Sézane is a French fashion brand founded in 2013 by Morgane Sézalory.

The brand designs chic Parisian-inspired clothing for women and releases four seasonal collections per year, along with small-batch monthly capsule drops.

The brand also creates stylish accessories, including shoes, sandals, bags, and jewelry.

Sézanes collections may look dreamy, but is the reality behind the brand all it seems? We look into the brand and ask, is Sézane ethical and sustainable?

Sézane has improved its use of eco-friendly fabrics; at least 75% of its materials are from sustainable sources.

The main fabrics Sézane uses are; Organic cotton, recycled polyester, and Viscose EcoveroTM.

Organic cotton is a better alternative to conventional cotton as it uses up to 90% less water to irrigate, and is grown without harmful pesticides.

In addition to using sustainable fabrics, a percentage of Sézane’s clothes carry certifications, including:

• GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard Certification ensures materials that carry the certification must have been grown organically, without any toxic chemicals, and in compliance with fair trade labor principles. The most common example is GOTS Certified Organic Cotton.
• Oeko-Tex Certified – The Oeko-Tex certification ensures clothing has been created without harmful or toxic chemicals and is therefore safe for use.

However, it is essential to note that while some of Sézane’s clothing carries certifications, including GOTS and Oeko-tex, not all of its clothes do. For example, as of 2020, only 85% of the cotton Sézane sourced was organic, and only 82% of silk was Oeko-Tex 100 certified.

An improvement for the brand would be to ensure that 100% of the fabrics used are sourced from sustainable sources.

No, Sézane is not a carbon-neutral brand. The brand conducted a carbon assessment in 2019. However, the results of the evaluation are not available to read.

Sézane stated in its 2020 sustainability update that it had lowered the average carbon footprint of a Sézane garment by 22%. The brand hoped to reduce this by a further 10% in 2021. However, Sézane has not yet published its 2021 report.

The brand has implemented initiatives to reduce its carbon emissions, including reducing packaging, implementing a recycling program, and switching to green energy.

We would like to see the 2021 results in relation to its targets.

While Sézane ensures that 100% of its suppliers are audited to check compliance with its code of ethical conduct (BSCI, SMETA, ICS, and WCA audits), the brand does not make the code of ethics public to read.

In the 2020 sustainability report, Sézane gave results of audits in which 0% of its suppliers failed to comply with its code of ethics.

In 2021, the brand was found to have exploited an Indigenous woman in Mexico. Footage showed the brand conducting a photo shoot with the woman, stopping her work in a small craft shop, and having her change outfits and dance for video footage.

Ultimately Sézane did not reimburse the woman for her time or the photographs. In response to the allegations, we feel Sezane didn’t accept responsibility for this and failed to investigate this issue further.

Sézane creates its clothing predominantly in Europe, including France, Portugal, Italy, and Bulgaria. The brand also partners with factories in India and China.

The brand has 100% supply chain traceability in its tier 1 suppliers – however it does not disclose a complete list of its partner factories. The brand only achieved 90% and 30% for its Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers but plans to improve this by 2021.

Sézane doesn’t use animal fur or skins from exotic animals; however, the brand uses leather to create its shoes and accessories.

When looking at the leather, Sézane uses, at least 1/3 of Sézanes’ leather was sourced from LWG-certified tanneries in 2021. However, the other 2/3 are from non-LWG sources.

The brand states that they do not condone animal cruelty; however, we cannot validate that the brand is 100% cruelty-free. Plus, it would be an improvement if the brand used 100% LWG-certified leather.

Overall we rate Sézane a 2.5/5.

Sézane prioritizes using sustainable materials and ensures its partner factories comply with its code of ethical conduct. However, the brand was reported for exploiting an indigenous woman in Mexico, which it did not accept accountability for.

What we like

✔ Sézane prioritizes the use of eco-friendly materials over non-sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, recycled materials (including recycled polyester), and FSC-approved viscose. In addition, At least 50% of the brands’ collection is certified by either GOTS, Oeko-Tex, FSC, or other sustainable certifications.

✔ We also liked that Sezane has 100% traceability over its Tier 1 suppliers.

✔ Another thing we liked was that the brand achieved B Corporation status in 2021, which means it is taking steps to improve its environmental and sustainable production practices and social responsibility.

What we didn’t like

❌ In 2021 the brand exploited an Indigenous woman in Mexico by conducting a photoshoot with her, which she was never paid for. Sezane didn’t accept responsibility around this, and failed to investigate this issue further.

❌ Sézane could improve by ensuring all information is up to date and publishing the latest sustainability report.

❌ We also didn’t like the lack of transparency around its factory list. The brand has 100% Tier 1 traceability, so an improvement would be to publish the list of suppliers for everyone to read.

❌ We would also like the brand to make its Code of Ethics public, so we can see what its partner factories are audited against.

