How ethical fashion influencers can boost your brand
Retailers are redefining their brand strategies as the retail industry and technology constantly evolve. Influencer marketing is becoming an integral part of e-commerce and digital transformation strategies in retail, and ethical fashion is no exception. Retailers’ perceptions of ethical fashion influencers are shifting the industry’s marketing.
Ethical fashion influencers can inspire their audiences to adopt values that align with them by going beyond simple branding. This allows them to make a bigger difference.
Influencer marketing is no longer simply about trending fashion. Today, fashion influencers use their platforms to spread word about environmental and social issues, acting as ethical fashion guides to their followers.
For example, following a global campaign by PETA—featuring protests at H&M stores and a public appeal by activist Joaquin Phoenix denouncing the “unspeakable cruelty” inflicted on ducks—H&M committed to removing ducks from future collections. When brands partner with ethical fashion influencers, they get over the hurdle of spreading awareness to a wider audience and boost their credibility as well as sales by creating a consumer base that values similar ideals.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
- How collaborating with ethical fashion influencers can elevate your brand and enhance credibility
- How to choose the right influencer for your ethical brand
- Top ethical influencers to collaborate with
Keep on reading to learn how to drive lasting customer loyalty in the retail business through influencer marketing.
How can ethical fashion influencers benefit your retail store?
As of September 2024, there are estimated 2.71 billion online shoppers, and this number is projected to rise beyond 3.9 billion in five years time! Consider the fact that the United Kingdom alone has 56.2 million social media users who spend an average of 1 hour and 49 minutes daily on between 6.4 applications, you will quickly see how ethical influencers present a remarkable opportunity for retailers.
This is a great opportunity, particularly for sustainable brands aiming to connect with conscious consumers. As brands and consumers deepen their understanding of sustainability in the retail industry, ethical influencers help bridge values with purchasing behaviour.
This is how ethical fashion influencers can benefit retail stores and fashion brands:
- Increase brand awareness
- Strengthen and grow your online community
- Enhance brand reputation and build trust
- Access new markets and diverse audiences
- Educate consumers about your product and sustainable choices
- Increase brand authority in ethical fashion
- Cultivate authenticity
- Drive revenue and sales
1. Increase brand awareness
When ethical fashion influencers’ followers talk about content that has value, word gets around about your brand. It helps people see you and form connections with you. Increased exposure and meaningful connections are the results. For instance, slow fashion influencers such as Venetia La Manna, a content creator famous for her loud anti-fast fashion stance, can be the voice that speaks on your brand’s behalf to her slow fashion following and aligns your brand with sustainable retail positioning.
2. Strengthen and grow your online community
Influencers are an important part of the community, and why not? By picking influencers that follow the principles of conscious consumption and promote size-inclusive fashion, you will be able to draw a faithful and engaged audience around your content. It also drives sales and creates a network of champions sharing and spreading the word about your ethical fashion practices.
3. Enhance brand reputation and build trust
The intermediaries between brands and consumers are influencers. Especially if your influencers are champions of ethical fashion, this conviction will relay well, and in no time your brand will quickly become known for it. Their endorsement provides credibility and trust for your product and for your retail corporate social responsibility (CSR).
4. Access new markets and diverse audiences
Influencers have huge followings on platforms like Instagram. No matter where they are, this allows your brand to reach and engage with new demographics and age groups. Finding the proper influencer to join hands with will only widen your target reach towards niche markets, bringing a much extended global audience within arm’s reach without large costs of marketing.
5. Educate consumers about your product and sustainable choices
Influencers can inspire their audience to live more sustainably, focusing on the social and environmental impacts of their purchases. Ethical choices result in mindful shopping. And it is influencers such as Aditi Mayer who, by breaking down the implications of our ethical choices, motivate their followers to make purchasing decisions that are more environmentally friendly. The influencers you work with complement the conversation on sustainability, further amplifying your mission and values and promoting your products. Influencers can also help you shape fashion trends.
6. Increase brand authority in ethical fashion
Partnering with ethical influencers will further strengthen the status of your brand as a leader in sustainable fashion and sustainable e-commerce. Third-party validation from ethical fashion influencers assists you in establishing your authority and expertise within the industry. This can turn customers to trust you and build your reputation as an ethical brand.
7. Cultivate authenticity
Since ethical influencers are considered relatable individuals with their own stories to relate to, by marketing through them, your brand is perceived in a more authentic and honest manner. Influencer collaborations are a fantastic platform for authentic brand-building, as consumers will respond to an actual recommendation rather than a standard advertisement.
