Report It takes many

It takes many

This new report presents a collective roadmap for change with recommendations for retailers and brands, the EU, and other national governments, as well as social media platforms and influencers.

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Mobilising Collective Action to Enable More Sustainable Consumer Choices in Fashion

A new consumer study conducted by GlobeScan for Zalando titled ‘It takes many,’ presents a collective roadmap for change with recommendations for retailers and brands, the EU, and other national governments, as well as social media platforms and influencers.

The study builds on insights from Zalando’s previous report, taking a deeper look at the barriers consumers face and identifying what is needed from the fashion ecosystem to help turn their aspirations into action.

Although consumers want to take steps in making more sustainable fashion choices, many still seem to struggle to act on their intentions. Most importantly, the research confirms that consumers view sustainability as a shared responsibility and expect action from brands, fellow consumers, governments, non-governmental organisations, influencers, and digital platforms.

A concrete outcome of the study introduces an initial roadmap for collective action, shaped through dialogue with consumers and leading industry experts.

The report’s key findings are grouped into three categories that reflect the complexity of sustainability in fashion:

1. Beyond the gap

• Sixty-six percent of consumers say they already make sustainable choices and 62% report having “a lot” to a “moderate” amount of knowledge about sustainability.
• But consumers want to do more than they are doing today – 71% aspire to shop for fashion items more sustainably, and 74% want to wear clothes more sustainably in the future.
• Key barriers stand in the way of consumers realising their aspirations: price (41%), difficulty identifying sustainable options (27%), not knowing where to shop (24%), not knowing what to do (21%), and distrust in sustainability claims (19%).

2. It takes many

Consumers see more sustainable fashion as a shared responsibility.

• Seventy-seven percent expect action from brands and 72% from individuals like themselves.
• Many also look to the EU (66%), social media platforms (65%), national governments (63%), and influencers (61%) to take responsibility for more sustainability in the fashion industry.
• Stakeholders are expected to make sustainability the norm: brands and retailers must lead the way, governments and the EU should support through policy and infrastructure, and social media platforms and influencers need to help shift consumer mindsets away from fast fashion.

3. What’s next with consumers?

• Consumers are diverse. The research segmentation identifies four groups among the consumers we interviewed – Fashion First, Conscious Curators, Mindful Minimalists, and Indifferents – that can be more effectively engaged through a deeper understanding of their motivations and challenges. Their motivations range from value-seeking and self-expression to sustainability and minimalism.
• To enable real change, the fashion industry must meet consumers where they are, not where we assume or wish them to be.