Representing Sustainable Communication in Ecofashion Posters: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of English Education Students' Works

Authors

  • Hasanul Misbah UIN Raden Intan Lampung

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64268/jtse.v2i1.136

Keywords:

Ecofashion, English Language Teaching (ELT), Multimodal Discourse Analysis, Sustainable Communication, Visual Grammar

Abstract

Background: Sustainable communication is increasingly recognized as an important approach to promoting environmental awareness. However, limited research has examined how pre-service English teachers construct sustainability messages through multimodal learning activities. \

Aims: This study investigates how undergraduate English education students represent sustainable communication in ecofashion posters and explores the interaction between visual and verbal elements in conveying environmental messages.

Methods: A qualitative design employing Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) was adopted. Six ecofashion posters were purposively selected from projects produced by 180 students enrolled in six English education classes. The data were analyzed using a Multimodal Analytical Protocol integrating Kress and van Leeuwen’s Visual Grammar with Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics.

Results: Three major themes emerged: circular fashion and resource conservation, minimalist consumption through capsule wardrobes, and eco-literacy through digital content creation. The posters demonstrated coherent visual-verbal integration, combining material processes, imperative expressions, conceptual visual structures, and offer gazes to communicate sustainability as a practical and relatable lifestyle rather than a moral obligation.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that multimodal composition activities can strengthen eco-literacy, multimodal competence, and critical communication skills. Integrating sustainability-oriented multimodal projects into English language education may provide meaningful opportunities for developing both language proficiency and environmental awareness.

References

Abbamonte, L., & Cavaliere, F. (2022). Going green with communication: A comparative analysis of opposing campaigns. Iperstoria, 20. https://doi.org/10.13136/2281-4582/2022.i20.1113

Adeyemi, A. E., Ahn, J., Xu, Z., Muko, H., & Matt, B. (2025). Promoting SDGs through education: A theory of planned behavior analysis of Japanese and Nigerian students' sustainability actions. Sustainable Development, 33(5), 6901–6916. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3493 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3493

Alharbi, M. S. (2026). Greening the classroom: Cultivating sustainable futures through English language teaching. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 13, 102491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.102491 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.102491

Andini, P. A. (2026). Multimodal representation of environmental messages in Indonesian eco-murals. Indonesian Journal of Language, Space, and Visual Arts, 1(1), 21–30.

Anis, M., & Khan, R. (2023). Integrating multimodal approaches in English language teaching for inclusive education: A pedagogical exploration. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2(3), 241–257.

Aydın Yıldız, T. (2025). Sustainability education in L2 writing: AI-based multimodal awareness and engagement. Sustainability, 17(21), 9376. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219376 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219376

Bardey, A., Ritch, E. L., & Labruere-Chazal, C. (2026). The perks of being minimalist: Assessing the relationship between consumers' wellbeing, sustainable fashion attitudes and fashion involvement. Business Strategy and the Environment, 35(5), 6367–6381. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70507 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70507

Davari, H., Hassani, G., Iranmehr, A., & Ghorbanpour, A. (2025). Environmental communication through language education: Iranian teachers' perceptions on integrating environmental communication pedagogy into English language teaching. Environmental Communication, 19(7), 1342–1358. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2025.2464171 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2025.2464171

Dissanayake, D. G. K., & Weerasinghe, D. (2022). Towards circular economy in fashion: Review of strategies, barriers and enablers. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 2(1), 25–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00090-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00090-5

Dushkova, D., & Ivlieva, O. (2024). Empowering communities to act for a change: A review of community empowerment programs towards sustainability and resilience. Sustainability, 16(19), 8700. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198700 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198700

Essa, N. E., & Mardikaningsih, R. (2021). Sustainability communication through green marketing: Strengthening consumer awareness and corporate environmental integrity. Journal of Social Science Studies, 1(2), 233–238.

Filieri, R., Christodoulides, G., & Nicolau, J. L. (2025). Emerging sources, formats, channels, devices, and audiences in modern eWOM communications. Psychology & Marketing, 42(9), 2430–2443. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.22239 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.22239

Fotopoulou, A. (2021). Conceptualising critical data literacies for civil society organisations: Agency, care, and social responsibility. Information, Communication & Society, 24(11), 1640–1657. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2020.1716041 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2020.1716041

Garcia-Ortega, B., Galan-Cubillo, J., Llorens-Montes, F. J., & de-Miguel-Molina, B. (2023). Sufficient consumption as a missing link toward sustainability: The case of fast fashion. Journal of Cleaner Production, 399, 136678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136678 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136678

Guo, K., Li, D., & Jiang, L. (2026). Evaluating generative artificial intelligence's role in enhancing feedback for digital multimodal compositions: A comparative study. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2026.2640476 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2026.2640476

Huan, L. C., & Bashir, N. N. M. (2025). Multimodal copywriting strategies through CaaS and DCO in sustainability advertising. Electronic Journal of Business and Management, 10(1), 54–64. https://doi.org/10.65136/ejbm.v10i1.8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.65136/ejbm.v10i1.8

Karjagdi Çolak, M. (2024). Pathways to motivation and learning in English language education: A case of two youths engaging in multiliteracies. English Teaching: Practice & Critique, 23(4), 442–462. https://doi.org/10.1108/ETPC-11-2023-0148 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ETPC-11-2023-0148

Karki, J., Barros, S., & Ojha, L. P. (2026). Fostering linguistic and epistemic inclusion among multilingual students through translanguaging and multimodal composition. The Language Learning Journal, 54(2), 282–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2025.2598286 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2025.2598286

