Why we need a fashion revolution: The importance of building a sustainable brand

The fashion revolution is in fact well on its way – we have gone from a generation obsessed with fast fashion, to the youngsters of today being recognised as the ‘sustainable generation’.  

In just a few short years, we have seen quite a few drastic changes and those changes are showing no signs of slowing down. In this piece, Robert Lockyer, Founder and Chief Client Officer of luxury packaging provider Delta Global, explains why businesses should build a sustainable brand and not just sustainable products... 

Fashion as an industry is not only responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions but it is the second-most polluting, too. That shocking statistic, combined with the brand’s very own carbon footprint, is enough for brands, retailers and online marketplaces alike to collaborate to create a more circular economy. 

A mistake that many fashion brands make is producing too much, too fast, therefore causing the very problem that is fast fashion, contributing to the toxic cycle of overconsumption. The very best way to ensure fashion encompasses luxury, innovation and sustainability is through resale.

Already, resale as an industry has catapulted exponentially, and by 2030, it is expected to be worth $84 billion – more than double that of fast fashion. It’s grown from just Depop and Vinted, to a much more luxurious and versatile industry, made up of the likes of Vestiaire Collective, The RealReal and even Seller Knightsbridge. 

Build a sustainable brand, not just a sustainable product

The average consumer in the USA and UK wastes 30kg of textiles each year, which ends up in landfills, so brands should be striving to do all they can to lower this figure and make positive, impactful changes.

And whilst brands need to fulfil the needs of their consumers and answer their demands, they must also be the ones to influence and lead the way to a more sustainable future.

It’s all well and good providing eco-friendly products and packaging, but if a brand’s entire ethos and culture aren’t made up of sustainable initiatives, then it almost defeats the objective and falls into a very dangerous category known as ‘greenwashing’ - actions speak much louder than words in this case.

Consumers actively search for sustainable brands, and a Deloitte report has revealed that almost one in three consumers claim to have stopped buying from certain brands due to ethical and sustainability concerns. 

This statistic alone demonstrates the power of needing to build a sustainable brand, but further studies show that 40% of consumers actively choose to shop at fashion brands that have environmentally sustainable practices and values.

The future is sustainable

It comes as no surprise that we are headed for an entirely green future, particularly as luxury fashion brands begin to not only change the way in which they work, but also as they invest in resale platforms such as Vestiaire Collective and The RealReal.

I urge luxury brands to look at the wider picture in terms of sustainability. You may have sustainable products and packaging, but just how sustainable is your supply chain process? 

Perhaps your office provides single-use plastic water bottles to staff, or as a business, you aren’t considering the impact of your carbon footprint – all of these are things to change in order to become a sustainable brand. After all, that is the goal.