Barriers to slow fashion

: a comparison between the perceptions of generation X, Y and Z

Abstract

In the face of a growing population responsible for levels of consumption that exceed the sustaining capacity of the planet, it has become increasingly evident that humans hold the potential to be instrumental in the resolution of the current environmental problems, particularly the younger generations who are assuming a leading role in the environmental movement. This surge of environmental responsibility has encouraged transformative changes in various industries, notably the fashion sector, infamous for its significant environmental impact. Slow fashion has emerged and gained visibility as a sustainable alternative, nonetheless, due to its slow uptake in the market, it is essential to identify the obstacles hindering the adoption of slow fashion and explore a generational perspective to understand how these generational cohorts, who are in charge of the environmental future, perceive the challenges. For this purpose, this master thesis identifies the main barriers to slow fashion consumption through the literature and compares the perception of Generation X, Y and Z regarding some of the barriers, namely lack of trust, price perceptions and limited accessibility, according to their self-reported level of favour or disfavour to each of the statements that construct the variables. Through an online questionnaire aimed at Portuguese consumers, it was concluded that Generation Z presents lower levels of trust than Generation X, however, contrary to what was suggested, there is no consistent evidence of a difference in the perceptions of price and accessibility between the generational cohorts.

Date of Award	11 Dec 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Jorge Julião (Supervisor)