Can Black Friday and Sustainable Fashion Co-Exist? – Vogue Summary

Overview

Black Friday and Cyber Monday represent crucial retail periods, often accounting for a significant portion of brands’ annual revenues. However, these discount-driven events also symbolize rampant overconsumption, posing a challenge for sustainable fashion brands committed to ethical production and environmental responsibility.

The Commercial Reality

• Significant Revenue Impact: According to WooCommerce, 73% of merchants report that Black Friday and the holiday shopping season comprise over 20% of their annual revenue. For 28%, this rises to 30-50%, and for 8%, over half of yearly earnings depend on these sales.
• Consumer Behavior Shift: Cost of living pressures have reduced discretionary spending and luxury indulgences, but shoppers still hunt for deals while becoming more conscious about authenticity and sustainability.

Brands Grappling with the Dilemma

• The Discount Trap: Anna Woods, founder of resale brand Positive Retail, highlights that constant discounting erodes product value and trains consumers to expect frequent sales. This practice undermines long-term industry sustainability.
• Reluctant Participation: British brand Not Basics participates in Black Friday reluctantly to “stay in the race,” framing discounts as an opportunity to encourage purchases of sustainable, natural fiber products rather than unnecessary items.

Data-Backed Opportunities for Sustainable Brands

• Around 20% of consumers plan to shop more sustainably during the 2025 holiday season.
• Many brands see sustainable product offerings during sales as a way to build loyalty and pull customers away from fast fashion’s cycle of disposability.

Diverse Brand Strategies Explored

1. Christy Dawn – Entry Point via Accessible Price

   • Releases a simplified, lower-cost version of their bestselling Dawn dress made from organic cotton at $99 (instead of usual $198).
   • November saw 44% new customers (vs. 30% average), with new orders up 121%.
   • Offers a wider 30% off sale to clear excess stock but emphasizes introducing quality sustainable apparel to new buyers.

2. Everlane – Philanthropy and Transparency

   • Combines Black Friday discounts of up to 70% with the Black Friday Fund that supports environmental and social initiatives.
   • Donations total over $1.57 million to date, including $50,000 to a regenerative cashmere project fighting land degradation in Mongolia.
   • Uses the day’s visibility to reframe the narrative from overconsumption to positive impact.

3. Veja – Rejecting Sales in Favor of Repair

   • Has not participated in Black Friday sales since 2017.
   • Instead launched “Repair Friday,” offering free repairs on sneakers from any brand to discourage waste.
   • This initiative aligns with their Clean, Repair, Collect project, addressing environmental harm from overproduction and waste exportation.

4. Asket – Complete Black Friday Shutdown

   • Since 2017, the Swedish brand entirely closes its website and stores on Black Friday to take a firm stand against discount culture.

Conclusion

While Black Friday’s consumerist nature conflicts with sustainable fashion’s ethics, several brands demonstrate possible pathways to coexistence. These include leveraging the sales period to introduce new customers to sustainable options, coupling discounts with philanthropy, promoting product longevity over turnover, or opting out to foster industry-wide reflection. Ultimately, the challenge lies in balancing financial viability with conscious consumerism, a tightrope that brands like Christy Dawn, Everlane, Veja, and Asket navigate through varied and innovative strategies.

Source: Vogue Business, November 2025

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