Chinese Gen Z will drive sustainability conversation in fashion, say experts, as Covid-19 heightens a sense of responsibility towards the natural world

Young Chinese people will drive change in fashion consumption, say industry insiders, pointing to a rise in social media posts on sustainability by Gen Z users

Reports and polls appear to agree, with young shoppers choosing environmentally friendly fabrics, buying second-hand and worrying over air and water pollution

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Published: 5:45pm, 1 Feb 2022

The pandemic certainly hasn’t brought us much to be cheerful about – but one undoubted positive is the shift seen in Chinese customers on sustainability.

China, as the “factory of the world”, is the most polluting country on Earth (although only the seventh biggest per capita), and for any real change in fashion consumption and manufacturing to take place, its citizens need to play their part in driving it. For now, it seems as if they might be on track.

“The pandemic has made people in China reassess their relationship with the environment,” says Gu Xiaofeng, a fashion marketing expert.

“I think the disaster we have witnessed over the last two years has made people realise they have a real responsibility to the natural world, and that we all have to do better.”

Chinese shoppers outside a Miu Miu store in Beijing, China. A report in China revealed older shoppers are far less likely than younger shoppers to be swayed by environmental issues when it comes to purchasing. Photo: Getty Images

This, then, will shift company behaviour. Previously, brands had very little incentive to improve their carbon footprint; it was well known in the industry that when customers were asked if sustainability was a factor in their fashion purchases, 75 per cent would say yes, but when it came to an actual purchase on the shop floor, people were far more swayed by price and fit than provenance.