Fashion Business Commons^™

Sustainability In The Fashion Industry: Environmental Effects & Analyzing Innovative Approaches To Reducing Environmental Impact While Maintaining Profitability And Effectiveness, Haley Castillo Rebollar

Senior Honors Theses

The fast-fashion business model has several severe environmental impacts, including resource overconsumption, chemical pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and solid waste consumption. Hence, the sustainable fashion alternative is questioned as to whether it can be applied with recoverable economic value and limited consequential impact when considering novel approaches in business model innovation, supply chain transformation, and the adoption of digital technologies. Evidence suggests that sustainability and profitability need not be mutually exclusive when strategic intervening actions are effectively managed. The set of principles of the circular economy, sustainable enterprise architecture frameworks, green supply chain management, advanced systems of forecasting, and three-dimensional …

Modular Category Optimization For Substitutability: An Item-Level Approach, Medhansh A. Sankaran

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines substitutability within Walmart apparel as a foundation for modular category optimization. Using large-scale item-level data, I develop an attribute-based framework that aggregates products to the fineline level, constructs a structured feature space, and identifies candidate substitute relationships through similarity-based matching within relevant merchandise groupings. The results show that Walmart item master data contains sufficient structure to support scalable substitute generation across a high-variety assortment. However, substitutability is not uniform: many item pairs exhibit high similarity but low observed demand transfer, indicating that structural similarity alone does not guarantee substitution. To address this, the framework is positioned within …

Augmented Reality In Fashion Retail: A Walmart Unlimited Study, Chloe A. Mcpherson

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

As technology continues to evolve, augmented reality (AR) has become increasingly common within the retail and fashion industries. This study explored Gen Z consumers’ perceptions of immersive AR shopping experiences through Walmart Unlimited, an interactive digital shopping platform. The purpose of this research was to better understand how younger consumers respond to AR-enhanced shopping environments and whether these technologies influence attitudes toward convenience, engagement, and sustainability in retail.

A quantitative research design was used for this study. Participants completed the Walmart Unlimited shopping experience and then responded to a Qualtrics survey measuring areas such as immersion, satisfaction, ease of use, …

Data Tracking And Analytics Within Inventory Management: Coffee Shop And Retail Store Optimization, Mateo J. Moyon

Senior Theses

This thesis examines the application of inventory management theory in the small and medium-sized business context, with a specific focus on the food and beverage industry. Drawing on the foundational academic literature spanning from Harris’s EOQ formula in 1913 through stochastic inventory theory, ABC analysis, and just-in-time strategy, this paper establishes the mathematical and operational bases for modern inventory management practice. Although there are proven value to these frameworks, research demonstrates that small to medium sized businesses adopt inventory management systems at lower rates citing cost and implementation as barriers. This thesis argues that the emergence of low-cost inventory and …

Environmental Risk Assessment Of Textile Waste From Bio-Engineered Fibers In The Fashion Industry, Aayush Pankaj Agarwal, Harshit Soral, Irmak Aktan, Karol Montserrat Gonzalez Saad, Maria Daniela Saa Espinosa, Sheetal Suhas Dhanuka, Yi Yang

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

The global fashion industry generates over 92 million tons of textile waste annually, a figure projected to increase significantly by 2030. Bio-engineered fibers, including bacterial cellulose, mycelium-based leather, and recombinant protein textiles emerge as sustainable alternatives to conventional fibers. Despite their promise, recent evidence suggests that these fibers may pose environmental risks at the end-of-life stage, such as incomplete biodegradation in landfills, microfiber shedding, and chemical leaching from dyes and coatings. The purpose of this study is to examine how these risks are represented through scientific literature, corporate sustainability reports, and policy frameworks, and to identify strategies for integrating risk …

Quantum Leap: Harnessing Quantum–Ai Synergy For Resilient Supply Chains And Predictive Routing Under Tariff Shocks, Andrew Burnstine, Raouf Ghattas

