Abstract

SILVA, Cícero Feitosa da  and  MESQUITA, Francisco. Sustainable Fashion, Unsustainable Advertising: A Case Study of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Vista [online]. 2025, n.15, e025006.  Epub June 30, 2025. ISSN 2184-1284.  https://doi.org/10.21814/vista.6253.

This article discusses how sustainable fashion brands, characterised as small and medium-sized enterprises, can align their advertising initiatives and strategies with the principles of sustainability and the market. Based on the master's thesis entitled Alternativas Entre Luxo e Desperdício: Publicidade no Contexto da Moda Sustentável (Alternatives Between Luxury and Trash: The Advertising in the Context of Sustainable Fashion; Silva, 2024), the text addresses the evolution of fashion, contextualising the transition from an industry focused on mass production to a sector that increasingly incorporates social and environmental concerns. The central discussion focuses on the challenges faced by small and medium-sized brands in communicating sustainable values in a market still characterised by traditional practices and excessive consumerism. The marketing and advertising strategies adopted by four brands, two Brazilian and two Portuguese, are analysed, along with their impact on public perception and engagement with responsible consumption.

The focus is on developing advertising language and other resources aimed at presenting the differentials of sustainability, using green marketing and seeking a balance between profitability and ethics. The article presents reflections and recommendations for advertising in the context of sustainable fashion, encouraging small and medium-sized brands to refine their strategies and consumers to adopt more conscious practices, highlighting advertising as an essential tool to drive change in the market and contribute to a more sustainable future for the fashion industry.

Keywords : fashion; sustainability; advertising; social responsibility.

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