Ethical fashion is a hot topic, especially as consumers learn more about the dirty secrets of the fashion industry. With fashion trends like fast fashion and single-use clothing gaining steam, eco-conscious content creators are fighting back by speaking up about sustainable alternatives. There’s much to be learned from sustainable fashion influencers, and we’re sharing the top influencers to follow and partner with to strengthen your eco-friendly campaigns.
Sustainable fashion influencers can reflect a brand’s commitment to a better future. Follow these 15 ethical fashion influencers for inspiration:
1. Danielle Alvarado
2. Scott and Brett Staniland
3. Jessica Harumi
4. Anisha Kalsi
5. Venetia La Manna
6. Leah Musch
7. Aja Barber
8. Kate B
9. Heidi Kaluza
10. Izzy Manuel
11. Kate Hall
12. Mandy Lee
13. Pumulo K. Nguyen
14. Marielle Elizabeth
15. Anna Molinari
Tip: Take a look at the top global fashion influencers and the top sustainability influencers to inspire you and download the fashion industry's new era report for free.
What Is Sustainable Fashion?
Sustainable fashion refers to clothing, accessories, and other fashion-related items that are produced in a socially responsible way. It emphasizes environmental sustainability to reduce waste and avoid the need to constantly produce new products. Manufacturers consider the impact on the planet when producing fashion products and consciously source eco-friendly or low-waste materials. Sustainability also refers to the ways in which companies market their fashion products. Companies that promote sustainable fashion also advocate for long-lasting materials, “timeless” styles, and recycling items at the end of their life cycles.
Tip: Get access to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), take a look at the top fashion influencers globally, and learn more about corporate sustainability.
How Influencers Promote Sustainable Fashion
Sustainable fashion influencers (also called fair trade influencers or ethical fashion influencers) help brands amplify their message about eco-conscious clothing choices. They care about sustainability and have built their personal brands around their sustainable lifestyles.
These content creators willingly share product recommendations, tips, and advice with their audience. They’ll also collaborate with brands on paid campaigns to spread the idea of sustainable living even further.
Take this ThredUp ethical fashion influencer campaign for example. Known as one of the biggest online thrift stores, ThredUp recruited influencers to help them promote a message of “second-hand first” and show how buying used can make the world a better place.
As with other influencers, ethical fashion influencers add an extra layer of authenticity to sustainable brands. They endorse and promote brands they believe are making a real difference, and their audiences notice.
Tip: Here you find more influencer campaign examples. If you’re collaborating with influencers, an influencer briefing template can centralize your efforts. It provides clarity on both sides of the relationship by putting your goals on paper and serving as a guide for the influencer.
15 Top Sustainable Fashion Influencers to Follow
Eco fashion brands, take note: These 15 sustainable fashion influencers may help to transform your next social media campaign.
1. Danielle Alvarado
With more than 20K followers on Instagram, Danielle Alvarado (Sustainability Kind Living) has turned heads in the sustainable fashion niche with her no-nonsense IG reels. She aims to be a fast fashion “uninfluencer” to drive people toward more sustainable clothing choices. Some of her key topics include low-waste living, impulse buying, and supporting small brands.
2. Scott and Brett Staniland
A two-for-one bonus, twin brothers Scott and Brett Staniland are proof that you don’t have to buy new to look your best. The sustainable fashion influencers share a passion for slow fashion. Scott is a content creator for Green TV Media, while Brett is earning his PhD and appeared on the hit show Love Island to raise awareness about the dangers of fast fashion.
3. Jessica Harumi
Ethical fashion blogger, YouTuber, and Instagram influencer Jessica Harumi loves sharing her capsule wardrobe ideas with her audience. Capsule wardrobes hone in on using a handful of core pieces to create seemingly endless ensembles. Her channels provide mega inspiration for those looking for slow fashion on a budget or simply want to do more with less.
