ITAA - KSCT Joint Symposium

Reddit Users' Perception of Sustainability in Fashion

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Abstract

The proposed study aims to understand current consumer perceptions of sustainability in fashion, in order to develop more effective consumer education initiatives in sustainability.  

Social media and digital platforms are powerful tools for raising awareness and promoting sustainable fashion practices (Henninger et al., 2016). These platforms enable consumers to engage with sustainability-focused brands and form communities around ethical consumption. This study aims to identify key themes in discussions on social media forums, such as Reddit, to explore consumer perspectives on sustainability in fashion. 

The research method employed is netnography, an innovative research methodology adopted in observation of consumer behaviors through publicly available digital media. 

Discussions on thrifting highlighted practices such as clothing swaps, recommendations for secondhand retailers (e.g., ThredUp, Depop), and the normalization of purchasing secondhand clothing. In conversations about avoiding fast fashion, consumers demonstrated awareness of specific fast fashion brands, greenwashing tactics, and issues related to short product lifecycles. 

Keywords: social media, reddit, sustainability, perceptions, netnography

How to Cite:

Yang, J., Green, N. & Hall, A., (2025) “Reddit Users' Perception of Sustainability in Fashion”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21889