Towards a Sustainable Fashion Industry: Circular Economy and the call for a Systemic Change based on Sufficiency

The fashion industry is at a crucial turning point, facing growing pressure with new regulations pushing for the implementation of sustainable practices, due to rising environmental and social challenges. This thesis explores the transformative potential of the circular economy within the fashion sector, emphasising the urgent need for a systemic change grounded in the principle of sufficiency. By examining the latest research and current industry practices, this study identifies key barriers and opportunities for implementing circular economy models, such as closed-loop recycling, sustainable material innovation, and circular design principles. The research also highlights the importance of consumer education and policy interventions in enabling this transition. Through a comprehensive review of literature and case studies, this thesis argues that achieving sustainability in fashion requires not only technological and operational changes but also a profound shift in consumption patterns and corporate mindset. The findings underscore the necessity for the fashion industry to embrace sufficiency as integral to efficiency, to reduce its ecological footprint significantly and foster long-term sustainability, setting a precedent for other industries to follow.