Green marketing and greenwashing in the fashion industry

This master's thesis reflects on the current challenges and opportunities faced by the fashion industry in the context of sustainability issues. It focuses on Generation Z, which is growing up in a world full of sustainability discussions but still makes purchases that do not align with their proclamations. The thesis also explores green marketing and greenwashing in the fashion industry, where the interest in sustainable products is increasing, but so is the risk of deceptive statements. The first chapter introduces green marketing as a tool for targeting environmentally conscious consumers, analyzing its tools and challenges. The second chapter delves into greenwashing, whose deceptive claims can cause skepticism among consumers, raising the question of how sustainability statements align with the actual shopping behavior of Generation Z. The theoretical part concludes with the third chapter, examining the (un)sustainability of the fashion industry, with a focus on fast fashion and, more recently, ultra-fast fashion. The final, fourth chapter presents original research through a focus group, aiming to identify factors influencing the shopping behavior of Generation Z. The thesis offers a perspective on the current state and the relationship between sustainability, marketing, and the actual behavior of consumers in this crucial generation.