Sustainability was a dominating issue during 2020 and 2021.
For proprietors of brands that wasn’t new. Strong brands have been sustainable since forever. And the products are defined by a longer lasting lifecycle.
Your fountain pen from Montblanc is for life, as are the Hermes scarves, and Louis Vuitton bags.
The watches from Omega, Chopard, Patek Philippe, TAG Heuer, Breitling, etc. are passed on to the next generation. The booming market for vintage watches in 2020/21 is proof of sustainability and the underlying product and brand worth. The same is true for Steiff and Lego toys.
Zippo offers a lifetime warranty. It does not get any more sustainable.
The strongest automotive brands like Ford, VW, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Toyota are defined by their longer lifecycle and higher resale value. While Tesla is all about sustainability.
And even in ‘consumables’, the products from strong brands last longer. You can wear Levis jeans for years. The same is true for Hugo Boss suits, Stetson hats, shoes from Alden, Church or Sperry, the Ferragamo ties, and Polo Ralph Lauren tennis shirts (aka “Polos”)
It comes as no surprise, many of the younger brands originate in workwear. Where longevity and sustainability matter. Examples are Carhartt, Wellensteyn, Eberhard Strauss, just like Levis originally.
If the trend towards more sustainability at consumer level lasts, brands will enjoy a a very bright future.