In 30 seconds:
- Sustainability is not just a passing trend. As we contend with the climate crisis, it’s the future of every industry.
- And when it comes to fashion, there are already some top sustainability influencers who confer the trust of their eco-conscious followers.
- So if you’re looking to promote your eco-friendly wares, here are the top sustainable fashion influencers to add to your social feeds.
Sustainable fashion influencers are coming of age in a crucial moment in the fight against climate change.
Influencers have paved the way in the fashion industry for years – even before social media, it was famous faces and muses that people turned to, to figure out what look was “in”. Now, as consumers increasingly care about the ethics of the brands they choose to support and with the climate crisis dominating news feeds, sustainable fashion influencers are at the epicentre.
A McKinsey report found that the vast majority of young consumers would be more loyal to companies aligned with their environmentally and socially-focused values. Sustainable fashion influencers make it easier to learn which brands those are.
And, given that sustainability matters a lot to Gen Z (the biggest consumer generation), it’s obvious why we’re seeing sustainable fashion influencers rising to prominence now. But who are the names to know, and why (and how) should you work with them? We’ve found the top 5 names to get you started.
Gen Z and sustainable fashion: a primer
For Gen Z users just starting out on a sustainability journey, their fashion choices present the biggest immediate hurdle.
This young generation aims to champion ethical brands and they’re especially opposed to fast fashion. Gen Zers are the generation most active in pushing for more sustainable consumerism, earning them a reputation as a generation of changemakers, as we discussed in our Gen Z activism article.
However, a Vogue Business survey showed that more than half of Gen Z still reported buying most of their clothes from fast fashion brands – something that is an area of tension within their lives, given their overwhelming belief that sustainability is an “important factor” when buying clothes.
It suggests they may not know how to begin breaking away from fast fashion habits.
Sustainable fashion influencers are a perfect way to highlight how to develop personal style while reusing old clothes, thrifting for vintage and secondhand pieces, or simply making more sustainable fashion choices – for example, by supporting “green” brands.
So if you’re looking to attract young audiences, sustainable fashion influencers are a perfect gateway to an engaged market of eco-conscious consumers.
The top sustainable fashion influencers
Sustainable fashion influencers have earned themselves large audiences by showing followers how to get the best of both worlds with their fashion choices: being both stylish and planet-friendly.
Knowing how best to work with them could elevate your sustainable fashion campaign to the next level. These are the big ethical fashion names you should add to your feed – plus advice on the best ways to work with them.
1. Aja Barber (@ajabarber)
Aja Barber is a writer, personal stylist and style consultant living in South East London. Her popular Instagram feed and blog are full of stylish outfit shots – but also deep dives on the intersection between sustainability and the fashion industry.
Aja has published a book, ‘Consumed’, that addresses “colonialism, climate change and consumerism”. Her social media posts are consistently educational, and she’s not afraid to invite her 250k strong following to consider how they might be contributing to the problem.
Why you should work with them:
Aja is passionate about finding clothes that can be styled multiple ways and therefore don’t have to be replaced often (and contribute to landfill). She puts the spotlight on sustainable brands and ethical clothing companies, and her style tips emphasise the versatility of pieces that may be more high-end in terms of price, but which more than pay their way in wearability.
2. Aditi Mayer (@aditimayer)
Aditi Mayer describes herself as a “Content Creator + Photojournalist + Labor Rights Activist” in her Instagram bio, where she also states she’s “Exploring style, sustainability & social justice.”
She recently appeared in British Vogue and spoke at the Global Fashion Summit to advocate for garment workers’ rights. A keen sustainable fashion blogger, Mayer’s content frequently examines the fashion industry through a social lens as well as an environmentalist one, making her extremely popular amongst budding Gen Z social rights activists.
Why you should work with them:
Past campaigns that Aditi has been part of have emphasised the need to incorporate more sustainable living practices into our day-to-day lives.
Her Instagram feed is highly curated, presenting a luxury view of what sustainable fashion can look like, which means she’s perfect for sustainable fashion brands who want to showcase how sustainability can look just as beautiful as any highly-styled fast fashion ad. A keen public speaker, she’s also a safe pair of hands for sustainable brands who want their messaging to reach larger, more politically engaged audiences of fashion fans.
3. Scott & Brett Staniland (@twinscott & @twinbrett)
You may recognise one of these male sustainable fashion influencers – Brett Staniland joined the popular reality TV show Love Island in 2021, where he became known for being the only contestant to refuse to wear fast fashion on the show.
Both he and his identical twin brother have worked with multiple luxury brands on their sustainable fashion campaigns, and both have made appearances at big fashion industry events like London Fashion Week.
