Title: Exploring managerial practices for advancing sustainable green apparel consumption: an inductive inquiry

Authors: Kanishka Pathak; Pankaj Kumar Singh; N. Akbar Jan; A.K. Subramani

Addresses: Department of Marketing and Strategy, ICFAI Business School (IBS), The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE), (Deemed to be University U/s 3 of the UGC Act 1956), Telangana, Hyderabad – 501203, India ' Department of Marketing and Strategy, ICFAI Business School (IBS), The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE), (Deemed to be University U/s 3 of the UGC Act 1956), Telangana, Hyderabad – 501203, India ' Department of Human Resource Management and Soft Skills, ICFAI Business School (IBS), The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE), (Deemed to be University U/s 3 of the UGC Act 1956), Hyderabad, Pin: 501203, Telangana, India ' Saveetha School of Management, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai-600077, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: Green apparel is the new green vogue, which has the potential to mitigate climate change and elucidate the commercial prospects in the textile sector. This promising approach appears to reinvent the wheel of the green revolution. To understand this, the study employs a qualitative thematic analysis to elicit reasons that may motivate higher consumption of green apparel. Using the prolific academic platform, 27 responses were solicited. We draw on the novel ecological modern theory, which explores innovative approaches to creating environmentally friendly pathways, particularly in the apparel sector. The theory proliferates our understanding of the constellation of literature pertaining to green apparel consumption, providing means and theories that resonate positively towards sustainability goals. The results are of crucial importance in the green apparel textile industry, helping them carve out a niche and sustainable products to yield immense commercial opportunities in this green landscape of industrialisation.

Keywords: green apparel; qualitative thematic analysis; ecological modernisation theory; EMT; sustainable consumption behaviour; SDGs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWE.2026.154411

International Journal of Environment, Workplace and Employment, 2026 Vol.10 No.2, pp.154 - 173

Received: 11 Dec 2025
Accepted: 12 Feb 2026
Published online: 26 Jun 2026 *

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