Transition to sustainability in authorial fashion: a perspective from the circular economy

This article examines the phenomenon of transitioning towards sustainability in artisanal fashion businesses, aiming to understand how circular economy initiatives con-tribute to the sustainability transition process in the artisanal fashion sector in Curitiba. The qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive multi-case study employs two complementary the-oretical approaches: circular economy and socio-technical transition to sustainability from a multi-level perspective (MLP). The results indicate that all studied brands have relevant circular economy initiatives in their processes, such as: sourcing from qualified suppliers, reusing waste materials, utilizing discarded materials, employing artisanal production pro-cesses, and raising consumer awareness. Additionally, the main challenges and opportuni-ties for the development and growth of artisanal brands were analyzed. The findings also reveal that artisanal fashion companies in Curitiba are contributing to the modification of the current regime, seeking feasibility of changes from financial, business, product, and in-novation perspectives towards environmental sustainability, while simultaneously foster-ing the transition to sustainability in the long term.