Creating a sustainable fashion label is a giant step towards environmental protection but with all the buzz it’s been getting lately, it’s important to get it clear what sustainable fashion really is. If you’ve got your heart and mind set on starting a sustainable fashion label, the following steps are the ones to take.
Sustainable fashion 101
Before you start creating your sustainable fashion brand, you need to be clear about what sustainability means. It’s not the same as ethical, although your brand can be both if you want. It’s more about the impact your brand has on the environment.
Ethical fashion is more concerned with the moral side of business such as the welfare of animals and the working conditions. Certainly, these are important aspects but sustainable fashion also cares about eco-friendly materials and the use of natural resources such as water, land and energy in the production process. The fashion industry creates 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and is the second biggest polluter in the world right after the oil industry.
Create a solid design concept
The major questions you need to ask yourself when starting your fashion label are key phrases that capture its essence, who the target audience is, what you what it to look like etc. You need to be able to answer these questions when you start creating your brand.
Do market research and see what type of customers you want to buy your brand. Them get creative and let your imagination loose! Create a mood board and fill it with all our ideas, keywords, colour palettes and sustainable materials you like.
Think about what it is that you have that will make your brand stand out from the rest – it could be the designs and patterns, chic organic materials or the use of eco-friendly production practices. Possibilities are limitless!
As this bachelor’s degree in fashion design is teaching us, there’s no fool-proof recipe for success – you need to ready to devote yourself to your goal, work hard and be able to measure up to the world out there and its huge varieties of styles and cultures.
Find the right materials
Launching your own sustainable fashion label may seem a bit daunting as it does take more than just knowing the basics of sustainability. For instance, there are eco-friendly materials you plan to use for your products, such as cotton. There’s a choice between conventional and organic cotton. Unlike conventional cotton, the production of organic cotton doesn’t use harmful pesticides or genetically modified seeds so it doesn’t harm the environment.
The same thing goes for other types of fabrics and it’s imperative you bear in mind how they are produced if you want your brand to be built on truly sustainable grounds.
Take a wholesome sustainability attitude
It’s certainly great to have a sustainable product, but what customers who look for true sustainability want to see is that the brand behind the product is sustainable as well. This means taking a wholesome approach to sustainability and making sure every aspect of your business is done accordingly – from your offices to packaging.
The latter is quite an important part of sustainable practices. Make sure there is no unnecessary plastic or bubble wrap. Think about using recyclable or reusable packaging. These are sure to get the attention of potential customers who want to avoid creating more waste and who care about our environment.
To create a truly great sustainable brand and an eye-catching image, reach out to your customer base. Check out what other successful sustainable brands are doing, do your share of market research, and keep an eye out for what’s hot at the moment.
Promote strongly
Once you’ve got the idea for your brand all polished up to the tiniest details, you still need to come up with ways of making success with it. One thing to bear in mind is that it’s never too early for promotion!
The best thing about social media platforms is that they connect people from all parts of the globe who have similar tastes and values. Start your promotion by setting up profiles of your brand on various platforms in addition to creating your website and blog. This combination is sure to get across your message and your brand’s unique character.
As you promote your upcoming business, bear in mind important keywords and hashtags. Think about the words that best define your fashion label as eco-friendly and sustainable, or natural and clean. These are the concepts that will draw in traffic, boost your organic search rankings and attract customers who share the same interests and do their shopping with sustainability in mind.
When it comes to launching a sustainable fashion label, there are lots of ways to reduce your environmental impact and create a noteworthy brand. It’s a wholesome process that starts and ends with sustainability, from the materials you use and their sourcing and product packaging to waste management and methods of promotion. What you still need to remember is to have fun in the process!
Author’s bio:
Jennifer Hahn Masterson is a senior content strategist, holding an MA degree in business communication. She is always doing her best to help her clients find their place in the ever so competitive business arena, insisting on long-term sustainability rather than on some questionable get-rich-fast scheme. You can check her out on LinkedIn.
