Consumers in the UK and the US want the fashion industry to become more sustainable. They now try to keep clothes longer because it’s better for the environment and are willing to pay more for sustainably-made versions of the same items, reveals a survey by e-commerce personalisation and retail AI platform Nosto. Consumers want retailers to clearly label clothes that are made in sustainable ways, offer discounts on clothing ranges that are more sustainable, do more to advertise and promote clothing that is made in sustainable ways, allow online shoppers to trade-in their used clothes for discounts on new items and automatically show people more sustainable alternatives to the items they are viewing online..

The survey reveals consumers also want fashion companies to reduce the amount of packaging, provide fair pay and good working conditions, use renewable and recyclable materials, make clothes that are designed to last longer and use fewer resources e.g. power, water, materials. But although brands are aware that consumers are increasingly concerned about sustainability in the fashion industry, they need to be more transparent and get better at communicating how they’re addressing it. The problem lies in knowing which fashion brands are really committed to sustainability. And consumers say it is difficult to know what fashion brands mean when they say they are committed to sustainability.