Buying vintage and bespoke is great, but when you do need to buy off the rack, start with a few UK brands making sustainable and affordable garments

Last year, in the interest of sustainable fashion, I joined a pledge only to buy five new pieces of clothing. Despite thinking of myself as someone who doesn’t really shop, I found the restriction a real chore. Unless you’re buying vintage or spending a fortune, the dilemma of how to engage in the fun and newness of fashion without contributing to its environmental footprint is, it turns out, nearly universal: data in a new report reveals 74% of people want to dress more sustainably but most don’t know how to go about it.

The report – released by multi-brand retailer Zalando and GlobeScan – found that 41% of consumers find sustainable garments too expensive and 27% say they are hard to identify. It’s little wonder sustainable fashion remains plagued by vague claims, convoluted supply chains and a call-out culture that’s left brands reluctant to promote initiatives to customers on the lookout for greenwashing.