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โจ Future-proofing your career & biz
Published about 2 months agoย โขย 5 min read
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Hey there, Reader!
In this week's CFC newsletter, you'll find:
๐งต 5 ways to future-proof sustainable fashion businesses
๐งต A podcast on how to future-proof yourfashion career and more resources
๐งต New textile EPR legislation and more news
๐งต A biz funding opportunity and fashion scholarship application
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Future-proofing sustainable fashion businesses
It feels overwhelming right now to work in sustainability, to find a job in sustainability, or to be building a business in sustainability.
Add on top of that a rapidly evolving fashion environment, luxury slowdown, and persistent supply chain challenges? It can be hard enough to know how to navigate your day, let alone your next career move.
After listening to a Business of Fashion podcast episode on future-proofing your fashion career โ from AI to navigating a disconnected workforce โ I thought I'd create a mini guide for how sustainable fashion businesses can be future-proofing too.
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1๏ธโฃ Highlight your values with transparency
The pushback on sustainability, DEI, and ESG has been infuriating but you still care and your customers still care. Continue to emphasize your commitment to your core values in your marketing and messaging.
As we saw with Target, companies that act like flags in the political winds will quickly lose customer and employee trust (rightfully so).
2๏ธโฃ Lean into value, no matter your price point
From a cost-of-living crisis to a loss of credibility in luxury fashion after Dior's bag scandal, people are questioning value at every price point.
If you're offering products: talk about your materials, share what makes the piece high quality, tell your customers about your production practices, and speak to a product's longevity (i.e. repair commitments, stories of customers who've had your pieces for years).
If you're selling secondhand: talk about the savings of your prices vs. new versions, speak to the quality of the pieces themselves, and emphasize the value of your expert curation & garment care. Many people may not understand what goes into the markup โ i.e. your labor โ of resale.
If you're offering services: deliver a clear value proposition that solves the real pain points your client is willing to pay to solve. (What time, financial, or energy costs are they incurring from their pain points could you help them with?) Times of uncertainty may mean longer lead times, so don't forget the art of the follow-up!
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3๏ธโฃ Cultivate connection
Some predict that the increasing use of AI will lead to an even stronger desire for realconnection. And I've heard from SO many people interested in sustainability who are seeking out community. We're also seeing fashion brands play around with IRL events and in-store activations.
How can you cultivate more community in your audience or add a human touch with your customers? Consider what makes sense for your biz, like:
A customer forum or customers-only community
A private limited-time group chat for high-ticket clients
A handwritten thank you note with a package
A voice memo personalized to that customer
A 1:1 onboarding call for someone new
A thoughtful DM or email to a client
A kick-off call for an online course
A customers-only virtual or IRL event
A meetup at a makers market or vintage market
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4๏ธโฃ Focus on owned platforms
The whiplash of social media lately gives us yet another reason to focus on platforms that you own โ that's your website and your email list.
We are constantly driving our social following to our email list (hello, subscribers ๐) here at Conscious Fashion Collective.
*Note: while Substack is a friendly reprieve from Meta (that I am enjoying a lot lately!), just remember this is another platform that we don't own or control. If you are a business owner, I'm still a huge advocate for having your own website and email list on an email marketing platform you have more control over as well.
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5๏ธโฃ Diversify your business model (when you're ready)
Generally I'm a fan of focusing on fewer, better offers.
But if you're a little more established, don't be afraid to test alternative streams of income โ particularly for brands reliant on new product production โ in a tight fashion economy and constantly-evolving customer preferences. Slowdowns can also be an opportunity for innovation.
Consider spending 10-20% of your efforts into something fresh if things are feeling a bit stale. Perhaps 2025 is the year you add a resale arm to your brand (resale outpaced traditional retail in 2024), offer repair services, create a rental option, start a group coaching program in addition to 1:1 clients, or turn your expertise into paid community events.
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๐ At the end of the day, you know your business model best and your customers best. There isn't a single right answer here โ lean into what makes sense for you and your business.
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โCFC Members: Don't miss today's event on how to set up email automations, so you can focus more on the parts of your biz that need that human touch!
While you won't find specific career tips, this episode gave a glimpse into what's happening in fashion workplaces right now, from the need to horizontally integrate DEI measures to the increasing value of soft skills as AI reshapes work. I was disappointed they didn't mention the importance of sustainability knowledge and related skillsets, as this will be crucial for fashion's future, even if not all brands are ready to get onboard.
Tired of throwing spaghetti at the wall, trying anything and everything to see what sticks? In this free CFC training, you'll learn the foundations of a solid sustainable fashion marketing strategy, to attract an aligned audience filled with your dream customers or clients.
I appreciated Clare Press' op-ed-style take on asking how the heck did we go from fashion designers stating they'd never dress the Trumps to the richest person in fashion โ CEO of LVMH โ attending the inauguration?
EmpowHer grants support women ages 22 years and older with businesses in the US that have a social impact through its product or business model. Applicants can request up to $25,000 in support.
The CFDA and Veronica Beard will award four undergraduate juniors in a fashion design or textiles program at an American college or university with a $50,000 scholarship and a summer internship opportunity at Veronica Beard's NYC headquarters.