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Sustainable Circular Fashion Supply Chain As A Model For Achieving Economic Growth In The Global Market, Andrew P. Burnstine, Raouf Ghattas

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The fashion industry faces a critical sustainability crisis, contributing up to 10% of global carbon emissions and generating 92 million tons of textile waste annually. The study highlights the complex interplay of material flows, business models, power structures, and cultural mindsets, presenting a multi-scaled framework for advancing cleaner production and circularity in one of the world’s most resource-intensive sectors. This study proposes a transformative model for circular bioeconomy in fashion, integrating systems-change theory, degrowth economics, and emotional durability. Through case studies, including Patagonia, Eileen Fisher, and EU policy frameworks, the paper demonstrates how circular strategies can reduce waste, extend product …

Sustainability: Buzz Word Or Future Of Fashion? Measuring The Feasibility Of Outright Sustainability Among Fast Fashion’S Biggest Agents, Ryan Miller

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The fashion industry is currently experiencing unsustainable rates of pollution within its supply chains. The rapid increase in demand for short lead times perpetrated by large-scale retailers has led to hazardous practices negatively affecting both the environmental conditions and working conditions of producing countries. With this increased pressure, relationships between brands and suppliers have become untenable. Limited transparency and imbalanced power dynamics at the hand of the industry’s leading retailers require restructuring in order to build more sustainable and equitable supply-chain practices. Further, governmental regulation is currently limited in its capacity to enforce sustainable business practices on a global …

Reviving The Lost Art: Historical Foundations And Future Pathways For Bespoke Service In Luxury Retail, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The mid-20th century witnessed a zenith of deeply personalized, bespoke service within iconic luxury specialty retailers. This paper critically analyzes the foundational principles of this historical bespoke service model, extending Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic and retail evolution theory, to propose a robust framework for its modern revival. Employing a rigorous qualitative, multiple-case study approach, grounded in extensive historical and media analysis of four archetypal American and British luxury boutiques, and uniquely informed by an insider-ethnographic perspective on the central case exemplar ("Martha's"), the study distills six core principles: Profound Client Knowledge, Visionary Curation & Styling, Anticipatory & Proactive Service, The Exclusive …

Resale Revolution: Trend Implications From Media Presence Transcended To Luxury Retail Markets, Penelope Prochnow

Capstone Projects

This study aims to deepen understanding of fashion trend decline from peak popularity to obsolescence, with implications for sustainability and producer profit margins. It investigates how the attributes and media presence of fashion items influence their journey from high-end editorial coverage to resale platforms. Using survival analysis to model trend lifetimes and cosine similarity metrics to compare resale and magazine keyword frequencies, alongside machine learning for price prediction, the study uncovers critical temporal patterns. Results show that resale trends reflect magazine content with a lag of approximately 18 to 30 months and draw from long-wave revivals spanning 6 to 14 …

Life Cycle Analysis Of Cosmetic Products -- Assessing Environmental Sustainability And Potential Impacts, Karina Magro Machado

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The cosmetic industry has a significant environmental footprint due to its reliance on water, energy, petrochemical-derived ingredients, and plastic-based packaging. This study performs a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impacts of three cosmetic products: CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion, bareMinerals Gen Nude Powder Blush, and Gillette Foamy Regular Shave Cream. The analysis was conducted using OpenLCA software and free databases, modeling each product across raw materials, packaging, manufacturing, transportation, use and end-of-life phases. The results showed that the shave cream had the highest environmental burden to three out of the four categories, especially in consumption and carbon …

Sustainable Fashion Identified: An Exploration And Education Of Sustainable Apparel, Michaela M. Lentsch

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Consumers today are searching for and are loyal to companies who support their views and concerns about sustainability. The fashion industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, but one that has many environmental and sustainability concerns. Fortunately, there are many ways the fashion industry and consumers can take steps to make sustainable change and better the planet. Small fashion businesses and boutiques can make positive changes to operate and provide sustainable options and services for customers which can help the planet become more sustainable.

