Creativity as a Successful Market Strategy for Sustainable Fashion Products

This study investigates how sustainability-related constraints can stimulate creativity in fashion design. Treating limited resources as an exogenous motivator, we analyzed fashion products from three successful sustainable brands— FREITAG, PEATSMAMA, and RE;CODE—that utilize recycled materials. Creativity was assessed by 15 fashion experts in Korea using two established frameworks: Bessemer’s Creative Product Analysis Matrix (CPAM), focusing on novelty, resolution, and elaboration, and Amabile’s Consensual Assessment Technique (CAT). The results show that sustainable fashion products scored significantly higher in creativity (M = 4.20) than conventional products (M = 2.55). This suggests that environmental constraints can positively influence creative performance. These findings provide strategic insights for fashion brands aiming to develop innovative and sustainable products and offer implications for design education by demonstrating how material limitations can foster greater ideation and originality in the design process.