Lyst Sees ‘Slow Fashion’ On The Rise In Sustainable Fashion Report

Shopping search platform Lyst has unveiled its sustainable fashion report for 2020, delving into the sustainable brands, products and keywords shifting consumer culture. Over the past year, “slow fashion” has generated 90 million social impressions “suggesting the beginning of a shift in shopping behaviors,” as the report said. The company garnered insights from more than 100 million shoppers that used its platform over the past year, while also tapping fashion rating organization Good on You and Google for data.

While its February index for the fourth quarter catalogued the “hottest brands” like Off-White and Moncler, this report focused only on sustainable fashion, which the platform defines as “protecting the future of our planet and its people when we design, create and wear our clothes,” also taking into account welfare of animals.

Topping the list for most sneaker searches was French brand Veja, up 115 percent year-over-year with brands like Stella McCartney up for vegan sneaker shoppers. On an individual item level, Girlfriend Collective’s leggings, which are made from recycled plastic bottles and Reformation’s “Juliette dress” fared well with shoppers, with hunts for lesser-known brands such as Nudie Jeans and Bassike clothing, both proponents for organic cotton, increasing.

“Vegan leather” saw searches increase 69 percent year-over-year. And over the past three months, searches for “upcycled fashion” has grown 42 percent. Independent labels such as Mother of Pearl, Ecoalf, Maggie Marilyn and others came up as ones to watch.

What are the cultural moments that catalyzed interest among global consumers? The report found moments such as last spring’s Econyl (regenerated nylon) capsule collections from Prada and Burberry as well as Taylor Swift’s vintage Chanel jacket for British Vogue’s January cover story as compelling. Last year, Lyst’s “Year in Fashion” report showed an uptick in sustainability-related terms, which increased 75 percent year-on-year. The beginning of 2020 is showing a continuation of that momentum, despite shoppers being sequestered at home riding out the pandemic.