Sustainability in Luxury Fashion Business (eBook)

Dr. Chris K. Y, Lo teaches "Sustainability in Fashion" at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He received a number of external grants related to environmental and social issues from the Hong Kong Research Grant Council. His publications are mainly in the sustainability and quality management context, and his latest research scope covers innovation and disruptive technologies. One of his recent research works is the winner of Responsible Research in Business and Management Network's Responsible Research in Management Award 2017. Dr. Lo is the faculty teaching award winner in 2017, recognizing his endeavor of promoting and adopting innovations in sustainability education. Dr. Lo's publications on sustainability in supply chain appeared in Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Journal of Operations Management, International Journal of Production Economics, Journal of Business Ethics, and Organization Science, etc. He is an associate editor of International Journal of Workplace Health Management.Dr. Jung E. Ha-Brookshire is a Fulbright scholar, associate professor and director of Graduate Studies at the Department of Textile and Apparel Management at the University of Missouri (MU), Columbia, Missouri, USA. Prior to joining MU, Dr. Ha-Brookshire worked as a production assistant, production coordinator, production manager, and sourcing manager for children’s wear and intimate apparel companies in New York City (NYC) from 1997 to 2004. During her time in NYC, she extensively traveled to countries in Asia and Central America for textile and apparel product sourcing, product development, production coordination, and quality assurance. At MU, she teaches global sourcing and the capstone course for retail marketing and merchandising students. She also teaches global supply chain management and theory development & evaluation courses at the graduate level. She has received several awards, including Core Fulbright Scholar award in 2015, the 2011 Rising Star award by the International Textile and Apparel Association, the 2010 Excellence in Education award by MU Division of Student Affairs, and 2009 Professor of the Year award by MU Student Athlete group. She has received a number of internal and external grants over $350,000. She has published more than 40 research manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and edited books. She is an author of textbook, Global Sourcing in the Textile and Apparel Industry. She and her colleagues have presented over 60 research abstracts at various international, national, and regional conferences, and she appeared on an Internet news program, HuffPost Live, in 2013. She is the Vice President of Operations (2015–2017) at the International Textiles and Apparel Association. Her research interests include moral responsibility for corporate sustainability, global supply chain and sourcing strategies, sustainable production and consumption of textiles and apparel, and corporate/industry identity issues. She utilizes both qualitative and quantitative research tools.

Acknowledgements 6
Contents 7
Contributors 9
1 Opening: Sustainability and Luxury Brands 11
Abstract 11
References 16
2 Sufficient Desire: The Discourse of Sustainable Luxury 18
Abstract 18
Introduction 18
Literature Review 19
Discourse Theory and Analysis 19
The Lexicon of Luxury 21
Sustainability as a Discursive Domain 23
Case Studies 25
From Ideology to Object: Discursive Practices for Three Sustainable Luxury Fashion Brands 25
The ideological brand 26
The ideological product 29
Hedging sustainability bets with low modality 32
“Sustainable Luxury” Discursive Intersections 32
Conclusion 33
References 34
3 The Marketing of Sustainability and CSR Initiatives by Luxury Brands: Cultural Indicators, Call to Action, and Framework 37
Abstract 37
Introduction 38
Conceptualizing Sustainable Luxury Brand Communication 39
Review of Literature 39
Sustainable Development and Luxury: Fundamentally Linked 39
Sustainable Development as a Core Luxury Value 40
Theoretical Foundation for Guiding the Study 41
Sustainable Luxury Value 41
Experiential Marketing Orientation 43
Combined Theories for Sustainable Luxury Brand Communication Framework 44
Methods 44
Sample 45
Data Collection 45
Data Analysis and Framework Development 46
Results 47
Cultural Indicators of a Tipping Point for Sustainable Luxury Brand Communication 47
Alignment with Emerging Consumption Paradigms 47
Alignment with Shifting Consumer Values 48
Limited Consumer Understanding of Sustainable Luxury 49
Sustainable Luxury Brand Communication Framework 50
Antecedents to Sustainable Luxury Brand Communication 51
Experiential Orientation 52
Sustainable Luxury Brand Communication Hierarchy 52
Preservation and Conservation 52
Process, Progress, and Environmental Impact 53
Production Location 54
Partnerships, Collaboration, and Innovation 54
