SUSTAINABLE FASHION AND CONSCIOUS CONSUMER

Did you know that in recent years, one of the most important trends in fashion has been sustainable fashion? 

According to “The State of Fashion 2020” report, prepared by McKinsey and The Business of Fashion (BoF), sustainability was identified as one of the critical 10 themes that will shape the future of fashion. Moreover, other topics such as materials used, business models, and marketing were also shaped around the concept of sustainability. 

In “The Fashion State 2021” report, sustainability is once again highlighted, this time in the context of the pandemic, the new normal, and the consumer. Under the critical theme of “Less is More” in 2021, it is mentioned how brands producing less and conscious consumers consuming less are shaping sustainable fashion. 

Every year, 100 billion garments are produced. This means almost 14 new garments per person per year worldwide. And out of every 5 garments purchased, 3 are discarded and end up in nature within a year. These statistics alone are enough to show how fast fashion and the culture of overconsumption have changed consumer behavior. 

To understand why consumers who used to prefer quality materials and wear their clothes for many years until they were worn out have changed, we need to examine fast fashion. The culture of overconsumption drives consumers to constantly renew their wardrobes with trendy products every season, and at quite accessible prices. 

In recent years, amidst enjoying the extravagance of overconsumption, we have been confronted with environmental and social crises that call us all to rethink for the future of our planet. Climate crisis, fires, plastic waste seen even in the deepest trenches of the world, disappearing lakes and desertifying fertile lands due to overproduction. Unfair working conditions for workers in third world countries, diseases spreading among people living around factories due to toxic waste. All of these have brought about enlightenments in conscious and aware consumers. Activist movements that started on the streets, such as Who Made My Clothes, Anti-Fur, Zero-Waste, have rallied more people around them through digital communication. 

In recent years, the increasingly prominent concept of “sustainability” around the world has rapidly gathered brands around it with the pandemic process that has affected our lives for the past two years. The sustainability of natural resources, business models, fashion, and each piece purchased is now more important and imperative than ever before. Of course, this is greatly influenced by not only human, animal, and environmental health but also economic risks and the wasteful attitude of the disposable culture. 

According to the “Measuring Fashion: Insights from the Environmental Impact of the Global Apparel and Footwear Industries” report published by Quantis in 2018, the fashion industry’s impact on climate change is expected to be 49% more destructive by 2030. It is clear that for change and transformation in fashion, there is a need for a consumer group with high awareness and consciousness as much as the sustainability of business models. As consumer awareness of environmental impacts increases, sustainable fashion habits are gradually becoming more prevalent in their daily lives. 

We can say that now, the cheapness and trendiness of a product are no longer enough to make a consumer purchase decision. Consumers are looking for meaning and value in products. 

We can say that the pandemic, which has prompted us to review all our habits since the beginning of 2020, has accelerated the healing process in fashion. According to the Trend Watching 2021 Trend Report, new consumer habits are reshaping around health, wellbeing, and justice, and shopping from sustainable, eco-friendly brands is becoming increasingly prioritized. 

According to a survey conducted by McKinsey in 2020 with approximately 2,000 consumers in the UK and Germany, 57% of respondents said they made significant changes in their lifestyles to reduce their environmental impact, and more than 60% started to prefer eco-friendly products. 65% of the respondents said they understood and accepted the delay in fashion brands’ new collections due to the pandemic, stating that what matters is not being “trendy” but being “eco-friendly”. 

The new consumer indicates that they are willing to pay up to 50% more for a sustainable product. For young consumers of Generation Z, the biggest purchasing motivation is now environmental criteria. They eagerly follow new business models developed by major brands without Greenwashing, solutions against the disposable culture. Consumers are becoming more aware, their consumption habits are changing, and they are shaping the transformation of the fashion industry. 

Research now shows that it is a trend to shop from activist brands working to improve the world. Major brands such as Nike, Levi’s, Northface, and Patagonia, noticing the change in consumers, are circularizing their business models and rebuilding their values around sustainability. These developments lead to the formation of a new system that benefits both the environment and the consumer and strengthens brand loyalty. 

We know that the brands of the future will be those that listen to the consumer and pay attention to their values. If you want to learn what we can do for you on your circular fashion journey, you can contact us.