As an independent fashion business owner or designer, you might sometimes experience doubts about your ability to create an impact and lasting change when you are facing larger brands with significantly more resources, wider brand reach and greater influence in the industry.
This sense of being a tiny player in an ocean of giants is a sentiment we have all experienced. But it should not cause us to overlook the unique opportunities that lie ahead for your business to create an influence.
As reminded by a mentor of mine:
when we look back at history, it has always been small businesses, with their contagious ideas that has changed the fashion industry
So have you ever considered how your company’s choices and innovations can ripple across the industry?
Your business, though small, is an integral part of a dynamic ecosystem where every decision and innovation can resonate far beyond your immediate sphere.
Whether it’s adopting sustainable practices, setting new trends, or forging personal connections with your customers, your actions contribute to shaping the industry’s evolution.
Each choice you make, each step towards sustainability, the circular economy or ethical fashion, not only defines your brand but also joins a chorus of small businesses collectively steering the fashion world towards a more innovative, conscious and beautiful future.
In the introduction of the Circular Fashion Business Toolkit, developed in collaboration with the S4Fashion consortium, I address a pivotal question: ‘How can your business change the fashion industry?’. I propose three key assertions:
- While you business alone cannot revolutionnize the industry, it is part of a larger ecosystem
- By focusing on internal transformation, you can influence the operations of other players
- Other time this ripple effect will spread throughout the fashion industry creating change
Let’s walk you through how your business can actively contribute to this industry-wide change.
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