August 15, 2019 – Sourcing Journal – Somewhere between being called the Boomerang Generation (because a lack of finances meant they had to move back in with their parents) and Trophy Kids (because they were rewarded not for accomplishments, but for simply showing up), millennials have managed to grow up, get jobs and enter into parenthood. And the values and concerns they picked up along the way, such as climate change and sustainability, are shaping their choices when they shop for their kids’ clothes.

When surveyed about 20 challenges facing society that most concerned respondents on a personal level, climate change/protecting the environment/natural disasters topped the list, according to the Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2019.

Because of these concerns, brands should note that 42 percent of millennials say they have “begun or deepened a business relationship because they perceive a company’s products or services to have a positive impact on society and/or the environment,” according to the Deloitte survey. Additionally, more than one-third (37 percent) said they have lessened or actually ended a business relationship because of a company’s ethical behavior; conversely, 36 percent started/deepened a relationship because they believed a company was ethical.

“Sustainability is definitely a concern for our shoppers, and because of it they like natural fibers,” says Susan DeGhett, owner of Over the Moon, a 37-year-old children’s wear shop in Montclair, N.J. The store sells clothes from baby sizes to size 14 for girls and 10/12 for boys. “They like organic cotton, but it’s expensive so we sell more of the regular cotton. They want what’s soft and comfortable, especially for boys.”

Read more at the Sourcing Journal.