Business Research Proceedings

There’s a broad consensus among scholars that governments, as market regulators, play a crucial role in shaping production and consumption patterns by enforcing laws and public policies and regulating market dynamics (Gupta & Hodges, 2013). Yet, the role of public policy in driving sustainable fashion practices in developing and post-conflict contexts remains underexplored. To address this gap, this study investigates how public policy can be utilized to promote sustainable fashion practices in Iraq – a country navigating complex post-conflict transition and environmental difficulties, and hybrid governance structures. The study draws upon the six variables from the Van Meter and Van Horn's (1975) policy implementation theory, including: Initial policy objectives, allocation of resources, inter-organizational communication, characteristics of implementing agents, current socio-economic and political conditions, and the dispositions of implementing agents. Qualitative data was collected from 20 federal and regional policymakers through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was applied using the method by Braun and Clarke (2006). Results revealed several institutional, economic, and behavioral barriers to implementing sustainable fashion policies, including limited awareness of policy objectives, weak institutional coordination, and weak stakeholder communication and engagement. At the same time, major opportunities were found within the country’s existing structural and cultural conditions that offer actionable insights for advancing sustainable fashion through public policy in Iraq. This study contributes to the limited research available on applying sustainable fashion in developing and post-conflict contexts and emphasizes the need for policy designs rooted in political and institutional realities.

Funding Statement

The authors do not rely on external funding.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.