Why Millennials are buying more sustainable fashion

Why Millennials are buying more sustainable fashion

If you listen to the media, you may think that Millennials are ruining everything. In fact, the latest report has blamed us for killing mayonnaise (yep, really). The press may be tarnishing us all as the condiment-destroying, avocado on toast eating, self-obsessed generation, but is that really true? In a world of ‘fast fashion’ it seems as though Millennials are paving the way for something much more exciting, and eco-friendly, than throwaway clothes - Millennials are leading the way when it comes to sustainable fashion.

The numbers are in

We’re all about how our fashion choices impact the environment here at Lucy & Yak, so that means we are constantly on the lookout for evidence that backs up our ethos. That’s how we stumbled upon a 2018 State of Fashion report, which was conducted by The Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company. This report goes into detail about the whys and wheres of fashion, along with the people buying it. From this, we discovered that around 60% of Millennials across the world would be willing to spend even more money on their clothes if they were designed and produced by sustainable companies and in a sustainable way. Yep, 60% is a number we can totally work with, because it shows that people are starting to care, and this makes us ridiculously happy! Not the self-obsessed generation after all, huh?

Millennials are aware of the consequences

Today, we live in a world where it’s impossible to not know what’s going on around you. The news is everywhere. You simply have to turn on your television to watch another heart wrenching video about an endangered species or the impact of plastic consumption. Because of this, Millennials are becoming even more aware of the consequences of fast and cheap fashion, and how it could impact their future. As awareness grows, people learn more about where certain textiles come from and how their clothes are made. When this realisation sets in, most Millennials want to do something to help save the planet they call their home. They’re a helpful bunch. They can’t just sit back and watch bad things happen to our planet, so buying into sustainable fashion is just part of their contribution to the epic save-the-world mission.

Millennials think about their purchases

Although we’re all guilty of whipping out our contactless card and splashing the cash on items we probably don’t really need sometimes, Millennials tend to think about their material purchases a bit more than previous generations. Of course, we’re not saying that the previous generation had it easy and ruined it for the rest of us (because you guys rock), but in an economy where owning your own home before the age of 40 is deemed as a luxury, Millennials often have to be much more careful with their money and where their hard-earned wages go. Even if the media tries to tell you we spend it all on avocado on toast! While this might entice some people to go for the cheapest products on the market, the majority of Millennials will favour quality and consequence over this immediate gratification. After all, why would you want to buy a cheap jumper that will rip within days, when you can buy a sustainable jumper from an independent shop that will last you years AND contribute to the lives of people in developing countries for a few extra quid? We know which one we’d choose.
Millennials are proving themselves to be a seriously environmentally conscious aware generation - and there are hundreds of reports out there to prove it. It’s why sustainable fashion is quickly replacing fast fashion and clothes that cost less than your latte. We gotta hand it to you, you sure know how to choose your fashion. As more and more people fall in love with this sustainable way of life, more and more people start to realise that fashion doesn’t have to impact our environment in such a destructive way. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that it continues this way!

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