"Total ethical spending in the UK is now worth £54billion (2016) and represents around 7 per cent of all UK consumer spending. The value of overall ethical sales grew by 8 per cent to £38 billion in 2015, during a period when inflation barely rose above 0.5 per cent, says the new Ethical Consumer Markets report. In this era of enhanced sustainability, consumers have adopted the philosophy of ‘buy less, buy better’."

Total ethical spending in the UK is now worth £54billion (2016) and represents around 7 per cent of all UK consumer spending. The value of overall ethical sales grew by 8 per cent to £38 billion in 2015, during a period when inflation barely rose above 0.5 per cent, says the new Ethical Consumer Markets report. In this era of enhanced sustainability, consumers have adopted the philosophy of ‘buy less, buy better’. Talking about S/S’18 trends, sustainability or responsible innovation is by far the biggest trend in the industry right now, highlights Eva Kruse, Chief Executive of Global Fashion Agenda, which organises the Copenhagen Fashion Summit.

Sustainable expanse

Throughout 2017, the British Fashion Council has been celebrating ‘Positive Fashion’ best practice, creating a dialogue and providing a platform to tell good news stories that help facilitate change. Sustainable has now become stylish and affordable. There are signs that people are buying less but buying better - Mintel found this was true for 69 per cent of women aged 25-44. A report on the shopping habits of millennials says 70 per cent indicate a willingness to spend more with brands that support ethical causes.

Contemporary women’s wear brand Skunkfunk, family owned and designed in Bilbao and distributed to UK retailers by Love Brands, has collections, which is 50 per cent ethically sourced. It offers technical outerwear and innovative fabrics to women’s wear, even involving regional artists to design original prints. Besides tracing their supply chain back to the source, this GOTS certified Fairtrade fashion brand uses a unique pattern cutting processing which aims for Zero Waste.

Not only has ethical become affordable but availability, supply and choice is fuelling increased demand, 54 per cent of consumers today, according to Unilver. Kevin Chesters, chief strategy officer at Ogilvy & Mather London, says, the shift has definitely come from consumers demanding more transparency and more responsibility from retailers.