Redefining Growth in Capitalist Economies: Enabling Post-Growth Transitions in the Danish Fashion Industry Through Meaning, Action, and Systems

Abstract

As ecological degradation and resource scarcity intensify, infinite economic growth is increasingly misaligned with the environmental realities of the 21st century. Despite growing regulatory efforts, corporate sustainability initiatives, and rising consumer concern, these fragmented responses have yet to produce the systemic transformation required for an ecological sustainable future. While much post-growth literature advocates for dismantling capitalism and abandoning the growth imperative altogether, this thesis investigates how growth can be redefined from within capitalist economies, and what such a redefinition entails for societal structures, business practices, and consumer behavior, using the Danish fashion industry as an empirical lens. Drawing on qualitative interviews with industry leaders, sustainability experts, and economists, alongside a quantitative consumer survey, the research reveals how institutional norms, and cultural values continue to uphold the growth imperative. Using Institutional and Discourse Theory, the thesis shows how cognitive frameworks in the industry reinforce existing logics, while the consumer analysis, informed by Habitus, highlights that behavioral change remains limited by deep-rooted social expectations. The Triple Bottom Line, though widely adopted, is critiqued for its additive logic, which often subordinates social and environmental concerns to profit. Instead, this thesis draws on Anthropological Economics to propose a more embedded and holistic understanding of value. In response to these findings, the thesis introduces the Value Shift Cycle, a conceptual model for redefining growth within capitalist systems through the alignment of three interdependent dimensions of change. First, discursive reframing transforms dominant narratives about success and value, shifting away from growth-at-all-costs toward principles such as sufficiency, care, and regeneration. Second, behavioral transformation enables individuals to adopt more sustainable practices through cultural normalization, transparency, and aspirational framing. Third, structural reconfiguration challenges business models and incentive systems that prioritize scale and short-term returns, advancing alternative forms of value creation that support long-term ecological and social resilience. Together, these dimensions offer a strategic roadmap for post-growth transitions, showing that meaningful change depends not only on regulation, but on rethinking what we value, how we act, and how systems are organized. As such, the model provides a practical framework for both policymakers and businesses seeking to drive sustainability transitions within existing capitalist economies in the 21st century.