Sustainability in fashion retail: literature review and bibliometric analysis
Open accessAbstract
Abstract The main objective of this study was to explore and analyze the recent scientific production on sustainability in the fashion retail sector. The methodology was based on a literature review and bibliometric analysis of the last 12 years of peer-reviewed published papers on the topic. The results illustrated an increase in publications in 2017 and 2018, with large participation from countries such as the United States and China. The findings covered a broad diversity of topics related to fashion retail such as: slow fashion, fast fashion, sustainability in the supply chain, sustainable production and consumption of textile products, and the main barriers, benefits, and trends for this sector in a near future. Due to the increase of negative social and environmental impacts in the last decades more studies related to sustainability practices to be adopted by this sector are required to identify potential alternative solutions for the problem. We did a list with the 55 most important practices to promote sustainability in fashion retail.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The style cycle rate of fast fashion is approaching the weekly/fortnightly rate seen in FMCG purchasing situations.
“this currency/desirability is a function of the style cycle rate, which is now approaching the weekly/fortnightly rate seen in FMCG purchasing situations [3,4].”
From Marketing Tactics for Sustainable Fashion and the Circular Economy: The Impact of Ethical Labels on Fast Fashion Choice (2023) · cites this paper as [3]
The Introduction (page unavailable) describes fast product rotations and says brands have moved from semesterly collections to multiple launches in the same period. It does not establish a weekly or fortnightly style cycle or compare that cycle with FMCG purchasing. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Fast Fashion, Sustainability, and the Ethical Appeal of Luxury Brands
Joy, A., Sherry, J. F., Venkatesh, A., Wang, J. J., & Chan, R. Y. K. (2012) · Fashion Theory · doi:10.2752/175174112x13340749707123 · Cited by 1,012 · see citing works
McNeill, L. S., & Moore, R. (2015) · International Journal of Consumer Studies · doi:10.1111/ijcs.12169 · Cited by 703 · see citing works
Todeschini, B. V., Cortimiglia, M. N., Callegaro-de-Menezes, D., & Ghezzi, A. (2017) · Business Horizons · doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2017.07.003 · Cited by 667 · see citing works
Towards a sufficiency-driven business model: Experiences and opportunities
Bocken, N. M. P., & Short, S. W. (2015) · Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions · doi:10.1016/j.eist.2015.07.010 · Cited by 581 · see citing works
The global environmental injustice of fast fashion
Bick, R., Halsey, E., & Ekenga, C. C. (2018) · Environmental Health · doi:10.1186/s12940-018-0433-7 · Cited by 532 · see citing works
Slow Fashion: An Invitation for Systems Change
Fletcher, K. (2010) · Fashion Practice · doi:10.2752/175693810x12774625387594 · Cited by 530 · see citing works
Sustainable supply chain management in the fast fashion industry: An analysis of corporate reports
Türker, D., & Altuntaş, C. (2014) · European Management Journal · doi:10.1016/j.emj.2014.02.001 · Cited by 500 · see citing works
Pagani, R., Kovaleski, J. L., & de Resende, L. M. M. (2015) · Scientometrics · doi:10.1007/s11192-015-1744-x · Cited by 463 · see citing works
Slow fashion movement: Understanding consumer perceptions—An exploratory study
Pookulangara, S., & Shephard, A. J. (2013) · Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services · doi:10.1016/j.jretconser.2012.12.002 · Cited by 367 · see citing works
A theoretical investigation of slow fashion: sustainable future of the apparel industry
Jung, S., & Jin, B. E. (2014) · International Journal of Consumer Studies · doi:10.1111/ijcs.12127 · Cited by 358 · see citing works
Ertekin, Z. Ö., & Atik, D. (2014) · Journal of Macromarketing · doi:10.1177/0276146714535932 · Cited by 334 · see citing works
Sustainable Fashion Supply Chain: Lessons from H&M
Shen, B. (2014) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su6096236 · Cited by 327 · see citing works
Brydges, T. (2021) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126245 · Cited by 313 · see citing works
Diddi, S., Yan, R.-N., Bloodhart, B., Bajtelsmit, V., & McShane, K. (2019) · Sustainable Production and Consumption · doi:10.1016/j.spc.2019.02.009 · Cited by 280 · see citing works
Consumer attitudes and communication in circular fashion
Vehmas, K., Raudaskoski, A., Heikkilä, P., Harlin, A., & Mensonen, A. (2018) · Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management · doi:10.1108/jfmm-08-2017-0079 · Cited by 277 · see citing works
The science of sustainable supply chains
O’Rourke, D. (2014) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1248526 · Cited by 273 · see citing works
Peters, G. M., Li, M., & Manfred Lenzen, A. (2021) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126390 · Cited by 232 · see citing works
Governance of sustainable supply chains in the fast fashion industry
Li, Y., Zhao, X., Shi, D., & Li, X. (2014) · European Management Journal · doi:10.1016/j.emj.2014.03.001 · Cited by 226 · see citing works
Sustainable Retailing in the Fashion Industry: A Systematic Literature Review
Yang, S., Song, Y. A., & Tong, S. (2017) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su9071266 · Cited by 221 · see citing works
Rana Plaza collapse aftermath: are CSR compliance and auditing pressures effective?
