Confluences between Sustainability, Awareness and Accessibility: a comparative analysis in the fashion market

Faced with environmental and social challenges in the fashion industry, this article investigates the role of the designer in creating sustainable, conscious and accessible solutions. Based on this scenario, we sought to analyze how companies of different sizes deal with issues aligned with sustainability, considering economic, social and ecological aspects. Through a qualitative investigation, clothing companies were categorized as large, medium and small. The results indicated that, in a scenario where large companies face challenges in balancing sustainability and accessibility, smaller brands show greater flexibility in adopting ecological practices, but have difficulties in scaling their businesses. It was then found that the designer plays a crucial role in the search for innovative solutions that reconcile reduced environmental impact and market viability. The study therefore suggests that collaboration between companies, designers and consumers can drive a more sustainable, accessible and conscious fashion model.