The growing urgency of environmental sustainability has heightened interest in the slow fashion movement, which prioritizes ethical production, durability, and mindful consumption. Gen Z, a generation known for rapid trend adoption, heavy social media engagement, and a preference for affordable, fast-changing styles, presents both a challenge and an opportunity for sustainable fashion integration. This study explores how slow fashion principles can be effectively incorporated into Gen Z’s style-driven consumption patterns without compromising their desire for self-expression and trend participation. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combines survey data from 300 Gen Z consumers with interviews involving sustainable fashion entrepreneurs, educators, and brand managers. It examines purchasing drivers—affordability, aesthetics, peer influence, and digital marketing—while assessing awareness of slow fashion values such as reduced waste, fair labor, and timeless design. Findings reveal a gap between Gen Z’s sustainability support and actual buying habits, shaped by accessibility constraints and fast trend cycles. Strategies such as limited-edition sustainable collections, influencer-led campaigns, and customizable designs emerge as promising ways to align style preferences with sustainability. The study offers actionable insights for brands, educators, and policymakers to bridge Gen Z’s fashion identity with the enduring values of slow fashion.
slow fashion, Gen Z trends, Thrift stores, sustainability, consumer behaviour.
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