In search of fashion’s sustainability seekers

• Twenty-five percent of respondents to the McKinsey survey showed that they are concerned about sustainability-related issues.
• They prefer buying second-hand items and looking for environmentally friendly clothing.
• They more likely consist of urban millennial women with moderate to high incomes.
• They are most concerned with lowering GHG emissions, preserving natural habitats for animals and using renewable energy.
• Fifty percent of the survey respondents were unsure about sustainability, and the last twenty-five percent were not interested in seeking sustainable fashion.

There is no shared understanding among consumers or brands about what "sustainability" means, which features matter most, or where to find information about a particular brand's sustainability commitment.

Fashion brands have an opportunity to deliver clear, direct information on their practices and effortless postpurchase options that consumers can use to reduce the impact of their fashion choices.

• 24 percent of respondents said they go out of their way to buy products from sustainable brands
• 46 percent of consumers said they would want to purchase items that could be easily donated to charity.

This finding highlights a fertile opportunity for the development of circular business models. To create more value for shoppers, brands can design their products to be repurposed. If this sustainable loop is well managed, it would lessen consumers’ dependence on entirely new products and reduce the fashion industry’s planetary impact.