Should Influencers Be Setting Sustainable Standards?

By Flora Hutchison

In an era when TikTokers, Instagrammers, and YouTubers are all becoming some of the most influential figures in our society, particularly for younger generations, should we be holding them accountable for the standards they are setting? It's a complex issue, particularly considering that some of the most-watched figures these days are teenagers who still have a lot to learn themselves. However, in a time in which the climate crisis is imminent, and younger generations really are the best hope we have at making a sufficient enough change in order to reverse the detrimental effects of climate change, it seems we are not in any position to allow the endorsement of anything other than a sustainable lifestyle.

    That said, one of the most important parts of the collective move towards sustainability is allowing people to make that transition imperfectly along the way, rather than insisting upon an unsupportable lifestyle out of fear of being unable to exist in perfect sustainable equilibrium overnight. However, for someone who in a position of influence, it is perhaps more important that at least their public content attempts to endorse sustainable, independent brands, rather than focusing only on collaborations with and purchases from high street fast fashion brands. 

   Here I want to focus on Youtube and TikTok in particular. One of the biggest trends seen on these platforms, alongside ASMR and Mukbangs, now seems to be the ‘haul’. People seem to really enjoy the curiosity of seeing what YouTubers buy to stock their wardrobes, but often this trend only promotes fast fashion at its worst. These videos tend to consist of different sections within one big haul, each inevitably from some of the biggest names in fast fashion. Not only are these videos endorsing these sites and encouraging viewers to buy the same items, but also, no doubt,at least half of what's being shown will end up in a landfill, or stuffed in the back of a wardrobe, never to be worn again.

    In a time when small, independent businesses are majorly struggling, it's truly important now more than ever to prioritize the promotion of smaller, lesser-known sustainable businesses, rather than succumbing to sponsored advertisements for fast fashion brands that, considering the major statistics of online shopping at the moment, hardly have any kind of advertising need.

     On the other hand, TikTok has arguably allowed some smaller brands to gain recognition, educated users on the dangers of fast fashion, both sustainably and ethically, and spotlighted plenty of fashion-minded TikTokers who share thrifting tips, upcycling tutorials, and gifted items from smaller sellers.

    Overall, social media and sustainability have a tricky relationship, because of the power of influencing. When used in the right way, social media can inspire thousands of viewers to thrift or mend their own clothes, but when used wrongly, only encourages more money to be poured into the fast fashion industry, and more clothing into landfills. And this is really only the tip of the iceberg, without a full consideration of the ethics of working conditions and wages behind thes brands. The fickle yet influential nature of the social media industry shows just how important it is that we do indeed hold influencers accountable for their content, as even the slightest change can have the biggest impact on their millions of viewers, and that kind of influence is exactly of the magnitude we need to begin reversing our present climate crisis.