Second-hand shopping and responsible fashion take the spotlight in Kolsquare’s latest UK rankings, while niche labels compete with high-street names on TikTok
Second-hand marketplace Vinted and independent label Damson Madder are gaining ground in the UK’s fashion influence rankings, highlighting the growing visibility of alternatives to fast fashion, according to new research from influencer marketing intelligence platform Kolsquare. Vinted climbed 16 places from 33rd to 17th in the UK Instagram ranking compared with H1 2025, generating £12.04 million in Earned Media Value (EMV). Damson Madder rose 15 places from 65th to 50th, with £5.87 million in EMV from content by 921 creators.
It also climbed eight places to 19th among UK-born brands. The independent label sets out responsible-fashion ambitions in its published impact report and says more than 92% of the cotton it used in 2025 was organic or recycled. Its rise, alongside Vinted’s, puts responsible fashion and second-hand shopping among the businesses attracting substantial influencer attention.
On TikTok, niche graphic T-shirt brand In Print We Trust demonstrates how a specialist label can compete with household names. It ranks 12th with £5.02 million in EMV from 542 pieces of content by 52 creators, ahead of NEXT, PrettyLittleThing and River Island.
Fast fashion still leads
Fast fashion also retains a powerful presence. Zara leads Instagram with £62.84 million in EMV, followed by ASOS on £57.28 million and Primark on £39.41 million. Primark tops TikTok with £26.09 million.
Performance varies between Instagram and TikTok. Despite topping the Instagram league, Zara ranks eighth on TikTok with £6.85 million, while ASOS is fifth with £9.27 million. Activewear labels DFYNE and Gymshark take second and third, with £18.22 million and £12.90 million respectively.
The findings show growing Instagram visibility for resale and an independent label with responsible-fashion ambitions, alongside strong niche-brand performance on TikTok.
Quentin Bordage, CEO and founder of Kolsquare, says:“Vinted and Damson Madder’s Instagram gains show that resale and independent labels with responsible-fashion ambitions are earning significant influencer attention. On TikTok, In Print We Trust demonstrates how a niche brand can compete with established retailers. These results give alternative fashion businesses a story to tell, even while fast fashion remains dominant. They are encouraging signs of visibility.”
Surprising results Scandi-influenced Gudrun Sjödén recorded the biggest climb among brands in the UK Instagram Top 100, rising 1,254 places to 69th. Lemonade Dolls climbed 646 places to 71st, while Urban Outfitters’ European account rose 135 places to 23rd. On Instagram, boohooMAN dropped 28 places to 49th, Arket fell 35 places to 73rd and Vanquish Fitness slipped 57 to 80th.
On TikTok, Desigual recorded the biggest climb among brands in the UK Top 100, rising 348 places to 81st. Salomon fell 40 places to 94th, Pandora dropped 63 to 98th, and Weekday slipped 69 to 93rd.
ENDS
