Lyst Sees Significant Jumps in Sustainability Searches

Sustainability in the world of fashion is soaring when it comes to consumer desire, according to global fashion search platform Lyst. Searches for “vegan leather” increased by 119% since October; the term “vegan fashion” was responsible for over 9.3 million social impressions, according to new Lyst research. Since 2018, Lyst saw a 66% increase in searches for sustainable fashion, which included sustainable related keywords like “ethical brands” and “Econyl.”

“Sustainable denim” saw an increase of page views of 187%, and searches for “organic cotton” increased 16% year-over-year.

This year, 80 million shoppers started their fashion search on Lyst. The company tracked more than 100 million searches to see how sustainability is affecting the fashion world and concluded that fashion is experiencing a “new wave of eco-consciousness.”

“From the most wanted green products to inspiring icons that are moving the needle, Lyst’s data reveals how the search for a more sustainable wardrobe has been pushing us to do better,” the company says.

Lyst expects that the fashion industry will begin to invest more in eco-friendly production methods, making it easier for consumers to purchase sustainable fashion. By 2020, 10% of all fashion purchases on Lyst will be made with sustainability in mind, the company predicts.

Circular Fashion Needed

The increase in consumer interest in sustainable fashion is a happy circumstance for those in the apparel industry that are chasing the circular economy. The textile industry uses inordinate amounts of water and energy, and clothes are being disposed of at a higher rate than ever — but companies like C&A, Stella McCartney and Eileen Fisher are heightening their focus on reuse and recycling.

Resale is one aspect of a circular economy for clothing that is on the rise, particularly in the world of luxury fashion. Over the last year, traffic to luxury resale products on Lyst grew by 329%, the company says. The most wanted brands to buy pre-owned are currently Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci, followed by Hermès, Prada, Dior, Celine, and Burberry. And consumers are spending big bucks. Lyst says its luxury-brand partners agree that the average amount spent when buying second-hand luxury goods is between $500 and $1,000.

Stella McCartney was a brand founded with sustainability as the driving factor, Allison Sommer of the RealReal told Environmental Leader recently. And the commitment seems to be paying off. In September 2018, Stella McCartney released the first-ever vegetarian Stan Smith trainers in collaboration with Adidas, causing a surge in searches for the brand. In the six months following the release of the Stella x Stan Smith Faux-Leather Sneakers, searches for the brand has gone up by 21%, Lyst says.

They were the most searched sustainable sneakers on Lyst and the best selling product for the Stella McCartney brand.

Most Coveted

According to Lyst, the most drooled-after sustainable products last year — after Stella McCartney’s kicks — came from Patagonia, Reformation Clothing, Veja, Weekday Row, AllBirds, Fjallraven, Nanushka, Mara Hoffman, Re/Done, Arket, and Eileen Fisher.