4. Anisha Kalsi
Anisha Kalsi brings color and creativity to her sustainable fashion choices. She shares capsule wardrobes that feature bright colors and patterns and shows how to easily mix and match unique pieces. She’s no stranger to wearing the same outfit more than once — no single-use clothing items here!
5. Venetia La Manna
Podcaster and content creator Venetia La Manna has turned planet-friendly clothing into a career. She’s a staunch advocate for better practices in the fashion industry and recognizes that speaking her mind is the only way to bring about real change. She is the co-founder of the Remember Who Made Them movement, which encourages solidarity among consumers to support brands that prioritize sustainable styles.
6. Leah Musch
Known as the “unmaterial girl” on Instagram, Leah Musch is one of the most popular Australian-based fair-trade influencers who ditched the fast-fashion industry in favor of slow, sustainable fashion. Her style can be described as 70s vintage with a dash of beach and skater styles. Along with her Instagram account, Leah works to bring awareness to fashion malpractice and elevate sustainable brands.
Tip: Here you find the top Australian Instagram influencers, the best Australian TikTokers, and the biggest Australian YouTubers.
7. Aja Barber
UK-based sustainable fashion influencer Aja Barber makes it easy for anyone to understand the complex problems of the fashion industry. She is the author of Consumed, which details how we reached the point of fashion consumerism and how we might go about instilling widespread change. She also showcases unique and colorful outfits that come from sustainable brands, proving that slow fashion doesn’t have to be boring.
8. Kate B
Canadian ethical fashion blogger Kate B is the founder of Read, Write, Thrift, a blog dedicated to her thrift store finds. Kate focuses on building her sustainable wardrobe with pre-loved items and offering tips on finding second-hand treasures. She is also passionate about supporting local shops and artisans, which helps to curb the environmental impact of the fashion world.
9. Heidi Kaluza
Formerly a fast-fashion influencer, Heidi Kaluza (The Rogue Essentials) has since flipped the script to promote sustainable fashion. In light of climate change, plant-based lifestyles, and the art of the re-wear, Heidi aims to break the cycle that trendy brands are pushing. She wants to prove that re-wearing clothing is rewarding in multiple ways — it’s eco-friendly, comfortable, cost-effective, and cruelty-free.
10. Izzy Manuel
Indian-Chinese influencer Izzy Manuel is well known for her affinity for vibrant colors. She prides herself on creating unique ensembles to inspire others’ slow-fashion choices. Beyond fashion, she also talks about sustainable beauty products, skincare routines, and general love for the planet.
11. Kate Hall
Known on Instagram as Ethically Kate, Kate Hall believes that life’s greatest joys come from the freedom and inspiration of living ethically. She is the author of Better, Bolder, Different, which offers practical advice for living better for yourself and the planet. She and her bold ideas have also been featured on TED Talks as well as her own blog and social channels.
12. Mandy Lee
Mandy Lee (Old Loser in Brooklyn) is an ethical fashion influencer on Instagram and TikTok, where she shares about living a life without fast fashion. She forecasts and analyzes fashion trends while encouraging her followers to think for themselves instead of blindly jumping onto new clothing trends. She’s also not shy about sharing her own unique fashion sense, helping to inspire others to create dream outfits on a budget.
13. Pumulo K. Nguyen
Pumulo K. Nguyen has mastered the art of re-wearing clothing and building sustainability into everyday life. She recognizes that ethical living isn’t a perfect science and encourages others to embrace the imperfections while continuing to move toward their own ethical goals. She’s quick to share her outfit of the day and tips for adopting less fashion without sacrificing style.
14. Marielle Elizabeth
Taking a stance against size exclusivity, influencer Marielle Elizabeth highlights the struggles of plus-size and not-quite-plus-size shoppers in searching for slow fashion. Making eco-conscious clothing choices means being able to find alternatives in the right sizes. Marielle hopes to influence brands to become more size-inclusive when designing sustainable fashion. Her work has been seen in Vogue, The Cut, Patreon, and other publications as well as her personal content on Instagram.
