Sustainability and fashion appear to be on opposing catwalks destined for collision. While ethical issues have been driving trends in fashion for years, when COVID-19 ground the industry to a near halt, it momentarily appeared as though the pursuits of a more purposeful fashion industry might be pushed to the back burner.
That moment has passed.
How far passed? Well, there are folks calling for President Joe Biden to appoint a fashion czar, and it’s a compelling argument.
As people spent the early 2020’s in varying states of quarantine and social unrest, they also became much more careful and conscious about another kind of spend: How they’re spending their money.
Fashion is a $2.5 trillion industry, producing 10% of global carbon emissions, 20% of global wastewater, and vast biodiversity loss. Consumers are demanding change, forcing sustainability in fashion as a requirement, not a trend. Brands are transforming to create not only the clothing and accessories that turn heads, but also to create sustainable fashion that’s rooted in environmental stewardship.
There’s no filter that can mask the ugliness below the surface of the fashion industry when it comes to the hard data around sustainability, and consumers know it.
Pre-COVID, brands struggled with how to best stand out in a market that’s always changing. Today, the change in consumer sentiment has made sustainable fashion a priority for both brands looking to emerge as well as the icons in the industry.
To make matters worse, ethically questionable practices don’t stop at eco-consciousness. Examples of poorly treated workers in the fashion industry are rampant.
Quarantines and tighter budgets gave consumers both a reason and time to consider their spending habits. Today, they’re not only consuming less, they’re also much more thoughtful about where and how they spend their money, and are feeling more personally connected to global issues than ever before.
According to a McKinsey report, quarantine may have been accelerating these already-established consumer behavior trends, “such as a growing antipathy toward waste-producing business models and heightened expectations for purpose-driven, sustainable action.” And their latest State of Fashion report shows that sustainability is the second biggest opportunity for the fashion industry today, second only to digital.
Consumers continue to put pressure on fashion brands to make real, substantial changes. This is especially true of Millennial and Gen-Z shoppers, who were already leading the charge for more ethical practices.
For those of us who’ve grown accustomed to a world of fast-fashion, it’s hard to imagine eco-friendly alternatives taking down this long-standing Goliath. But sustainable fashion has been building steam for a while now – it’s not the scrappy start-up industry it often gets portrayed as.
Consumers are driving the next great social change via their wallets, and no amount of advertising, PR, or marketing budget can overcome the power of consumers committed to purpose.
The lasting impacts of COVID-19 will continue to shape consumer behavior and shopping trends – and not just in fashion – shifts will be felt across the board.
Retailers that have been planning to adapt to consumer demands for more ethical standards are now accelerating those efforts:
Shoppers – and investors – are paying closer attention than ever as to how companies are operating, and they’ll continue to flock to brands who reflect their values. And for those organizations struggling to define the values and beliefs for which they stand, consumers will help them quickly figure it out.
