How to be a Sustainable Fashion Brand (Without Greenwashing)
The fashion industry is RAPIDLY evolving. A lot of regulations are coming down the pipeline. Consumer preferences are changing and they are demanding brands to be more conscious. In this blog, I will be giving you strategies on how you can start a sustainable fashion brand – without greenwashing.
TIP #1 - Be Imperfectly Sustainable
If you are just starting your brand’s sustainability journey, the first step is to accept that you are going to be imperfectly sustainable and that is okay. If you think about it, there is no truly sustainable fashion brand or truly sustainable business in the world. Every single business emits carbon, uses electricity and has an impact on the environment. If you wanted to be truly sustainable, you would not have a brand.
However, the name of the game when it comes to sustainability is balancing profit, people, and the planet. Some people feel pressured when they first start their sustainability journey to be perfect because they are afraid of backlash. Some are afraid of doing it wrong, but I am permitting you to be imperfect! This should hopefully be freeing for you and alleviate a lot of pressure. People go into this being overwhelmed and scared to approach it because they think it needs to be perfect and everything has to be done 100% correctly.
Quite frankly, sustainability is a journey. It does not happen overnight. You are going to be imperfect at this and that is okay. You just need to start and you need to try. Give yourself time, resources, and budget. Let yourself improve continuously and do your best each day.
TIP #2 - Choose Your Priorities
I always tell our clients to choose their priorities because sustainability in general can be so overwhelming. You do not have to solve the entire industry’s problems with your brand alone. Do not shoulder all that pressure or else you are going to get overwhelmed very quickly and likely feel paralyzed. Instead, pick and choose your battles to have the most impact.
Choose one or two priorities, especially if you are a small business that is just starting out or even if you are a medium-sized brand. Furthermore, choose the areas you are going to go above and beyond and knock it out of the park. You would want to make sure that you are being the leading edge and top of mind in that area. And as you get more funding and traction, you can expand and address additional things.
TIP #3 - Set Targets
If you don’t have a clear objective, you aren’t going to make an impact. You are not going to expand and grow, so make sure you have goals and you set the targets you are prioritizing.
Another tip is to analyze what is happening in the industry so you have a benchmark. See where you are and assess your current position. Then, set both ambitious and realistic goals.
I also want to challenge you — and this is where the ambitious targets come into play. However, make sure you’re still realistic with your target — you need to look at your metrics and indicators to see if it’s achievable. I have seen brands set ambitious targets but fail to plan their course of action and not consider how they will get there. This is just not helpful. It is important to set goals that you know deep down you are going to reach then set impossible ones with unrealistically high expectations.
TIP #4 - Develop a Roadmap
Know exactly when and how you are going to get there. Develop a monthly, quarterly, yearly, or even 5 to 10-year roadmap. This is crucial because this is going to be your North Star. Plan how you are going to achieve your objectives step by step so you can tell your team too and they are informed.
Additionally, you can share your journey with your customers and involve them as well. Sustainability is a journey and it is an evolution - you never stop. In sum, we always do better as we commit and strive to continue improving, so it is important to develop a roadmap.
TIP #5 - Be Transparent and Share
Further, be transparent as to where you are right now. This will help you not to come across as greenwashing. Some brands have genuinely good sustainability strategies and practices but tend to shy away from sharing them. They are afraid that they are not doing it perfectly enough. However, going back to our first tip, you have to remember that there is no 100% sustainable brand. Everyone starts from somewhere.
I always tell our clients to share their sustainability priorities with their customers because that way, customers will be informed of what they are doing and may get inspired to do the same.
Do not back away from people who are asking questions. Welcome them. This just means that consumers are becoming more aware and curious. If they are asking you questions and you have answers, you can now solidify and show them what they should be doing. This makes you not only the one accountable but also your audience.
If you’d like help with your sustainability strategy, sustainability priorities, sourcing materials and manufacturers, reporting impacts, and communicating efforts to customers — we can work together through our Sustainability Consulting Services. Our team only works with a limited number of clients every year so if you’re interested in working together, you can request a complimentary consultation to see if it’s a fit to work together and create a tailored consulting package for your needs.
