Sustainable Fashion Consumption in Medellín (Colombia), from a Sociological Extrospective Approach

Abstract

Objective: Sustainable fashion, which includes ecological, social, and economic aspects throughout the life cycle of products, has recently emerged as an alternative to the numerous negative externalities associated with the fast-fashion model. Thus, the objective of this article is to analyze the consumption of sustainable fashion by university students of fashion/apparel academic programs in the city of Medellín, Colombia. In order to achieve this objective, a proposal is presented to approach the study of responsible consumption, applied to the case of sustainable fashion, from an extrospective approach, based on the sociology of social challenges. This proposal suggests a comprehensive horizon that takes into account the macro and micro-social levels, which seeks to address the gap that has been found in various studies between the awareness of responsible consumption and purchasing decisions. In the light of this, this approach is complemented by the vision of the sociology of emotions, to the extent that it is considered fundamental to question the rationality that should induce actors to buy in a “conscious” way.

Methodology: Adopting the sociological extrospection approach proposed by Martuccelli and Santiago (2017), interviews were conducted with 16 university students from the city of Medellín, Colombia, who were in their last semesters in fashion/apparel academic programs. Specifically, this sample inclusion criterion was intended to observe whether greater knowledge about fashion had an impact on the understanding and approach to the consumption of sustainable products of this type.

The semi-structured interview guide for this research was elaborated considering the following thematic blocks: (a) conceptions about responsible consumption and the degree of identification with these practices; (b) factors prioritized in the purchase of fashion products, sustainable and non-sustainable, as well as the emotions associated with such acquisitions; the sense of individual responsibility as consumers, together with the perception of the role of the State, companies, and other people in this process; and (c) action horizons linked to experiences and social conditions, in relation to the extrospective understanding of the challenge of consuming responsibly, in this case, fashion products. Thus, although the extrospective approach does not focus on describing individual sensations, but rather on how structures operate to promote certain types of practices such as those of consumption, it also considers it key to observe the understanding that individuals have of the structural nature of the challenges they face in a historical process of individuation. This understanding reflects the sociological vocation of the perspective, taking into account that, unlike an introspective approach, this gaze allows us to recognize that acts such as those of consumption are determined by a broader socioeconomic structure. In the case of the approach to responsible consumption as a social challenge, the above precision is fundamental, since, as mentioned, becoming aware of the socio-environmental problem associated with the production and consumption of clothing does not guarantee acting in coherence with these principles.

Results: Among the key aspects identified, it was found that most of the interviewees have significant knowledge of what sustainable fashion represents, due to their academic training. Likewise, in general terms, they value positively this type of offer positively in comparison with others that do not comply with these characteristics in terms of their production processes. However, the participants also point out that there are social and economic barriers that hinder responsible consumption. This vision shows how unsatisfied expectations generate frustration in the interviewees, who feel that consuming sustainably is made difficult by the current socioeconomic structures, which leads to a situation where a large number of consumers may have the intention of acquiring sustainable garments but do not have sufficient resources to do so. Precisely, as the interviewees are future fashion/apparel professionals, their greater knowledge of this industry evidences both very strong positions regarding the predilection for sustainable offers, and others in which factors such as durability, reduced purchase rates, and questioning the feasibility of being able to compete in the market and be able to consume products of this type with higher prices stand out. This situation, added to the lack of available alternatives, means that, although participants recognize the social and environmental relevance of sustainable fashion consumption, at the same time they face an emotional duality: on the one hand, they perceive a positive well-being derived from satisfaction and pride when their purchasing decisions are consistent with their conception of responsibility and their personal values, and, on the other hand, they sometimes feel guilty and to a great extent frustrated by the structural limitations that prevent sustainable fashion from consolidating itself as hegemonic.

Conclusions: As evidenced in various studies on responsible consumption, the younger generations, as is the case of the university students from Medellín who participated in this research, highlight the importance for them of the socio-environmental impact that their purchasing decisions can generate, considering the fact of contributing positively to the care of the environment and society through consumption of great relevance. Simultaneously, in this case, it was possible to identify that the knowledge that the interviewees have due to their academic training has a notable influence on this position, which suggest that a greater understanding of the phenomenon would produce a greater awareness regarding consumption. However, although knowledge about fashion can encourage sustainable consumption, appealing only to guilt is not enough in contexts where price and design predominate. Instead, appealing to pride as an extended dimension of the pleasure of buying sustainable garments may be more effective in already sensitized consumers. However, given that price remains a key factor, it is essential for companies to optimize their processes and for regulations to demand greater environmental rigor in production.