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According to the results of a recent survey of 10,000 consumers by Kantar, the cost of living crisis is shaping public attitudes towards sustainable consumption, especially when it comes to clothing.
The research report, Sustainability and consumer behavior, shows that “sustainability is the most important subject to which consumers want fashion brands to show commitment”. But nearly two-thirds (66%) of respondents say that while they want to buy more environmentally friendly products, it’s up to the brands to keep green options affordable, even as their operating costs become more pressing.
Can consumers have it both ways in an age where the fast fashion sector is famous for offering very cheap and expensive clothes at a high ecological and social cost? Ethically made clothes inevitably cost more to produce, so it seems unrealistic to expect eco-friendly clothing manufacturers to lower their prices.
The weight of the sector’s impact on the planet was officially recognized in December 2018, when “43 major brands and suppliers” signed a climate action charter in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. This was their commitment to take concerted action to reduce their collective carbon footprint. At the time, the fast fashion segment alone was responsible for 10% of global atmospheric emissions. The overall objective of the charter is for the industry to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Dr. Helen Crowley is a sustainability expert and partner at Pollination, a consulting firm on the path to zero in various sectors, including fashion. Over the past five years, she has seen a real shift in understanding that “sustainability is not just something you have on the side.”
Crowley believes that companies have a “responsibility and accountability to society” in this regard, but she emphasizes that consumers must play a significant role in sustainability initiatives. Even if their money doesn’t go that far, they have the power to buy a combination to change the nature of the industry.
People need to know more about what they wear… Where do the clothes you buy come from?
If they want to make more ethical purchasing choices, they have more information at their fingertips than ever before, so they can work out for themselves which companies are walking the talk on sustainability and greenwashing, she says.
“Consumers need to know they are not victims themselves,” Crowley says. “They need to empower themselves to educate themselves and support themselves. People need to know more about what they wear when they understand what cosmetics you put on your skin or put in your mouth. Where does the clothes you buy come from?”
Indeed, many consumers are well aware of the power they wield and the responsibilities they hold. 29% of consumers are classified as “Active” by Kantar Research. In particular, they are aware of the continuum aspects of each purchase decision. Actives are often willing to pay more for consistently produced clothing. In contrast, the remaining 71% are more likely to pay more, either because they can’t afford it or because they don’t feel enough about sustainability issues.
Amelia Twine, an industry veteran working tirelessly to “make the story of sustainability and fashion more accessible to people of all backgrounds and tax brackets”, is the founding director of the UK’s first Sustainable Fashion Week (SFW) in 2021.
She and her team curated their second edition of SFW 2022, which is based in Bristol but has also featured sessions in Australia, Cyprus and Nigeria. Featuring lectures and panel discussions featuring 16 speakers from across the industry, the program is designed to spread knowledge, encourage collaboration and build a sense of community.
Twine hopes the show will take viewers’ attention away from “buying something new in a different way,” because that’s not always affordable for everyone. In some sessions, for example, attendees learned about relatively low-cost steps that consumers can take to become more sustainable, such as mending clothes, cycling, and participating in clothing exchanges. If such practices are adopted on a large enough scale, they will reduce the demand for fast fashion and spur the industry to make positive changes.
Twin said of SFW 2022: “It’s been fantastic to have such an overwhelmingly positive response. Everyone we spoke to at the event seemed to have a desire for change and the resources to make that change happen.
People spend less money, but still want to buy beautiful clothes
Another enterprise that offers both consumers and fashion brands a sustainable solution without negotiation is Mystery Sale, an online marketplace that sees itself as “the vital link between full-price and second-hand.” It helps high-end brands sustainably offload old stock while still being profitable. Shoppers can find high-quality clothes that would otherwise be destined for the landfill, at bargain-bin prices.
“We sit in the middle and provide this perfect identity for the brand and the consumer,” said Chris Griffin, the company’s CEO.
After he and partner Matt Poort acquired the business in March 2020 and transitioned it from a flash sale outlet to a premium market, the company has enjoyed strong revenue growth, helping it attract €10m (£8.8m) in a row – the last year of funding.
“We’re seeing more new customers as a business ratio than we’ve seen before,” Griffin reported. “People are spending less money, but they still want to buy nice clothes.”
With millions of consumers in the UK having to tighten their seat belts, it’s clear that there are options open to the stylish and eco-conscious consumer. Arguably, they are more informed and empowered than ever before. Governments have a key role to play in enforcing strong policies to hold fashion brands accountable for their sustainability claims.
In fact, the cost of making fashion more sustainable is shared between the industry and the consumer, although only time will tell how much each party will share. Both will play their part in bringing about the desired change, though much will depend on Kantar’s collection of talented and willing active actors.
In the UK at least, every taxpayer will soon be making a small contribution – consciously or unconsciously – to fashion sustainability. In June, Westminster gave the industry a rare budget boost when Boris Johnson pledged £80m of public funding in one of his last meaningful acts as Prime Minister. The Sustainable Transformation Program for the Fashion Industry, led by the British Fashion Council in partnership with various industry bodies and government agencies, is a 10-year plan to create a “world-leading circular fashion and textile ecosystem”.
While there is an urgent need to address the climate crisis, many in the field believe that more can and should be done at this stage, but the start is widely accepted.
“There are some good indications that we can be hopeful,” Crowley said. But I think we need to improve things.
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