Decoding business strategies toward sufficient consumption in the fashion industry

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate corporate strategies promoting sufficiency-oriented consumption (sufficient consumption) across various fashion segments, analysing strategies adopted, identifying patterns, assessing communication consistency across channels, detecting potential anti-consumerist washing practices, a form of greenwashing and offering managerial lessons. Design/methodology/approach This exploratory qualitative study assesses corporate communication through the lens of the promotion of sufficient consumption, utilising a three-pillar framework from contemporary literature. It analyses the latest annual reports, websites and social media content on Facebook and Instagram from 15 prominent companies representing fast fashion, luxury and born-sustainable fashion segments. Findings The study reveals varying degrees of strategy adoption, with limited implementation undermining potential synergies. Companies across segments, including born-sustainable firms, exhibit inconsistent communication, compromising their credibility and sustainability efforts. This indicates widespread anti-consumerist washing and highlights difficulties and resistance in effectively integrating sufficiency into their corporate sustainability strategies. Research limitations/implications The study encourages scholars to expand the sample and timeframe and urges fashion firms to prioritise more holistic, consistent, genuine commitment to sufficiency. Originality/value It enriches and validates the adopted framework applicability, offers new empirical evidence in business promotion of sufficient consumption and anti-consumerist washing, extends the paradox of sustainability in fashion to born-sustainable firms despite their natural inclination to adopt innovative business models and initiatives and provides clues to help managers and stakeholders support sufficient consumption effectively, guiding the industry towards a more circular, sustainable future.