For a long time, I thought I was doing everything right on Instagram. I posted beautiful photos. I wrote thoughtful captions. I told my story. I cared deeply about my mission. Yet my sales were depressingly slow, my engagement was lukewarm at best and my energy was drained.
Sound familiar? You're not alone. And you're definitely not doing anything wrong.
But there is one thing I see over and over again with slow fashion founders that stops them from making the sales they deserve—and I can spot it because I had fallen into this trap too.
So what's the #1 reason slow fashion brands struggle on Instagram?
They use fast fashion marketing tactics to try and grow a slow fashion business.
Let that land for a moment.
If you’re building something ethical, sustainable and purpose driven—and you’re trying to sell using strategies that were designed for fast, cheap, disposable fashion—of course it’s not working. Of course it feels off.
Because fast fashion marketing is about hype, scarcity, constant urgency, discounts and surface-level content.
But what your slow fashion audience craves is meaning, transparency, connection, storytelling and depth.
When your sales strategy doesn’t match your values, you start to feel out of alignment—and so does your audience. They drop off. They don't engage. You don't make sales.
I know, because I was stuck in that same cycle. Trying to 'keep up' and trying to 'play the game'. I was stuck trying to sound like everyone else when my whole mission was to do things differently.
And it wasn’t until I stopped following the rules and started creating my own rhythm that everything changed.
So what actually works for slow fashion brands on Instagram?
It starts with a mindset shift. You don’t need to market louder. You need to market deeper.
When I shifted to a values-led, story-first approach, I stopped chasing reach and started building relationships. I stopped trying to create hype and started creating trust. And that’s when the sales began to flow.
If you're stuck in the Instagram void of stagnate content, use my simple 4-step approach to align your messaging with your values.
1. Start with story. Your brand isn’t just about products—it’s about purpose. Use your content to share why you do what you do. Bring your audience into your process, your beliefs, your behind-the-scenes.
2. Focus on connection, not conversion. Instead of thinking, 'How do I sell this?' ask, 'How do I start a conversation?' and watch what happens. Real engagement leads to real sales.
3. Create consistent, intentional content. You don’t have to post every day—but you do need a plan. Show up with clarity, speak from your values, and stay consistent in your messaging.
4. Invite people in ethically. Selling (when you do it right, in alignment) isn’t pushing. It’s inviting. When your content creates resonance, a soft invitation is all it takes. Use story-driven CTAs that feel like a natural next step.
Because you don't need to change who you are to grow.
That’s the whole point of my Instagram Growth Lab—to teach you how to sell with soul, strategy, and integrity.
Because you can grow your sales without paid ads. You can use Instagram to build a thriving, sustainable brand. And you can feel good doing it.
If you've been stuck in a rut on Instagram, let's break it down together and build your profile and audience up with a plan that feels empowering, not icky.
Contact me to apply for my Instagram Growth Lab here.
Doors are closing in 7 days and there are only 10 spots, and this might be the shift you’ve been searching for.
Claire x
