Within just over a decade, influencer marketing strategies have become exponentially popular for fashion brands. A new generation of sustainable fashion influencers is emerging at a crucial time in the fight against climate change.
The fashion industry has been paved by influencers for years – before social media, people turned to famous faces and muses for fashion inspiration. Sustainable fashion influencers are becoming increasingly important as consumers care more about the ethical practices of the brands they support in an era when climate change dominates news feeds.
Why we need Sustainable Fashion Influencers
To ensure environmental sustainability, fashion brands need to meet and educate more people on the importance of eco-friendly fashion. Sustainable fashion influencers have the power and authority to get the message across to a wider audience. These influencers can persuade potential consumers to buy certain eco-friendly products or services.
According to estimates, the market for sustainable fashion influencer marketing was worth $1.5 billion in 2019 and will grow at an annual compound growth rate of 35.7% from 2020 to 2027.
Unlike TV or movie personalities, social media sustainable fashion influencers can set better trends. They can launch sustainable fashion campaigns as part of their awareness movements.
Key Roles of Sustainable Fashion Influencers
Sustainable fashion influencers can promote brands and ensure a zero-waste lifestyle in a variety of ways, such as:
1. Encouraging slow fashion
Campaigning for “Slow” fashion, the opposite of “Fast” fashion, is the best way to promote sustainable fashion.
In slow fashion, animals, people, and the environment are considered in all production stages. Cloth manufacturers spend enough time during design to ensure that each piece of apparel is of the highest quality.
Sustainable fashion influencers can play an important role, not just in marketing sustainable clothing lines, but also in educating audiences about fashion waste and the cheap labor that is associated with fast fashion.
Additionally, sustainable fashion influencers can influence consumers to adopt a set of values that will prolong the life of the clothes they already own and buy in the future.
2. Help people pick the right sustainable brands
According to research, 66% of American consumers surveyed are willing to spend more on sustainable designs, especially young Americans aged 18 to 34. Even though 78% are interested in supporting sustainable brands, they don’t know how to identify them.
There is a lot of information on social media about which brands you can trust for the quality and longevity of clothes from influencers. In addition, there are detailed explanations of how the materials are used and how they impact the environment.
3. Encourage cloth swaps and rentals
An item of clothing is rented for a predetermined time for a lower price. You swap clothing with someone else. Having more clothing is not always necessary when you can easily rent or swap.
Sustainable fashion influencers can promote rental or swap platforms, websites, or avenues where clothes can be rented or swapped. They can also show how to hold a fun clothes-swapping party and other sustainable fashion activities.
With apps like Tulerie, users can rent out their entire wardrobes to each other through peer-to-peer rentals. By opening your closet to them, you can also earn money and ensure an eco-friendly household.
4. Encourage the sale and purchase of second-hand clothing
Sustainable fashion influencers also encourage second-hand clothing as a great option. They promote this idea by demonstrating how quickly followers can sell their clothes online. Their items are often listed on several websites, such as eBay, Facebook, Instagram, and their blogs.
Buying and selling used clothes online is easy. Don’t forget to give your 5 cents to save the environment as well. All you need is to learn the ad strategies that work.
5. Create sewing and mending tutorials
By using YouTube, sustainable fashion influencers can show how to transform thrift shop clothes into something they can wear.
It is only a matter of vision and inspiration that limits the possibilities. In addition to providing in-depth tutorials on creative clothes mending, some influencers even dared to create something beautiful and new. Out-of-fashion clothes are never hopeless!
6. Promote vintage wears
Vintage clothes have many benefits – they can be repurposed for use again and they are more durable, which makes them a sustainable option.
A vintage garment is made with a higher quality of materials and is more intricately designed than a contemporary garment. Additionally, you can easily repair or alter them. It is comfortable to wear vintage clothes because they are made from natural fibers. There are a lot of people who are open to shopping vintage because of sustainable fashion influencers.
It is impossible to go out of style with vintage clothes. Your era-crossing style can be expressed more easily without breaking the bank. When you own a priceless item that people will continue to love, there’s no better feeling. Compared to modern fashion, vintage wear is easily adaptable.
7. Facilitate conversations on fashion issues
There is no holding back when it comes to sustainable fashion influencers sharing information regarding difficult subjects relating to the fast fashion industry. Listeners are empowered by making clothes donations, shopping less and better, and holding fashion brands accountable through these tools and resources.
Besides sharing their journey from being a fast fashion addict to becoming a sustainable fashion advocate, sustainable fashion influencers invite industry experts to share their experiences, views, and tips.
They do this through podcasts, write-ups, and digital content. Sustainable fashion influencers spread knowledge, encourage donations, and promote other causes by being outspoken about racial fairness and equality.
The Fashion Industry Can Learn from Sustainable Fashion Influencers
Throughout history, fashion brands have encountered a lot of changes in consumer trends – and not just in terms of florals vs. stripes. Consumers are now demanding greater consideration for the environmental impact of consumerism and environmental justice, as well as body inclusivity (which Gen Z continues to champion).
Sustainable fashion influencers have shown that young consumers want sustainable style, which is good news for brands willing to embrace conscious consumerism. Gen Z’s spending priorities can be dominated by fashion by following their example – and helping the planet at the same time.
Ask these Questions Before Hiring Sustainable Fashion Influencers
When we discuss brands that extend their values to any aspect of their business, there are much more important considerations to make to make sure that the investment is profitable as well as adhering to the values of the brand.
Here are some questions to help you decide which profile to choose:
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- Does the influencer mention eco-friendly fashion brands?
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- How often does the influencer discuss sustainable fashion?
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- Does the influencer have a prepared speech if he or she talks about sustainability?
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- Does the influencer fit your brand’s values?
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- How consistent is the influence between what is said and what is done?
By selecting sustainable fashion influencers based on solid criteria, you’ll be able to build credibility and authenticity for your business. An influencer relationship that benefits both your brand and their community is the only way to build value.
You can add great value to our products by relying on people to promote them. Choosing the right influencers intentionally will bring humanity, allow you to listen better to your audience, and most importantly, allow you to dialogue with it.
Sustainable fashion influencers use their media for much more than just showcasing products. Bringing recent information, showcasing ethical brands, and adding transparency to fashion topics such as the environment and social issues challenges today’s fashion industry.
Bottom Line
Sustainable fashion influencers play a crucial role in the eco-friendly fashion movement. Not only do they set trends, but they also educate and advocate. In an evolving fashion industry, influencers can inspire meaningful change toward a more sustainable and ethically conscious practice. To shape a more sustainable future in fashion, these influencers, brands, and consumers need to collaborate.
Social media influencers have become more effective than mainstream media personalities, and they can be a better source of information regarding fashion and climate change. Sustainable fashion influencers can advocate causes that uphold the common good.
An eco-friendly fashion space will affect not only your closet and wallet but also the well-being of the entire planet. You can participate in countless ways by hiring sustainable fashion influencers.
