Sustainability is No Longer a Buzz Word
Sustainability has been a buzz word thrown around the retail industry for years. Companies love marketing their “pledges” or “plans” to reach a target of carbon neutrality, but the tides are changing, and the more greenwashing companies do the more harm it poses to their consumer base.
Consumers are becoming savvier in spotting the frauds from the real deal. So much so that 45% of millennials and Gen Z say they refuse to buy from non-sustainable brands and retailers. As Millennials, Gen Z’s & Alpha’s are set to become the largest consumer demographic by 2023 brands risk alienating the large majority of their future customers with a lack of real actionable change to a more sustainable practice.
Brands might be hesitant to take meaningful strides into the circular economy due to the perceived additional costs to make the right choices, but there is plenty of green in the circular economy, and we’re not just talking about trees. The second-hand market is set to be twice the size of fast fashion by 2030, which should come as no surprise when 2 in 5 thrifters say they’re replacing fast fashion purchases with second-hand clothing.
It’s not just thrifters or vintage stores that are shifting the seismic trend to a more circular economy, 49% of shoppers say they’re willing to spend more to support eco-friendly practices. Are brands going to listen to what consumers want? And how long will it take for them to get on the green train before they miss it?
Here’s a look at some brands taking a stance on sustainability & the circular economy:
Met Gala – Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger & Prabal Gurung
The Met Gala is one of the biggest fashion moments of the year, a night that typically sees stars dressed head to toe in couture designer outfits to be worn once for the night. However, the 2022 Met Gala looked quite different.
We haven’t seen a moment for vintage or upcycling fashion in a high-end moment like this before, which saw celebrities trade in their custom couture for upcycled material. And who was in the driver’s seat? Gen Z.
Three of the biggest names in Gen Z pop culture used the night as a platform to talk about their vintage or pre-loved outfit.
Image Credit: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images
Starting with none other than Billie Eilish herself, a Global Citizen ambassador and all-round sustainability advocate, wore a completely upcycled Gucci gown. All items and materials, from the dress to the jewellery and accessories, were all created from entirely upcycled fabrics. On the red carpet she made it clear that she “just wanted to be as eco-friendly as possible”.
20-year-old Billie Eilish is one of the most influential names of her generation. Known for her chart topping music success and being outspoken on social causes, she is making a clear statement to brands that the future consumer will demand a more sustainable approach to fashion.
Also making noise at the Met Gala for their sustainable looks was former It-Couple, Shawn Mendes & Camilla Cabello. Despite their recent romantic split, the pair still used the night as a platform to individually express their stance on sustainability in the fashion world.
Image Credit: Jeff Kravits / Getty Images
Shawn Mendes, the 23-year-old Pop artist and heart throb, was dressed by Tommy Hilfiger in a fully upcycled outfit for the event. The Canadian artist sported a Gilded age inspired coat, combining the iconic navy blue and deeper red of Tommy Hilfiger. Sustainable doesn’t mean detail is overlooked, with the global sensation’s initial seen embroidered on the inner lining.
Image Credit: Jeff Kravits / Getty Images
Cuban American singer, Camila Cabello, also harnessed the exposure of the Met Gala to bring awareness to the climate crisis. Dressed by Prabal Gurung, who also created up-cycled gowns for actress Mindy Kaling & Michelle Yeoh, Cabello wore a 2-piece white gown with detailed florals to highlight the fragile nature of the finite resource.
Cabello shared the following message to her 62million + Instagram followers after the event…
“The Gilded Age was a time of industrialisation, economic growth, and cultural values of materialism. In a time where people were wearing the most expensive gold and jewellery and fabrics, I wanted to capture the irony of that in 2022 as we’re facing the climate crisis. I wanted to do something that was sustainable and up-cycled and covered with flowers because I feel like we’re remembering now that the most valuable things are the finite resources in a natural world.”
General Manager of Patagonia Australia, Dane O’Shanassy. Image Credit: The Age
Another brand making headlines for its sustainability stance is Patagonia, but in this instance it’s a strong threat to the wholesalers of the clothing brand, rather than an initiative to consumers – although they were certainly listening.
Patagonia are already a well-established player in the sustainability sector and are now set to axe all discounts for Australian wholesale partners, including the likes of THE ICONIC, Macpac & General Pants, if they don’t show strong steps to reducing their carbon footprint.
The move is aimed to encourage (and scare) other retailers to take climate change seriously with Patagonia in the driving seat to make the change a reality. The consequences could be severe for their wholesale partners if they don’t take serious measures to reduce their footprint as they often receive discounts, sometimes up to 50%, when buying products direct from manufacturers.
Patagonia will reward wholesale partners who take steps to reduce their carbon footprint or make donations to grass-roots environmental groups, with even bigger discounts up for grabs for any company that achieves carbon neutrality, becomes registered as B Corp, or signs on for the 1% for the Planet Pledge.
Divergent to Assembly Labels consumer facing environmental approach (see below), Patagonia is making plays behind the scenes to champion a cause that is close to them and the future dominant spenders.
Assembly Label - Re-Worn
Assembly Label was established in 2011 by Damien Horan and Daniel Oliver. It’s led by the concept of a capsule wardrobe, that boasts timeless and versatile essentials designed to endure the length of time. Beyond making durable pieces of staple clothing the most recent initiative launched by Assembly label focuses on reducing their eco-footprint further… introducing Re-Worn.
Re-worn is their first ‘take-back’ program which is designed to extend the life of their pieces and help support the circular economy.
The inner working of Assembly’s Re-Worn program falls under 3 R’s.
- Return: Customers can return pre-owned Assembly Label clothing to their stores, and to kick start the initiative they’re incentivising customers with a 10% discount off their next purchase.
- Repair: Once the item has been returned, Assembly will carefully inspect the piece to ensure it’s up to standard or if any repair/laundering is required prior to including it in the Re-Worn collection.
- Recycle: Finally, any items deemed beyond repair will be recycled via their recycling partner, SCR Group.
You can shop the Assembly Label Re-Worn collections in their Fitzroy store as well as online.
If brands continue to refuse to make meaningful strides in the circular economy, they will alienate their future biggest consumer in a time when they’re no longer looking the other way when it comes to creating a green fashion future.