Sinkovics, N., Hoque, S. F., & Sinkovics, R. R. (2016) · Accounting Auditing & Accountability Journal · doi:10.1108/aaaj-07-2015-2141 · Cited by 210 · see citing works
Local sourcing and fashion quick response system: The impacts of carbon footprint tax
Choi, T. (2013) · Transportation Research Part E Logistics and Transportation Review · doi:10.1016/j.tre.2013.03.006 · Cited by 196 · see citing works
Consumer Attitude towards Sustainability of Fast Fashion Products in the UK
Zhang, B., Zhang, Y., & Zhou, P. (2021) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su13041646 · Cited by 187 · see citing works
Jung, S., & Jin, B. E. (2016) · International Journal of Consumer Studies · doi:10.1111/ijcs.12276 · Cited by 164 · see citing works
Sustainability Issues in Textile and Apparel Supply Chains
Shen, B., Li, Q., Dong, C., & Perry, P. (2017) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su9091592 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Luxury Products and Sustainability Issues from the Perspective of Young Italian Consumers
Pencarelli, T., Taha, V. A., Škerháková, V., Valentiny, T., & Fedorko, R. (2019) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su12010245 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Product-Service Systems and Sustainability: Analysing the Environmental Impacts of Rental Clothing
Johnson, E., & Plepys, A. (2021) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su13042118 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Todeschini, B. V., Cortimiglia, M. N., & de Medeiros, J. F. (2020) · Environmental Science & Policy · doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2020.01.003 · Cited by 106 · see citing works
Sustainable product development processes in fashion: Supply chains structures and classifications
Fung, Y.-N., Chan, H., Choi, T., & Liu, R. (2020) · International Journal of Production Economics · doi:10.1016/j.ijpe.2020.107911 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Kim, Y., & Oh, K. W. (2020) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su12051703 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Engaging consumers with sustainable fashion on Instagram
Testa, D. S., Bakhshian, S., & Eike, R. J. (2021) · Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management · doi:10.1108/jfmm-11-2019-0266 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
The academic conceptualisation of ethical clothing
Reimers, V., Magnuson, B., & Chao, C. (2016) · Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management · doi:10.1108/jfmm-12-2015-0097 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Global Sourcing in Fast Fashion Retailers: Sourcing Locations and Sustainability Considerations
Arrigo, E. (2020) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su12020508 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Liu, S. Y. H., Napier, E., Runfola, A., & Cavusgil, S. T. (2020) · International Business Review · doi:10.1016/j.ibusrev.2020.101736 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Pelikánová, R. M., Němečková, T., & MacGregor, R. K. (2021) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su13073715 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Homo Sustentabilis: circular economy and new business models in fashion industry
Marques, A. M. D. R., Marques, A., & Ferreira, F. (2020) · SN Applied Sciences · doi:10.1007/s42452-020-2094-8 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Is Price an Indicator of Garment Durability and Longevity?
Wakes, S., Dunn, L. A., Penty, D., Kitson, K., & Jowett, T. W. D. (2020) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su12218906 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Does Fashionization Impede Luxury Brands’ CSR Image?
Parguel, B., Delécolle, T., & Chaabane, A. M. (2020) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su12010428 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Stitching Time: Artisanal Collaboration and Slow Fashion in Post-disaster Haiti
Hammond, C. (2018) · Fashion Theory · doi:10.1080/1362704x.2018.1441001 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
DOES FASHIONIZATION IMPEDE LUXURY BRANDS’ CSR IMAGE?
Parguel, B., Delécolle, T., & Chaabane, A. M. (2019) · Global Fashion Management Conference · doi:10.15444/gfmc2019.01.06.04 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Herskind, M., & Sidelmann, K. (2013). Do user driven innovation and ecodesign enrich or fight one another, and does sufficient methodologies for combining the two exist? In DS 75-5: Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED13). Seoul, Korea.
