Less is More - Minimalism as an Approach to Sustainable Business-Making in the Fashion Industry

Research on minimalism on the individual level shows the concept to be linked to ecological sustainability by applying methods such as reduction of consumption and valuing of product quality over quantity. In the fashion industry, concepts like ‘capsule wardrobe’ propose a reduced but high-quality, timeless wardrobe. It challenges the complex and fast-paced fashion industry with its numerous collections, overproduction and overconsumption. The application of minimalism on the business level in the fashion industry has not been researched yet. Therefore, we aimed to explore how minimalism is perceived and applied on the organisational level in the fashion industry and its contribution to ecological sustainability. Based on a developed theoretical framework and data gathered through eleven semi-structured interviews, a practical framework for minimalism as a business strategy is presented. It represents a value-based approach to business by incorporating customers, the organisation and the supply chain. Furthermore, organisational minimalism is not only efficiency-increasing and waste-reducing but also a way to do as little harm as possible, to consume critically while still operating in the existing system. The practical framework can be used to guide companies to implement minimalism as a driver for sustainability in business-making. With this outcome, we contribute to making the fashion industry more sustainable and reaching the Sustainable Development Goals 8, 9, and 12