Abstract
Unsold clothing and personal hoarding are increasingly serious problems in Japan, and although many unsold items are incinerated, little is being done to recycle them. Fashion subscription services (FSSs) enable users to enjoy fashion as well as contribute to the effective use of resources and reduction in waste. Although FSSs have been considered to be a type of product service systems that contributes to circular economies (CEs), only a few empirical studies have examined their contribution to CEs. This study investigates the contribution of FSSs to CEs by examining the business models of two major companies in Japan that offer FSSs and analyzing FSS users’ consumption patterns when purchasing clothes. In Japan, FSSs help extend a product’s life, share the product, and offer the product as a service to a certain extent. They can thus change the focus of apparel consumption from possession to use; however, considering current practices, it will take time to achieve this goal. For a CE in clothing, the FSS business model must be developed further to change users’ apparel consumption patterns.
Presenters
Hyunyoung LeeAssociate Professor, Ehime University, Ehime, Japan Yasuyo Yoshizawa
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Management, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan Yuka Sakamoto
Professor, Naruto University of Education, Japan
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Economic, Social, and Cultural Context
KEYWORDS
FASHION SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE, PRODUCT SERVICE SYSTEM, CIRCULAL ECONOMY
