Leveraging Sustainability As A Marketing Strategy in the Fashion Industry: Techniques for Successful Implementation

Sustainability has become an important issue in the fashion industry, as the environmental and social impacts of fast fashion are a cause for concern. Consumers are increasingly seeking sustainable fashion options, and brands are realizing the potential benefits of incorporating sustainable practices into their operations. This study will explore how sustainability can be used as a marketing strategy in the fashion industry and what techniques can be used to effectively communicate a brand's commitment to sustainability to consumers. Through an extensive review of relevant literature and case studies, the study will identify key sustainability issues in the fashion industry and the marketing strategies that can be implemented to address them. The study will also explore the challenges that fashion brands may face in implementing sustainability marketing strategies, such as the complexity of sustainability issues and the difficulty of measuring sustainability performance. The study will provide practical recommendations for fashion brands looking to implement sustainability marketing strategies, including the use of storytelling and visual communications to convey sustainability messages, engaging with stakeholders, and applying circular economy principles. The study will also explore the role of digital technology in sustainability marketing, including the use of social media and online platforms to engage with consumers and communicate sustainability messages. The results of this study will be valuable to fashion brands looking to improve their sustainability credentials and appeal to environmentally and socially conscious consumers. In addition, the study will contribute to the existing literature on sustainability marketing in the fashion industry and provide insights into best practices for implementing effective sustainability marketing campaigns in the sector.


INTRODUCTION
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers, and the fashion industry is no exception.In fact, a recent study by Bain & Company found that 60% of consumers are willing to pay a premium for sustainable fashion products.This presents a significant opportunity for fashion brands to leverage sustainability as a marketing strategy.However, it is important to note that sustainable marketing is not simply about slapping a green label on a product.Consumers are becoming more sophisticated and savvier, and they can spot greenwashing from a mile away.To be successful, fashion brands need to adopt a holistic approach to sustainability that encompasses their entire supply chain, from the sourcing of raw materials to the production and disposal of their products.
In this paper, we will discuss the key techniques for successful implementation of sustainability as a marketing strategy in the fashion industry.We will begin by defining sustainability and discussing its importance to consumers.We will then review the key elements of a successful sustainability strategy by analyzing data collected from the survey conducted on the topic.Finally, we will discuss some specific marketing Strategies that fashion brands can use to communicate their sustainability commitments to consumers.

Methodology 2.1 Population of the research
The sample taken into consideration for participating in this study consists of respondents between 15-43 years of age where in the samples are selected on the basis of convenience.The geographic boundary of the study covers only customers of fashion industry from Bangalore.

Sampling considerations
Convenience sample was collected for the survey 1.An infinite population was considered 2. The sample size, however, was 100 3.There are though no specific gender specifications 4. The age group of 15-43 was taken into consideration, to showcase of the trend in the future generations.cross-sectional refers to a type of research that is taken at a particular point of time Convenience sample refers to a sample or research data which isn't subject to rigid standards

Variables
The variables can be classified as: Independent variable This is the variable that has a direct effect on the dependent variable.For the purpose of the study the independent variables are consumer sentiments such as • Preferences of individual customers.
• Popularity of sustainable fashion among individual customers.
• Investment made in sustainable fashion.
• Willingness to make a change by the individual customers.

Dependent variable
This is the variable that is related completely on the independent variable, for the purpose of the research.The study has the following dependent variables: • Social and environmental consciousness of the individual customers.
• Marketing Strategies of the Fashion Brands.

Scales used
A scale is used in research to measure the data collected in the form of measurement is referred to as the scale.
The scales used are: Ordinal scale Ordinal scale is used to understand their views and attitudes towards the fashion industry and in the selfreflective part of the survey.
Example: How important is it for fashion companies to communicate their sustainability efforts to their customers?
• Extremely important • Not important at all It focused or relied more on the nominal scale over other forms.

3.Techniques for Data Analysis
Type of research analysis 'Exploratory research' is done in order to investigate problems identified which were not clearly defined in the past, as sustainable fashion from the customer perspective which is not clearly studied.Thus, those type of research doesn't usually lead to a conclusive result.Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis with chi-square test was used for research purpose:

Qualitative data analysis
Research required data from various articles, research papers to understand buying behavior, pricing concerns and willingness to buy and invest in sustainable fashion.

Quantitative data analysis
Data was collected in the form of a questionnaire/survey and analysis to state and draw a numeric and statistical relationship between the factors of customer sentiment towards sustainable fashion with the help of pie charts.From the above table and graph, it can be interpreted that youths are more attracted towards sustainable fashion, so fashion brands should concentrate on attracting youths more towards them and focus on marketing channels where youths are active and from which companies can reach young people very easily.From the above results it is seen that There is a significant relationship between leveraging sustainability as a marketing strategy and the success of its implementation in the fashion industry.

