Our deep dive on all things fashion and sustainability continues during our FashMash Focus discussions, this time with an exploration of what storytelling means in this space.
How do we avoid (and not do!) greenwashing? How do we bring citizens and employees - or all stakeholders - along on the journey? And how must we add some positivity into the conversations?
All this recapped below and analysed further via our Instagram Live with founders Rachel Arthur and Rosanna Falconer, Monday October 5 at 5.30pm BST. Thank you as always to so many of our fab members for joining our roundtables.
ON DRIVING CHANGE
Pivoting towards “sustainability” takes time. This we know. There is no quick fix to change, and it can't just be about marketing or PR. It must be implemented across the business and throughout the value chain. Yet storytelling is also a crucial part of how we facilitate, motivate and inspire change in this world.
ON POSITIVE MESSAGING
One of the challenges of such storytelling is how easy it is to focus on the doom and gloom of climate change. Rightly so in many senses, but consumers don’t want to feel overwhelmed or confused, so approaching your messaging via a positive lens of sustainability or regeneration will create better engagement.
ON GREENWASHING
With “sustainability” trending in the industry and newness still desired, there’s a lot happening that can be chalked up as greenwashing, or marketing in a way that makes businesses seem more environmentally or socially responsible than they really are. What’s key is that brands admit there is still work to be done, use this time to demonstrate the changes that are happening and be open in their sharing of it.
ON EDUCATION
There’s a big responsibility for brand storytelling to target not just citizens, but internal stakeholders, the wider industry and government. Education here is key, whether it’s the sales associate on your shop floor or the government official that can help influence wider policy goals. Change can only happen at the hands of this sort of cross collaboration & not through consumers alone.