I know how exhausting it can feel to pour your heart into your brand, designing ethically, sourcing sustainably, sewing late into the night, only to post on Instagram and hear crickets.
No cha-ching from Shopify. No DMs asking about sizing. No real traction. Just disappointment, let down, and frustration.
What I'm making is so damn good so why aren't people buying?
Join the club. It doesn't feel any better knowing it's happening to other slow fashion founders, but at least you know you're not alone.
And a lot of the time, the problem for slow fashion founders isn't a lack of passion, skill, or purpose. The problem is consistent sales. You're not doing something wrong, but you might be doing too many things at once, hoping something sticks, without a strategy.
So I want to offer you something simpler. Something that actually works when you do it consistently. If you’re not making consistent sales, just follow these two steps...
Step 1: Post about one product every day, for a week, with a story behind it.
Not a flat lay. Not just, 'new arrival' or 'now available online', because firstly that's boring, sorry. And secondly, there's no feeling. You need to tell a story.
Instead of saying, 'New linen dresses just dropped,' say, 'This is the dress I wish I had when I lived in Bali. It’s breathable, it’s made from upcycled linen, and I designed it to be worn barefoot on the beach or with boots at the market. It’s my answer to plastic-filled fast fashion that falls apart after one wash.'
See the difference? Stories sell.
Because humans connect with meaning. We want to feel something before we buy. So let your audience feel what went into your designs.
Why did you make it? What’s the fabric? Who stitched it? Why does it matter?
The story is the magic. And the more consistently you share it, the more people connect. And the more they connect, the more they trust. And that is what leads to sales.
If you don't have time to create that kind of content, use this super easy tool I built.
Step 2: Spend one hour a day talking with your audience.
Not 'engaging for the algorithm.' Not watching other reels and comparing yourself. Not doom-scrolling and calling it research.
I mean actually talking. Like a real human.
- Reply to your DMs with warmth and presence.
- Send voice notes to regular customers.
- Comment on your followers’ posts in a meaningful way.
- Ask questions in stories and reply to the answers.
- Thank someone for their order in a personal message.
This is what builds relationships. And relationships build sales.
People are craving connection more than ever and in the sea of fast fashion noise, your genuine, handmade, ethical approach stands out because it’s personal. So lean into that.
You don’t need to dance on TikTok. You don’t need a 12-step funnel. You don’t need a $3,000 branding shoot.
You need consistency, connection, and clarity.
That’s it.
So set a timer. One post a day with a story behind it. One hour a day building real relationships. Do that for 30 days and watch what happens.
Really. Try it. I dare you.
And here's why this strategy works so well.
Most business advice out there is overwhelming and frankly, built for people with a full marketing team and ad budget. That’s not who you are. And it’s not who I’m writing this for.
I’m writing this for the slow fashion founder sewing in her living room after her kids go to bed. For the brand that’s hand-dyeing with native plants and wants to share culture, not just clothes. For the passionate designer who’s working their 9-to-5 and dreaming of making fashion their full-time impact.
So If you’re doing something good for the world with your fashion business, I want to help you do more of it.
And that’s why this strategy works. It cuts through the noise. It clears all the crap. It focuses on what actually drives sales in a purpose-driven business: connection and consistency.
No sale-sy gimmicks. No pressure. No funnels. Just real humans showing up for each other.
Still struggling to make it work?
Then you don’t need more hustle. You need more support. More strategy. More systems. Because burnout isn’t a business model. And you don’t have to do this alone.
If you're tired of trying all the things and seeing no growth, if you want to learn exactly how to market your slow fashion brand ethically and effectively, if you want a community that gets it, and a mentor who’s been there...
Join my Slow Fashion Lab here.
You’ll get coaching, community, and a clear plan to grow your impact and your income without selling your soul or burning out in the process.
Because fashion isn’t bad. Fast fashion is bad. Slow fashion is good, and we need more of it.
Claire x
