‘Conscious consumers’ demand ethical approach by brands – Eco Age data

Sustainability fatigue doesn’t appear to be creeping into fashion. The good news is that there’s a rise in the number of ‘Conscious Consumers’ who demand accountability from brands before they buy from them.

That’s according to sustainable fashion platform and communications agency Eco Age whose polling also found that shoppers “are even willing to sacrifice cash for questions”.

An impressive 90% of respondents said they would boycott a company that was associated with unfair treatment of workers or environmentally damaging practices. 

And the issue is so important to modern consumers that 81% of those polled “will do their homework before shopping and investigate whether a fashion chain is actually keeping its promises”. 

Ethical production of clothing was the most important consideration for 28% – more than double the 13% who were most concerned with the cost of items. 

It added that with “fast fashion increasingly shunned”, 54% said they most valued durability while “circular fashion is now mainstream” as also 54% said they buy second-hand or repaired clothing much more often than they did ten years ago.

The findings, gathered from Eco Age’s “engaged community of consumers, designers, and fashion experts”, also reveals that just 4% would carrying on shopping with a brand involved in a scandal.    

John Higginson, CEO of Eco Age, said: “The data confirms what we are seeing across the industry: people want facts, not fluff. The era of performative sustainability is ending. Consumers see through vague promises and glossy campaigns. They want credible data, and proof that change is real.”

Marwa Zamaray, partner and executive director at Eco Age, added: “This isn’t a conversation about values anymore. It’s operational. If a brand cannot explain how its products are made, from start to finish, it will not retain the trust of its customers.”