A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the extant literature about corporate social responsibility in the apparel industry found that perspectives and research traditions are underdeveloped and fragmented. Articles (n = 73) were found in 41 different journals that spanned an array of disciplines with the majority of journals publishing fewer than three articles on the topic. Issues concerning ethical supply chains were the most prevalent; a primary concern is the supply chain issue of labor practices in developing countries. The study indicates that despite growing stakeholder pressure on the apparel businesses to adopt CSR and interact with stakeholders about CSR, there is a ‘discursive polyphony’ and consequent confusion among consumers, which could benefit from strategic communication management. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment