Yashodhan Karulkar, Dhruv Arora, Rudra Sawant, Chahat Gupta and Haya Khan
Abstract
The fashion industry is one of the major causes of environmental degradation in the form of emission of high levels of carbon, water pollution, and dumping of textiles. As ecological awareness and overconsumption trends rise, knowledge of consumer behaviour, especially that of Generation Z, can be a game-changer in promoting sustainable consumption. Even as Generation Z is known to be an eco-friendly generation, a huge difference between what they say and what they wear is observed. Studies that investigate this difference in the Indian youth population are scarce. This research investigates the psychological, economic, and digital drivers of sustainable fashion adoption among Indiaâs Generation Z consumers. The objective is to determine what impedes or enables, with priority given to brand transparency, price, social media, and textile technology. Survey responses were gathered from Mumbai, Thane, and other city Gen Z urban consumers using a structured questionnaire. Price, brand trust, environmental awareness, and social media usage were captured using a five-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and ANOVA. Affordability was the key barrier, and brand transparency was a significant driver of consumer trust. While social media raised awareness of sustainability, it did not necessarily translate into purchasing behaviour. Material origin awareness (e.g., banana leather, seaweed based textiles, natural dyes) was positively influencing eco-aware buying intention. The research indicates that fashion brands need to increase transparency, encourage affordability-driven sustainability models (e.g., thrifting and upcycling), and invest in consumer education on the environmental and health gains of natural fibres and dyes. The research is useful to certain fashion stakeholders who want to decrease environmental impact significantly whilst also encouraging circularity, biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable consumption for youth consumers