What drives young adults’ fashion consumption in emerging markets? And how can sustainability become part of their everyday lives? In their recently published article in the Italian Journal of Marketing, Abraham Yeboah, Ofosu Agyekum, Vida Owusu-Prempeh, and Ebenezer Kwame Addae answer these questions through the lens of Social Practice Theory.

The Social Practice Theory perspective provides insight into how brands can influence opinions about fashion consumption in emerging markets and how this consumption becomes an integral part of consumers’ daily lives. The study’s context, focusing on young adults in Ghana, offers insights into fashion consumption in emerging markets, where rapid urbanization, increased digital connectivity, and shifting cultural norms are transforming the intersection of style, identity, and sustainability.

A key contribution of the article lies in unpacking the three pillars of SPT (materials, competences, and meanings) and illustrating how marketing strategies can influence each:

• “Materials” include the availability of affordable, sustainable clothing and the infrastructure to support circular practices (e.g., upcycling, clothing repair).
• “Competences” refer to the skills and knowledge consumers need to care for, style, or repurpose garments.
• “Meanings” capture the symbolic value of fashion (i.e., how it connects to identity, aspiration, and social status).

The authors, therefore, offer practical guidelines for fashion marketers seeking to stimulate fashion consumption in emerging markets: invest in education and community outreach, collaborate with local influencers to integrate sustainability into culturally resonant narratives, and design inclusive campaigns that make green fashion both aspirational and accessible.

Importantly, the authors caution against common missteps, such as relying on Western-centric messages, overlooking affordability, or employing guilt-based appeals that may backfire with Gen Z consumers in emerging markets. Instead, campaigns for enhancing sustainable fashion consumption in emerging markets must be grounded in authenticity, local relevance, and everyday practicality.

In the interview that follows, the authors offer practical insights for brands and discuss what to avoid when promoting sustainable fashion consumption in emerging markets. Their answers provide a fresh, context-sensitive perspective on how fashion marketing can shift from changing attitudes to transforming everyday practices.

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Your study uses Social Practice Theory to understand fashion consumption in emerging markets. How does this perspective enable marketers to go beyond individual attitudes and influence consumer behaviour?

Social Practice Theory (SPT) provides marketers with a deeper understanding of fashion purchasing behavior in emerging economies by reorienting the focus from individual attitudes to the everyday practices that influence behavior.

SPT emphasizes the social, material, and cultural factors (customs, rituals, product accessibility, and fashion narratives) that influence behavior, rather than seeing customers as solitary decision-makers.

With this perspective, marketers can influence not only people’s opinions but also the way fashion is integrated into everyday life. Marketers may create long-lasting behavioral change by integrating their products into consumers’ daily routines and social settings, focusing on the meanings, resources, and competencies that support fashion behaviors.

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What practical steps can fashion brands take to integrate sustainable practices into the everyday routines of young consumers in emerging markets?

By making sustainability aspirational, accessible, and affordable, fashion brands may incorporate sustainable practices into the daily routines of young consumers in emerging countries.

Through upcycling projects or take-back programs, they can encourage reuse and provide fashionable, affordable, environmentally friendly solutions.

Using relatable narrative and working with local influencers makes it easier to connect sustainable fashion to daily life and cultural identity.

Social media instructional initiatives that emphasize the significance of minor decisions, such as fabric choice or clothing care, are another way brands can interact with consumers.

Early adoption of sustainable fashion consumption in emerging markets can be achieved through collaboration with educational institutions, community activities, or schools.

Last but not least, incorporating styling advice or repair services into digital platforms promotes longer clothing wear, integrating sustainability into young people’s fashion culture rather than treating it as an option.

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You emphasize the role of material, competence, and meaning in shaping fashion consumption in emerging markets. Could you provide examples of how a brand might influence each of these dimensions?

SPT offers a role that combines material, competence, and meaning, which is even more relevant in this information age.

By providing affordable, long-lasting, and sustainable textiles, such as organic cotton or recycled materials, a fashion brand can offer eco-friendly options.

To increase customer confidence in preserving and reusing clothing, the company may conduct workshops or social media lessons on styling, mending, or upcycling clothing.

By collaborating with influencers or running campaigns that present eco-conscious fashion as contemporary, aspirational, and culturally relevant, the company may create significance by linking sustainability to positive social identity.

Brands may integrate sustainable practices into regular fashion consumption in emerging markets by coordinating materials, expertise, and symbolic value.

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Based on your findings, what should fashion marketers avoid when trying to shift consumer purchasing behaviour in sustainability-oriented campaigns targeting Gen Z in emerging markets?

Fashion marketers should avoid using generic, one-size-fits-all messages that overlook local culture, values, and economic realities. Gen Z in emerging markets are highly aware and often skeptical of concepts like greenwashing. Presenting vague or exaggerated sustainability claims can damage brand trust.

Marketers should also avoid guilt-based messaging, which may alienate rather than inspire action. Ignoring affordability and access is another pitfall. Promoting expensive “eco” products without offering budget-friendly alternatives risks exclusion.

Additionally, brands should not assume that Western sustainability narratives will resonate universally. Hence, campaigns must reflect local styles, voices, and priorities. Authenticity, transparency, and cultural relevance are essential to building meaningful connections.

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Copertina: Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay