Sustainable entrepreneurship in the apparel industry: Passion and challenges

Guided by the Triple Bottom Line theory, this study aims to acquire a deeper understanding of the passion and challenges that entrepreneurs face in developing their sustainable apparel businesses. Qualitative data were collected via personal interviews with the research goal of giving a thematic description of the experience of sustainable apparel entrepreneurs. Purposive sampling was used to select five sustainable apparel entrepreneurs in the Southeastern U.S. Four themes emerged related to entrepreneurial passion, including passion for what the entrepreneurs are making/selling - sustainable apparel products, passion for a sustainable future for the planet and people, passion for building a strong local community, and passion for changing the apparel industry. Three themes emerged concerning the challenges facing the sustainable apparel entrepreneurs, including limited options, price considerations, and the need to change the consumer's mindset. The study expands the existing apparel literature by examining sustainable apparel business from an entrepreneurship perspective.