Through this manuscript, an assortment of sustainable methods and practices will be shared …

Autonomous Intelligence In Fashion: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Agentic Ai Across The Fashion Ecosystem, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The fashion industry is undergoing a paradigm shift with the emergence of agentic artificial intelligence (AI), a sophisticated class of intelligent systems exhibiting autonomous decision-making, continuous learning, and adaptive action with minimal human intervention. Moving beyond traditional AI applications in fashion focused on predictive analytics, generative tools, and supervised automation, agentic AI introduces a transformative paradigm wherein intelligent agents proactively navigate the complexities inherent in design, manufacturing, supply chain optimization, and consumer personalization. This paper presents a comprehensive exploration of the evolving role of agentic AI across the multifaceted fashion ecosystem, offering an in-depth analysis of its technological underpinnings, operational …

From Food To Fashion: Bio-Based Textiles Advancing Sustainability And Socioeconomic Growth In Emerging Markets, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The global fashion industry is undergoing a profound shift towards sustainability, driven by innovations in bio-based textiles derived from agricultural byproducts such as cactus, pineapple, banana, coconut, fungi, and bacterial cultures. This article comprehensively explores the technological advancements, industry adoption trends, socioeconomic impact on emerging markets, and barriers to widespread adoption of bio-based textiles. The alignment of these innovations with global sustainability initiatives, key industry collaborations, and policy interventions are also examined.

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Fashion And Retail Efficiency: A Strategic Analysis, Andrew Burnstine, Raouf Ghattas

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Transforming Physical And Online Fashion Retail: Enhancing Experiences, Driving Sustainability, And Fostering Innovation, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

This study explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing the fashion industry, with a focus on enhancing consumer experiences, promoting sustainability, and driving innovation in retail. It examines AI applications in personalized recommendations, virtual try-ons, and supply chain optimization, while also addressing societal implications. Sustainability is a central theme, highlighting how AI minimizes overproduction, enables circular fashion, and encourages conscious consumerism. Case studies, such as Nike’s AI-powered retail stores and Lynn University’s Surreal Fashion Show, demonstrate practical applications and innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research synthesizes insights from reports by The Business of Fashion and McKinsey …

Feel Bad To Discard A Fashion Product: How Ai Designers Influence Individuals' Sustainable Consumption, Ha Kyung Lee, Dooyoung Choi

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

This study explores how AI technology in fashion design influences consumers' sustainable consumption behaviors, focusing on emotional attachment to products. By comparing AI-generated and human-designed fashion items, the study examines how designer type impacts negative emotions about discarding products, mediated by emotional attachment. Results from two experimental studies reveal that designer type significantly affects negative emotions toward discarding human-designed items, but emotional attachment was not influenced by designer type in the first study. This lack of difference may be due to personal characteristics that moderate the effect. The second study found that individuals who perceive AI as human-like form stronger …

Exploring The Impact Of Value Co-Creation Through Ai-Driven Chatbbots On Customer Repeat Purchases, Dooyoung Choi, Jaeha Lee

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, this study explores how perceived value co-creation during chatbot interactions influences customer repeat purchase intentions through cognitive, emotional, and social responses to chatbots. A survey of 220 participants revealed that perceived value co-creation significantly affected repeat purchase intentions, with cognitive evaluations, emotional reactions, and social value serving as key mediators. However, the direct effect of value co-creation on purchase intentions was not significant. The findings suggest that while value co-creation enhances consumer engagement, repeat purchases occur only when consumers experience positive cognitive, emotional, and social outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial for retailers to incorporate …

The Influence Of Shopping Context And Anthropocentric Bias On Consumer Preferences For Human And Ai Designers In Fashion, Dooyoung Choi, Ha Kyung Lee, Christina Soyoung Song, Ji Young Lee

