With more than 46.1 million views and growing, #underconsumptioncore is the latest trending hashtag on TikTok. Influencers are pushing back against haul videos and even the app's shift to shoppable videos and ad-driven content. They're discussing the cost per wear of clothing, how to reuse or repair garments, and how to live more frugally in the face of environmental and economic headwinds.
“It’s a pretty perfect storm of different consumer concerns,” said Emily Gordon-Smith, content director and head of sustainability at trend analysis firm Stylus.
Not only are consumers battling inflation and feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, but there is also a growing unease about the environmental impact of the fashion industry, as well as personal health concerns. “Then you overlay that with something like #underconsumption – a TikTok-ism – and suddenly it becomes a trend.”
The hashtag follows last year's “de-influencer” movement, which saw influencers discuss what wasn't worth buying, and January's “loud budgeting,” which encouraged people to be clear and explicit about their financial limits rather than trying to keep up with fashion trends. “Underconsumption-core” started trending in mid-July and is part of this broader movement.
“The term 'underconsumption' is somewhat polarizing because it would mean having less than you need. But what it really means is that consumers are moving toward having just enough,” she said.
Gordon-Smith names brands such as the British direct-to-consumer label Rise & Fall and the Swedish brand Asket, which offer luxury items at fair prices, produce according to demand and also offer customers a high degree of transparency regarding their production costs and value.
Outside of #underconsumption, some influencers dismantle or take apart items to analyze what they are made of. “We have seen prices being ripped apart. The aspect of transparency is becoming more and more important as consumers want to know and are actually interested in what the true value of [an item].”
It's not just inflation. As prices for luxury goods have risen – by 52 percent in Europe since 2019, according to data from Stylus – there is growing resistance from customers to helping fashion companies achieve record profits.
“People are really annoyed by the price increases and are starting to save and spend their money differently,” she said.
“We see that younger consumers in particular are questioning the benefits of shopping or 'retail therapy' and asking themselves: 'What are other ways to achieve better mental and emotional wellbeing? Buying a new dress doesn't really solve the problem.' And that taps into the [Gen Z] approach to consumption,” said Gordon-Smith.
While a catchy hashtag may appeal to Gen Z, Stylus' data shows that spending spans both age and socioeconomic groups. They've also found increased interest in crafting, secondhand shopping and flea markets – trends that show no signs of slowing down.
Cue “Too Many” from secondhand marketplace Vinted, which put clothing consumption in the spotlight. The videos featured people dragging handbags behind them, buried under piles of hats, or hiding under excess outerwear to highlight consumers’ full wardrobes.
“What if you actually had to wear all the things you have? It's such a silly question, but visually it was inspiring and creative,” said Vinted creative director Emma Sullivan. They based their creative approach on a UN study that showed that people buy about 60 percent more clothes today than they did 15 years ago.
The advert aired in parts of Europe earlier this year but spread like wildfire outside of its original markets, garnering over 100 million views across platforms. It was clear that the message was resonating.
Vinted’s “Too Much” advertising campaign on the topic of excessive consumption.
Courtesy of Vinted
“What we're seeing from our side is just a movement toward more conscious consumer behavior,” said Sullivan. This includes buying more durable pieces or trying new styles instead of throwing things away.
“It’s all connected in that second-hand items offer people great value for their wallet, their style and their environment,” she said.
Sullivan noted that two-thirds of Vinted members' closets are made up of more than a quarter second-hand clothing, according to the company's latest Impact Report. “That's a clear sign that the makeup of people's closets is changing,” she said. “So we have a lot of positive signals that tell us this is really here to stay and not just a flash in the pan.”
The company will launch the next edition of the campaign in the UK later this month and roll it out to other markets later this year.
Influencer Shelby Orme, whose #underconsumptioncore videos went viral on TikTok, has followed trends through several phases, from Marie Kondo-style minimalism to the de-influence movement to this moment of underconsumption.
Some of this is clearly due to TikTok's algorithm and app updates.
“Now it feels like I have an ad every few swipes of my finger,” she said, noting that individuals' mixing of products and brands within their personal content creates an even more pronounced “double ad” effect.
With the launch of TikTok Shop last September, the app's atmosphere has also shifted from the sense of community that emerged during the pandemic to a sense of consumerism, Orme claimed.
Data from research firm Disqo released earlier this summer shows that the type of content produced on the platform today has changed compared to just a few years ago, partly due to the integration of ads alongside videos created by influencers.
“The de-influence trend of the past year was a direct response to the shift from your 'For You' page to where you see people, relate to them and learn things, to where now it's suddenly like scrolling through Amazon. People are tired of being marketed to 24/7,” Orme said.
This week's slogan may have already evolved to “very conservative, very conscious” clothing, but the overall movement is likely to have a longer-lasting effect on social media – and the real world.
“I think the 'underconsumption core' itself will be a short-lived trend, assuming the economy recovers,” Orme said. “But I hope it makes more people aware of why consuming less is good for your mental health, your wallet and also for the planet.”
