Cultural Sustainability Through Craft Integration in Indian Fashion: Strategic Capability to Enhance Business Performance

Abstract

This article seeks to answer the research question “How do traditional craft practices and cultural heritage contribute toward sustainability in the Indian fashion designer wear sector?” This research builds on previous exploratory research by the authors, which included a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews with heads of Indian Fashion Designer (IFD) wear firms. This investigation operationalizes the cultural sustainability dimension through the variable of craft and artisans, which is delineated into four components: the use of handloom fabric, percentage of products made from handloom fabrics, collaboration among designers and craft-related stakeholders, and collaboration with local artisans and craftsmen. Convenience sampling was used to collect primary data from a population of 2,300 IFD wear firms. A 4% response rate was achieved, and data was collected from ninety firms to investigate the nature and extent of craft integration within their businesses. The findings revealed that 61.1% of the firms participated in artisanal collaboration and craft integration. Additionally, 70% of the surveyed firms used handloom fabrics, although usage patterns varied significantly. Government initiatives, such as the Khadi Gramodyog Vikas Yojana and the Coir Board, have witnessed limited awareness and negligible participation among these firms. Exploratory factor analysis reveals that craft is represented as a bidimensional scale composed of two factors: “Handloom Fabric Orientation” and “Collaborative Craft Practices,” which together explain 70.04% of the total variance. Reliability analysis yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.749 for the scale, indicating good internal consistency. The authors propose the Handloom Craft Integration Scale, empirically tested in this study. Regression results highlight that craft practices in the Indian fashion designer wear sector systematically enhance other sustainability indicators, showcasing an integrated approach to sustainable business practices. This study contributes to sustainable fashion and cultural sustainability theory by demonstrating how craft integration can be positioned as a strategic capability to enhance business performance and stakeholder engagement.