We’ve all been there: a celebrity or Instagram influencer raves about a garment, and styles it impeccably, and all of a sudden we think we need it too. Social media has proven to be a powerful marketing platform, with the influencer market valued at a record 16.4 billion U.S (just under R300billion) in 2022, according to Statista.
With social media’s growing presence in our lives, influencers have become an instrumental part of popular culture and marketing schemes. According to Forbes, 7 out of 10 consumers note they trust influencers as much as real-life friends when it comes to purchasing new products. Influencers have immense power in driving trends, informing purchases, and shaping public opinion of brands.
But in the face of climate change, slowing down our purchasing habits and incorporating sustainable wardrobe practices have become more important now than ever before. And in the era of social media, the digital space is central to shaping consumers’ habits.
So, can social media promote sustainability? Or are social media and sustainability at odds?
While influencers tend to promote overconsumption, social media can equally be used for good. Sustainable fashion influencers are important in redirecting consumers’ attention away from fast fashion by highlighting the social and environmental fault lines of the industry and demonstrating what more sustainable choices look like in practice.
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“The main thing, for me, is providing a balanced perspective without fear-mongering or encouraging apathy,” says South African fashion influencer and writer, Khensani Mohlatlole. She adds:
Clothing is universal so it’s the best place to introduce people to caring for the planet and people.
By sharing how to restyle clothes, mending tutorials, local brands championing slow fashion, and pointing out resources that illuminate the dark side of the fashion industry, sustainable fashion influencers are fostering a sense of community online. They are shifting narratives and helping us to reimagine our relationship with our clothes.
Hadeel Osman, Country Co-ordinator of Fashion Revolution Sudan, explains that her content is geared towards making sustainable practices easy and accessible. “It’s a way of life for me, not just a trend,” she says.
Hadeel adds:
I specifically try to link sustainable practices to my culture. Being Sudanese, being African, our culture is very resourceful. I like to show how accessible sustainability really can be and how so much of it is already a part of our culture.
The dominant way sustainability is promoted in the Global North is to encourage people to buy from slow fashion brands, because of their use of sustainable fabrics and ethical production. But this is driving consumption. Sustainable fashion does not have to be about buying. Hadeel says, “What you already own is sustainable because you are going to be using it and reusing it”.
Greenwashing by influencers on behalf of brands makes sustainability practices often feel performative and insincere. Khensani hopes that influencers start being more deliberate in their collaborations with brands, become more attuned to the intricacies and complexities of fast fashion, and become more aware of the ways to counter and work against this exploitative industry.
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Sustainable fashion has a growing community online where people share stories and memories they have of the clothes they own and how they treasure these items. “Fashion touches everyone on the planet in so many direct and indirect forms. It’s a physiological need beyond how we communicate and engage with one another,” says Khensani.
Fashion is a big part of our culture and identities. But practicing fashion, both online and in-person, doesn’t need to come at the expense of people and the planet.
“Influencers have a lot of power to help change things for the better by helping others re-evaluate their relationships with consumption,” Khensani explains.
- To keep up with Khensani and Hadeel’s inspiring fashion content, follow them on Instagram at @okbaddiek and @mshadeel
