Sustainable Fashion: Influencing Consumer Awareness and Ethical Consumption through Creative Practice

Abstract

This master’s thesis is based on theoretical frameworks on fast fashion, textile waste and the gap between consumer awareness and sustainable action. This research is further supported by literature that treats art and sustainable design as tools for social change. The main objective of the study is to identify ways to influence consumer awareness and promote ethical consumption through the creative practice of upcycling and by encouraging the reuse of materials. An art-based action research (ABAR) approach is followed in this inquiry to investigate the awareness-action gap through three interconnected phases. These include the development of an upcycled accessory collection titled “Waste to wearable” using discarded materials and a participatory workshop to transform waste into jewelry and a public exhibition. Data were collected through participants' interviews, workshop observations, and a reflective research diary. The findings are categorized into three key themes. The first one is that upcycling fosters a strong emotional connection, as participants value the items they create themselves. Second, participants' own handwork for creative practice shifts the perception of waste or discarded material to a resource with potential. Finally, upcycling transforms waste into multiple forms of value, including emotional, environmental, aesthetic, and economic value. This thesis contributes to sustainable fashion research by proposing a practical, unique community-based model to increase awareness and encourage ethical consumption through the creative practice.