COMMUNICATING ON ETHICS IN THE TEXTILE MARKET: RESULTS OF AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON CORPORATE COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNICATION ON SOCIAL NETWORKS OF FAST FASHION AND ETHICAL FASHION ACTORS
(A2022-107644)

AUTHORS

Stéphanie MONTMASSON, Université de TOULON, FRance; Sandrine Hollet-Haudebert, University of Toulon; Brigitte Müller, University of Toulon, IAE, Cergam

ABSTRACT

The fashion industry is now considered as the second most polluting industry in the world, mainly due to the overproduction of clothes by the fast fashion industry. As people become more aware of these negative consequences, many clothing brands have developed an offer and a proactive communication on sustainability in their activities. However, the challenge of ethical fashion is also based on a reduction in purchases and a longer use of clothes. Faced with the complexity of the subject, it is easy to mislead consumers through greenwashing techniques. Using netnographic methods, this research explores the way clothing brands address ethical fashion on their official websites and on social networks. Differences between the discourses of fast fashion and ethical brands are highlighted and consumers seem to trust more ethical brands but criticize fast fashion actors.