{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/40886"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/40886","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Circular economy of fashion: benefits and challenges for French micro and small brands","abstract":"The fashion industry is globally recognized as one of the major polluters, causing significant environmental and social concerns. Its complex value chain, from the intensive non-renewable resource use during raw material acquisition to human rights issues in manufacturing, and its unsustainable end-of-life solutions, underscores an industry struggling with profound challenges. In response to these challenges, the notion of a circular economy emerges as a transformative approach to reimagine and redesign production and consumption cycles, aiming to retain product value, reduce waste, and foster sustainability. The central research question of this study is the following: \"What are the key challenges and opportunities for micro and small-sized fashion brands in adopting a successful circular business model?\" Addressing this, the research provides a deep dive into the concept of circularity within the fashion sector, specifically focusing on French micro and small-sized brands. These brands, a blend of those organically born with sustainable principles and those that have adeptly transitioned towards sustainable practices, offer a diverse palette of innovative strategies. They encompass distinctive sustainable practices ranging from upcycling, promoting second-hand fashion, adhering to sustainable production methodologies, to the use of recycled fabrics. Utilizing qualitative methodologies, this research adopted a comparative approach, interviewing 12 such distinctive brands alongside a consultant specializing in second-hand fashion. This method depicted a rich, multifaceted perspective on the challenges intrinsic to circular business models in the fashion domain. From this exploration, the findings were clustered into three predominant categories: striking a balance between economic viability, ecological responsibility, and social equity; identifying and leveraging driving factors while recognizing potential opportunities; and understanding and navigating barriers that hinder circular adoption. This study stands as an important contribution to existing literature, providing a nuanced roadmap specifically tailored for French micro and small-sized brands. Its insights illuminate pathways, guiding these brands towards the successful adoption and nuanced implementation of circular business models among a challenging industry context.","abstract_html":"The fashion industry is globally recognized as one of the major polluters, causing significant environmental and social concerns. Its complex value chain, from the intensive non-renewable resource use during raw material acquisition to human rights issues in manufacturing, and its unsustainable end-of-life solutions, underscores an industry struggling with profound challenges. In response to these challenges, the notion of a circular economy emerges as a transformative approach to reimagine and redesign production and consumption cycles, aiming to retain product value, reduce waste, and foster sustainability. The central research question of this study is the following: "What are the key challenges and opportunities for micro and small-sized fashion brands in adopting a successful circular business model?" Addressing this, the research provides a deep dive into the concept of circularity within the fashion sector, specifically focusing on French micro and small-sized brands. These brands, a blend of those organically born with sustainable principles and those that have adeptly transitioned towards sustainable practices, offer a diverse palette of innovative strategies. They encompass distinctive sustainable practices ranging from upcycling, promoting second-hand fashion, adhering to sustainable production methodologies, to the use of recycled fabrics. Utilizing qualitative methodologies, this research adopted a comparative approach, interviewing 12 such distinctive brands alongside a consultant specializing in second-hand fashion. This method depicted a rich, multifaceted perspective on the challenges intrinsic to circular business models in the fashion domain. From this exploration, the findings were clustered into three predominant categories: striking a balance between economic viability, ecological responsibility, and social equity; identifying and leveraging driving factors while recognizing potential opportunities; and understanding and navigating barriers that hinder circular adoption. This study stands as an important contribution to existing literature, providing a nuanced roadmap specifically tailored for French micro and small-sized brands. Its insights illuminate pathways, guiding these brands towards the successful adoption and nuanced implementation of circular business models among a challenging industry context.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Dupont, Hadrien"],"institution":"Graduate School of Business (GSB)","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Meyer, Camille"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024","date_published":"2024","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:19Z","subjects":["fashion industry"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40886","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Meyer, Camille"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Dupont, Hadrien"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-02-07T09:55:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-02-07T09:55:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2024"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Graduate School of Business (GSB)"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cape Town"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis / Dissertation"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters","MA"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["fashion industry"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40886"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The fashion industry is globally recognized as one of the major polluters, causing significant environmental and social concerns. Its complex value chain, from the intensive non-renewable resource use during raw material acquisition to human rights issues in manufacturing, and its unsustainable end-of-life solutions, underscores an industry struggling with profound challenges. In response to these challenges, the notion of a circular economy emerges as a transformative approach to reimagine and redesign production and consumption cycles, aiming to retain product value, reduce waste, and foster sustainability. The central research question of this study is the following: \"What are the key challenges and opportunities for micro and small-sized fashion brands in adopting a successful circular business model?\" Addressing this, the research provides a deep dive into the concept of circularity within the fashion sector, specifically focusing on French micro and small-sized brands. These brands, a blend of those organically born with sustainable principles and those that have adeptly transitioned towards sustainable practices, offer a diverse palette of innovative strategies. They encompass distinctive sustainable practices ranging from upcycling, promoting second-hand fashion, adhering to sustainable production methodologies, to the use of recycled fabrics. Utilizing qualitative methodologies, this research adopted a comparative approach, interviewing 12 such distinctive brands alongside a consultant specializing in second-hand fashion. This method depicted a rich, multifaceted perspective on the challenges intrinsic to circular business models in the fashion domain. From this exploration, the findings were clustered into three predominant categories: striking a balance between economic viability, ecological responsibility, and social equity; identifying and leveraging driving factors while recognizing potential opportunities; and understanding and navigating barriers that hinder circular adoption. This study stands as an important contribution to existing literature, providing a nuanced roadmap specifically tailored for French micro and small-sized brands. Its insights illuminate pathways, guiding these brands towards the successful adoption and nuanced implementation of circular business models among a challenging industry context."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Circular economy of fashion: benefits and challenges for French micro and small brands"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Meyer, Camille"],"dc:creator":["Dupont, Hadrien"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-02-07T09:55:12Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-02-07T09:55:12Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2024"],"dc:description.abstract":["The fashion industry is globally recognized as one of the major polluters, causing significant environmental and social concerns. Its complex value chain, from the intensive non-renewable resource use during raw material acquisition to human rights issues in manufacturing, and its unsustainable end-of-life solutions, underscores an industry struggling with profound challenges. In response to these challenges, the notion of a circular economy emerges as a transformative approach to reimagine and redesign production and consumption cycles, aiming to retain product value, reduce waste, and foster sustainability. The central research question of this study is the following: \"What are the key challenges and opportunities for micro and small-sized fashion brands in adopting a successful circular business model?\" Addressing this, the research provides a deep dive into the concept of circularity within the fashion sector, specifically focusing on French micro and small-sized brands. These brands, a blend of those organically born with sustainable principles and those that have adeptly transitioned towards sustainable practices, offer a diverse palette of innovative strategies. They encompass distinctive sustainable practices ranging from upcycling, promoting second-hand fashion, adhering to sustainable production methodologies, to the use of recycled fabrics. Utilizing qualitative methodologies, this research adopted a comparative approach, interviewing 12 such distinctive brands alongside a consultant specializing in second-hand fashion. This method depicted a rich, multifaceted perspective on the challenges intrinsic to circular business models in the fashion domain. From this exploration, the findings were clustered into three predominant categories: striking a balance between economic viability, ecological responsibility, and social equity; identifying and leveraging driving factors while recognizing potential opportunities; and understanding and navigating barriers that hinder circular adoption. This study stands as an important contribution to existing literature, providing a nuanced roadmap specifically tailored for French micro and small-sized brands. Its insights illuminate pathways, guiding these brands towards the successful adoption and nuanced implementation of circular business models among a challenging industry context."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40886"],"dc:publisher.department":["Graduate School of Business (GSB)"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Cape Town"],"dc:subject":["fashion industry"],"dc:title":["Circular economy of fashion: benefits and challenges for French micro and small brands"],"dc:type":["Thesis / Dissertation"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters","MA"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:19Z"}