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As fashion has pivoted more towards sustainability, up and coming entrepreneurs are benefiting from lessons learned by brands past. Meeta Roy, Fashion Industry Essentials contributor, explains the importance of starting out with sustainability in mind.
Watch the full video to learn about:
- What sustainability represents
- How to make sustainability part of your brand’s roots
- The role consumers play in sustainability
Get Started on the Right Path
“If you’re thinking about starting up a footwear brand, make sure that your brand is sustainable. This doesn’t just mean making sustainable products. It also means ensuring that your whole manufacturing process focuses on sustainability as well. You should try and run your business in an environmentally friendly way,” says Roy. The first step is to educate yourself on what sustainability actually means.
Aspiring designers should understand the environmental aspects of manufacturing and what their carbon footprint is as a business. A brand’s carbon footprint is influenced by the toxicity of the materials that used in the manufacturing and construction process. Waste, water usage, and air pollution are all key factors in the creation and manufacturing of your products.
Consumers and Sustainability
There’s also the other side of sustainability: the human side. “[Sustainability] includes the cost of labor and your employee’s conditions in your factories. This may not sound like it is part of sustainability, but it definitely is. It’s part of your future business and it will determine your success,” Roy explains. “I think that, as an industry, we all have a responsibility to the consumer now, and I think that this responsibility is only going to increase.”
Consumers are more aware now than ever when it comes to societal awareness. More consumers want to know that their favorite brands are practicing environmentally consciousness in their business operations. “So, the pressure is on for businesses in the footwear industry. Everybody needs to step up and ensure that they are focusing on sustainability. You need to show that your products are recyclable,” Roy continues. “Consumers are getting more educated on environmental issues and there’s more thoughtfulness about what they’re buying. They’re making choices much more carefully and choosing to spend their money when they really need it.”
If you’d like to learn more from experts like Meeta Roy and learn about careers in sustainability, download Yellowbrick’s Ultimate Fashion Career Guide.
