ITAA - KSCT Joint Symposium

An Exploration of Sustainable Cotton Promotion through Social Media Analytics

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Abstract

Efforts to promote sustainable cotton have intensified, with producers and retailers increasingly using social media to communicate its environmental and ethical benefits. However, consumers often face mixed and complex sustainability messages online. Grounded in Frame Theory, this study analyzes how sustainable cotton is framed on Instagram. A total of 335 posts tagged with #sustainablecotton, #organiccotton, and #recycledcotton from January 2024 were manually coded by two independent reviewers. Four themes emerged: (1) product and brand promotion; (2) knowledge dissemination using environmental frames aimed at institutional actors; (3) environmental framing of cotton farming and raw material production; and (4) documentation of sustainable practices across the supply chain. The findings reveal diverse framing strategies and offer insights for fashion practitioners seeking to create sustainability communication in a compelling and genuine manner.

Keywords: Social Media, Sustainable Cotton, Frame Theory, Co-occurrence Network

How to Cite:

Li, M. & Cavender, R., (2025) “An Exploration of Sustainable Cotton Promotion through Social Media Analytics”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21469