Kazazoglu, S. (2025). Environmental education through eco-literacy: Integrating sustainability into English language teaching. Sustainability, 17(5), 2156. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052156 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052156

Kress, G., & Bezemer, J. (2023). Multimodal discourse analysis. In J. Flowerdew & J. E. Richardson (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of discourse analysis (2nd ed.). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003035244-12

Krysanova, T. (2024). Unveiling the eco-storytelling: Multimodal layers of meaning in Greenpeace's environmental videos. Cognition, Communication, Discourse, 28, 33–57. https://doi.org/10.26565/2218-2926-2024-28-03 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26565/2218-2926-2024-28-03

Kynigos, C., & Diamantidis, D. (2022). Creativity in engineering mathematical models through programming. ZDM–Mathematics Education, 54(1), 149–162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-021-01314-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-021-01314-6

Logi, L., & Zappavigna, M. (2023). A social semiotic perspective on emoji: How emoji and language interact to make meaning in digital messages. New Media & Society, 25(12), 3222–3246. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211032965 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211032965

Lubis, B. N. A. (2025). Multimodal-based approaches in teaching ecological literacy: Enhancing environmental awareness through textual, visual, and auditory integration. STAIRS: English Language Education Journal, 6(1), 53–68. https://doi.org/10.21009/stairs.6.1.6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21009/stairs.6.1.6

Mahmood, Z., & Uddin, S. (2020). Institutional logics and practice variations in sustainability reporting: Evidence from an emerging field. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 34(5), 1163–1189. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-07-2019-4086 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-07-2019-4086

Mirra, N., & Garcia, A. (n.d.). Reading Research Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.313 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.313

Nguyen, K. H., Tran, M. D., & Adomako, S. (2025). Less is more: Exploring the role of minimalism in sustainable consumption. Sustainable Development, 33(Suppl. 1), 1091–1106. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70059 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70059

Ojeda, J., Salomon, A. K., Rowe, J. K., & Ban, N. C. (2022). Reciprocal contributions between people and nature: A conceptual intervention. BioScience, 72(10), 952–962. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biac053 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biac053

Olivar Aponte, N., Hernández Gómez, J., Torres Argüelles, V., & Smith, E. D. (2024). Fast fashion consumption and its environmental impact: A literature review. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 20(1), 2381871. https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2024.2381871 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2024.2381871

Peters, C., Schrøder, K. C., Lehaff, J., & Vulpius, J. (2022). News as they know it: Young adults' information repertoires in the digital media landscape. Digital Journalism, 10(1), 62–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.1885986 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.1885986

Rahmanu, I. W. E. D., & Molnár, G. (2024). Multimodal immersion in English language learning in higher education: A systematic review. Heliyon, 10(19), e38357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38357 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38357

Sinha, P., Sharma, M., & Agrawal, R. (2022). A systematic review and future research agenda for sustainable fashion in the apparel industry. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 30(9), 3482–3507. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-02-2022-0142 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-02-2022-0142

Sommer, V. (2021). Multimodal analysis in qualitative research: Extending grounded theory through the lens of social semiotics. Qualitative Inquiry, 27(8–9), 1102–1113. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800420978746 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800420978746

Soyer, M., & Dittrich, K. (2021). Sustainable consumer behavior in purchasing, using and disposing of clothes. Sustainability, 13(15), 8333. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158333 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158333

Steffensen, S. V. (2025). Surveying ecolinguistics. Journal of World Languages, 11(1), 1–49. https://doi.org/10.1515/jwl-2024-0044 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jwl-2024-0044

van der Werff, E., Steg, L., & Ruepert, A. (2021). My company is green, so am I: The relationship between perceived environmental responsibility of organisations and government, environmental self-identity, and pro-environmental behaviours. Energy Efficiency, 14(5), 50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-021-09958-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-021-09958-9

Voci, D., & Karmasin, M. (2023). Sustainability communication: How to communicate an inconvenient truth in the era of scientific mistrust. Journal of Communication Management, 28(1), 15–40. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-05-2022-0060 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-05-2022-0060

Wanselin, H., Danielsson, K., & Wikman, S. (2023). Meaning-making in ecology education: Analysis of students' multimodal texts. Education Sciences, 13(5), 443. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13050443 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13050443

Webler, T., & Tuler, S. (2021). Four decades of public participation in risk decision making. Risk Analysis, 41(3), 503–518. https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.13250 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.13250

Weder, F. (2023). Cultivation of sustainability in a discourse of change: Perspectives on communication for sustainability as new norm and principle of action in socio-ecological transformation processes. Journal of Language and Politics, 22(5), 577–600. https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.22122.wed DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.22122.wed

Wilmes, S. E. D., & Siry, C. (2021). Multimodal interaction analysis: A powerful tool for examining plurilingual students' engagement in science practices. Research in Science Education, 51(1), 71–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-020-09977-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-020-09977-z

Yap, C. S.-F., Stewart, C. R., Rai, M., & Tan, L. (2026). Sustainable living: The push and pull of everyday practices. European Journal of Marketing, 60(13), 574–630. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-06-2024-0498 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-06-2024-0498

Downloads

Published

2026-07-08

How to Cite

Misbah, H. (2026). Representing Sustainable Communication in Ecofashion Posters: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of English Education Students’ Works. Journal of Transdisiplinary Studies in Education, 2(1), 30–44. https://doi.org/10.64268/jtse.v2i1.136

Similar Articles

1 2 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.