Conclusions and Recommendations 55
References 55
4 Luxury Fashion Brands Versus Mass Fashion Brands: Data Mining Analysis of Social Media Responses Toward Corporate Sustainability 58
Abstract 58
Literature Review 60
Sustainability and Luxury Fashion Brands 60
Sustainability and Mass Fashion Brands 61
Sustainability and Social Media Brand Communication 61
Method and Analysis 63
Research Design 63
Data Collection 63
Keyword Search and Analysis 64
Results 65
Descriptive Analysis 65
Content Analysis 69
Conclusions 76
Appendix 77
References 78
5 Thematic Analysis of YouTube Comments on Disclosure of Animal Cruelty in a Luxury Fashion Supply Chain 81
Abstract 81
Animal Welfare in the Luxury Fashion Business 83
Attribution Theory and Corporate Social Responsibility 84
Methods 85
Findings 86
Blame Attributions: Receptive Viewers 87
Coping Strategies: Receptive Viewers 89
Blame Attributions: Antagonistic Viewers 90
Coping Strategies: Antagonistic Viewers 91
Discussion 92
The Importance of Awareness 92
Blame Battles: Emotion-Laden Debates 93
Implications for Luxury Fashion Business 93
Implications for Animal Welfare Promotion 94
Conclusion 95
References 95
6 Mining Social Media Data to Discover Topics of Sustainability: The Case of Luxury Cosmetics Brands and Animal Testing 99
Abstract 99
Introduction 100
Review of Literature 101
Current Policies Concerning Sustainability and Animal Testing 101
Social Media Influence on Sustainability and Animal Testing 102
Context and Approach 104
Research Context 104
Research Approach 106
Method 107
Results and Discussion 108
Instagram Network with #Animal Testing 108
Twitter Network with #Animal Testing 110
Conclusions and Implications 111
Limitations and Future Research 113
References 113
7 Cashmere Industry: Value Chains and Sustainability 118
Abstract 118
Introduction 119
Cashmere: Value Generation Stages 120
Stage 1: Procurement 121
Geographical Area 121
Types of Goat Breeds 121
Fibre Quality 122
Stage 2: Processing 122
Combing 122
Dehairing 123
Animal Rights 123
Stage 3: Transformation 123
Spinning 123
Traditional Approaches 124
Recent Developments 124
Blending 124
Blending with Natural Fibres 125
Blending with Synthetic Fibres 125
Blending Yarn Treatment 126
Dyeing 126
Weaving 126
Stage 4: Labelling 127
Products 127
Standards 127
Cashmere: Sustainability Issues 127
Rise of Unscrupulous Manufacturing Practices 129
Lack of Industry Standards and Controls 129
Impact of Automation on Social Dynamics 129
Impact of Automation on Environment 130
Market Segmentation and Financial Aspects 130
Poor Communication Channels and Infrastructure 131
Over Breeding of Cashmere Goats 131
Proposed Research Scope 131
Proposed Research Questions 133
Conclusion 134
References 134
8 Sustainability in the Fur Industry 138
Abstract 138
Introduction 139
Brief Introduction to the Fur Industry 140
Fur as a Sustainable Luxury Product 142
Fur Products as Luxury Items 142
Fur Products as Sustainable Products 143
Fur Industry as a Sustainable Industry 146
Interviews 148
Holistic Model of Fur Industry Sustainability 148
Conclusion 153
Acknowledgements 154
References 154
9 The Drivers and Barriers of Luxury Sector Retailers to Adopt Energy Efficiency Technologies in Hong Kong 158
Abstract 158
Introduction 159
Background and Literature Review 160
A Review of Energy Policies in Hong Kong 160
Institutional Perspectives on EETs Adoption 161
Energy Sustainability in Luxury Retail Industry 162
Methodology 163
Results and Analysis 164
Environmental and Energy Policy 164
Energy Cost Saving 165
Adoption of EETs 165
Supports and Incentives of Government Policies 166
Drivers of Implementing Energy Sustainability Strategy 166
Corporate Social Responsibility 166
Top Management’s Commitment—Mimetic Isomorphism 167
Corporate Mission as a Global Company 167
Responses to External Incentives 168
Regulatory Bodies Policies—Coercive Isomorphism 168
Social Norm—Normative Isomorphism 169
Barriers of Implementing EETs 169
Lack of Control Over the Building 169
Competitive Market Conditions 169
Low Cost Savings from EETs 170
Lack of Awareness of New Technologies 170
Lack of Resources 171
The Conceptual Model of Energy Sustainability Strategy 171
Normative Pressure 172
Coercive Pressure 173
Mimetic Pressure 174
EETs Adoption 174
Lower Carbon Footprint 175
Higher Profitability 175
Conclusions and Implications 175
References 176
10 Luxury Fashion and Peace Restoration for Artisans in Colombia 177
Abstract 177
Introduction 178
Luxury 178
Sustainability in Luxury Fashion Business 178
Luxury: The Slow Fashion Strategy 179
Collaboration for Sustainable Development 180
Co-creation 181
Method 182
Results 184
Program Structure 184
Phase 1: Training Program 185
Phase 2. Co-creation and Product Development 186
Phase 3. Exhibition 187
Description of the Artisans 187
Partners and Roles 188
Leading Organization 188
Institutional Partners 189
Academic Partner 190
Corporate Partners 190
Conclusion 191
References 192
Index 197