Changing Our Purchasing Behaviour Is Our Responsibility As Consumers
Brands have obvious responsibilities to improve sustainability practices and ensure that such practices adhere to the highest ethical standards. However, consumers frequently overlook their ability to influence the market. It is also time for consumers to take control of their own behaviour " In the new era of consumer power if you're not at your customers' disposal, you're disposable," says Forbes Councils Member Etienne Marineau. In other words, what we want is what brands will provide.
For example, as consumers, we can choose to buy natural/organic or renewable products. Before making a purchase, we should always keep fashion circularity in mind. But we should also be wary of greenwashing, a marketing technique used by public relations to make brands appear more environmentally conscious than they are. This means that it is up to us as consumers to do our homework and research products for brand transparency. This includes knowing what, where, and how their clothing was made.
It is also past time to stop overindulging. The age of social media has conditioned our habits to constantly seek novelty; trends can come and go in a matter of days. As a result, many people bought and discarded clothing at an alarming rate. To quote Vivienne Westwood, if we truly care about sustainability, we should "buy less, choose well, and make it last."