It’s hard (transition) work! A case of a sustainable fashion retail consortium in Finland

Abstract

Although fashion retailers increasingly engage with sustainable initiatives, such as resale programs and garment repair services, the fashion system remains largely entrenched in unsustainable practices. In this case study, we examine the transition work (TW) undertaken by members of a sustainable fashion consortium in Tampere, Finland. The consortium includes several niche actors, such as sustainable fashion start-ups, and is led by the renowned department store Sokos Tampere, which belongs to the largest Finnish retailer, S-Group. Together, they aim to drive sustainability transitions within the relatively stable institutional context of fashion retail. We adopt TW as an institutional work-informed lens to examine how niche and incumbent actors engage in sustainability transitions within the fashion retail context. In doing so, we further develop TW as a conceptualization of the (de)institutionalization of niche initiatives within a socio-technical regime. The qualitative data consist of seven in-depth interviews with key consortium actors, ethnographic observation and in situ interviews with customers. In addition, documents such as news articles, company presentations, and social media postings were included in the analysis. By examining the establishment of a sustainable fashion floor within a department store, we contribute to transition research by (1) advancing understanding of transition work in retail contexts, (2) extending sustainability transition studies to consumer-facing environments, and (3) highlighting the role of collaboration between niche and incumbent actors in driving institutional change. In addition to theoretical contributions, we offer practical guidance for managers planning sustainability initiatives in fashion retailing.