While climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg may be Time’s Person of the Year, fast fashion retailer Boohoo expects its revenues to grow over 40% in 2020. Consumers are more skeptical than ever, and are weary of greenwash and female empowerment messages created in boardrooms full of men.
The topic of sustainability in fashion is full of contradictions. Fashion, by definition, is ever changing, whereas to be truly sustainable, you would not buy anything new at all.
Yesterday, I chaired a panel on making fashion sustainable for Enty Live with people who have the power to make genuine change.
Many people want sustainably made clothes and ethical working conditions, but they also want cheap prices. Since organic cotton is around 30% more expensive than the stuff covered in pesticides, the decision to buy sustainable clothes really does hit the pocket.
While some consumers are devotees of the green message, most put style first, with sustainability as a pleasant addition. Hugo Adams, CEO of the Frugi Group, an organic cotton brand, says the company has two distinct customer types: the dark green and the pistachio green.
