Good on you today, Gone tomorrow
Sep 5, 2025
It started with one brand I trusted. Then another. And another.
That’s when I realized this wasn’t just bad luck. It was a pattern.
This unravelling started a year ago when I read an article “Pact Isn’t Eco-Friendly or Non-Toxic Anymore.”
I could not believe what I was reading. Pact was one of the first brands that helped me feel good about a purchase. I loved their basics. The pieces were organic, and the prices were manageable. The branding felt honest. And I cannot count the number of people I’ve “sold” Pact to.
So reading that headline and seeing a brand, I deeply believed in, being questioned somehow felt weirdly personal.
Almost like someone telling me the reusable water bottle I’ve been carrying around doesn’t actually save the planet.
And then came another blow.
In December 2024, Sensi Graves Swimwear (a small, vibrant brand I genuinely loved) shut down.
Their pieces were colorful, functional, and made ethically for actual bodies. They were fun and thoughtful. And I’ve been looking for a replacement ever since.
But the more I looked around, the more I realized: This keeps happening.
So many ethical brands are gone. Not because they weren’t good, but because sometimes good just isn’t enough for consumers.
The Sustainability Cliff
Most sustainable fashion brands start with conviction: A frustration with the industry. A love for ethical design. A desire to build something better.
But sooner or later, that mission crashes into a wall of reality:
People don’t want to pay more. Especially when they have convenient access to cheaper options.
Around 60% of sustainability claims in fashion are unsubstantiated or misleading.[1][2] Leaving consumers confused about whom to trust.
Margins shrink, shipping cost rise, and founding stories lose their shine.
And when things get tight, the brand faces an impossible choice:
Raise prices and lose customers?
Compromise on values and lose yourself?
Or shut it down and lose everything?
What I Wish More Brands Knew
If I’ve learned anything from watching this space closely, it’s this: Don’t build your brand on sustainability alone.
Yes, people care. But not always and certainly not enough.
Not in the “I’ll pay triple just because it’s better for the planet” kind of way.
So here’s what I wish more purpose-driven brands knew:
Don’t lead with sustainability. Lead with style. With comfort. With joy. Create a product that is unique!
Don’t try to do everything right from Day 1. Ease people in. One product, one improvement, one honest story at a time.
Turn customers into loyalists. Build a community around your products and your brand. That’s what will carry you when the press fades.
Be transparent, not perfect. A video of you sharing behind-the-scenes content goes further than simply claiming your manufacturing plant follows ethical practices.
And please never just sell values. Sell a product people fall in love with.
The Brand That Gets It
Take Thaely, an Indian sneaker brand making shoes from recycled plastic bags.
You wouldn’t call them a “sustainable brand” at first glance.
You’d just think: cool sneakers.
That’s the sweet spot. That should be THE BAR.
Their values are embedded, not broadcasted. And that subtlety? That is what makes it work.
No matter how responsible or revolutionary your supply chain is, your product still has to spark something. If it doesn't, it simply won’t last.
And that’s the part no one tells you when you start a brand for the right reasons.
The Hardest Truth
Good intentions don’t keep a brand alive. A product people truly love does.
And there are a lot more brands like Thaely who are getting this balance right.
I’ll share 10 of them next time, personally vetted by me and my team.
But for now, I’ll leave you with this:
If you are a brand, stop trying to look sustainable and just started making pieces worth holding onto.
If you are shopper, stop falling for green tags. Start supporting products you'll actually wear, use, and love.
And if you (brands) want to reach high-intent consumers without spending any marketing money, checkout Shezaar.