The Challenge of Sustainable Fashion: Between Motivation and Guilt
Parijs, vrijdag, 27 juni 2025.
Brands and governments are struggling with communication around sustainable fashion. A recent Ademe conference revealed that consumers are still primarily interested in aesthetics and price, only then in environmental aspects. Nicolas Rohr from Faguo emphasised that ‘what triggers the purchase is first the beauty, not ecology’. The quest is to inspire consumers without judging them, with the challenge lying in finding a communication strategy that motivates without inducing guilt. The core challenge is to reach consumers by placing their needs at the centre whilst subtly conveying sustainability messages.
The Communication Challenge of Sustainable Fashion
At a conference organised by Ademe last Monday, it became clear that fashion brands and government institutions are still struggling with effective communication around sustainable fashion. Nicolas Rohr, co-founder of Faguo, emphasised a crucial marketing challenge: ‘What triggers the purchase is primarily beauty, not ecology’ [1]. The consumer prioritises aesthetics and price over environmental considerations, making brand communication strategies complex.
Consumer Behaviour Mapped
Recent research by ADEME shows that only 13% of French people say they are ‘doing everything’ to reduce their environmental impact, a decline of 5 percentage points compared to last year [2]. Moreover, -13.636% fewer people are buying second-hand items compared to 2024, indicating a diminishing willingness for sustainable consumption.
The Psychology of Sustainable Purchases
Research data reveals that 45% of French people still prefer fast fashion brands like H&M and Zara [3]. Consumers see second-hand platforms like Vinted primarily as an opportunity for ‘good deals’, not as a sustainable solution. In fact, 30% of sellers directly reinvest the proceeds into new clothing.