“Environmental sustainability is the number-one opportunity for the fashion industry and it is something of which consumers are becoming increasingly aware,” states Judith Samuelson of the Aspen Institute (WWD, Predictions: What the Future Holds, January 2011). That sentiment has been reverberating off the lips of every sustainability consultant for the past year, and has finally reached the now listening ears of designers and brand CEOs everywhere.
In 2010, a report from KPMG found that for many larger firms the focus of sustainability programs have shifted from compliance activities to those that help differentiate and create competitive advantage. A solid 44% of survey respondents from that report believe that sustainability is, and will continue to be, a source of business innovation.
What started as a safe way to create some ‘good’ PR has turned into a brand necessity. Between consumer demand, cost effectiveness and new business opportunity, it is pretty clear why sustainability is becoming a integral part of any brand’s story. Some brands have sustainability right within their operating DNA, but don’t know it is there or how to talk about it.
Identifying and defining your brand’s sustainability story is a crucial component to fashion brands of the 21st century. A perfect example is H&M. They were blacklisted by customers when their wasteful disposal of excess inventory (slashing new garments and placing them in the garbage bin behind their store) was unveiled by the media. In a valiant effort to right their wrong, H&M pushed sustainability and social responsibility to top priority. In April they will be releasing their eco-conscious line, as well as a set of t-shirts that speak out against gun violence.
Every brand now has the opportunity to proactively connect with their customers and show them how they are contributing to the greater good. When you identify what is important to you as a brand, and where your sustainability priorities lie, it becomes that much easier to talk about. It also gives you a sturdy leg to stand on for what you, as a brand, stand for.
To get to the core of your sustainability story, here are the questions fashion brands should be asking themselves:
- What does sustainability mean to us, and how will we incorporate it into our label?
- What is our inspiration and how does it link to our definition of sustainability?
- Consider that producing fashion is a process, where do we want to start with our sustainability efforts… People (ethical)? Work environment? Energy supply? Material sourcing? Dyeing processes? Traceability and transparency? Lower carbon footprint?
- Consider our position of responsibility, what will happen to our garments at the end of their life (landfill or recycle)? Are we designing for that?
- If we could commit to one environmentally and/ or socially conscious initiative for our brand that would help define us, what would it be?
If you are a smaller brand or independent designer, there is a real opportunity to take on the task of defining your sustainability story and then integrating it into your brand’s DNA. The bigger brands are in a wonderful position to crowd source the answers to these questions and get internal feedback (from a company survey) and external opinions (from your consuming public) to help decide what sustainability story is strongest for your brand.
When you answer these questions you begin to uncover your sustainability story as a brand or designer. That story will run strong through each and every collection and give your consumers something bigger to identify with and support in purchasing your line. Answer these questions. Draw out a master plan from them. Photo copy it and laminate it. Then post it on your wall and give to every new employee. Never loose sight of your story. It is the one thing that will pull you through hard days and make the good ones shine. Best of all, you will always be able to visually see how what you do every day helps make the world a better place, and that is a HUGE opportunity.
