Slow fashion isn’t struggling because it’s too expensive.

The biggest myth in sustainable fashion? That ethical brands need to lower their prices to stay competitive.

I see it all the time—slow fashion founders feeling pressured to justify their pricing. To offer discounts just to make a sale. To compete with billion-dollar fast fashion brands that flood the market with disposable trends and fake urgency.

But let’s be clear: slow fashion isn’t struggling because it’s too expensive. It’s struggling because fast fashion has spent decades conditioning consumers to believe that clothing should be cheap, instant, and unlimited.

The problem isn’t price. It’s perception.

Fast fashion isn’t just selling clothing—it’s selling convenience, accessibility, and impulse.

It’s built on a cycle of endless new arrivals, constant discount codes, and influencer-driven FOMO. Customers aren’t just buying clothes; they’re buying into the idea that fashion should be fast, frequent, and fleeting.

Slow fashion, on the other hand, is about intention, craftsmanship, and longevity. But too many ethical brands lead with sustainability instead of desirability.

And here’s the hard truth: consumers don’t buy sustainability. They buy what they want, what they need.

If sustainability is just a list of features—'we use organic cotton,' 'we pay fair wages,' 'we have sustainable packaging'—then it becomes background noise. Important? Absolutely. But not the reason someone clicks 'add to cart'.

Luxury brands don’t justify their prices. They own their value. Slow fashion needs to do the same.

So what’s the fix?

Instead of competing on price, slow fashion brands need to focus on three key strategies that create demand without selling out...

1. Sell the feeling, not just the product.

Fast fashion makes customers feel something—confidence, excitement, 'now'. Slow fashion needs to do the same.

Emotional connection drives purchase decisions. Sustainability should reinforce the decision to buy—not be the only reason.

2. Build demand before you launch.

Fast fashion works on reaction—trend spotting, rapid production, mass release. Slow fashion thrives on anticipation.

The most successful slow fashion brands don’t just drop collections; they build them in public. They tease, they storytell, they let customers be part of the journey.

By the time a new piece is released, the audience is already invested.

3. Create urgency—without discounts.

Fast fashion uses fake sales to push impulse buys. Slow fashion brands can use real urgency ethically.

Test limited releases and small-batch production to make each piece more desirable. Trial a pre-order system to gain a commitment before production. Try waitlists to prime customers to purchase as soon as stock drops.

Because slow fashion doesn’t need to apologise for its prices—it needs to lead the conversation around value.

Fast fashion wins by making clothing disposable. Slow fashion wins by making it desirable.

The brands that thrive aren’t the ones that lower their prices to ‘compete.’ They’re the ones that change the conversation. That make customers feel something. That sell meaning instead of just materials.

If slow fashion is going to compete on a global scale, it needs more than ethics—it needs strategy.

That’s exactly what I teach in my F*ck Fast Fashion workshop: how ethical brands can increase their impact and sales—without discounting, without running ads, and without sacrificing their values.

Because the future of fashion isn’t fast—it’s thoughtful, intentional, and worth investing in. It needs to be.

And it’s time we made sure customers see that too.

Claire.