Consumers are weighing sustainability choices when it comes to buying clothes, with half of shoppers expected to consider the environmental impact of their purchases.
This data comes from the latest report from Bain & Company and WWF Italy. It states that the shopping trends of fashion consumers worldwide will shift towards sustainable practices in the coming years, creating new opportunities but also challenges for fashion brands.
The study “How Brands Can Embrace the Sustainable Fashion Opportunity” by Bain and WWF shows that 15 percent of global fashion consumers already pay close attention to sustainability and consistently base their purchasing decisions on it. However, the report concludes that this percentage will quickly increase to more than half of them as more consumers gravitate towards sustainable practices.
65 percent of consumers are committed to the environment
The report examined consumer behaviors in relation to sustainability and fashion, revealing that of the nearly 5,900 fashion consumers in six countries (China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and US) Bain surveyed, approx 65 percent said they care about the environment, but only a few of them regularly prioritize sustainability when shopping.
“Sustainable shopping is an inevitable change. Interest in sustainability is very strong among the younger generations – and is increasing overall. Therefore, fashion brands must take up the issue of sustainability and make sustainable shopping easier for all consumers. Brands that proactively incorporate sustainability into their strategy and operations will cement their relevancy and create significant unmet demand – now and in the future,” said Claudia D’Arpizio, Global Head of Fashion & Luxury at Bain & Company . “Indeed, all will benefit from a fashion industry commitment to sustainability.”
Recognizing sustainable fashion is a challenge for consumers
In the report, Bain and WWF also found that a third of consumers are unable to distinguish sustainable products or brands from those that are not. This challenge increases with age. One in three Baby Boomers and Silent Generation respondents said they don’t know where to find brand or product sustainability information. In comparison, just one in five Gen Z and Gen Y/Millennial respondents reported the same difficulty.
be transparent
To accelerate sustainable shopping, in-store notices, labels and product descriptions must be clear, accessible and reliable, the report says. The best brands already include information about the supply chain and its partners, material descriptions, and stories about the communities involved in making their clothes. When they disclose their production processes, consumers are addressed in a real and transparent way. Product packaging is another means of communicating (and practicing) sustainability.
Address price-conscious consumers
Brands can capitalize on the quality and durability aspects of sustainable fashion and appeal to value-driven consumers as long as they achieve durability without sacrificing social or environmental factors. By positioning longevity as an element of sustainable fashion, brands offer consumers a win-win situation.
Sustainable shopping should be easy
Many consumers take the path of least resistance; their shopping habits are driven by convenience rather than social impact or public opinion. But with simpler and more convenient options, they would increase their sustainable purchasing.
Have a sustainability mission
Brands that proactively incorporate sustainability into their strategy and operations will cement their relevance and serve a large unmet demand now and in the future. Most consumers want to shop more sustainably; they just need help with it.
“Fashion brands are on the cusp of a great opportunity but are often overwhelmed by the complexity, especially with long supply chains. In this epochal change, brands have a social role to play: they need to close the information gap, educate consumers about the longevity and impact of products, and make sustainable shopping more convenient and attractive. This will make them successful while also helping to encourage consumers to consume more sustainably,” concludes Federica Levato, Senior Partner in Bain’s Milan office and EMEA Leader of Fashion & Luxury.
Source: How Brands Can Embrace the Sustainable Fashion Opportunity, Bain & Company and WWF Italy
This translated article originally appeared on FashionUnited.uk.