Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s Germany Fashion & Sustainability Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, fashion industry Germany trends, and consumer behaviours affecting your industry. Get a 360° view of sustainable fashion in Germany including a growth forecast to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Topics Analysed in this Report
- The importance of sustainability in the fashion industry in Germany, and what has made shoppers more aware of it.
- Current anti-consumption behaviours related to fashion, e.g. buying less, buying second-hand, renting, and more.
- Consumer interest in transparency, and preferences to find out more information about the products they buy.
- Interest in the latest sustainable innovations related to recycling, sustainable delivery and packaging, use of next-gen materials, and more.
- German consumers sustainability analysis.
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An Overview of Sustainable Fashion in Germany
According to Mintel’s fashion industry research, climate concerns in this sector will grow, and consumers will look to brands that actively take responsibility.
Not only will consumers progressively turn to brands and retailers that operate sustainably, but climate inaction will also become an expensive undertaking for companies as laws around sustainability tighten.
Fashion Industry Research: What Consumers Want and Why
- Inflation & Sustainable Fashion in Germany: Cost is the biggest barrier to shopping for fashion more sustainably, with 69% of German shoppers stating that they’re reducing spending as a strategy in times of squeezed incomes. Brands and retailers can align with this mind-set by embracing the quiet luxury trend, which encourages consumers to choose fewer, but better-quality items that will last.
- The Say-Do Gap in Sustainable Fashion Germany: In 2023, 49% of Germans said sustainability is important when shopping for fashion, yet only 25% actually bought more sustainable clothes in the past year. This gap between intention and action shows that the sustainable fashion sector has the potential to become a thriving market filled with opportunities. Brands need to highlight forward-thinking approaches, reframe climate-messaging, and tap into the second-hand trend to overcome consumers’ mistrust of companies’ authenticity in climate matters.
Sustainable Fashion Germany: Market Forecast
- As consumers will increasingly turn their attention to how brands hold themselves accountable to their own sustainability goals, brands should demonstrate meaningful, measurable goals, and introduce resilient sustainable strategies through transparent communication. Storytelling will become an important tool to explain these steps to customers.
To learn how to connect with your audience, purchase our Sustainability & Fashion in Germany Report 2023 in full. Reveal lucrative innovation opportunities to help your business grow during times of financial uncertainty.
Products and Brands Discussed in this Report
Brands: Zara, Annarr, Tom Cridland, Hugo Boss, Loveco, Loro Piana, Lala Berlin, P&C, Wunderwerk, TikTok, dariadéh, Raeburn, Vero Moda, Jack & Jones, Only, Lidl, SMB, H&M, Uniqlo, SOJO, Zalando, Primark, Vestiaire Collective, Shein, Vinted, ASOS, COS, WeDress, Perwoll, Vanish, Marie Claire UK, Otto, Kings of Indigo, Retraced, C&A, DHL, Desserto, Piñatex, Hermès, Mycoworks, VEGATEX, Paul & Shark, and many more.
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Expert Insights on Sustainable Fashion in Germany
This report, written by Silke Lambers, Senior Research Analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight sustainable fashion Germany trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Mintel’s eco-conscious fashion consumer groups illustrate how the shift from Sustainable Enthusiast to Eco-Chic Fashionista makes sustainability a must-have.
