Thrift To Thrive: Gen Z, Social Media Influencers, And Legal Frameworks Shaping India's Sustainable Fashion Through Clothing Reuse And Rental Economy
- IJLLR Journal
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Mitali Garg, Delhi Metropolitan Education, IP University
ABSTRACT
Generation Z in India is increasingly using clothes rentals and second-hand purchases as a method to interact with fashion while reducing environmental damage. Digital platforms and social media influencers are crucial to this change, but the laws governing these activities are still disjointed and lacking. This article assesses whether current consumer protection, e- commerce, and advertising laws in India sufficiently regulate thrift and rental fashion promoted through social media and makes the case that they do not, especially when it comes to standards for product quality, the verification of sustainability claims, and the obligations of platforms that facilitate peer-to- peer transactions.
The essay analyzes EU, French, UK, and US developments in addition to the Consumer Protection Act 2019, the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules 2020, the ASCI Influencer Guidelines, and related regulatory instruments using a doctrinal legal approach and selected comparative analysis. After identifying gaps in platform liability, influencer accountability, second-hand clothing certification, and enforcement against greenwashing, it suggests reforms such as more stringent disclosure requirements, BIS standards for pre-owned clothing, more precise social- commerce obligations, specialized enforcement of greenwashing, and integration of textile extended producer responsibility. The goal is to transform Gen Z's sustainability-driven consumption into a legally sound circular fashion sector that safeguards consumers and improves market transparency.
The paper proposes comprehensive legal reforms: strengthening influencer accountability through legally binding disclosure requirements; establishing Bureau of Indian Standards certification for second-hand clothing; clarifying platform liability frameworks for social commerce; creating specialized greenwashing enforcement within Central Consumer Protection Authority; and integrating Extended Producer Responsibility principles for textiles.
These recommendations aim to channel Gen Z's environmental consciousness toward genuine sustainable transformation while ensuring robust consumer protection, market transparency, and circular economy development in India's fashion sector.
Keywords: Sustainable fashion, Consumer protection, Influencer marketing, Circular economy, Greenwashing, E-commerce regulation, Gen Z consumption, India.