8. Drive revenue and sales
The increase in visibility, trust, and authenticity ultimately leads to an increase in sales. Consumers are ready to pay more for products that share the same values as they do. There are a high number of sustainable customers that you can target with an influencer campaign; one way to access this demographic is by partnering with ethical fashion influencers, and your work on decreasing your environmental footprint will translate into revenue growth.
How to choose the right influencer for your ethical brand
Selecting the appropriate influencer goes a long way towards successful campaigns by safeguarding your brand values and image. However, here are some of the key steps that can help you find your best match:
- Align with your brand values: So as long as you deliver on a genuine relationship, audiences will trust you, and it becomes an opportunity for your brand to position itself in the sustainability space. Choosing influencers whose content, mission, and identity align with your own values. This will create a natural relationship that audiences inherently trust, and they will be able to see you as an ally for sustainability.
- Look for genuine connections and engagement: Genuine engagement on social media is a key sign of an influencer’s legitimacy. Look at how they interact with followers; genuine conversations and considered responses mean strong community trust. Steer clear of influencers with large followings but low engagement rates or lots of “thin comments” from atypical-looking accounts that might be a sign of fake engagement.
- Evaluate measurable metrics: Consider the amount of followers, engagement rate, and click-through rate (CTR) as key performance indicators (KPIs). They are useful for figuring out whether an influencer’s audience is large enough and engaged enough to achieve your marketing objectives.
- Review past campaigns: By researching a potential influencer’s past collaborations, you should get a sense of how those placements perform and how well the style aligns with your brand. Find any competing campaigns, as this may come off as your brand not being genuine. Reach out to past collaborators, listen to their experiences with their campaigns, and see whether your values align so that you can protect your brand.
Top ethical influencers to collaborate with
Here are some influential voices in ethical fashion who can elevate your brand’s impact:
- Aditi Mayer: Auditi Mayer is a photojournalist and sustainable fashion activist who uses her Instagram account to raise awareness of how fashion impacts workers’ rights and the environment. With genuine interest and endless commitment, she is the ideal brand ambassador for brands looking for an aware influencer to partner up with.
- Venetia La Manna: Venetia La Manna is very outspoken when it comes to the downfalls of the fast fashion industry. She offers brands a powerful platform to reach conscientious consumers through her large and engaged following, which she uses to promote mindful fashion choices.
- Sophie Benson: Sophie Benson is an advocate for the slow fashion movement and a dedicated sustainable fashion blogger. Every single element of her personal style is a sustainability story—an expression of sustainable styles by design. It makes her platform one of the best for brands with sustainable fashion and lifestyles.
- Sustainably Kind Living: An influencer collective for the conscious and eco-friendly kinder lifestyle. Their influence can help brands reach audiences that are mindful of sustainability.
- Unmaterial Girl: Unmaterial Girl is committed to raising awareness of sustainable fashion options. Brands seeking out consumers with an interest in sustainable fashion options align perfectly with her platform.
- Alice Aedy: Alice Aedy is well-known for her storytelling and environmental activism. Her work is focused on social issues and climate justice, making her a great fit for brands that aim to connect with people who are committed to social and environmental ethics.
- Emma Slade Edmondson: Emma is a strong advocate for eco-friendly and pre-owned clothing as the brains behind Charity Fashion Live. This is in perfect harmony with retail brands that promote ethical fashion. Participation from her niche-specific fan base demonstrates her dedication to environmental responsibility.
- Lizzie Carr (Lizzie Outside): Lizzie Carr, better known as Lizzie Outside, is an environmental activist. Her followers place a premium on sustainable retail trends and are committed to protecting our waterways and fighting plastic pollution. Her considerable influence and high engagement rate make her an ideal spokesperson for brands committed to sustainability and environmental protection.
- Holly Rose: Hollie Rose has a history of collaborating with environmentally conscious and slow fashion brands. She is an influencer and writer who focuses on ethical fashion and sustainable living. Ethical fashion brands seeking authenticity can rely on her since she is committed to promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
Final thoughts
Joining hands with ethical and sustainable fashion influencers is a win-win for brands that are aiming at sustainability while positioning their brand products into the mainstream market.
These influencers have significant muscle in educating the consumer, influencing buying behaviours, and creating loyalty. Partner with ethical fashion advocates, and you will bolster your brand image while helping in the efforts gearing towards a more sustainable retail future.
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