Many consumers don’t understand the power their wallet holds in the retail marketplace. Consumers support companies by purchasing products they’re selling. Consumer shopping behavior is a powerful tool that impacts marketplace trends.
Fast Fashion’s Impact on Consumer Behavior
Current marketplace trends including fast fashion and the rise of influencer marketing has popularized instant gratification, which has led many consumers to make unnecessary, impulse purchases. Fast fashion encourages consumers to shop “on trend” each season. Fast fashion also deceives consumers into believing that more is better and that everything must be owned. While shopping, consumers are trained into believing they need more clothing than what is needed in their current reality.
Environmentally-speaking, this unhealthy shopping mentality effects the environment. Fast fashion presents an environmentally-strenuous cycle of mass producing low quality products. This process consumes excess amounts of water, energy, and resources during manufacture. Fast fashion also is a key contributor to waste pollution.
Effectively Building an Ethical Wardrobe
Building an ethical wardrobe is a process that involves careful consideration of which garments currently take space in the closet. Adopting an ethical wardrobe can help individuals leverage what garments they have, and justify clothing purchases in the future. Ethical wardrobes support eco-friendly choices and less consumptive lifestyles.
How to Get Started:
There are several approaches a conscious consumer can take to be environmentally responsible while living in the current shopping climate driven by fast fashion.
One such practice is developing a capsule wardrobe, an intentional edit of consumer closets. Capsule wardrobes promote the practice of buying less, wearing more, and maintaining versatile pieces that align with personal style. This practice promotes conscious consumerism that curates a timeless wardrobe. With this in mind, consider which garments in the closet can be worn frequently and interchangeably.
Consumers can also remain conscious of their shopping intentions. Every piece of clothing leaves an impact on the environment. Supporting slow fashion brands that sustainably source material and create high quality products encourage consumers to purchase for quality and longevity. Consumers need to be aware of the brands they are supporting. Opt for brands that are transparent in their sustainability journey. Research reputable brands online before making a product purchase. Determine whether they focus on sustainability, safety to environment and workers during manufacture, or prioritize corporate responsibility. In most cases, responsible brands include product certifications to reinforce sustainable manufacturing procedure. OEKO-TEX and bluesign® are good examples of third party product certification. Share positive or negative product experiences with others in order to influence where other consumers shop. Collectively supporting ethical brands will shift current fast fashion marketplace trends.
Other Helpful Tips:
- Purchase quality over quantity
- Rent clothing for special occasions
- Distinguish between “want” versus “need”
- Invest in multi-seasonal clothes to wear year round
- Tweak or “upcycle” current clothes to make a garment feel brand new
- Follow care instructions and learn how to repair garments so clothes last longer
- Donate clothes to a secondhand shop or to family and friends as hand-me-downs
To conclude, adopting these sustainable practices reduce consumer dependence on fast fashion and the instant gratification mentality. In order to shift the market away from materialistic overconsumption, consumers need to make their purchase decisions from their closets. Once consumers understand what they have, they won’t consume above their means or make impulse purchases.
