What Do We Want?

As a content strategy consultant with 19 years in the fashion industry, I've witnessed firsthand the massive shifts in consumer attitudes towards sustainability. Yet, despite the growing chorus of purpose-led voices, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials, we're facing a paradox: the intent-action gap in sustainable consumption.

By now, we all know that we should buy less, buy better. In the majority of cases, we really want to. And yet, somehow we’re not.

We’re trapped in an addictive cycle of more in spite of our better wishes.

Create more brands. Produce more trends. Increase the production volumes and ship the waste off to the global south. More content. More drama. More headlines. More crises.

God forbid we should go without, even at a time of a cost of living crisis. Give the people cheaper, faster fashion!

“I can’t live without these 10 items for Calendar Week 44”

Data shows that while 65% of consumers claim sustainability is a priority, only 26% follow through at the point of purchase.1

But let’s avoid the blame game, this understandable disconnect stems from a complex interplay of psychological, social, economic, and informational factors. And the more we share, the more likely it is that we can build that intent to action bridge.

Let’s dive in…

Psychological and Social Influences

One of the primary contributors to the intent-action gap is the phenomenon of psychological deflation (see above). Many consumers, especially in times of stress or emotional distress (aka always due to our current polycrisis era), turn to shopping as a form of relief or self-soothing. This behavior often conflicts with their environmental concerns, as fast fashion offers immediate gratification at a lower price point.2

Social media also plays a crucial role, particularly among younger demographics like Gen Z. The constant exposure to trends, shopping hauls, unboxing content and peer behaviors on platforms like Instagram and TikTok can create pressure to keep up with non-stop ‘core’ nano trends.

Not to mention the purchase-to-content-production pipeline.

A striking statistic reveals that approximately 45% of college students report feeling addicted to fast fashion, despite acknowledging its negative environmental impact.3

Info Gaps and Awareness Overwhelm

While consumers often express a desire for more conscious fashion options, there is frequently a lack of accessible information about the benefits of circular choices. Too often bloated with legal terminology and acronyms, the early adopters doing the honest work in Sustainability fields could do with marketing support to translate these into value-oriented customer benefits.

AKA in fashion terms, why is 100% organic cotton worth buying instead of a poly-blend equivalent?

Research has shown that when information is readily available, consumers are more likely to opt for sustainable products. However, at the point of purchase, factors such as brand loyalty or the allure of ultra-fast fashion can understandably overshadow sustainability concerns.

This is especially the case when purpose-led brands struggle to articulate their unique proposition in a customer-oriented and fashion-first manner.

It is 2024 and I’m still seeing way too many acronyms, legal terminology and default to green/flax/hemp branding. Repeat after me: Be More GANNI.

And despite the clamor for transparency, consumers are drowning in a sea of green-washed messaging. When faced with decision fatigue, they default to familiar brands, regardless of sustainability credentials.

The Price Tag Predicament

Affordability remains a significant obstacle for many consumers who wish to make more sustainable choices. A study found that 33% of respondents believe sustainable fashion options are financially out of reach.4 This perception leads many to prioritize price and quality over sustainability when making purchasing decisions, even if they have strong environmental values.

Now, this one is naturally an even more complex topic and worthy of it’s own article alone. But I’ll say this: we need to shift our mindsets from Volume to Value.

Dropping hundreds or thousands on cheap SHEIN Hauls is notably not a price tag problem.

Consumer Responsibility and Empowerment

Many young consumers feel that the primary responsibility for sustainability lies with producers rather than themselves.

While not necessarily wrong and certainly understandable, this mindset can additionally diminish any sense of agency in influencing sustainable practices within the fashion industry.

Bridging the intent-action gap requires fostering a sense of actionable personal responsibility among consumers regarding their purchasing choices. Emphasis on actionable here, otherwise we simply double down on adding to the overwhelm.

Implementing a Value-Focused Strategy

While the intent-action gap in sustainable fashion may seem daunting, hope is not lost. In fact, there is a growing group of communications experts who are pivoting from working with polluters to purpose-led changemakers, signaling a promising shift in the industry-at-large.

