When I first started my handmade and sustainable fashion brand nearly twenty years ago, I thought being ethical was enough to make people care.
I thought if I made high-quality, slow-made, purpose-driven fashion, customers would naturally choose my brand over fast fashion. But I quickly learned that sustainability alone doesn’t sell. Not because people don’t care—but because people are busy, overwhelmed, and bombarded with marketing everywhere they look.
And that’s when I realised something that changed everything: the slow fashion brands that grow fast aren’t the most sustainable. They’re the ones that tell the best stories.
Too many slow fashion brands focus on what they sell—organic fabrics, ethical production, and sustainable packaging. But customers don’t buy products; they buy stories they believe in.
When you make sustainability the entire story, you’re missing the most important piece: the emotional connection.
Customers don’t just want to know that your dress is made from deadstock linen.
They want to know why you chose that fabric. They want to hear about the moment you found it. They want to know how it feels to wear it. They want to see the hands that made it. They need to feel something.
If you're operating solely online—running an ethical, sustainable, circular, handmade, or slow fashion e-commerce store without an in-person retail shopfront—storytelling is crucial to cut through the noise and create the feeling a new customer craves.
So instead of just listing facts about your brand, tell stories that make your audience care.
1. Tell your origin story—make your customers a part of your journey.
What moment made you say, "I need to do this"?
Share it. Customers invest in brands they feel personally connected to.
2. Put people at the centre of your story.
Customers don’t just want products—they want to see themselves in your brand.
Show your clothing on real people. Share customer testimonials. Tell stories that make them feel seen.
3. Show, don’t just tell.
Saying your brand is sustainable isn’t enough.
Prove it. Post behind-the-scenes content of your production process. Show your materials, your packaging, and your impact. Make your audience see why your brand matters.
Because deep down, customers want to care—you just have to give them a reason to. And when customers care, they shop.
I’ve worked with hundreds of brands, and I’ve proven it again and again: the brands that thrive aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets—they’re the ones that tell the best stories.
So if you’re struggling to make people care, it’s time to change the way you communicate.
I’ll show you exactly how in my upcoming LIVE online workshop on February 27th, F*ck Fast Fashion: The 7 Secrets of Successful Slow Fashion Brands, where you'll learn the growth strategies of multi-million dollar slow fashion brands and how to scale—sustainably.
If you’re serious about growing a profitable, purpose-driven slow fashion business without sacrificing your values, this is for you.
Because f*ck fast fashion.
Are you with me?
Claire x