Sézane has a nuber of brick and mortar shops located in the following countries:

France – Paris, Aix-en-Provence, Lille, and Bordeaux

USA – New York

UK – London

Spain – Madrid

If you’re not in any of these locations, you can shop Sezane online. Plus, you can always shop pre-loved Sézane pieces for an affordable price at Vestaire.

If you’re looking for similar sustainable and ethical fashion brands, check out a few of our favorites below.

Amour Vert

Sustainability: Made in the USA clothing using eco-friendly fabrics and ethical production

Best for: Dresses, shirts, workwear

Ships to: Worldwide

Discover Amour Vert

Girlfriend Collective

Sustainability: Sustainable activewear created from recycled plastic bottles

Best for: size-inclusive activewear, loungewear

Ships to: Worldwide

Discover Girlfriend Collective

Reformation

Sustainability: Ethical production practices and sustainable fabrics including recycled materials and deadstock fabrics

Best for: Dresses, denim, tops

Ships to: Worldwide

Button Text

We hope you’ve enjoyed our brand analysis of ‘Is Sézane ethical?’. Make sure you check out our other brand ratings including Girlfriend Collective, Cos, Madewell, Outdoor Voices, Nasty Gal, Romwe, and more!

The post Is Sézane Ethical and Sustainable? Brand Rating & Alternatives [2024] appeared first on Ecothes.

La Roche-Posay is a well-known skincare brand that has been around since 1975. The brand creates a range of products that are touted as being gentle on the skin and suitable for various skin types. There’s something for everybody, from cleansers, to moisturizers, to sunscreens, and specialized treatments.

A large part of the company’s branding is using a science-backed approach and commitment to dermatological research, making them a good option for anyone with sensitive skin or conditions. So far, they’ve conducted over 750+ studies that guide their product formulation.

But for many of our readers, we know that if these studies are done on animals, it’s a deal-breaker.

In this article, we’ll look at the evidence around the brand and show you whether or not the brand’s products are tested on animals.

When a brand is certified cruelty-free, it means that they’re committed to making their products without hurting or testing on animals. 

Instead of subjecting animals to any tests, these brands rely on ethical methods to make sure their skincare is safe for use. There are over 50+ proven tests that don’t rely on using animals, so brands do have access to these if they choose.

To get the cruelty-free badge on products, brands need to do several things.

Firstly, a brand needs to ensure that they don’t test any of their products or ingredients on animals. This includes not hiring any third parties to do it either. 

Then, they have to make sure that the companies supplying them with ingredients also follow these cruelty-free principles. 

When you see a brand using the cruelty-free logo on its products, it means it has gone through these steps to make sure no animals were harmed in the making of their products. So, let’s find out if La Roche Posay tests on animals.

La Roche Posay doesn’t have the cruelty-free badge, which tells us that they are using animal testing at some point in the production process.

The brand is owned by L’Oreal, a parent corporation that still engages in animal testing in 2023, and we can assume that La Roche Posay is most likely following in the parent company’s footsteps.

At one point in time, La Roche-Posay had a statement on its website about animal testing. According to their statement, the company asserted that they don’t test their products on animals unless it is legally mandated. However, they took it down after people began asking questions about the company’s ethics.

What we can take away from that incident is that if La Roche Posay is doing business in a country where the law says they have to test their products on animals before selling them, they’ll go ahead and do the tests. For example, the brand is popular in China, and Chinese regulations require post-market animal testing.

But, it’s not clear whether they have different processes depending on the country of sale.

No, it’s not a cruelty-free company. Lately, the Chinese Government made some changes to its policies regarding animal testing for imported cosmetic products, so there’s potential for future change, but even for companies that are really committed to being cruelty-free, getting an exemption from these tests isn’t easy.

As we haven’t heard anything from La Roche-Posay about whether they’ve managed to secure this exemption or if they’re using it, we have to assume they aren’t and are still testing on animals.

No, most La Roche Posay products are not vegan. The brand also incorporates animal-based ingredients such as Lanolin and honey into some of its products. For instance, in the case of the Toleriane Extension Mascara, it contains beeswax, which is an animal-derived ingredient. This means that this particular product is not vegan. If you have concerns about specific ingredients or product formulations, it’s a good idea to review the product’s ingredient list or contact the company for detailed information about their ingredients and their vegan-friendly options.

Because the term ‘Reef Safe’ lacks official regulation and a clear FDA-defined definition, La Roche-Posay refrains from using this label to characterize its sunscreen formulations.

Nevertheless, it’s important to note that most of La Roche-Posay’s sunscreens adhere to Hawaii Compliance standards, proving that they are crafted without the use of Oxybenzone and Octinoxate.

As well as reef safe, keep an eye out for the marine life logo on select products. This symbol indicates that the formula has undergone testing in collaboration with external organizations such as Tara Pacific and the Scientific Center of Monaco. These rigorous tests have demonstrated that our product has no known harmful impact on marine life.

