Use more than product-level sustainability to engage with your customers
Buy It For Life and other concepts to include in your sustainability communication
Welcome to another issue of The Crisps – your newsletter on anti-greenwashing and honest fashion communication. You can support us by subscribing to a free or pro subscription, liking, sharing, or commenting on our posts.
This week, quite a few people have found their way here. Welcome to our little internet corner where we speak about sustainability issues in fashion, (anti-)greenwashing, and honest communication. We’re happy to have you!
We met some of you at the 202030 Summit in Berlin this week where we were both up on stage. While Lavinia moderated a panel on decolonizing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies … (stay tuned for our upcoming issue on decolonial narratives!), Tanita talked about honesty as the new gold standard for brand communication.
If you’ve been reading The Crisps for a while, you know our concept evolves around honest fashion communication. But why do we believe an honest approach is the way to go?
Transparency doesn’t equal sustainable business practices. Just because companies publish a list of suppliers and materials doesn’t mean fair prices are paid or high environmental standards are followed. And most customers can’t do much with the information because they don’t know the complex layers of our industry’s sustainability issues. An honest approach means putting information into context and explaining what it means in more detail.
Honest brand communication can build trust in a market where “sustainability” has lost its meaning. If you follow an honest approach and put information into context it gives you the chance to talk about the systemic nature of many sustainability issues in our industry and paint a realistic picture of what a single brand can achieve on its own. Being honest about your brand’s journey also gives you the opportunity to explain why you might make business decisions that could seem “unsustainable” for customers – especially if they are not familiar with the complexity of sustainability issues.
Sustainability communication should not be focused solely on the product level. It should be part of a brand’s DNA (though the times to use it as a USP are over!) and implemented naturally in diverse areas of the business. To achieve an authentic association of sustainability with a brand, you first have to DO the actual work in your business and supply chain. Then communicate about more than your material choices.
Now we know sustainability communication is highly individual, depending on what each brand implements. But there are some concepts that could be interesting for your customers. In this issue, we want to introduce “Buy it for life”, “#ruleof5” and the “30 Wear Challenge”. Some of you know them – we’re sure. But have you considered including them in your communication yet?
Ps: Next week, we will introduce “Impact per Wear” which we feel not enough brands speak to their consumers about!
Buy It For Life
Buy It For Life (BIFL) is a movement that advocates for purchasing high-quality, durable pieces designed to last a lifetime – hence the name. BIFL combines several sustainability aspects and concepts such as:
“Impact per Wear” (that we will cover next week)
quality over quantity
long-term use over trends
buy less but choose well
It challenges the modern culture of fast consumption and low-quality designs that tear after a few wears and celebrates a lifestyle that prioritizes long-term use and intentional purchasing decisions. By investing in clothing and accessories that are built to last, consumers can reduce their overall consumption and minimize their ecological footprint.
How to use it in your communication:
Build a culture of repair rather than replacement.
Teach about proper garment care.
Help make the best possible purchasing decision.
REMINDER
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#ruleof5
The "Rule of Five" is a shopping guideline proposed by writer Tiffanie Darke. It aims to reduce overconsumption and the environmental impact of the fashion industry. The rule is simple: limit your purchase of new fashion items to just five per year, excluding essential items like socks and underwear. This approach encourages mindful consumption and prioritizes quality over quantity. By adopting this rule, consumers can significantly cut their fashion-related carbon emissions and waste. It challenges our culture of overconsumption and promotes a shift towards more thoughtful purchasing decisions.
Why five items? The Hot Or Cool Institute researched how many pieces of clothing each person could purchase to stay in line with the 1.5-degree target. Five was the outcome.
How to use it in your communication:
Encourage consumers to think critically about each purchase.
Educate on the psychological aspects associated with overconsumption.
Support creativity, empower customers to express their style in diverse ways, and provide styling tips and ways to use existing pieces.
30 Wear Challenge
The 30 Wear Challenge was popularized by climate activist Livia Firth in 2015. The challenge is a practical approach to purchasing decisions where customers ask themselves if they will wear this piece at least 30 times before purchasing. If the number is below 30 the piece will not be bought. This challenge can help consumers better evaluate the necessity and versatility of their potential purchases. And can lead to a more thoughtful purchasing process. By considering the long-term wearability of each item, consumers are also less likely to make impulse buys and more likely to select versatile pieces that can be styled in various ways.
How to use it in your communication:
Encourage a thoughtful buying process by giving guidance on how to make better purchasing decisions and avoid impulse buys.
Combat throwaway culture and help customers cherish what they buy.
Provide inspiration and styling tips for how to wear items at least 30 times.
Next week, we will dive into Cost per Wear and Impact per Wear and why customers should know about the concept.
All the best,
Tanita & Lavinia
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