Digital Market Behavior Toward Sustainable Fashion: Case Study of Spanish Influencers on YouTube

What is this article about?

This article explains how top Spanish female fashion influencers on YouTube promote sustainable clothing brands through haul videos, and how this impacts audience engagement. Castillo-Abdul, Romero-Rodríguez, and González-Carrión analyze 15 haul videos from influencers Dulceida, Grace Villareal, and Marta Riumbau using a quali-quantitative content analysis approach.

Why is it important?

This research shows that although influencers collaborate with eco-friendly brands, they rarely disclose sustainability information, limiting their impact on consumer awareness. The findings call for clearer disclosure in influencer marketing and stronger brand commitments to transparency and circular economy practices.

Key Findings

1. High visibility but low sustainability disclosure

• Influencers mention brands but don’t explain their sustainable practices.

• Example: Dulceida promotes H&M’s Conscious Denim line but omits context.

2. No link between sustainability and engagement

• Videos featuring sustainable brands don’t necessarily have more views, likes, or comments.

• Audience engagement is not influenced by whether a brand is eco-friendly.

3. YouTubers act as brand ambassadors

• Videos often include multiple direct links to featured products.

• Collaborations with H&M, Bershka, Mango, and Primark are frequent.

4. Circular economy and influencer marketing converge

• Platforms like Vinted are rising in popularity and partner with influencers to drive secondhand fashion.

• Brands benefit from influencers’ reach to promote recycling, upcycling, and sustainable consumption.

Methodology

• Sample: 15 haul videos from 3 leading YouTubers

• Analysis tools: content review and audience interaction metrics

• Metrics evaluated: views, likes, dislikes, comments, outbound links

FAQs

Q: Are Spanish fashion influencers promoting sustainability?
A: Partially. While they feature eco-brands, they often don’t explicitly communicate sustainability values.

Q: Do sustainable fashion videos get more engagement?
A: Not necessarily. Popularity depends more on influencer status and style than on eco-content.

Q: What should brands do differently?
A: Require influencers to disclose environmental commitments and integrate educational messaging.

Q: Is this greenwashing?
A: In many cases, yes. Marketing outweighs sustainability substance, risking misleading claims.