Independent
From the above analysis it is clear that if a fashion brand implements sustainability as marketing strategy it can get success in the market, But the brands should also take into consideration of marketing channels which customers prefers the most.
The Below data spreads light on the marketing channels which customers prefer.sustainable fashion From the above table and graph it can be seen that majority of the population prefers the option that the social media can be great platform to communicate sustainable fashion because majority of people are on social media like Facebook, Instagram etc. So, when the company advertises its sustainable line in social media the company can reach majority of customers.

Table 7: Response Table Representing effectiveness of Collaboration of influencers To what extent do you think that collaborations between fashion companies and sustainability-focused influencers can influence consumers to prioritize sustainability in their fashion choices Very Effective 87
Effective 7 Neutral 5 Somewhat ineffective 1

Figure 4 Effectiveness of influencers in promoting sustainable brands
From the above table and graph, it can be seen that majority of youth populations have attracted towards people who promotes sustainability and talks about protecting our environment, therefore collaborations between fashion companies and sustainability-focused influencers can be a powerful tool to raise awareness and promote sustainable fashion.Still, they need to be backed up with real commitments to sustainability from fashion companies to have a genuine and lasting impact.

Figure 5 Importance of pricing in sustainable fashion brands
From the Above table it can be seen that majority of the population prefers to buy sustainable clothes for same price as of normal clothes so companies should offer sustainable clothing options at a similar price point as non-sustainable options is critical to making sustainable fashion accessible to a broader audience and driving positive change in consumer behavior and the fashion industry.

Importance of pricing in sustainable fashion
Not Important 1 Not Important at all 1 Total 100

Fig 6 Importance of Innovation in Luxury Industry
As we can see from the above table and figure majority of population prefers to buy sustainable clothing which more of innovative in design.So, companies should focus on creating innovative designs using sustainable materials and production processes is crucial for driving the fashion industry's transition towards sustainability.It can help create new markets, address challenges, and change consumer perceptions about sustainable fashion.

6.Findings and Recommendations 6.1 Research Outcome and Findings
From the above research it can be seen that sustainability is the emerging trends in Indian fashion market as customers are becoming aware of the ill effects caused by fashion industry on the factors of sustainability such as effects on environment in terms of carbon foot prints, non-recyclable products and with harmful chemical released into nature, to reduce harmful effects the customers are turning towards the sustainable brands.The growing sense of 'responsible fashion' or 'ethical fashion' has opened new avenues and competitive advantage in the Indian markets so fashion brands should focus on attracting these customers towards them and focus on market channels to reach these customers.

Recommendations
From the data analysis it can be seen that sustainable fashion has vast market in fashion segment in our country so it is recommended that

Importance of Innovation in Sustainable Fashion
• Since there is a significant relationship between leveraging sustainability as a marketing strategy and the success of its implementation in the fashion industry.The fashion industries should focus on becoming sustainable.• With growing presence of customers on social media the companies should on focus advertising their sustainable line of products in social media to reach more customers.• It is recommended to collaborate with sustainability focused influencers to reach more appropriate customers.• It is recommended that companies should offer sustainable clothing options at a similar price point as non-sustainable options to attract more customers towards them.• It is recommended that companies should focus on creating innovative designs using sustainable materials and production processes is crucial for driving the fashion industry's transition towards sustainability.• It is recommended that companies should also focus on circular economy approach to minimize the waste and maximize the profit to become sustainable

Conclusion
sustainable fashion still has a long road ahead in India but the industry is starting to make progress as more brands and consumers adopt environmentally friendly products and shopping habits.From small fair-trade companies to major fashion industry leaders, there are many new approaches being introduced and help being provided for sustainable fashion.As per the studies carried out, an optimistic direction has clearly emerged for the future; the data collected reflect hope for a rise in ethical approaches to business and the adoption of sustainable strategies and practices in the industry.Thus, this paper contains thorough analysis on the model of the fashion industry from the perspective of all its essential stakeholders i.e., the consumers, while questioning the sustainability of the industry and also focusing on the profitability of it.It has an aspect of customer motivation and how retailers use them to attract these consumers, also an emphasis on actual steps taken by customers.Future research could deepen the understanding and provide a more comprehensive view of what motivates sustainability within the industry, the actions taken and the benefits of society and the environment.

Fig 1 Fig- 2
Fig 1 Data of Gender who took the survey >  it is recommended to reject null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis.
Fig-3 Data for effectiveness of social media as marketing channel