No, La Roche Posay is not Leaping Bunny certified.

No, La Roche Posay does not carry any cruelty-free brand certifications.

La Roche Posay is not a parabens-free brand. However, you can find parabens-free options on their website for a range of products.

La Roche-Posay is a popular brand, but for people who prioritize cruelty-free and vegan options, there are plenty of alternatives that provide effective skincare without compromising on ethics. Let’s take a look at some of the best options.

We also have full articles on cruelty free moisturizers and cruelty free sun screens, if you want to have a look. 

1. OSEA

Cruelty-free? Yes

Vegan? Yes

Best For: Body Lotion, Cleanser, Moisturizer, Scrubs, Oils, Eye Cream

OSEA (pronounced “oh-see-uh”) is a skincare brand specializing in producing natural and marine-based beauty products. 

Their plant-based, natural products are also fully vegan and contain no animal products. 

One of their signature ingredients is seaweed, specifically algae. Seaweed is believed to have numerous skincare benefits thanks to its richness in vitamins and antioxidants that keep your skin looking its best. OSEA offers a wide range of skincare products, including cleansers, moisturizers, serums, masks, and body care items, designed to address various skin concerns. 

The brand is Leaping Bunny certified, which is a recognized cruelty-free certification.

Discover Osea

2. The Ordinary

Cruelty-free? Yes

Vegan? Yes

Best For: Pigmentation regimen, Multi-Peptide + HA Serum, Moisturizer, Cleanser, Toner

The Ordinary is known for its minimalistic approach to skincare. The company offers a range of cruelty-free, affordable skincare products at fair prices. The brand emphasizes science and clinical formulations in its products, and includes a range of products for different skin types and conditions.

The company doesn’t test on animals, is Leaping Bunny certified, and has been certified vegan by Peta.

Discover The Ordinary

The answer is unfortunately, yes. While the brand has stated its commitment to not testing its products on animals unless required by law, there is no proof that La Roche Posay doesn’t test on animals across the whole brand portfolio.

If you want to read more brand deep-dives, check out our analysis of Nivea here.

The post Does La Roche Posay Test On Animals? appeared first on Ecothes.

They have a trendy website, share viral videos on TikTok, and stock all of the latest fashion trends — so it’s easy to get pulled in.

But, they have a serious lack of transparency around their manufacturing process.

We dug into the brand to see if Cider is a fast fashion brand and whether they’re putting any effort into sustainability. We’ll also look at alternatives to Cider that are worth considering.

Let’s jump in.

Ecothes Opinion: Overall Sustainability Score

We give Cider a score of 0/5.

We sometimes give fast fashion brands a score of .5 or 1 if they’re offering some initiatives such as good recylcing programs or have shown proof that they’re making a positive impact in some way, either through how they treat their workers, or materials they’re beginning to incorporate.

Unfortunately, Cider publish zero information and offer no transparency into their processes, so the only conclusion we can come to is that Cider isn’t ethical.

What is Cider?

Cider is a Hong Kong based fashion brand that creates a huge variety of women’s clothing.

The brand is quick to react to new trends and within days can release new collections and items that match what your favorite celebrities and influencers are wearing.

However, as we all know, producing such a high volume of items comes with a cost.

Is Cider Fast Fashion?

Yes — Cider is a fast fashion brand.

The brand is built on producing cheap clothing that follows the latest trends. It’s common to see them copy trends seen in viral TikTok videos and within days have a new product on the market at a bargain price to capitalize on the trend.

For example, you can buy a blouse for $8 or a dress for $12 — if you browse their items, you’ll see thousands of similarly priced items.

There’s no way that a brand can create clothes at this price in a sustainable way.

After the costs of sourcing ethical materials, paying fair wages, and using a factory that’s SA8000 certified (or similar), there’s no way in which this pricing model could work.

Cider rely on a model where they use low-cost materials, affordable factories, and don’t spend money ensuring any materials or stakeholders in their supply chain are sustainable.

It’s similar to brands like SHEIN, Romwe, and YesStyle in terms of sustainability — which is to say, there are no sustainability initiatives in place and next to zero transparency into how the clothes are made.

What Materials Does Cider Use?

Cider uses materials like:

• Polyester
• Wool
• Nylon
• Cotton
• Viscose

None of Cider’s materials are GOTS Certified or have any other similar sustainability certifications.

Virgin polyester is extremely bad for the environment. It relies on fossil fuels to create and is not biodegradable, meaning it will stick around the earth for hundreds of years after you’re done with it. Recycled polyester is a better alternative, but it still has environmental drawbacks.

However, you guessed it; there’s no sign that Cider clothing is switching to using recycled polyester, and now the brand continues to use huge quantities of virgin polyester.

Is Cider Carbon Neutral?

Cider is not a carbon neutral brand and they make no claims to be carbon neutral. They also don’t have any initiatives to become carbon neutral through offsetting or emissions reduction.

