Circular Fashion: Understanding Consumer Behaviour, Knowledge and Awareness

Janya Gehlot

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i03.80300

Circular Fashion: Understanding Consumer Behaviour, Knowledge and Awareness

Author(s)	Ms. Janya Gehlot
Country	India
Abstract	The fashion industry, in broader terms, is defined as the global market involved in selling clothing, footwear, and accessories. In economic terms, the fashion industry is a global market system that allocates resources for the design, production, marketing, distribution, and consumption of apparel, footwear, and accessories in order to satisfy consumer demand. The fashion industry is not only about apparel and accessories; it plays a significant role in shaping the global economy, culture, and society. As of 2025, the global fashion industry is a major worldwide economic sector, with the apparel market valued at about $1.84 trillion and accounting for approximately 1.6–1.65 % of global GDP, ranking it among the largest consumer industries in the world economy (UniformMarket, 2025). Some industry forecasts project the global fashion market could reach ~$2.26 trillion by 2030 if current growth trends continue (Muhammad Asim,2026). According to recent statistics, the fashion and textile sector employed roughly approximately 430 million people worldwide as of 2025, representing around 11.9% of the global workforce (out of ~3.62 billion) and covering activities from design to manufacturing and retail (UniformMarket, 2025). This figure is substantially higher than earlier estimates from 2017, reflecting broader inclusion of roles throughout the fashion value chain (UniformMarket, 2025). The fashion and textile sector is considered to remain among the largest employment sectors globally, particularly in developing economies where it is sometimes the second-largest employer after agriculture (Jannik Lindner,2025). b As one of the largest industries in the world, the fashion industry is also unfortunately one of the most polluting (UNEP, 2019). Since the industrial revolution, we have been living in a linear economy. Our consumer and “single use” lifestyles have made the planet a “take, make, dispose” world (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017). This linear economy model of mass production and mass consumption is testing the physical limits of the globe. It is, therefore, unsustainable and a shift toward a CE is becoming inevitable. Within this context, the CE is intended as an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which resources are kept in use for as long as possible, while extracting the maximum value from their use and then recovering and regenerating products and materials at the end of each service life (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017). Circular fashion refers to an approach within the fashion industry that aims to create a closed-loop system, reducing waste and maximizing the lifespan of clothing and textiles. It aligns with the principles of the Circular Economy by rethinking how garments are designed, produced, used, and disposed of (Archana Puri,2024). This paper, by compiling and analysing prior research on the ongoing implementation of the circular economy in the fashion industry and on consumer behaviour and responses to these initiatives, presents a review of the existing literature, evaluates the success of current implementations, and identifies areas where further research and data are required for the growth of the circular fashion framework. The paper also applies relevant economic theories to analyse consumer responses to brand-led initiatives aimed at circularising production and design.
Keywords	Circular Economy, Circular Fashion, Consumer Behaviour, Consumer Awareness, Future Actions, Recycle-Reuse-Reduce-Remake
Field	Sociology > Economics
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 3, May-June 2026
Published On	2026-06-02
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i03.80300

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Circular Fashion: Understanding Consumer Behaviour, Knowledge and Awareness

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