Factors Affecting the Adoption of Slow Fashion – An Exploratory Study of Multiple Stakeholders

Abstract

The growing consumer consciousness is accelerating the interest in sustainable products that offer better value and longevity. Slow fashion is one such philosophy that aims to provide meaningful and sustainable products advocating the needs of stakeholders. In this exploratory study, we find the barriers and support mechanisms affecting the adoption of slow fashion, specifically Indian handloom. The handloom industry is gradually depleting, posing challenges for stakeholders in the value chain. Though the extant literature delineates several factors, it does not explain the inter-factor interactions nor integrates these factors into themes. We conducted 36 in-depth multi-stakeholder interviews and found eight barriers preventing handloom adoption as a slow fashion alternative and five support mechanisms that counter these barriers. An extensive thematic analysis, led to seventeen sub-themes as barriers and eleven sub-themes as support mechanisms. We established a framework through matrix analysis to map support mechanisms addressing the corresponding barriers. The study's practical implications can be related to UN SDGs.