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

This study explores how shopping contexts (hedonic vs. utilitarian) influence consumer preferences for AI- vs. human-designed fashion products. In Study 1, participants with hedonic motivations preferred human-designed items, while those with utilitarian motivations preferred AI-designed products, supporting the hypothesis that shopping context affects designer preferences. Study 2 further investigates the mediation of competence-warmth traits in designer preferences and the moderation of anthropocentric bias. It finds that hedonic shopping contexts increase the desire for warmth-related traits, leading to a preference for human designers, while utilitarian contexts favor competence-related traits and AI designs. Additionally, individuals with higher anthropocentric biases showed stronger preferences …

Cultural Relativism: Addressing Diversity And Expression Of Culture Through Dress, Robert L. Woods, Maureen Archer-Festa, Rachel Raskin, Alyssa Dana Dana Adomaitis

Publications and Research

As America becomes more diverse, so do postsecondary institutions. While they also reflect the world's political, social, and economic climate, institutions of higher learning continuously seek newer and inventive ways to include better culturally diverse students in their programs and campus life. Multicultural education is a set of educational strategies developed to teach students about diverse groups' histories, cultures, and contributions. Moreover, Multiculturalism has become a way of teaching that promotes inclusion, diversity, and democratic learning. If left unaddressed, however, it can breed biases that isolate students, manifest hate crimes, and increase a school's retention rates (Gruman, 2016). Having received …

Ai-Assisted Study In Post Pandemic Disruptions Of Operations And Supply Chain Management Practices, Raouf G. Ghattas, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The presentation explored the nature of the Fashion Industry group, the disruptions, the impact on the industry as a whole, in terms of Profitability, Consumer preference, Demand, Logistics and Inventory positions, then discuss the mitigations adopted by each industry group, and finally strategies for the way forward.

The presentation explored the nature of the Fashion Industry group, the disruptions, the impact on the industry as a whole, in terms of Profitability, Consumer preference, Demand, Logistics and Inventory positions, then discuss the mitigations adopted by each industry group, and finally strategies for the way forward.

The Threads That Shape Us: Fashioning A Sustainable Future From Silk, Bryne Croyle Johnson

Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal

Silk has been used for centuries as a natural fiber, but has declined in popularity due to synthetic alternatives. In this pop-science article style paper, the history, present, and possible futures of silk are discussed at a generally accessible level. Anthropology, Biology, Sociology, and Environmental Science are brought together to present a case for a renewed interest in silk as a sustainable fiber.

Exploring Hedonic And Utilitarian Aspects Through Perceived Warmth In Human-Designed Vs. Ai-Generated Fashion, Dooyoung Choi, Ha Kyung Lee

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Among various ways in which artificial intelligence (AI) is used in the fashion industry, its utilization in design has sparked public discussion about the potential replacement of human designers by AI. Along with this critical question, it is imminent to examine how consumers would respond to designs by AI. The purpose of this study is to explore consumers’ perceptions toward a fashion product labeled as generated by an AI system, comparing it to the same product labeled as designed by a human designer. Specifically, drawing from existing literature, we examine if the design source affects consumers’ perceptions of a product …

Threading Unity Throughout Itaa: A Collaboration Of Fashion Academics Across Content Threading Unity: Apparel, Marketing, Beauty And Interior Design Within The Fashion Industry, Alyssa Dana Adomaitis, Carter Gabriel Averbeck, Kendel Bolton, Denise Sutton

Publications and Research

Sustainability has been an academic research topic of late that impacts more than just the fashion industry for apparel. Besides the apparel industry, marketing, beauty, and interior design are aware of the promise of sustainability for both the environment and consumers. Sustainability reduces its environmental impacts of pollutants such as carbon footprints and unsold inventory, protecting workers who create garments, and animal welfare (Biela-Weyenberg, 2023) which can impact the supply chain. “The United Nations established the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion in 2019 to hold fashion brands to a higher standard to create environmentally friendly apparel” (2023, p.1). Through modern …

