Defining sustainable business models in fashion: ESG disclosure, technological innovation, and strategic partnerships

The global fashion industry, a sector of significant economic and cultural relevance, faces increasing challenges from its environmental and social impacts, including high resource consumption, carbon emissions and unethical labor practices. This study analyses strategies to promote sustainability in the sector, focusing on three key areas: environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting, technological innovation, and the strategic role of public- private partnerships (PPPs). The first area of research concerns the contribution of ESG disclosure to enhancing stakeholder trust. By analyzing regulations and indexes the study highlights the transformative potential of these practices in in improving business performance. The second area of analysis concerns the role of emerging technologies, in particular metaverse and artificial intelligence (AI), in promoting sustainable production and consumption patterns. The metaverse offers new perspectives on minimizing the use of resources through the development of virtual fashion experiences while AI, through supply chain optimization and predictive analytics, enables waste and inefficiencies to be reduced. The third area of research focuses on the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in overcoming structural constraints such as resource mobilization, regulatory fragmentation, and cultural heritage protection, in line with the goals of the 2030 Agenda. The analysis of case studies highlights the contribution of PPPs in fostering the convergence of public and private interests with the aim of promoting sustainable solutions. Integrating theoretical perspectives with empirical analysis, this thesis proposes a systematic framework for the implementation of sustainability in the fashion industry. The work not only enriches the academic debate on sustainable development, but also provides concrete strategies for policy makers and practitioners.