It’s been a minute since we shared resources for shop owners, but as an ethical consumer and digital strategist for small businesses, it’s one of my favorite topics. Sustainable brands aren’t just competing with other conscious businesses, they’re competing with the myriad mass-produced copycat designs offered for pennies. Sigh.
But I love using my experience managing social media, writing copy, and designing websites to give brands I actually believe in a way to stand out from the crowd. (The dream!) On the other side, I’ve been on an ever evolving journey to align my actions to my values, beginning as a college thrifter who felt a little icky about fast fashion. And what’s better to share with sustainable brands than the authentic perspective of an ethical consumer?
more than sustainability… but also, sustainability
Most of the sustainable brands I connect with tell me that while they are sustainable, they aren’t only sustainable. They’re not only for the ethical consumer; they’re so much more than that. As a consumer, I totally get it. There are tons of sustainably-produced products out there, but I buy (and blog about) only those that are in my opinion the best–the most stylish, inspiring, or functional. Many of us agree that sustainability should be a given, and therefore a company should offer us a product with value beyond that quality. That said, that does not mean that you shouldn’t vocalize your values. Trust me. Consumers have to wade through so much information when making a purchase. Add greenwashing into the mix and it’s frustrating as hell. GIVE them the information they want–let them know how you are sustainable and why–even if you think it should go without saying.
transparency over perfection
We can’t talk about ethical consumption without transparency, can we? If you are launching a sustainable brand, you need to get comfortable with transparency. We all know our fair share of brands doing transparency wrong. That’s made a lot of new, small brands wary of taking a misstep–even if they truly hold those values dearly. Here’s the thing. Like any business owner, you’re going to make mistakes. You might learn that you haven’t disclosed information properly, or enough, and have to update your website. You might source a material or hire a vendor that isn’t up to your or your community’s standards, and have to pull it from the shelves. But no matter what, staying honest and open to conversation is what the ethical consumer looks for…. far, far more than perfection. Do your research, connect with experts (maybe partner with an agency like Art of Citizenry who specializes in ethical brand storytelling and education), stay true to your values, and be there for your customers when they have questions.
an element of surprise
Okay, every consumer looks for this, but most of them let the surprise of low prices dictate their purchases. Seriously, all of the fast fashion in my closet is there because, gulp, a sale. Not because of the amazing quality, cool new material I never knew could be this comfortable, hand-embroidery representing a technique practiced for hundreds of years… you get the idea. And that leaves a lot of room for the sustainable brand to swoop in and impress us. If you relate to point number one, you see that you have so much more to offer than just being sustainable. Think of the things you love the very most–your WHY–and tell your story based on that.
I wrote and rewrote this post many times, because there are so many things the ethical consumer looks for in a sustainable brand, and there are so many ways to go about offering each. This is my own perspective on a journey to sustainable living, and making a career of it too–I’d love to hear your perspective as well.
your two cents