Where are Cider Clothes Made and Does Cider Use Sweatshops?

All of Cider’s clothes are made in their partner factories in China, where they are then shipped straight to buyers.

The brand offers no details on the factories they use, and it doesn’t appear that their factories have any sustainability certifications or worker protection policies in place.

While this doesn’t automatically prove that the factories are bad, brands normally publicize any certifications they have. When we see that they’ve shared no information, it tends to mean there are no certifications or policies in place.

Is Cider Vegan?

Cider is not a vegan brand.

The company uses animal materials like Wool and doesn’t use any sustainable alternatives to animal materials.

We don’t have much more to say here — if you’re looking for a cruelty-free brand, don’t shop from Cider.

Does Brand Have A Clothing Recycling Program?

Cider does not have a clothing recycling program.

Ethical Alternatives to Cider

1. Afends

Sustainability: Natural materials like hemp and organic cotton, plus supply chain transparency so you know where your clothes are made.

Best for: Tank tops, tees, dresses, skirts

Shop Afends

2. For Days

Sustainability: Zero-waste philosophy, clothing recycling program to reduce waste, and uses organic and recycled materials

Best for: Tank tops, jumpsuits, and ethical everyday clothes

Read our full breakdown of For Days’ sustainability here.

Shop For Days

3. YesAnd

Sustainability: Organic and GOTS Certified fibers used, regenerative farming used in supply chain, supply chain transparency, and trees planted for every purchase

Best for: Eco-friendly basics — tops, bottoms, dresses, sweaters

Shop YesAnd

4. Kotn

Sustainability: Certified B Corp, organic materials, and transparent supply chain

Best for: Sustainable minimalist clothing in modern boxy cuts

Shop Kotn

We hope you found our analysis of the brand interesting. Make sure you check out the rest of our ratings of brands like Express, Blushmark, Aritzia, and Emmiol. Plus, discover the worst fast fashion brands to avoid.

The post Is Cider Fast Fashion? Brand Rating + Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.

You’ve probably seen BlushMark clothing ads all over Instagram and TikTok. Like Shein, the emerging clothing brand has garnered a loyal following over the last few years. Which is impressive, considering it was only founded in May 2020.

Their suspiciously wide sartorial range includes everything from a “cute” take on loungewear and “novelty” dresses to jumpsuits, rompers, tops, bottoms, and accessories at an average price of $15! Blush Mark caters to Gen Z, with a target audience of 18-25 yearolds, taking inspiration from viral looks on TikTok and IG, as well as jumping on celebrity trends.

When you enter their website, the oh-too-familiar “Hurry! Items are selling fast” notification pops up. Online-only, super-fast, super-cheap fashion is what this brand is all about, just like other notorious fast fashion brands — but this translates to more than 92 million tons of clothes-related waste each year.

Moreover, 57% of all discarded clothes end up in landfills – meaning Blushmark is a major player when it comes to fashion waste.

As you might expect, we’re not giving Blushmark a high rating. Below, we’ll get into the details of why.

We give Blushmark a very poor sustainability score of 0.5.

Check out our analysis to learn why.

Jump to eco alternatives

Yes — Blushmark is a fast fashion brand. Blushmark’s business model is identical to fast fashion brands such as Shein, Nasty Gal, Express, and Zaful. Their trendy clothes are cheap and easily accessible with extremely fast turnarounds.

For instance, a spaghetti strap top is around $6; their dresses retail for $12 bucks, and Blushmark “offers” go as low as $2.99 per item.

There’s also a “Daily New New” category that gets updated every single day with hundreds of new additions. To put it simply, there’s no way to produce that much clothing at such low prices ethically and sustainably.

This fast turnaround heavily contributes to unequal and unfair pay, exploitative working conditions, air pollution, resource waste, and excessive water use.

Fast fashion often relies on cheap labor from countries with lower labor standards, where workers are paid low wages and forced to work in poor conditions. This has led to numerous reports of worker exploitation and human rights abuses.

Conveniently, the listings don’t include the types of materials, only a vague “stretchy fabric” indication that only means one thing: low-quality fabrics that are quite literally laden with chemicals.

What Materials Does Blushmark Use?

The Blushmark fast fashion model requires the heavy use of flimsy materials to keep their pricing as low as possible. The company primarily uses petroleum-based fabrics (nylon, polyester, and acrylic) known for leaking waste and toxic substances into waterways, soil beds, and groundwater during their production process.

Synthetic dyes have been found in water, underwater sediment, and fish. Unfortunately, researchers believe these substances’ toxicity and pharmacological tendencies are cause for concern. Let’s not forget that synthetic clothing contributes nearly 35% of all the microplastics in the ocean.

Blushmark only uses a small proportion of organic materials such as organic cotton, cork, silk and hemp, and bamboo or recycled materials such as recycled polyester. A tiny portion of their clothing is also made of semi-synthetic fibers or regenerated cellulosic fabrics such as Tencel lyocell and modal. That’s a common greenwashing tactic we see amongst the top fast-fashion retailers.

If that’s not enough, Blushmark uses wool without stating sources which is undoubtedly a concern.

Blushmark is not carbon neutral.

In fact, toxic gasses like carbon dioxide are released every time a new Blushmark item is made, polluting the environment heavily. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any information on initiatives to become carbon neutral through offsetting or emissions reduction. However, they mention that they’ve taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint and promote sustainability by implementing a program to recycle their own clothing and reduce waste.

We personally wouldn’t consider Blushmark is not ethical or sustainable simply because the Blushmark Fast Fashion business model cannot be any of these things due to its fast turnarounds. The company mentions that “Blush Mark brand items are made in China and merchandised and managed by the Blush Mark Design team in LA.” That’s because China and China or other Asian countries like India and Bangladesh have low production costs and offer pennies back to the people who made them.

There’s no clear evidence that BlushMark violates some labor laws, but there is also no evidence against it.

In China, 85% of the population living in poverty live in rural areas. Moreover, fast fashion in China is interconnected with human trafficking, specifically forced labor trafficking. To sustain high production, factories choose illegal child labor, which does violate China’s own labor laws.

At one of the factories, workers get a base salary of 4,000 yuan per month — the equivalent of roughly $556 — to make at least 500 pieces of clothing daily. The result? The country produces 70,000 tons of fashion waste daily.

BlushMark sources its clothing from Chinese manufacturers. However, in a true fast fashion way, BlushMark does not disclose any information about the specific manufacturers. This makes it extremely hard to determine whether or not they follow labor laws.

BlushMark is most likely not cruelty-free. According to their website, BlushMark does not test any of their products or ingredients on animals, and they do not commission any third-party testing on animals. Additionally, they state that they do not sell their products in countries where animal testing is required by law. However, some of their clothing is made of wool. We couldn’t find any sustainability certificates from recognized animal welfare organizations, such as PETA, which has strict criteria for companies to meet to be considered cruelty-free.

1. Amour Vert

Sustainability: Sustainable Materials, Recycled Packaging, Zero-Waste Manufacturing, Made In Small Batches

Best for:  dresses, shirts & blouses

Price range: $$-$$$

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Amour Vert

2. Reformation

Sustainability: Stylish ethical clothing made with sustainable materials and deadstock materials.

Best for: Dreamy Dresses, blouses, and jeans

Price range: $$-$$$

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Reformation

3. Girlfriend Collective

Sustainability: Chic sustainable activewear is made ethically from recycled plastic bottles.

Best For: Cool co-ord sets in dreamy colors, sustainable leggings, and sport bras

Price: $$

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Girlfriend Collective

4. Mate The Label

Sustainability: Nontoxic clothing made in the USA from organic cotton

Best for: Loungewear, jumpsuits

Price: $$

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Mate

5. Armed Angels

Sustainability: Sustainable Materials, circular economy, Recycled materials, uses Renewable energy Member of the Fair Wear Foundation

Best for:  denim, organic underwear & tops

Price range: $$

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Armed Angels

Wrapping Up: Is Blushmark Ethical?

We hope you’ve enjoyed our brand analysis of the ethics of Blushmark. If you’re looking for sustainable alternatives, check out our post on the best affordable, sustainable brands. You can also check out our analysis of Hollister, Banana Republic, Madewell, Aritzia, and Sézane, and a complete list of the worst fast fashion brands to avoid.

The post Is Blushmark Fast Fashion? Brand Analysis + 5 Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.

Hollister Co is a Californian-inspired clothing brand, creating jeans, tops, and shirts for teens and young adults.

American retail giant Abercrombie and Fitch own the brand. Its parent company also owns Abercrombie and Fitch, Gilly Hicks, and Social Tourist.

The brand is famous for its dark-lit stores and casual, carefree clothes; however, is Hollister a fast fashion brand? We answer the question, and more in our article is Hollister ethical.

Ecothes Opinion: Overall Brand Rating

Ecothes rates Hollister a 1.5 out of 5 sustainability score.

This rating is due to the lack of supply chain transparency around working conditions and the lack of low-impact and sustainable materials in its collections.

You can read more information below about why we’ve given Hollister this rating.

Is Hollister Fast Fashion?

Hollister produces large quantities of rapidly rotating seasonal stock from unsustainable materials. As a result, much of this stock ends up discounted in the end-of-season sales.

We would therefore classify Hollister as a fast-fashion brand.

What Materials Does Hollister Use?

The majority of Hollister garments are made from cotton, polyester, and viscose.

To try and introduce more sustainable materials into its clothing range, Hollister states its partnering with the Better Cotton Initiative.

This program educates and supports farmers and cotton suppliers to use less water and harmful chemicals and promote workers’ safety and wellbeing.

Hollister aims to source 25% of all of its cotton by 2025. Introducing more sustainable materials is a step in the right direction; however, this is still a tiny percentage of overall cotton in its supply chain.

We would expect the brand to commit to a more stretching target to drive real change.

Hollister recognizes the importance of shifting to sustainably sourced materials; in a statement on its website, Hollisters spin-off brand Gilly Hicks will be making more styles with eco-friendly materials like recycled fabrics & organic cotton. Again a step in the right direction; however, this is currently just an empty statement until we see real change in its product lines.

Is Hollister Cruelty-Free?

No.

Hollister uses wool, leather, and down in its collections.

Hollister has transitioned to using 100% Responsible Down Standard in its coats.

Is Hollister Carbon Neutral?

No.

Hollister’s parent company, Abercrombie and Fitch, aims to reduce carbon emissions. However, there is no mention that Hollister is striving for a carbon-neutral supply chain in the future.

Does Hollister Use Sweatshops?

Hollister doesn’t disclose information on the suppliers on its website. However, its parent company, Abercrombie and Fitch Co, publishes a list of suppliers and factories but provides no further information around the working conditions, environments, or wages paid to garment workers in its factories.

Most A&F Co. suppliers are based in Vietnam, China and India. You can read the complete list of active factories here.

Abercrombie and Fitch Co. states it audits 100% of its Tier 1 cut & sew factories; however, there is no public information on the factory audit scores. In addition, A&F Co. doesn’t disclose the percentage of Tier 2 suppliers it audits.

Without proof of the working conditions in each of these factories, we can’t say that Hollister doesn’t use sweatshops, has ethical practices, or has an ethical supply chain.

4 Sustainable Alternatives to Hollister

There are many ethical and sustainable alternatives to Hollister, who are doing good for both people and the environment.

Here are a few of our favorites who already prioritize the use of natural and sustainable fabrics and have eco-friendly and ethical supply chains.

If you want to discover more sustainable clothing brands you’ll love our article on the 17 best affordable brands.

1. Pact

Best for: Organic cotton relaxed basic t-shirts, sweaters, and hoodies.

Sustainability: Ethical clothing produced with Fair Trade, organic cotton.

Pact is a sustainable clothing brand focused on creating good quality basics ethically from organic materials.

The brand partners with Fair Trade to ensure workers in its supply chain have safe working conditions and are supported to build sustainable livelihoods and provide additional money to empower and uplift their communities.

Pact uses 81% less water than non-organic cotton by choosing organic cotton. In addition, organic cotton doesn’t use harmful chemicals or pesticides, which means happier, healthier soil.

Shop Pact

2. For Days

Best for: On-trend t-shirts, dresses, sweatshirts, and more.

Sustainability: Circular design model, 100% of products are recyclable. Beam partnership donates 1% of every purchase to a nonprofit.

For Days creates practical, recyclable clothing from organic and recycled cotton and nontoxic dyes.

The brand has launched a closed-loop system, where you send back your old For Days clothes in return for store credit. Your old clothes are then given a new lease of life and recycled into new garments – this allows a move towards zero waste fashion.

For Days clothes have a laid-back, carefree design and are the perfect alternative to Hollister.

Shop For Days

3. Mate The Label

Best for: Organic essentials, from cozy tanks, tees, joggers, and sweats.

Sustainability: A Climate Neutral Certified and 1% for the planet organization, creating sustainable clothes from natural, eco-friendly materials.

Mate is a Los Angeles-based sustainable fashion brand, creating its pieces ethically and sustainably in its LA studio.

Mate is committed to keeping its organic essentials natural and free from any toxic or harmful dyes or chemicals. To do this, Mat uses organic materials and nontoxic dyes to keep their products clean and safe for even sensitive skin.

The brand is plastic-free and has launched a recycling program to take back your old garments and give them new life as another MATE product.

Shop Mate The Label

4. Kitty & Vibe Swimwear

Best for: Eco-friendly swimwear for all shapes and sizes.

Sustainability: Recycled materials, ethical labor, and inclusive sizing.

If you’re looking for an ethical alternative to Hollister’s swimwear range, look no further than Kitty and Vibe.

This inclusive brand is changing the way swimwear should fit, saying goodbye to saggy bottoms and poor fitting bathing suits, and hello to a new swimwear range; you can even take their unique quiz here to see your Kitty and Vibe size.

Kitty and Vibes’ unique, fun designs are made ethically from recycled and sustainable materials.

Shop Kitty & Vibe

Wrapping Up: Is Hollister Ethical?

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the article, and now have the information to make your own decision on Hollister’s ethics.

Take a look at our other brand ratings of brands like Shein, Zara, Blushmark, and Banana Republic.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy reading our guides on sustainable sneakers and sustainable sandals.

Thanks for reading.

The post Is Hollister Ethical? Brand Breakdown and 4 Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.

If you’ve been paying any attention to the latest Tiktok and Instagram hauls, you’ve probably noticed that the fast fashion brand Shein has taken over the feeds of some of the most popular influencers. On TikTok alone, #SHEINhaul videos have garnered close to 8.7B views. 

Shein is an online marketplace founded in 2008 and headquartered in Jiangsu, China. The ultra-fast fashion company offers apparel, beauty, accessories, and home goods. Xu Yangtian, also known as Chris Xu, is the mysterious billionaire founder of Shein. But despite his $23.5B worth, there’s little to know information available about him and his life.  

 In just a few years, the e-retailer from China managed to overtake giants like Nike and Adidas as the most-Googled clothing brand, so much so that Shein went from being a low-cost Chinese clothing brand to a global, online-only fashion giant almost overnight skyrocketing in sales from $10 billion in 2020 to a whopping $100 billion in 2022.

 The business model of Shein is similar to Amzon’s. The e-retail has over 6,000 clothing factories in China working under the label. Each day, between 2,000 and 10,000 individual styles are added to their shopping app. Public Eye’s researchers visited 17 factories that supplied Shein and its parent company Zoetop. And they weren’t the only ones. Over the last few years, several reports have exposed the shocking human rights abuses and environmental issues of the Shein fast fashion business model. 

So what about Shein’s ethical issues? Why is Shein bad for the environment? Does Shein use child labor? Here’s everything you need to know about the fast fashion e-retail brand. 

Ecothes Opinion: Is Shein Ethical?

We rate Shein the lowest possible score of 0/5, and wouldn’t consider it a fashion brand we’d support.

Read our analysis to find out more.

Yes — Shein is a fast fashion brand. 

In fact, along with Boohoo, Pretty Little Thing, Shein has entered a new territory of overconsumption: ultra-fast fashion. This means that their cheap clothing “moves” even faster than fast fashion, with brands releasing new styles weekly or even daily.

For reference, a cami top for $5, a bikini for $12 bucks, and if you are “lucky,” you can run into a flash sale that will allow you to shop items for as low as $1.50. It’s safe to say that there’s no way to produce that much clothing at such cheap prices ethically and sustainably.

Just like Cidedr, Romwe, and YesStyle, Shein chooses low-quality fabrics which are turned into clothing in unsafe and unfair working environments. Shein cannot claim that the materials or stakeholders in their supply chain are sustainable. How could they be with such a high production rate? Shein is inherently unsustainable.

• Polyester
• Nylon
• Wool
• Acrylic
• Cotton
• Viscose
• Exotic animal fur

Shein primarily uses petroleum-based fabrics to keep the prices as low as possible. According to the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), over 346 million barrels of oil are used yearly to make them. The production of this petroleum-based clothing leaks waste and toxic substances into waterways, soil beds, and groundwater.

Shein only uses a small proportion of organic materials such as organic cotton and hemp or recycled materials such as recycled polyester and regenerated nylon. The fast fashion brand also uses a tiny portion of semi-synthetic fibers or regenerated cellulosic fabrics such as Tencel lyocell, modal, and acetate. 

Additionally, Shein uses wool without stating sources. Despite their claims, the e-retail doesn’t appear to have any actual policies in place to minimize the suffering of animals. 

Surprisingly to no one, none of Shein’s materials are GOTS Certified or have similar sustainability certifications.

Shein is not a carbon-neutral brand, and they make no claims to be carbon-neutral. They also don’t have any initiatives to become carbon neutral through offsetting or emissions reduction. It’s estimated the company emits about 6.3 million tons of carbon dioxide every year, wiht no sign of slowing down.

Shein is not ethical or sustainable. All of their clothes are made in their partner factories in China. Until recently, we had no idea about the shocking working conditions, but an in depth new Channel 4 documentary exposes the behind-the-scenes truths at the world’s most popular fast-fashion clothing brand. Untold: Inside The Shein, Machine revealed that workers in both factories worked 18 hours a day, with shifts starting at 8 am and finishing in the early morning. Their monthly payment? 4,000 yuan (approximately £492) to make 500 pieces of clothing per day. That’s 3p per item!

Let’s not forget the “help me” messages reportedly found on the labels of their clothes, which workers most likely left in their manufacturing factories.

The Shein ethical issues list doesn’t end there. The fast fashion brand is literally drenched in controversies. In 2020, Shein was accused of selling offensive and culturally innapropiate items, from Islamic prayer rugs as decorative mats to a jewelery in the shape of swastikas.

SHEIN has also been accused by independant artists and brands of stealing designs without credit, printing cheap copies for a fraction of the price. As it turns out, that $5 cami comes with a huge humanitarian cost.

Shein sources its clothing from various manufacturers and suppliers worldwide, including China, Bangladesh, India, and Vietnam. However, in a true fast fashion way, SHEIN does not disclose the specific manufacturers or countries of origin for each of its products, so it is difficult to determine the exact production location of each garment.

