by Jessica Lynch
Photo Credit: Fashable
Millennials make a huge chunk of the world's population today. In the US for instance, a study by the Census Bureau last year found that the country’s population was comprised mainly of millennials, with over 90 million individuals aged 15 - 35 out of roughly 230 million. That’s almost 40% of the entire population.
It goes without saying that this demographic has a loud voice when discussing trending matters. Seeing as one of the world’s biggest concerns today is the preservation of environment, clothing brands are joining the mission, and shifting to sustainable fashion. The Guardian stated that millennials are extremely interested in social change, thus, they’re the perfect target market to help the shift to ethical clothing.
In addition, they can influence others to support sustainability due to their numbers. As such, millennials should learn to contribute to this important cause.
Photo Credit: Good on You
Be conscious
As the saying goes, “Change starts with one’s self.” If you haven’t been paying much attention to sustainable clothing, begin by learning the different aspects surrounding this type of fashion. Learn the pros and cons, and why it’s important to support ethical clothing.
Spring into action
Of course, it doesn’t stop with the power of knowledge, so you need to scour stores and boutiques for labels that have ethically-made clothing. According to PSFK, spending estimates by millennials are projected to reach $200 billion in 2017. Imagine if a big portion of that could go towards sustainable fashion. If designers and retailers notice that there’s a large market share of sales going to sustainable clothing brands, that’s already a giant step towards the betterment of society.
Quality over quantity
A global survey by Nielsen revealed that millennials are willing to pay extra when it comes to sustainability. Quality should still be the focus, and if we can publish a few sustainable pieces of clothing as opposed to tons of conventionally made garments, then the trade-off is generally worth it the long run.
Take into account that there are many times wherein less is really more. In a previous post we highlighted the three kinds of luggage you need on a long road trip. Anything else will just be excess weight. This is similar to fashion in the sense that if many of your clothes are just sitting in your wardrobe hardly being used, then it’s infinitely better to have just a few stylish items you can experiment with and wear on different occasions.
Lead by example
This is especially true for celebrities. Rihanna is a star in both the music and fashion industries. In an interview with The Scene, Mylah Morales, the pop star’s make-up artist, explained that the singer uses a variety of products, for her skin as well as on her clothes. But what Rihanna doesn’t do is go overboard with makeup regimens – sticking to a select few tried and tested products. Again, this highlights the old adage that ‘less is often more’ and she is aware that her fans cannot afford such extravagant makeup and designer labels. In turn, it shows her fans that she also has sustainability at the front of her mind, as she’s been a proponent of ethical clothing throughout her career.
Nonetheless, you need not be a celebrity to lead by example. You can also share the products you use with your friends and talk about why you love certain ethical brands. Enlighten them of the benefits and say that even high profile celebrities are now embracing the movement. Empower them and make them feel that they’re part of something bigger considering that on a grander scale, the Earth which is our only home needs to be taken care of, too.
Spread the word
Outside your family and friends, you can also spread the word via social media, which is a great method of communication and channel for expressing our points of view.
If you enjoy writing, why not create your own blog and share your experiences as well as realizations from wearing sustainable clothing. That way, readers and random visitors can get to know more about the benefits from converting to ethical fashion.
The power of millennials to affect society is evident in their significant presence as a global demographic. By contributing to the movement through promoting change one person at a time, the fashion world may get to see sustainable clothing as the top choice not only among millennials, but among other generations as well.
1 comment
This is a great initiative especially targeting the millennials is great. I would highy recommend Equal Hands (https://equalhands.com/) for their sustainable clothing and jewelry.