“Re-Tale”: Proposing A Fifth Principle in The Sustainable Fashion Retail Story

Abstract

The fashion industry has long been in a battle to improve its sustainability, as well as its environmental protection efforts. In this
conceptual paper, we unpack the different stories of sustainability and environmental challenges in this specific industry – which is very much driven by fast fashion. We contrast developing (South Africa) and developed (Sweden) markets’ approaches to fashion sustainability, to uncover and understand broad overlapping dimensions of sustainability, and differences. The aim of this paper is to stimulate thinking and conversations about sustainable practices in developing nations as well as in developed nations. The review of the stories and the contexts presented suggests the need to shift the focus to the developing market’s consumer, and concludes
with the proposal of including a fifth principle of sustainability: Reframing fashion.