Breaking through the Green Box: Sustainable Initiatives of Dutch Fashion Labels - An analysis of corporate communication and sustainability

The fashion industry is in the midst of a transition that encourages the decrease of environmental impact. Amongst the various corporate practices that sustainable fashion brands have communicated, Dutch sustainable start-ups have increased significantly. Such start-ups have widely used corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication to be transparent about their practices, thus enhancing their brand reputation on social media platforms such as Instagram. Yet the integral part of the brand, which is identified as the green box, is an aspect that needs to be uncovered. The collaborative performance of the brand is estimated in the green box, by understanding how it adds to sustainability and whether such collaboration complies with its CSR communication towards its stakeholders. The sustainable practices that have been identified in this research range from innovative methods such as 3D printing, to the use of new raw materials to substitute for cotton and animal fur/skin (vegan leather or fur), and the circular economy by reusing textiles and giving it a prolonged life, which reduces waste and overproduction. Scholars have demonstrated that consumers are overwhelmed by the CSR claims of fashion brands, and therefore encouraging green washing. On the basis of such theory, this study investigates the internal green box, and how the brands communicate their CSR initiatives. The results of this research indicate that start-ups realize that it is challenging to be 100% sustainable, and therefore communicate as much as they can about their practices, making sustainability their ultimate goal. Moreover, transparency becomes a topic of debate, and whether sustainability should be communicated at the foreground, or in the background. CSR communication solely in the foreground may lead to a negative brand reputation with regards to green washing, whereas communication CSR in the background could establish the commercialization of sustainable fashion, and therefore be more beneficial for companies that want to create value whilst decreasing environmental impact. Creating a positive impact should be a standard, not solely a marketing tool due to pressure of the transition or a unique message in a market full of messages.