![]() But as conscious, impact-driven individuals? H&M leaves a lot to be desired. As creatives, the videos tick all our boxes. Their 2015 ‘Recycle Your Clothes’, 2017 ‘Bring it On’, 2020 ‘Let’s wear the waste’ and 2021 “Role Models” ads are all beautiful, diverse, poetic, vibrant, and sympathetic campaigns. H&M is the second-largest fashion retailer in the world, a go-to choice for affordable and stylish clothing. It’s worth complimenting this case with a less glaring example of misused purpose marketing. Despite these clear breaches of ethics, morality and sustainability, however, Boohoo’s market position is only growing stronger. Considering that the majority of labourers within the textile supply chain are women, Boohoo's numerous garments and campaigns profiting from the label of “female empowerment” seem wildly out of place. Unsurprisingly, the investigation also highlighted potential safety issues in the factories, especially in a time of a global pandemic. Not only is their incendiary relationship with the environment reprehensible, but investigations into modern slavery have also begun when it was revealed that Boohoo was paying employees in its Leicester factory only £3.50 an hour, while the workers in Pakistan received as little as 29p, with some workers receiving 40% below the £81 minimum monthly wage for unskilled labourers. Their first 34 piece collection of 100% recycled garments released in 2019 was marketed as a step towards crucial change, but this is a microscopic drop in the ocean compared to their output of approximately 200-300 products a day, begging the question of where this commitment to sustainability really lies. This is exactly what we should be demanding from the following fashion retailers.Īs if ticking the boxes expected of them, UK retail giant Boohoo boasts a Sustainability strategy and a Modern Slavery Statement on their website. The good news is there now exists a compelling case to push brands in a sustainable direction with their business before they attempt it with their marketing. Just as it is bizarre that there were ever advertising campaigns touting smiling, smoking doctors endorsing cigarettes, it seems paradoxical for any fast-fashion brand to release a climate-conscious collection campaign amidst their 52 micro-season a year offering. There can be pressure to produce marketing that claims to be underpinned by social and environmental values, but purpose marketing cannot exist if rid of authenticity. The problem is that - however untrue and far from reality - sometimes these narratives can be difficult to resist. And yet fashion brands are prepared to put on the airs of purpose and impact like it’s the latest accessory, hastily clothing themselves in false narratives of sustainability and social impact. No other sector embodies this trend quite like the fashion industry, the second most polluting industry in the world, producing 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions every year, with an annual water usage of 1.5 trillion litres. ![]() When brands communicate a message that their actions are either not in line with or are diametrically opposed to, the messages risk being written off as shameful commercialisation.
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