Application of GAPS Model to Improve Textile and Apparel Industry's Sustainable Practices

There seems to be a disconnect between the textile and apparel industry (TAI) practices and consumer needs related to sustainability. To address these issues of disconnect between TAI and consumers, with a goal of meeting consumers' sustainability needs carried out by TAI, in the present conceptual study, the GAPS model (Levy, Weitz, & Grewal, 2014) for improving retail customer service quality will be applied to analyze the TAI's sustainable practices. Drawing extant literature on service quality GAPS model and the TAI sustainability practices, we propose a conceptual model. This model will be tested to analyze the sustainable practices of TAI firms. A quantitative survey will be developed asking specific questions related to each of the four gaps to TAI managers. Results will lead us to identify the GAPS and suggest intervention programs for TAI firms to be successful in implementing sustainability practices.