Soaring consumer demand for sustainable clothing sees revenue jump for Weird Fish

British clothing retailer Weird Fish has seen revenue from its sustainable clothing lines increase up to 35 times in the last two years as consumer demand for sustainable clothing continue to soar.

The company's Bamboo Collection, which includes a selection of activewear including hoodies, leggings and shorts, delivered revenue in excess of £800,000. Weird Fish also revealed that revenue from the collection increased by 82% from Q1 to Q2 of 2021.

Weird Fish’ Eco Macaroni range, made with mix of organic cotton, recycled polyester and natural viscose, also doubled to almost £2 million in revenue over the same period, with unit sales this year already outperforming sales for all of 2020.

John Stockton, CEO of Weird Fish said: “The dramatic increase in revenue from our latest sustainable ranges speaks for itself. Consumer sentiment toward womenswear and menswear is changing. In some cases, changing fast. Purchase decisions are increasingly being influenced by how consumers view a brand and particularly its approach to sustainability. Consumers are becoming much better informed and demanding more sustainable approaches.

“The negative environmental impact of fast fashion is now well documented, with many consumers aware that dyes in their clothing can be very harmful for the planet. Whilst working conditions along the supply chain often fall far short of the standards many British consumers would expect and want to endorse.”

The shift in preference for sustainable apparels are forcing businesses to react accordingly, ensuring greater traceability along the supply chain and investing in sourcing sustainable materials for production.

While Stockton accepts that the brand still has a way to go, the company has established and met its lofty ambitions for increased sustainability across the business ahead of schedule. In 2019, Weird Fish became the first retailer in the UK to replace plastic bags with bags made from grass pulp, which use a fraction of the water needed to produce plastic bags.

He continued: “It’s been crucial for us to introduce different sustainable materials into our ranges and clearly the demand is there. Organic and sustainable material can be more expensive than their standard counterparts, but we are committed to offering good value while driving the sustainability agenda forward.

“At Weird Fish, we’re certainly on the right path and see ourselves as the antidote to fast fashion. We’re very proud of our success this year, and expect to see significant growth in sustainable clothing into 2022 and beyond. Now, we would love to see more industry giants joining us in banging the sustainability drum.”