Gen Z is embracing homesteading over shopping—how brands can adapt

As Gen Z prioritizes quality over quantity and experiences over possessions

By Erin Nadel
Ad Age
November 05, 2025

Modern consumerism is exhausting. The endless pressure to buy more—more clothes, more gadgets, more of everything—is leaving people anxious, unhappy, and burned out. Financial, emotional, and even physical stress are the price tags of this cycle. No wonder calls for change are getting louder, especially from Gen Z.

Everywhere you look, young consumers are pushing back. They’re rejecting high-consumption lifestyles, posting de-influencing videos and urging peers not to buy new just for the sake of it.

Instead, they’re embracing underconsumption—a quiet but powerful shift from “look what I bought today” to “look how I’m using what I already have.” At the center of this movement is something unexpected: the homestead lifestyle.

This isn’t the trad-wife or cottagecore cliché—women in floral dresses and expensive wellies filling jars of homemade pickles while rosy-cheeked children frolic in wildflower meadows. Modern homesteading is not a premium version of quiet quitting to the countryside; it’s a deliberate rejection of consumerism and a desire to live differently. And it’s happening right in the heart of American cities, even among those with no backyard or allotment to call their own.

Though the term recalls the Homestead Act of 1862, today’s urban homesteading is less about land ownership and more about reclaiming self-sufficiency—a mindset that reimagines the values and habits of past generations as a counterbalance to modern life’s relentless pace.

Urban homesteading is about reclaiming simplicity amid chaos: slowing down, eating sustainably and rediscovering self-sufficiency without leaving the city.

With urban farming on the rise, many Gen Z-ers are transforming rooftops, balconies and community plots into thriving green spaces. They’re growing food, composting waste and reconnecting with what they eat—not as a trend, but as a lifestyle.

They want a simpler existence, but not an isolated one. They may go off-grid, but not offline. Tutorials on YouTube, reels on Instagram and TikTok how-tos are fueling this new wave of modern homesteaders.

On Reddit, the r/homestead community—where users swap tips on canning, composting and beekeeping—has more than 3 million followers, placing it among the top 1% of subreddits. (That’s just shy of Taylor Swift fandom numbers—and ahead of Tesla’s.)

Technology, too, is enabling this shift. Remote work frees aspiring homesteaders from city constraints, letting them rediscover self-sufficiency without leaving urban life.

So, what does this mean for brands? If Gen Z stops shopping and starts making, where does that leave businesses built on consumption?

The answer: Act with purpose and authenticity. Brands must move beyond slogans to demonstrate real commitments to sustainability, transparency and local impact.

As Gen Z prioritizes quality over quantity and experiences over possessions, brands stay relevant by creating meaningful experiences, fostering community and offering products with real purpose.

When Starbucks revived the ritual of writing names and notes on coffee cups, some dismissed it as a corporate gimmick. But when IKEA hosted clothing swaps and furniture exchanges—encouraging reuse while keeping the in-store experience alive—the move landed more genuinely with younger audiences.

Brands that focus on local production and smaller carbon footprints will find an audience among homesteaders. Self-sufficient or not, they still need to shop, but they’re choosing brands that share their values.

Companies can evolve by creating eco-conscious product lines, supporting circular economies and celebrating repair, reuse and craftsmanship.

Homesteading even opens niche markets: tools, seeds, compost systems, solar panels — practical products with purpose that meet this generation where it lives.

Whether the movement lasts is an open question. But amid political instability, economic anxiety and environmental uncertainty, it’s easy to see why the homestead lifestyle feels like a welcome escape.

In a recent Homesteaders of America survey, 52% of respondents said “government unrest and policies” inspired their journey. For brands paying attention, that’s more than a statistic; it’s a signal. The shift toward consuming less isn’t a fad; it’s a redefinition of what matters.

Brands that empower Gen Z to live with intention—rather than exploit trends—won’t just survive underconsumption. They’ll define it.

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Source: https://cityfarmer.info/gen-z-is-embracing-homesteading-over-shopping-how-brands-can-adapt/