- Morais, C., Carvalho, C., & Broega, A. C. (2011). The CorporativeWear as a proposal for the valorization of textile waste as a ReDesign agent for a street-wear clothing brand. In 9° Fashion Colloquium. Fortaleza. Retrieved in 2018, March 2, from http://hdl.handle.net/1822/19246
- Parres Serrano, B. A., García García, F., & Matarín Rodríguez-Peral, E. (2020). The network strategy of a fashion brand. Revista Latina de Comunicacion Social., (77), 33-52. http://dx.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2020-1448. · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Bonelli, F., Caferra, R., & Morone, P. (2024) · Discover Sustainability · doi:10.1007/s43621-024-00400-5 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Hamlin, R. P., & McNeill, L. S. (2023) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su151310331 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Clothing Brands’ Sustainability Practices: A Bibliometric Approach
Hasan, M. A., Talukder, S. C., Lakner, Z., & Temesi, Á. (2025) · Administrative Sciences · doi:10.3390/admsci15060221 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Mapping Service-Based Retailing to Improve Sustainability Practices in the Fashion Industry
Elli, T., Spagnoli, A., & Iannilli, V. M. (2024) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su16177543 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Sindhuja, P., Kotni, V. V. D. P., Misron, A., Hakimi, H., & Udandrao, S. D. (2025) · Cogent Business & Management · doi:10.1080/23311975.2025.2519966 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Tamilarasan, B. S., & Kavitha, R. (2024) · Business and Society Review · doi:10.1111/basr.12371 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Mapping the Research Landscape of Sustainable Fashion: A Bibliometric Analysis
Ng, S. L., & Chen, S.-H. (2025) · Metrics · doi:10.3390/metrics2040021 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Revitalizing retail through sustainable retail practices: a systematic literature review
Thakur, P., & Budhiraja, M. (2025) · International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management · doi:10.1108/ijrdm-08-2025-0584 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Slow fashion as a possible route to SDG 12 within the fashion industry
Koltai, V. (2023) · Észak-magyarországi Stratégiai Füzetek · doi:10.32976/stratfuz.2023.17 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
The Sustainability of the Fashion Industry: A Bibliometric Analysis
Duque, P., Atienzar, J. C., & Patiño, M. (2025) · APUNTES DEL CENES · doi:10.19053/uptc.01203053.v44.n80.2025.19159 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Textile Sustainable Development Related to Culture: A Scientometric Approach
Cui, C., Nazlina, S., Abidin, S. Z., & Azizi, M. A. N. (2024) · Textile & Leather Review · doi:10.31881/tlr.2024.119 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Saavedra, Y. M. B., Poltronieri, C. F., & VASCONCELLOS, M. S. D. (2023) · Anais ... Encontro Nacional de Engenharia de Produção/Anais do Encontro Nacional de Engenharia de Produção · doi:10.14488/enegep2023_tn_st_407_2007_46711
Self-citationA platform-based inquiry on sustainable fashion and design in the Milanese landscape
Elli, T. (2024) · Fashion Highlight · doi:10.36253/fh-2709
Rahman, M. M. (2024) · International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science · doi:10.31435/ijitss.4(44).2024.3161
Analysis of scientific production of corporate social responsibility in retail companies
Robles, J. M. (2025) · Región Científica · doi:10.58763/rc2025494
Fashion With a Conscience: A Review of Sustainable Fashion Landscape Using TCCM Framework
Soni, S., Kushwaha, P. S., Jain, T., Mishra, M. K., Sharma, D., Kumar, S., & Soni, V. (2026) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/s2754-586520260000005008
Greenwashing in a Digital Campaign by a Clothing Recycling Brand
Luna-Grados, C., & Gallardo-Echenique, E. E. (2026) · Smart innovation, systems and technologies · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-27837-1_27
- Authors
- Prado, N. M., Silva, M. H. D. P. E., Kaneko, C. S. K., Silva, D. V. D., Giusti, G., Saavedra, Y. M. B., & Silva, D. A. L.
- Affiliations
- Universidade Federal de São Carlos (BR)
- Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brasil; Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brasil
- ORCID
- Venue
- Gestão & Produção
- Publisher
- FapUNIFESP (SciELO)
- Published
- 2022
- Volume
- 29
- ISSN
- 0104-530X (ISSN-L)
- 1806-9649
- OpenAlex
- W4312506232
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3
- FWCI
- 3.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Gestão & Produção (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (2021/06685-1, 88887, 2021/)
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (88887, (Code 001), 2020-00)
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (302722/2019–0, CNPq 06/2019, 06/2019)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Environmental Sustainability in Business
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Sustainable Supply Chain Management
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Visual Arts and Performing Arts › Cultural and Historical Studies
- Keywords
- slow fashion, fast fashion, supply chain sustainability, sustainable textile production, sustainable consumption, sustainable practices, barriers to sustainability
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review