15. Anna Molinari
Anna Molinari isn’t just one of the top sustainable fashion influencers; she is also the founder of INSTINCT, a sustainable clothing brand that mirrors her own values about fashion. Anna is the OG behind the fashion hashtag #OOTD (outfit of the day) and willingly shares her brand’s styles and her own clothing choices with her followers. She’s been known to share ensembles that have been sculpted from waste to encourage others to give upcycling a try.
Fair-Trade Influencer Campaign Examples
Are you considering creating a sustainable influencer campaign? These fair-trade influencer campaign examples will inspire you:
#GetDressedWithMe Series
Ethical fashion influencer Aja Barber created the wildly popular #GetDressedWithMe series and hashtag. Here, she shows her fans how she ensembles sustainable outfits, matches colors and patterns, and embraces ethical fashion throughout her wardrobe. She also highlights the brands she wears—for example, this post featuring @norblacknorwhite received more than 4,660 likes!
#ThereSheGrows Campaign
Sustainable fashion advocate Stella McCartney recruited the help of influencers with the #ThereSheGrows hashtag campaign. Fans dedicating a tree to the campaign can use the hashtag, which elicits a donation from the brand to the rainforest conservation group Canopy Planet.
Tell Brand Stories Through Influencer Content
The best influencer matches are those where brand values and sentiments align. These are the building blocks of how to build a successful influencer marketing strategy.
Home goods company West Elm partners with ethical fashion blogger Aditi Mayer to showcase that fashion isn’t just what you wear but also how you adorn your home. With clear alignment in personal values, Aditi’s image-rich storytelling adds another layer to the sustainability conversation in an authentic and engaging way.
How to Work with Sustainable Fashion Influencers
Fair trade influencers play a powerful role in raising awareness about sustainable fashion and encouraging others to adopt more sustainable practices. Let’s explore some tips for brands seeking to work with influencers to grow their footprint and heighten awareness.
Find and Vet the Right Sustainable Fashion Influencers
Finding the right influencers with the best fit is crucial for launching a successful influencer campaign. You want to ensure your influencer partners share your values, align with your brand, and can help you get the results you expect.
Many brands look for influencers in a specific niche, then shortlist their options based on audience size. But don’t stop there.
You can also look at their affiliations. For example, do they partner with the same charity shop over and over? Do they belong to any professional organizations? Take some time to get to know your potential influencers before you reach out with a proposal.
Take a Look at Audience Engagement
A large audience doesn’t guarantee more engagement (or more conversions). Instead, focus on engagement in relation to the audience size. An influencer’s following might be smaller, but they’re likely to be more interested in the content the influencer shares.
Tip: The right influencer KPIs will help you look at the best metrics to evaluate your partners.
Follow the Influencers on Social Media
Once you have a few influencers you’re considering, give them a follow on social media. This makes it easy to stay up to date on the content they post. You can start building familiarity with their styles and personalities. This is a great way to see how your brand might fit into their content creation approach.
You can also use Klear to make a formal introduction. Take advantage of the Meltwater influencer marketing suite to spark a conversation and keep it going. Even if you’re not ready to collaborate with an influencer, you can rely on Meltwater to keep tabs on potential prospects and see what prospers.
Review the Content They’ve Created in the Past
Take a look at the content the influencer has created on their various social media channels. Take note of the hashtags they use, the content formats (e.g., IG Live, carousels, single image posts), and how they relate to their brand. See which types of content get the most engagement from their audience. If they have a fashion blog, read a few articles to learn about their styles. Connect as many dots as possible to get an idea of how this influencer can present your brand.
Do All of the Above with Meltwater
Meltwater's influencer management platform makes it easy to find, vet, and connect with sustainable fashion influencers. Find top influencers in your niche, then filter your options based on audience size, platform, engagement, their pricing, and more. And once you find the right influencers to partner with, you can access end-to-end influencer management from a single place.
Want to learn more? Get in touch with Meltwater today:
