International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Assessing Youth’s Awareness of Circular Fashion Practices for Sustainable Resource Use

Abstract The modern fashion industry, driven by fast production and high consumption, has led to serious environmental concerns and depletion of natural resources. In response, circular fashion has emerged as a sustainable approach that promotes practices such as reuse, repair, recycling, and upcycling to minimize waste and extend the lifecycle of clothing. Young consumers, especially college students, play an important role in influencing future sustainability trends through their knowledge, attitudes, and everyday fashion choices. Keeping this in mind, the present study explores the level of awareness and adoption of circular fashion practices among students, with particular emphasis on sustainable resource use. The study aimed to evaluate students’ awareness and attitudes toward circular and responsible fashion, and to understand how resource management practices such as reusing clothes, repairing garments, and making mindful purchasing decisions affect their fashion behaviour. A descriptive research design was used, and data were collected from 200 undergraduate students of the Department of Family and Community Resource Management, Faculty of Family and Community Sciences, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara. Information was gathered using a structured questionnaire and analysed through descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The participants, aged between 19 and 24 years, mostly had a monthly allowance ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹4,000. Findings revealed that while 70% of students had heard of the term “circular fashion,” only about one-fourth demonstrated a clear and in-depth understanding of its concepts, highlighting a noticeable gap between awareness and actual practice. Social media emerged as the primary source of information, followed by academic learning and peer discussions. Overall, although students showed some level of awareness regarding circular fashion and sustainable resource use, their actual engagement in such practices was relatively limited. The study suggests that increasing awareness through educational initiatives and hands-on workshops could encourage greater participation among youth, ultimately promoting more sustainable and responsible fashion consumption. Keywords: circular fashion, youth awareness, sustainable resource use, resource management, responsible consumer