Sustaining Relevancy - #TRT

It's not news that fashion comes at a higher cost than just what's on the price tag. In fact, sustainability has been a hot topic, inspiring questions, for many years. How will brands convince consumers to shift to sustainability? How will we change the perception of a higher number on a price tag? Well, it just so happens that younger consumers are starting to take that issue off our hands. Contrary to popular belief about young consumers, we're ready to invest for the long term.

I know you don't believe me, so here are some facts. According to Brand Culture, there are now roughly 184,597,433,860 references to "authenticity" used to brand products and services. That's because younger consumers are asking more questions about sourcing, factories, sustainability and overall ethical responsibility. Brands may say they're authentic and transparent, but it only matters if your brand truly walks the walk.

Even our very youngest consumers are concerned about the footprint of their consumption. According to CPI Financial, more than 75% of Gen Z recognize the fact that our world needs protection against the destructive actions and impact we’ve done to date. That number will likely increase as the generation (born in 1996 and beyond) ages and becomes a larger percentage of our voting population. They're already super empowered, though. In fact, 60% of Gen Z is looking to start acting in order to improve the world. Younger consumers are willing to spend more for ethical responsibility. It's all about high quality, not high fashion.

So, yeah. It's incredibly impressive and awesome that our youngest generation wants to look out for the environment and make the world a better place. But news flash: the responsibility is in your hands, too. As a brand, it's your responsibility to minimize your footprint and care about the world around you. Otherwise, Gen Z ain't buyin' it.