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Sustainability topic trends in the textile and apparel industry: a text mining-based magazine article analysis

Jitong Li (Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA)
Karen K. Leonas (Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA)

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management

ISSN: 1361-2026

Article publication date: 12 April 2021

Issue publication date: 1 March 2022

2408

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to (1) identify the sustainable practices developed by the textile and apparel industry and (2) investigate the gaps and opportunities in the sustainability implementation process by quantitively analyzing the sustainability topics and the relevant topic trends.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed text mining techniques. A total of 1,168 relevant magazine articles published from 2013 to 2020 were collected and then categorized according to their tones. In total, 36 topics were identified by reviewing the sustainability issues in the industry. The frequency of each topic mentioned in the articles and the correlation coefficients between topics' frequencies and published time were calculated. The results were used to examine if the three sustainability dimensions (environment, society, economy) were equally addressed and identify opportunities in the sustainability implementation process.

Findings

There were much fewer social and economic topics than environmental topics discussed in the articles. Additionally, there were not enough practices developed to reduce microfiber pollution, improve consumers' knowledge of sustainability, offset the carbon footprint, build a transparent, sustainable supply chain and avoid animal cruelty.

Originality/value

There is a lack of research focusing on the whole supply chain and sustainability when investigating sustainable practices and topic trends. This study fills a part of the gap. The results can be used by industrialists to identify sustainable practice opportunities and better manage their sustainable supply chains. Researchers can utilize the results to compare the topics in the industry with the topics studied in academia.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Jimmy Summers, Chief Sustainability Officer at Elevate Textiles, for assistance with identifying data sources and collecting data.

Citation

Li, J. and Leonas, K.K. (2022), "Sustainability topic trends in the textile and apparel industry: a text mining-based magazine article analysis", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 67-87. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-07-2020-0139

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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