Change is coming, yes, but it tends to take a tad longer than we humans ever imagine. To help accelerate the bridging of the intent-action gap, I recommend the following value-before-volume-based approaches for fashion brands:

Emphasize Quality and Longevity

Educate consumers on the long-term cost-per-wear value of investing in higher-quality, sustainable pieces that last longer.

Vestiaire Collective leveraged insights from Environmental Impact Analysis firm Vaayu, to crunch the cost-per-wear numbers and ran the following price trade-off campaignwhich illustrated the point beautifully:

Vestiaire Collective maximising the data for a simple yet effective campaign.

Take Us Behind the Scenes

Design for and provide clear information about the lifecycle of products, including their environmental impact and potential for recycling or upcycling.

Yes, that’s much easier said than done. But a lack of it might just be the reason your customers don’t believe grand greenwashing claims being thrown about.

It’s time to cut ties with ‘complex, opaque manufacturing’ and to take responsibility for how the products are being made.

Consider Phoebe English, the award-winning circular fashion studio who designs slow fashion with the full lifecycle of a product in mind. From regenerative agriculture to the consideration of degradable buttons in place of zips, and an truly beautiful silk collection crafted from single-use wedding dresses.

Phoebe English, a pioneer designing the transition to regenerative Slow Fashion.

Collaborative Consumption Models

Explore and promote new business models such as clothing rental services, repair programs, or buy-back schemes to extend the life of garments.

See: Reselfridges who are setting the benchmark not only in spearheading repair, resell and refill services for added loyalty, but also bringing their world-class creativityto truly fashion-first communications.

Finally, not a cotton plant nor a leaf in sight. Now that’s what we like to see.

From Selfridges to Reselfridges, a fashion leader that actually understands - and delivers - on what the people want.

Storytelling and Brand Heritage

Maximise your marketing to tell compelling stories about your behind-the-scenes process, highlighting the craftsmanship and care that goes into creating consciously made fashion.

Take Loewe for example, founded in 1846 with a clear commitment to Craft. Creative Director Jonathan Anderson may be best known for his contemporary irreverent designs and as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2024, but alongside playful campaigns such as Decades of Confusion, we are invited to find glimpses of the human handcraft behind the luxury leather goods.

Trust Loewe to dust off the dust and singlehandedly rebrand Craft for a new era

Personalisation and Customisation

Offer value-based services that allow consumers to personalize or customize items, creating a stronger emotional connection to their purchases and reducing the likelihood of impulsive, unsustainable buying. The UK-based care & repair platform, The Seam also offers bespoke services including hand embroidery, re-dyeing and upcycling alongside its regular alteration and care offerings. Partnering with care & repair networks such as The Seam offers customers the chance to breathe new life, significance and longevity into a beloved or ageing item.

Ultimately, closing the intent-action gap requires a multifaceted and collaborative approach involving consumers, brands, policymakers, and educators.

We can only do so much as individuals and the road ahead is long.

But I don’t see the intent to action gap as a challenge, but an opportunity: because brands that successfully bridge this divide will not only capture market share but also foster long-term customer loyalty in an increasingly sustainability-focused market.

I believe that with strategic marketing, innovative solutions, and a commitment to transparency, we can turn all that intent into real-world action.

The future of fashion depends on it.

1 Exploring Antecedents to the Attitude-Behavior Gap for Sustainable Fashion Consumption in Germany, Mira Bocti, Samer Ajour El Zein, Roberta Giannini

2 Predicting sustainable fashion consumption intentions and practices, Yingxiu Hong, Abdullah Al Mamun, Qing Yang & Mohammad Masukujjaman 

3 The intention gap: when buying and beliefs don’t match, Abriana Herron

4 Exploring the Value-Action Gap in Green Consumption: Roles of Risk Aversion, Subjective Knowledge, and Gender Differences, Oguzhan Essiz, Sidar Yurteri, Carter Mandrik, Aysu Senyuz