@twinbrett Very proud and excited about this announcement! This has potential for big change! Please go over to my Instagram and read the Vogue Business article! #loveisland #fastfashion #sustainablefashion #circularfashion #secondhand #twinbrett #ebay ♬ original sound - Brett Staniland
Why you should work with them:
Some of the most well-known male fashion influencers, both Brad and Scott have successfully showcased how men’s fashion can – and should – aspire to the same eco-friendly goals as women’s. One of their most popular videos in recent months is an industry update which explains the outcome of one of their own campaigns against fast fashion in reality TV shows, and shows the power of their social influence.
Their accessible content – from unboxings to “get ready with me”s – is straightforward, no nonsense and clear, which means it paves the way for sustainable fashion to hit more men’s feeds, and more men’s wardrobes.
4. Venetia La Manna (@venetialamanna)
If you’re a fan of podcasts, look no further than Venetia La Manna’s ‘All The Small Things’. It’s a weekly interview series covering all kinds of topics and social issues, but the best episodes (in our opinion) are the ones where Venetia gets to share her passion for sustainable fashion.
She’s passionate about calling out greenwashing, publicly demanding brands do better, and she even co-founded ‘Remember Who Made Them’; an advocacy group that aims to encourage a solidarity economy in fashion.
@venetialamanna #ad | E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream on the planet - yep, faster than fast fashion. I’ve teamed up with refurbished tech wizards @Back Market UK 🇬🇧 to dive a little deeper. #ScrewNew ♬ original sound - Venetia La Manna
Why you should work with them:
Venetia’s content is decidedly different to the other sustainable fashion videos on TikTok.
Yes, some of her posts highlight thrifted fashion and celebrate the good in sustainable choices – but her most popular videos call out fast fashion brands with un-eco set-ups or questionable labour practices. Her “recipe” video series shows Venetia adding “ingredients” of these brands to create meals from their unsustainable actions, educating and entertaining in equal measure.
We recently worked with Venetia as part of our campaign for Back Market, a company selling refurbished tech, to share lesser-known facts about how wasteful buying new tech can be. Venetia is a great choice to talk about all aspects of a sustainable lifestyle, as she gets right to the heart of the issue in an entertaining way.
It’s this that makes her content so popular, as Gen Z primarily search out entertaining content from TikTok – and they love to learn there, too, as we detail in our article on why TikTok is so popular amongst Gen Z.
5. Marielle Elizabeth (@marielle.elizabeth)
Shopping for sustainable clothing can be tricky enough for straight-sized fashionistas, but it’s even harder for plus-sized people.
That’s where Marielle Elizabeth comes to the rescue. Her curated list of ethical brands who supply sizes 4X+ is a lifesaver for plus-sized slow fashion fans – and her Instagram and TikTok feeds are a safe space full of body positive, green fashion content to inspire you.
@marielle.elizabeth Ummm when exactly did ethical fashion for fat babes get so much better, because truly is has gotten BETTER.#plussize #ethicalfashion #plussizeootd ♬ ABRACADABRA by Qveen Herby - Qveen Herby
Why you should work with them:
Marielle’s upbeat sustainable brand hauls and videos showcasing new inclusive slow-fashion brands are popular for a reason: they cater to an underrepresented cohort of fashion fans.
Working with this sustainable fashion advocate means embracing a more inclusive view of sustainable fashion – and celebrating a diverse range of body types in your brand offerings. For sustainable brands who can embrace and celebrate all body types, there’s a whole world of engaged viewers just waiting to jump on the latest trend.
Find the perfect sustainable fashion influencer for your campaign
As you can tell from this list, there’s huge variation between the top sustainable fashion influencers – not just on the social media channels they use, but the kind of content they create. Some influencers are best for educational campaigns, while others are a perfect fit for sustainable outfit inspo – and there are many other ways you can partner with sustainable fashion influencers.
There are hundreds of sustainable fashion influencers out there – we’ve just scratched the surface in this list!
We have an in-house social listening tool that helps us find the ideal influencers for any campaign. So whether you’re a co-founder of a zero waste fashion brand, a marketer promoting sustainable wardrobe shopping, or a designer realising fashion collections from recycled materials – get in touch. We’d love to create a bespoke sustainable fashion influencer list for your campaign.
What sustainable fashion influencers can teach the fashion industry
Fashion brands have had to contend with a lot of changing consumer trends over the years – and we don’t just mean florals versus stripes.
First came the demand for body inclusivity (which Gen Z are continuing to champion – read more about that in our report on Gen Z body image) – and consumers are now demanding higher considerations for the environmental impact of consumerism, and environmental justice.
The good news is, for fashion brands willing to embrace this move towards conscious consumerism, sustainable fashion influencers have proven that there is definite demand for sustainable style amongst young consumers.
By following their examples, the fashion industry can continue to dominate Gen Z’s spending priorities – and help save the planet, too.
The fashion industry is certainly not the only one under pressure from Gen Z to become more eco-friendly. Read more about how to market to this climate-conscious generation:
