Fashion Brands Gain Popularity Young Consumers. As sustainability is becoming more mainstream, many brands are starting to get involved in eco-friendly practices. However, you should be careful to check if a brand is truly sustainable and avoid greenwashing.

According to our research, young consumers are a lot more open to environmentalism than older generations, but they also tend to value aesthetics over ethics. This means they’re not ready to embrace eco-fashion full-time yet, but it does suggest a shift in mindset is coming.

Polo Ralph Lauren

Fashion Brands Gain Popularity Young Consumers. For the past 50 years, Polo Ralph Lauren has embodied a classic American style, showcasing refinement, affluence, and esteem. The polo shirt has become synonymous with the brand, which offers luxury men’s and women’s clothing, as well as accessories and home goods.

Sustainability has increasingly become a priority for fashion brands and designers. Recently, Ralph Lauren repurposed its iconic collared shirt by partnering with First Mile to create Earth Polo, which is made from cloth spun from recycled plastic bottles.

Alternative Apparel

Fashion Brands Gain Popularity Young Consumers.  Young consumers are increasingly becoming more interested in buying sustainable fashion. In fact, a recent survey by Mintel showed that 70% of 16-19-year-olds are more likely to purchase from a brand with a positive environmental or social stance.

Alternative Apparel is a popular choice among these consumers, especially for the variety of styles it offers. Its t-shirts have a modern fit and come in many different colors and styles, such as ringer tees, cropped tees, and unisex tees.

Everlane

Everlane, founded in 2010, is one of the most popular sustainable fashion brands among young consumers. Like Warby Parker, Bonobos and Allbirds, Everlane offers products that are easy on the environment but also on your wallet.

Rather than creating new styles each season, Everlane designs timeless staples that customers can wear for years to come. They also focus on durable materials and ethical sourcing.

On the sustainability front, Everlane has made strides in eliminating virgin synthetics and moving to 54% organic cotton. However, they still use hand-wavy marketing on their website and do not specify which products or factories are certified.

MUST READ: Fast Fashion Adopts Sustainable Practices…

Eileen Fisher

For the past 35 years, Eileen Fisher has been making clothes for women who wanted timeless, comfortable pieces that could grow with their lives. The brand stayed true to its roots by incorporating natural fibers into its designs and championing simplicity.

The company has been committed to sustainability since it was founded, making it a top priority in all of its business decisions. For example, it does its fabrics without hazardous chemicals and uses organic cotton and linen.

The company also has a waste-reduction program called Renew, which buys back garments from customers and repurposes them into new products. In the last 10 years, it has resold or donated 1.5 million garments and earned $5 for each returned item.

Nisolo

Young consumers are flocking to sustainable fashion brands for their eco-conscious appeal and affordable prices. In fact, ThredUp reports that 18- to 24-year-olds are more likely than older shoppers to want to shop for sustainable clothing.

Nisolo, for example, focuses on connecting underserved producers to consumers worldwide by making ethically produced shoes and accessories at an affordable price. Its Sustainability Facts Label, released last month, discloses a product’s impact on People and Planet.

In addition to focusing on sourcing leather from certified tanneries, Nisolo also ensures its workers earn a living wage through a partnership with factories that support fair pay. Its sustainability framework is comprised of nearly 200 data points across 10 categories, which are simple to understand for consumers.

Naadam

When Matt Scanlan and Diederik Rijsemus started Naadam in 2013, they wanted to create a brand that would connect their customers with the herders who made their cashmere. But their goal didn’t stop there-they also wanted to make money while aligning their bottom line with social impact.

Naadam sourced cashmere directly from the herders, ensuring it was pure and high-quality. It then created social impact by investing in livestock insurance programs for herders, so that if anything ever happens to their goats, they are covered.

Renew

Eileen Fisher’s Renew brand offers secondhand clothing at a fraction of its retail price, and the company also encourages consumers to bring in their worn garments for recycling or upcycling. This model reduces waste and extends a garment’s life cycle.

Sustainable fashion brands are gaining popularity among young consumers, particularly those who are concerned about the environment. This is a positive development for the future of the industry, and one that will continue to grow as more people become aware of the environmental impacts of fast fashion.

However, the gap between consumer attitude and purchasing behavior is wide. To close it, brands must address the information gap, engage in product durability and impact, and make sustainable purchases more convenient.