Consumer Attitudes

Consumer demand drives the fashion industry and has led to the explosion of fast fashion. In a recent survey, McKinsey & Company found that today, “more than three in five consumers said environmental impact is an important factor in making purchasing decisions”.

Younger generations, in particular, are drivers for change within this industry; being born into a sharing economy through services such as Uber and Airbnb, adopting circular shopping habits alongside this is a logical and natural step. Despite this, McKinsey found that terms such as recycled, upcycled, repaired and refurbished still hold negative connotations. However, with increased exposure and time, these views will fade, with the BBC labelling vintage clothing as the “new luxury”, becoming more attractive and moving to mass culture due to fashion today rarely being exclusive. Having the ability to make a guilt-free purchase has become a customer desire after documentaries, environmentalists and statistics have made consumers fully aware of the extent to which the fashion industry has sustainability issues. Disasters such as the Rana Plaza have highlighted to customers the scale of the issue which brands tried to conceal and are now demanding change.

Mintel found that a combination of sustainable features appeals to 69% of shoppers (Mintel, 2020). This could perhaps be due to greenwashing being so prevalent in the industry, leaving shoppers unsure on what brands are being truthful with sustainable credentials.