Making sense of the sustainability buzzword: ethical consumption within the clothing industry

Abstract

This thesis gives an overview of the ethical consumer who buys sustainable clothing in contemporary times. It shows the moral dilemmas these Dutch women experience and explains the different types of ethical consumption. It includes an explanation of commodity fetishism and the struggles the ethical consumers face because of this. The thesis explores different possibilities to outsmart the use of greenwashing by brands in order to still purchase sustainable clothes.