Silke Lambers
Senior Research Analyst – Fashion, Germany
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- Key issues covered in this Report
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Executive summary
- Market context
- Graph 1: household final consumption expenditure on clothing (at current prices including VAT), 2013-23
- Graph 2: attitudes and behaviours towards sustainable clothing, by age group , 2023
- Opportunities
- Graph 3: consumers who have spent more on better-quality fashion items in the last 12 months or plan on doing so in future, by generation 2023
- Graph 4: consumers who have purchased second-hand fashion in the past 12 months, by gender, 2023
- Graph 5: factors that would encourage consumers to shop with one retailer over another, by age, 2023
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market drivers
- The German economy
- Graph 6: key economic data, in real terms, 2019-24
- Graph 7: financial confidence index, 2022 – 23
- Graph 8: household final consumption expenditure on clothing (at current prices including VAT), 2013-23
- Consumer confidence
- Graph 9: how consumers feel about their financial sentiment over the next year or so, 2022-23*
- Graph 10: additional discretionary spending priorities, 2022-23*
- Regulatory and legislative changes
- Growing awareness
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What consumers want and why
- Importance of sustainability when purchasing fashion items
- Graph 11: importance of sustainability when purchasing fashion items, 2023
- Graph 12: attitudes compared to behaviour towards sustainable clothing by age group, 2023
- Graph 13: agreement that being able to express their individuality is a top priority in life, by age, 2023*
- Graph 14: consumers spending either more or less on clothing and accessories (incl footwear) in the past 12 months, 2023*
- Graph 15: average spend on clothing per month, by age, 2020
- Biggest impacts on importance of sustainability in fashion purchases
- Graph 16: select factors impacting the importance of sustainability in fashion to consumers, by gender, 2023
- Graph 17: impact of lobbying by animal rights groups on the importance of sustainability in fashion to consumers, by gender and age, 2023
- Graph 18: select factors impacting the importance of sustainability in fashion to consumers, by age, 2023
- Graph 19: impact of protests for climate change on importance of sustainability in fashion to consumers, by generation, 2023
- Behaviours around sustainable fashion
- Graph 20: behaviours towards sustainable fashion, 2023
- Graph 21: consumers who spent more on better quality fashion items in the past 12 months or plan to do so in future, by gender and age, 2023
- Graph 22: consumers who have purchased fewer fashion items overall in the past 12 months, by gender, 2023
- Graph 23: attitudes compared to behaviour towards sustainable clothing, by net monthly household income, 2023
- Graph 24: consumers who have repaired fashion items within the past 12 months, by net monthly household income, 2023
- Graph 25: consumers who have recycled clothing within the past 12 months, by gender, 2023
- Graph 26: consumers who have purchased second hand fashion in the past 12 months, by gender and age, 2023
- Graph 27: consumer who have sold used fashion items within the past 12 months, by net monthly household income, 2023
- Graph 28: consumers who have rented fashion items within the past 12 months, by age, 2023
- Interest in retailer transparency
- Graph 29: interest in information on fashion items, 2023
- Graph 30: consumer interest in labels that list the impact on the environment, by generation, 2023
- Graph 31: consumer interest in labels with instructions on how to dispose of the [fashion] item, by age, 2023
- Factors that would influence choice of fashion retailer
- Graph 32: factors that would encourage consumers to shop with one retailer over another, 2023
- Graph 33: factors that would encourage consumers to shop with one retailer over another, by age, 2023
- Attitudes towards sustainable fashion
- Graph 34: attitudes towards sustainable fashion, 2023
- Graph 35: attitudes towards sustainable fashion, 2023
- Graph 36: attitudes towards sustainable fashion, 2023
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Sustainability consumer types
- Graph 37: sustainable fashion consumer types, 2023
- Graph 38: importance of sustainability when fashion shopping, by consumer type, 2023
- Graph 39: age profile of sustainable fashion consumer types, 2023
- Sustainability Enthusiasts (18%)
- Graph 40: consumers who bought more sustainably produced fashion items in the last 12 months, 2023
- Graph 41: consumers who spent more on better quality fashion items in the past 12 months, 2023
- Eco-Chic Fashionistas (16%)
- Graph 42: agreement that the brand of a fashion item is more important than sustainability, 2023
- Graph 43: consumers who have bought second hand fashion in the past 12 months, 2023
- Sustainable-Minded Sceptics (23%)
- Graph 44: agreement that it requires a lot of effort to know which fashion brands/retailers are sustainable, 2023
- Graph 45: agreement that sustainable fashion is too expensive for a lot of people, 2023
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RETAILER ACTIVITY
- Leading retailers
- Retail innovation
- Advertising and marketing activity
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Appendix
- Appendix – products covered, abbreviations and consumer research methodology and language usage
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