Ethical Fashion: Why and How can the Fashion Industry Close its Elusive Loop?

Sustainability is gaining more importance but price and design still matter

Globally, over 60% consumers in the Euromonitor International Global Lifestyle Survey 2017 claimed to seek ways to have a positive impact through what they buy. But the majority of consumers still rank features such as style and value as the main factors in their fashion purchases. Fashion brands are therefore set to innovate to create more sustainable and fairer processes, leveraging technology to scale up sustainability.

Digitalisation is a double-edged sword for fashion brands

With 17% of global value sales online, fashion is one of the most advanced industries in terms of e-commerce adoption. Moreover, social media and peer-to-peer reviews are now playing a crucial role in the shopping process. If this is providing a platform for brand story-telling, this also means greater exposure to potential reputational damage, which further fuels the need to transition to more ethical and sustainable practices.

It is all about experience and uniqueness

As consumer preferences shift from ‘owning’ to ‘being’, the paradigms are shifting in terms of the way people consume fashion. Brands now seek to offer special experiences to consumers and build an emotional bond with them. Embracing causes in line with consumers’ values and ethical fashion is then perfectly apropos, all the more since alternative models in line with consumers’ ethical aspirations, such as resale and apparel rental platforms, put additional pressure on traditional fashion brands.

Ethical fashion as a source of inspiration and innovation

Ethical fashion is about striking a balance between personal expression through fashion, and respecting the people, skills and natural resources in the process. The concept is not new, but was niche for a long time. Recently it has gained momentum as brands no longer see it as a philanthropic quest, but a source of innovation and a commercial opportunity to build a brand with a purpose. Zero-waste, skill preservation and transparency are key causes on the ethical fashion agenda.