Collaborative fashion consumption – drivers, barriers and future pathways

The purpose of this paper is to explore the existing literature on CFC together with its relative concepts and discuss the current state of knowledge in the field of alternative apparel consumption. Drivers, barriers and future pathways of CFC – from the business and consumer’s perspective – are extracted, summarized and discussed. By using a holistic approach, this study aims to demonstrate the linkages and interplays among the actors. Helpful implications for the industry and policy makers are derived.

A holistic systematic literature review was conducted. More than 2,800 journal articles were reviewed for this conceptual paper, and the ones meeting the search criteria were subjected to a qualitative content analysis.

The findings facilitate a better understanding of what enables or prevents CFC from becoming a mainstream consumption approach. The study also examines the sustainability aspects of CFC, discussing both the positive environmental benefits and its negative impacts.

The results of this study can help businesses, governments and institutions develop more efficient strategies toward promoting sustainability in the fashion industry. Understanding the drivers and barriers of CFC, in addition to the possible sustainability benefits of CFC, can facilitate and accelerate adoption of future business models of CFC.

CFC is a relatively new concept in the field of academic research. In fact, this study is among the first to explore the interplay of drivers and barriers from both the consumer and industry perspectives. This paper can support further academic and business efforts aimed at promoting CFC.