Implications for sustainable product development in the outdoor apparel market

Over the past couple of decades, environmental and social issues started to have a raising impact on corporate and marketing strategies. Fundamental changes in business environments like rising public awareness about environmental issues, tougher national and international regulations and foreseeable depletion of natural resources within the next few decades will sooner or later force the big players from all industries to rethink their strategies.

Thus, they need to evaluate innovative product solutions that save scarce natural resources and reduce energy consumption during the entire product life cycle. Taking corporate responsibility, developing sustainable value chains and moving away from oil-based resources will be of growing importance. Thus, incorporating sustainability into value chains increasingly becomes an issue across all industry sectors from automobiles to textiles.

The engagement in sustainability marketing is an opportunity, which helps to create a long-term competitive advantage. The challenge on the other hand is understanding the complexity of green consumerism and to implement the right strategic measures to overcome motivational issues to sell green products successfully. The fact that marketing should combine environmental, social and economic goals has also been realized in the fashion industry as the authors research and interviews with industry veterans proves.

This thesis is located at the interface between sustainability marketing and conservation psychology. The purpose of this publication is to further the understanding of green consumerism in the context of environmentally friendly clothing.