INSIDE THE FASHION INDUSTRY - Ethical Material Sourcing: What Emerging Designers Really Need to Get Right

In the fashion world today, ethical (and sustainable) sourcing isn’t just a buzzword, it’s becoming a business imperative. As someone who works closely with designers, I’ve seen firsthand how decisions about materials, suppliers, and supply chains can make (or break) both sustainability credentials and a brand’s bottom line.

Emerging designers need to pay attention to this topic now more than ever! Global supply chains are under pressure due to material shortages, shipping delays, rising costs, and volatility in the price of sustainable fibers. Smaller brands often have fewer buffers in their budgets and less leverage with suppliers, meaning that a delayed shipment, a price spike, or a shortage in certified fabrics can directly disrupt production schedules, inflate costs, and hurt margins. Ethical and sustainable sourcing is not just a values-based decision, it’s now a core business consideration, affecting cash flow, budgeting, and your ability to deliver collections on time.

None of this information should be new to you… this is obviously not the first blog that I’m writing about material sourcing! But since this topic has (literally) been one of the most important part of product development and directly affects your business plan (now more than ever), let’s take a closer look at why material sourcing, along with a real-world example of a brand doing it well, and practical takeaways you can apply today.

The Stakes: Why Material Choices Matter More Than Ever

Consumer expectations are shifting rapidly. More people are insisting on transparency, lower-impact fabrics, and ethical labor practices. If you can’t clearly tell them where your materials come from, what they are, or how they were produced, you risk losing trust.

At the same time, global regulations around environmental impact, chemical use, workers’ rights, and traceability are increasing. Emerging brands are often more exposed if they try to cut corners.

The tension between cost and scale has never been higher! Sustainable materials often cost more, take longer to source, and require smaller MOQs. For emerging designers working with tight budgets, these factors directly influence overall costs, inventory management, and your ability to meet production timelines. But when approached strategically, sustainable sourcing can create higher margin potential, build brand differentiation, and foster long-term resilience.

Nobody’s Child (UK, 2023‑2025)

One emerging brand that has stood out for ethical sourcing is Nobody’s Child, based in London. For their Spring/Summer 2023 collection, over 95% of their products were made from organic, lower-impact, or recycled fabrics. This includes fibers like TENCEL™, ECOVERO™, organic cotton, and recycled wool (FashionUnited).

Rather than buying off the rack, Nobody’s Child worked directly with mills to source these materials. This gave them greater control over both quality and traceability. Their pricing strategy shows a careful balance: dresses start at around £70, making them accessible while still maintaining ethical sourcing standards (The Guardian).

They also use recognized certifications such as the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Recycled Claim Standard (RCS), and collaborate with suppliers like Lenzing for fibers like ECOVERO™, giving credibility to their sustainability claims (Bustle).

What Worked and Challenges Faced

Nobody’s Child’s approach had a strong impact. Their material claims resonated with the market and gained press coverage. Direct mill relationships allowed them to improve quality and transparency, while keeping prices relatively accessible helped them maintain market reach.

BUT, there are challenges! The claim of over 95% responsible fabrics requires careful scrutiny: the mix of recycled, organic, and conventional materials varies, and small discrepancies can affect consumer trust. Working with mills directly involves higher costs, minimum order quantities, and longer lead times. For emerging designers, these factors directly affect supply chain reliability, overall costs, and budget planning. Forecasting becomes critical to avoid overstock, cash flow issues, or delays in launching collections. Even with accessible pricing, margins are thinner, and scaling ethically can be more difficult than sourcing standard materials.

Despite these challenges, the outcomes are encouraging. Nobody’s Child has grown its wholesale network to more than 300 partners globally and secured investment support. They’re expanding product categories while keeping ethical sourcing central and experimenting with circularity initiatives such as rentals, pre-loved programs, and transparent packaging (The Guardian).

Practical Lessons for Emerging Designers

From working with many designers and seeing cases like Nobody’s Child, here are the practices that make a real difference when doing ethical material sourcing:

1. Start with a materials audit: understand what you currently use: suppliers, fabrics, certifications, costs. Identify where you can swap in lower-impact or certified alternatives without compromising design or quality.

2. Build strong, direct supplier relationships: instead of relying on middlemen, work directly with mills or producers who align with your values. This improves control, trust, and communication while enabling small batch flexibility.

3. Certify and document: use recognized standards (GOTS, GRS, RCS, OEKO‑TEX) and communicate them clearly. Customers care, and documentation prevents accusations of greenwashing.

4. Strategically select product mix and pricing: decide which pieces carry the cost of premium materials. Feature best selling pieces as ethically sourced while balancing with cost-efficient basics. Pricing should reflect the story so consumers perceive value.

5. Plan for lead times, delays, and margin buffers: sustainable and organic materials can be unpredictable. Build buffer times, budget for fluctuations, and forecast conservatively. For emerging designers, failing to do this directly impacts supply chain reliability, total costs, and your budget planning.

6. Communicate clearly and transparently: share material origin, certifications, and environmental impact. Transparency builds community trust and brand credibility.

7. Scale responsibly: as you expand into new categories, maintain sourcing standards. Growth should never compromise your ethical commitments!

Ethical material sourcing is challenging for emerging designers, with costs, logistics, and supply chain risks. But when done right, it becomes a strategic advantage: stronger brand loyalty, reduced risk, and alignment with the future of fashion. Nobody’s Child shows that ethical sourcing can be central to your brand’s story without pricing out your audience.

For emerging designers today, paying attention to ethical sourcing is not optional - it directly affects supply chain reliability, production costs, and budget planning! Making smart choices now will save time, money, and stress, and will set your brand apart.

I work with many designers, guiding them through material sourcing - from fabric choice and supplier relationships to certifications, pricing, and transparency planning. To learn more about how to work with me, you can schedule a free 30‑minute strategy call here:

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