The Role Of Shopping Orientations And Intrinsic Experiential Value In Consumer's Willingness To Follow Embodied-Ai's Advice In Fashion Shoe Stores, Christina Soyoung Song, Ji Young Lee, Dooyoung Choi

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This study employs a synthesis of Intrinsic Motivation Theory with three shopping orientations, namely “adventure,” “idea,” and “personalized” shopping, in order to examine their potential influence on individuals' motivation towards shopping. We proposed that consumers’ experiential value of intrinsic enjoyment is an indispensable mediator that affects their willingness to follow EAI’s advice. The study offers novel insights into the way that consumers’ characteristics of influencing others’ clothing consumption affect their shopping motivations to find adventure and stimulation, keep up with new fashion trends and products information, and their preference to patronize stores and interact with store staff on a personal …

Ai-Designed Clothing And Perceived Values: What Can Move Consumers' Minds With The Ai-Designed Clothing?, Dooyoung Choi, Ha Kyung Lee

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This study investigates the perceived values of AI-designed clothing (quality, emotion, ease) and their impact on willingness to pay (WTP) and word-of-mouth (WOM), with the moderating effect of gender differences. A total of 314 respondents completed the survey via MTurk. Participants watched a video clip demonstrating how an AI system creates various clothing designs by altering garment elements (e.g., style, size). After watching the video clip, they were asked to answer a series of questions about the AI-designed clothing and themselves. The collected data were analyzed using AMOS 26.0. Results showed that, for male and female consumers, the quality value …

Clueless: Revolutionizing Sustainable Fashion And Combating Overconsumption, Tanya Ravichandran

Graphic Communication

“Clueless” revolutionizes sustainable fashion by combating wardrobe overconsumption and the industry’s carbon footprint, using AI to suggest personalized outfits from existing wardrobes tailored to weather and wear history. It enhances user engagement through features like outfit ‘shuffle’ and provides insights into wardrobe utilization and carbon impact.

It’s more than an app; it’s a step towards a greener wardrobe and a healthier planet.

Management Of Operations In Projects Including Planning, Organization And Control From The Beginning To The End Of Implementation, Burim Isa Berisha Dr.Sc

International Journal of Business and Technology

The project usually arises as soon as the client’s need is identified, and goes through all the extensive phases and sub-phases to take its true form and put into operation. The project is divided into two main parts that include Planning and Implementation that are separate in these stages: definition, planning, organization, control, completion. Planning involves a detailed calculation of the project. This includes known facts, admissible facts and risk calculation. Activity model used by IKOMs Planning as a process involves the cost that accompanies it. The manager must strike the balance between cost and benefit. Project control uses data …

Project Planning And Control, Burim Isa Berisha Dr.Sc

International Journal of Business and Technology

Operations management is important because it relates to the creation of products and services on which we are all dependent. Operations management is also quite motivating; operations are the center of many changes that affect business - changes in customer preferences, changes in the supply chain caused by technologies based on the businesses where we work, where we want to work and so on.

Operations Management includes the role of operations management, the various characteristics of processes, management activities, the responsibilities of managers, and the timely evolution of Operations Management.

Operations Management is a constant change, fostering creativity which allows …

Long-Term Auditor-Client Relationship And Its Effects On The Audit Quality, Burim Isa Berisha Dr.Sc

International Journal of Business and Technology

Apart from this, the long-term Auditor client relationship has been the center of attention in most of the discussions and debates as well. Numerous studies have been conducted by the academic researchers, financial and professional analysts, regulatory authorities and governing bodies, and in some cases by the Auditors and the firms as well regarding the effects of long-term Auditor-client relationship on audit quality, equity risk premium, financial reports quality, audit pricing etc. These studies provide us with different results, both with the positive and negative associations and effects of long-term Auditor-client relationship on the basis of different factors and contexts. …