Sustainable Apparel Article
Here's What Eco-Savvy Shoppers Really Want from Slow Fashion
By Julie J. Novara
A conversation with NC State University’s Richard Venditti—a professor in the university’s College of Natural Resources—started my journey to becoming an eco-savvy shopper interested in slow fashion. It changed the way I think about clothes…
That conversation was the first time I’d heard about micro-plastics, the pesky particles that end up in our water and air partly as a result of washing clothes. At the time, Dr. Venditti and his team were working with Cotton, Inc, to learn more about what happens to the tiny fibers that come off our clothes when we wash them.
They found out cotton fibers biodegrade more easily in the environment, but synthetic materials like polyester and polyester blends live on as micro-plastics in our water and air.
From then on, I started thinking differently about clothes. When I needed something new, I started looking more to slow fashion brands, apparel made from 100 percent natural fibers instead of poly/cotton and other blends. I also started seeking out ways to recycle the clothes I’d stopped wearing that were still hanging in my closet.
Recently I’ve been thinking about how more knowledge about this issue might convince more consumers to change how they shop, and that question has me wondering how their decisions might impact brands.
There’s no doubt consumers are more environmentally conscious than ever. A 2019 Nielsen study found 73 percent of consumers around the world are willing to change the way they shop if it means doing good for the environment. What does that mean for brands that are pushing for slow fashion and working hard to integrate sustainability into their products and processes?
Here are five things environmentally savvy clothes shoppers are looking for from slow fashion brands:
Helping consumers make good choices for the environment that, in turn, help sustainable brands sell more products equals an all-around win for slow fashion, and that's good for people, planet, and profits.
By Julie J. Novara
A conversation with NC State University’s Richard Venditti—a professor in the university’s College of Natural Resources—started my journey to becoming an eco-savvy shopper interested in slow fashion. It changed the way I think about clothes…
That conversation was the first time I’d heard about micro-plastics, the pesky particles that end up in our water and air partly as a result of washing clothes. At the time, Dr. Venditti and his team were working with Cotton, Inc, to learn more about what happens to the tiny fibers that come off our clothes when we wash them.
They found out cotton fibers biodegrade more easily in the environment, but synthetic materials like polyester and polyester blends live on as micro-plastics in our water and air.
From then on, I started thinking differently about clothes. When I needed something new, I started looking more to slow fashion brands, apparel made from 100 percent natural fibers instead of poly/cotton and other blends. I also started seeking out ways to recycle the clothes I’d stopped wearing that were still hanging in my closet.
Recently I’ve been thinking about how more knowledge about this issue might convince more consumers to change how they shop, and that question has me wondering how their decisions might impact brands.
There’s no doubt consumers are more environmentally conscious than ever. A 2019 Nielsen study found 73 percent of consumers around the world are willing to change the way they shop if it means doing good for the environment. What does that mean for brands that are pushing for slow fashion and working hard to integrate sustainability into their products and processes?
Here are five things environmentally savvy clothes shoppers are looking for from slow fashion brands:
- Trust-building transparency. Sustainable Apparel Coalition says transparency is especially important to consumers, so why not start there? If a company’s processes involve fewer chemicals than ever but still use excessive amounts of water, consumers want to know. Sharing that reality and celebrating the wins—without exaggerating them and without ignoring the steps needed for greater sustainability—will go a long way in building trust.
- Authentically sustainable apparel with intrinsic value that runs deeper than price. A 2019 Nielsen study reported nearly 34 percent of consumers would spend more for eco-friendly products. Clearly, consumers are putting money where their values are, so be sure to communicate the intrinsic value of sustainable practices and processes.
- Durable apparel consumers can expect to be wearing next year and the next and the year after that. Durable clothing means less apparel in landfills because people won’t be throwing stuff out the same year they buy it. Long-lasting wear can help slow the fashion industry back down to a level the planet can reasonably handle.
- Convenient recycling options. Why not make it easy for consumers to recycle the apparel they buy? Whether that’s an in-house program or a partnership with an outside vendor, communicate clearly about the recycling options available to consumers. The easier they are, the more likely customers will participate.
- Re-use that’s as routine as breathing. Help customers reuse their favorite t-shirts, sweats, and other clothes by posting tips in company blog posts or creating downloadable resources to give them ideas.
Helping consumers make good choices for the environment that, in turn, help sustainable brands sell more products equals an all-around win for slow fashion, and that's good for people, planet, and profits.
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