Introduction
When you are launching a sustainable fashion brand, it is not a simple matter of putting an eco-friendly tag on whatever you produce and claiming that you have accomplished your goal. Believe me, I have also been taught this lesson when I assisted in starting a small ethical clothes line right in the year 2019. What started as a good idealistic move is soon turned into a crash course of supply chain transparency, material science, and the ugly truths of competing with fast fashion giants.
However, here is the point, it is well justified. The sustainable fashion market is estimated to grow to 33 billion dollars by 2025 and consumers are truly voracious in the brands which support their values. In case you really mean business with something serious in this space, then I would like to show you what really works.
Get Your Sustainability Mission Straussed.
You need to know exactly what sustainability means to YOUR brand before you select your fabrics or design the first piece. It is not a universal notion.
There are those brands that are more concerned with the environment - the use of organic materials, less use of water and less carbon footprint. Others focus on social sustainability, which means that they provide their employees with adequate wages and safe working conditions in their supply chain. It is commendable and much more complicated to address both.
I have seen founders get too thin seeking to be all things at the same time. One of my friends began with high goals and aimed to solve all the problems of sustainability imaginable. She was burned out and her message so confused that the customers could not get what made her brand special within eight months.
Pick your primary focus. It could be zero-waste manufacturing, or maybe it could be helping the people of the developing world by funding artisan communities there. You can enlarge your mission in time, but it is much easier to set a simple, specific commitment, then all is easier, be it sourcing or marketing.
Reference Resources Your Brand Depends on It (Because It Does).
The most difficult issue that an ethical fashion brand is likely to face is the search of sustainable materials and trusted suppliers. There is a lot of greenwashing in the industry and what the suppliers say is not necessarily what you are getting.
Begin with the research on certified sustainable fabrics. Some of the popular alternatives are organic cotton, TENCEL - l yocell, recycled polyester, hemp, and linen each having their own environmental profiles. Good places to start with in order to verify claims are GOTS ( Global Organic Textile Standard ) and OEKO-TEX certification.
And here is something that no one will tell you directly, sustainable materials will tend to be 20-40% more expensive than the standard ones. Include this in your pricing strategy at the very beginning.
When screening the manufacturers, do not take them at their own word when they claim to be sustainable. Request certifications, demand factory inspections and visit factory facilities as much as you can. I have witnessed enough of brands being burnt by producers who suggested the best ethical practices, but failed to support their claims.
Construct an Open Supply Chain.
Contemporary customers are becoming very discerning. They desire to get answers to the question, what is the origin of their clothes, who was involved in their creation and what is occurring at each stage of the process.
Document everything. Trace your complete supply chain of raw material to finished product. What origin hast thou with thy cotton? Who spins the yarn? What does the dyeing of the fabric? This amount of information will be useful in your site and marketing publications.
Such fashion brands as Everlane were the first to implement radical transparency by posting their factories and cost breakdowns online. You do not have to imitate their specific style, but being ready to answer the questions of customers in a real manner creates enormous trust.
Design Forever, not Trends.
Trend-chasing does not go well with sustainable fashion. The entire idea is to come up with items that individuals will not use and dispose of every season.
Emphasize on the quality of construction and timeless silhouettes that do not follow the changes of the seasons. This does not imply dullness, not all of sustainable brands are dull, many of them make beautiful, unique designs. It is a design that is long lasting.
Think of repairing or creating clothes which can be easily remodeled. The Worn Wear program at Patagonia that restores and resells worn out gear has since become one of the brands in their identity.
Price Defensively (And Keep Your Prices).
This is a very unpleasant fact, but sustainable fashion is not able to compete with fast fashion in terms of price. If you try, you'll fail.
Rather, make your brand an investment. Discuss the price to wear ratio of high quality versus disposable products. A five year old organic cotton shirt will also cost less per wear compared to a 15 dollar polyester blend that disintegrates three washings.
Explain the reasons why your prices are not low. Separate the expenses where you feel free to do so. Talk about how you are paying living wages, working with certified materials and how you are keeping ethical standards of production.
Plan for Circularity
Consider the purchase beyond the first one. What is going to happen to your products after their lives? Are they recyclable, compostable or can they be put back in your brand to be repurposed?
Repair, design to recycle and take-back programs are taking the place as the new expectations of sustainable brands. It is far easier to build these considerations into your business model at the beginning than it is to make changes afterwards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the amount of money I require to establish sustainable fashion brand?
It will take a minimum of $15,000-50,000 to start up with small-scale-production that includes materials, production minimums, building a website, and initial marketing.
Is that a requirement of having experience in fashion design?
Not necessarily. Numerous founders that are successful collaborate with designers or cooperate with manufacturers that provide design help. What is important is business acumen and sustainability knowledge.
Where do I identify sustainable manufacturers?
Research databases such as Common Objective or Maker Row, visit sustainable fashion trade fairs, and meet sustainable fashion designers on LinkedIn and forums.
What are some of the brands that my brand should seek?
Begin with B Corp certification on general business practices, GOTS on organic clothing, and Fair Trade certification on ethical working practices.
When can my sustainable brand break even?
The average time taken by most fashion brands to break even is 2-3 years. Sustainable brands could be more time consuming as they are more expensive to produce and their initial customer bases are usually smaller.
Is it possible to begin with a single product?
Absolutely. A lot of successful brands started with one signature item and went on to expand. This will be less risky and will enable you to master your product and processes.
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