Sustainability in fashion: consumer behavior and the greening of the garment industry in Mexico

Abstract

The following thesis provides an overview of consumer behavior in Mexico and its potential effect on the production of more sustainable garments in Mexico. The aim was to determine whether consumers’ demand was making producers adopt greener production methods. To accomplish this, three specific objectives were set: define consumer behavior trends in Mexico towards sustainability in fashion; outline the current structure of the garment industry in Mexico, describing the relationship between the companies that compose it and how they transfer knowledge and innovation; and to explain the importance of consumer behavior and how it is linked to the processes of greening of industry of the garment industry in Mexico. Mixed methods were used, both qualitative and quantitative analysis and with the help of secondary research and literature review. Three companies (Falusi, Karosso and Ocelote) were interviewed to complete the section on Mexican production. This section was analyzed with qualitative analysis software, MAXQDA. After studying both consumers and producers in Mexico, it was concluded that currently there is no greening of industry. Consumers are not demanding it from domestic producers and producers are not adopting greener alternatives on their own. However, some alternatives remain for a possible future greening of the garment industry: through transfer of knowledge from international companies through manufacturing enterprises, who would then transfer it to national producers; through a growing demand from consumers with higher incomes; or through an enforced greening by improving legal frameworks.