability and impermeability, the narrative of plastic recycling as a questionable sustainable solution, the bias of sustainability indicators and production technologies, and specific fashion trends calling for the material characteristics mentioned above. Some enablers mentioned are concerns from the company leadership about the growth of synthetics and associated microplastic release, the role of public policy and procurement in driving the change, resistance to synthetics by users in specific products (e.g. childrenswear), efforts to produce with the company’s own recycled materials, and to achieve a more intensive use of their products. The study concludes with policy recommendations such as stopping subsidizing petrochemicals, sanctioning overproduction practices, promoting true pricing and discriminating tax rates, improving sustainability metrics, targeted R&D support for natural and local materials and a fibre-to-fibre focus for recycling policy, so that the overall volume of textile production and the content of synthetics in it can be reduced.

This is a sustainable design-based article reviewing traditional scouring within the processing of Irish sheep wool, identifying obstacles and proposing a conceptual solution, titled ‘Glan Wool Scouring Equipment’, also referred to as Glan throughout this article. Glan is a conceptual design solution aimed at addressing these specific industry challenges by providing a more efficient manual scouring process. This design is informed by extensive research conducted as part of this study, which explores the current landscape of wool processing, the role of tradition in scouring and the broader environmental and economic implications of the practice. Wool is biodegradable and, through localization, we can support rural economies while reducing transport-related emissions. However, wool is often treated as a secondary or waste by-product of the agricultural industry, creating weak financial incentives for farmers to collect and sell it. Recent reports in Ireland note prices low enough to harm farm incomes. ‘Scouring’ is the removal of impurities from the fleece after the animal is sheared and before further processing, a labour- and resource-intensive practice. The impact of scouring on the productivity and environmental footprint of the industry was analysed during this research, along with the contemporary challenges faced. Promoting traditional scouring helps preserve cultural heritage and support environmentally and ethically responsible textile production. Designing for low waste and prioritizing low-impact materials are widely recognized as core circular design strategies. In this article, a novel concept which was developed in response to these industry needs is presented. This equipment, Glan (meaning ‘clean’ in the Irish language), is designed to improve the efficiency, sustainability and user experience of the traditional scouring process to boost productivity, profitability and inclusivity, increasing awareness and broader adoption. By integrating innovative solutions into traditional frameworks, this research demonstrates how heritage is balanced with progress to support global movements towards sustainable fashion and textiles. By using resources derived from tradition to drive innovation we can progress towards an economically and sustainably successful future.

This article argues that sustainability should be understood not merely as an external goal or outcome but as an intrinsic state of being that fosters long-lasting change. Drawing on established sustainability thought that frames flourishing as a way of being rather than having, this article calls for a paradigm shift from consumption-driven modes of existence to one grounded in care, spirituality, interconnectedness, understanding, pragmatic ways of doing and authentic action. This shift encourages individuals and communities to cultivate a more intrinsic relationship with sustainability, arising from internal values rather than external pressures. With the fashion industry as a focal point, this article draws on a case study research design to examine how the flourishing framework can be embodied within commercial fashion practices. Rather than focusing on external targets or economic metrics, the analysis centres on how brands enact deeper values and modes of being. This approach reveals how a shift in orientation – towards more relational, meaningful and contextually grounded practices – can reconfigure fashion’s role in society. The discussion also highlights the limitations of dominant sustainability strategies – such as technological innovation, regulatory intervention and market-based incentives – which, while important, often fail to address the cultural narratives and personal orientations that underpin unsustainable behaviours. The article concludes by examining the potential for this inward shift to impact other fields, such as agriculture, urban planning and energy use, and calls for further research into policy frameworks that support individual and collective transformation. By positioning sustainability as an internally driven practice, this article aims to contribute to a more holistic understanding of sustainability, suggesting that the path to a sustainable future must integrate external interventions with an inward transformation towards flourishing.