TY - JOUR

T1 - Sustainable Entrepreneurship in the Apparel Industry

T2 - The Case of Manomama

AU - Plieth, Hanna

AU - Bullinger, Angelika C.

AU - Hansen, Erik G.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - During the last decade, pressure on companies to transcend the focus on economic success and technological innovation in order to address more ecologically and socially desirable outcomes has increased. Commitment to sustainability-oriented innovation is still rare in the textile and apparel industry, but there exist first case examples of highly eco-innovative companies. This article presents an in-depth case study of the sustainable company manomama which manufactures individualised clothes for women, men and children in Southern Germany. Ecologically harmless and thereof mostly organic material is procured only regionally and highly experienced workers from the ancient textile region have been provided with secure, full- and part-time jobs. The article discusses the major challenges of manomama when entering business (knowledge and experience, site and machinery, sup-pliers, staff and supporters) and presents the innovative solutions the founder identified to address these. In addition, the article derives implications for traditional companies.

AB - During the last decade, pressure on companies to transcend the focus on economic success and technological innovation in order to address more ecologically and socially desirable outcomes has increased. Commitment to sustainability-oriented innovation is still rare in the textile and apparel industry, but there exist first case examples of highly eco-innovative companies. This article presents an in-depth case study of the sustainable company manomama which manufactures individualised clothes for women, men and children in Southern Germany. Ecologically harmless and thereof mostly organic material is procured only regionally and highly experienced workers from the ancient textile region have been provided with secure, full- and part-time jobs. The article discusses the major challenges of manomama when entering business (knowledge and experience, site and machinery, sup-pliers, staff and supporters) and presents the innovative solutions the founder identified to address these. In addition, the article derives implications for traditional companies.

KW - Sustainability sciences, Management & Economics

KW - Sustainability-oriented innovation

KW - sustainable fashion

KW - apparel industry

KW - regional sourcing

KW - Sustainable entrepreneurship

KW - business model innovation

KW - Small and medium sized enterprises

KW - Social Business

KW - age-diversity

KW - Entrepreneurship

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/940c2cba-79ba-32c4-9216-31654efa3071/

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 2012

SP - 123

EP - 138

JO - The Journal of Corporate Citizenship

JF - The Journal of Corporate Citizenship

SN - 1470-5001

IS - 45

ER -