Mobilized Into Action
Consumer awareness is driving transformation
After the dramatic occurrences of 2020, a heightened desire has emerged amongst luxury shoppers to both understand the issues of sustainability more clearly and to consume fashion more responsibly.
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Conscious product sales grew 3.4 times faster than the FARFETCH marketplace average in 2020 vs 2019
In 2019, we launched the Positively FARFETCH initiative, which resulted in an increase in sales of Conscious items. Since then, we have signposted more Conscious product and provided relevant product information to create the largest global edit of conscious product, supporting customers to shop positively.
Find out how we define the term 'Conscious' here
Our customers
Of those surveyed, 88% of FARFETCH customers care about minimizing their environmental impact and 50% say they care deeply
These more environmentally engaged customers are likely to shop as frequently as the full sample of customers surveyed, but are more selective about which brands and retailers they shop from.
The factors involved in shopping sustainably are weighted toward buying quality and treating workers fairly
When shopping for sustainable fashion, people care most about buying pieces that will last and won’t need replacing.
Fair conditions and wages for the workers who created the piece are also a major consideration.
During the initial period of global Covid-19 restrictions, use of the Sustainability filter on FARFETCH rocketed
After the pandemic took hold, search trends emphasize a big rise in terms focused on animal-free materials, such as vegan, faux leather and particularly faux fur
Covid-19 has changed my awareness and commitment to buying sustainably because it has made me more cautious about the scarcity of natural resources due to the crisis, as well as being more mindful about the overall impact in the 'new normal'".
Julie Heng, Private Client customer, Cambodia
What are customers buying?
Highest value Conscious women's item,
excluding pre-owned items
Stephen Webster earrings
$14,000 average selling price
Most popular Conscious product
Marine Serre Crescent Moon Top
2,253 units sold
Top selling vegan item
Apparis Faux Fur Coat
108 units sold
Most viewed Conscious item
Burberry checked shirt
2.6 million views
Most added-to-bag Conscious item
Stella McCartney sneakers
6,237 ATB's
Most popular Conscious sneakers
Veja sneakers
1,804 units sold
Gen Z is inevitably the generation that will drive luxury consumption in the future and FARFETCH’s studies into the attitudes and behaviors of its members inform our strategic thinking
In interviews with Gen Z consumers, it became clear that this generation’s entry into luxury can be unconventional in comparison to older cohorts. High-end, heritage brands are still highly aspirational for Gen Z, with the result that they apply an inherent creativity in generating income to buy into them. They may have bought and sold their way into luxury via peer-to-peer marketplaces, for which they have little of the reticence of previous generations. Secondhand is second nature to them. Many in Gen Z shop with aesthetic or the associated status of the piece top of mind, with sustainability being a consideration, if not an expectation.
1. Products made of sustainable or certified materials (e.g. organic, recycled and upcycled fabrics, low impact cellulosic materials, etc.)
2. Products that have been created via a certified production process
3. Products that are pre-owned
4. Products that belong to a brand that scores well with ethical rating agency Good on You
Read more about our Conscious criteria here