SHEIN does not have a clear and explicit cruelty-free policy. They use wool but don’t carry any certification from recognized animal welfare organizations, such as PETA, which has strict criteria for companies to meet to be considered cruelty-free.

Shein does not have a clothing recycling program. However, if you do have any SHEIN clothing, you can still recycle your unwanted items by donating them to local charities or thrift stores, or by using textile recycling programs offered by other organizations. 

Surprisingly, Shein became a signatory of World Circular Textiles Day, a coalition of brands, suppliers, and other organizations who share a mission to shift the fashion and textiles industry toward full circularity by 2050. This is after they launched a resale destination where customers can buy and sell previously owned Shein products. Many sustainability advocates argue that this is just one of the many sleazy greenwashing tactics of the fast fashion brand – and we can’t help but agree.

We’re reader-supported. The following post contains affiliate links. If you click through a link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission. We only partner with brands who share the same values as we do.

1. Reformation

Sustainability: Stylish ethical clothing made with sustainable materials and deadstock materials.

Best for: Dreamy Dresses, blouses, and jeans

Price range: $$-$$$

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Reformation

2. Pact

Sustainability: Pact is an ethical clothing brand creating garments from GOTS-certified organic cotton

Best for: Dresses, tanks, pants

Price range: $$

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Pact

3. Afends

Sustainability: Ethical clothing created from sustainable and organic fabrics

Best for: Dresses, crop tops, pants

Price range: $$ – $$$

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Afends

4. Organic Basics

Sustainability: High-quality GOTS-certified organic cotton basics made ethically using sustainable production practices

Best for: Sweatshirts, t-shirts, organic cotton underwear

Price range: $$

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Organic Basics

We hope you’ve enjoyed our brand analysis. If you enjoyed this article, and want to discover more ratings, check out our analysis of Nasty Gal, Express, Zaful, and Banana Republic, Blushmark, and a complete list of the worst fast fashion brands to avoid.

The post Is Shein Ethical? Brand Rating & Analysis appeared first on Ecothes.

Fast fashion is a major problem for the environment and workers in fashion supply chains. For example, huge amounts of pollution and waste are created, and workers are often underpaid, overworked, and forced to work in dangerous conditions where they’re exposed to toxic and hazardous chemicals without adequate protection.

The increase in fast fashion brands is fuelling the problems, promoting overconsumption of clothing, and causing irreversible damage to people and the planet.

We’re reader-supported. The following post contains affiliate links. If you click through a link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission. We only partner with brands who share the same values as we do.

Fast fashion is a term that refers to clothing that’s designed in large quantities, sold at low prices to encourage overconsumption, and based on quickly changing trends.

Fast fashion became mainstream in the 1990s with the rise of large mainstream brands like H&M and Zara. Since then, the fast fashion industry has boomed and is now worth over $40 billion US dollars, continuing to grow yearly.

Fast fashion garments have little longevity because they’re made from cheaper materials detrimental to the environment, like polyester or cotton. In addition, fast fashion garments are produced on a mass scale and are often not designed for prolonged use, which means that these items often end up being discarded after the first couple of wears – further fuelling the waste problem.

The fashion industry is the 3rd most polluting industry in the world, accounting for around 8.1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Along with the damaging environmental effects, the fashion industry is notorious for exploiting its garment workers, with around 93% of brands not paying garment workers a living wage and most fashion brands not paying enough to cover their worker’s basic needs.

Fast fashion is also a major contributor to the global waste problem. The industry produces an estimated 100 billion pounds of textile scraps annually, which are often shipped overseas and dumped in landfills, oceans, or incinerated for energy production without any recycling process.

Studies have also shown that 20% to 35% of all primary source microplastics in the marine environment are from synthetic clothing sources.

Although there are many bad fashion brands out there, there is hope. As consumers, we’re changing our buying habits and demanding better social and environmental standards from our fashion brands. There are some great sustainable clothing brands out there that are driving change and creating sustainable fashion.

Below we’ve detailed the worst fast fashion brands to avoid and their sustainable alternatives to support.

Shein is the largest fast-fashion retailer in the United States, taking 28 percent of the fashion market. Shein is an ultra-fast fashion brand, and we would avoid the brand at all costs. The brand is notorious for exploiting its workers, with reports workers are forced to work 75-hour weeks and are paid as little as 3p per garment.

Shein also adds around 6,000 new pieces of clothing to its website daily and retails its clothes for as little as £1.50.

Shein Sustainable Alternatives

Instead of supporting Shein, try Mate the Label – an ethical clothing brand creating its clothes sustainable in Los Angeles, or Omnes – a European sustainable brand creating stylish clothing.

Spanish retailer Zara is considered one of the largest fast fashion brands in the world. The brand churns out hundreds of new items weekly, promoting the overconsumption of clothing.

Plus, Zara uses large quantities of environmentally damaging materials like polyester and cotton. The brand has greenwashing messages and still works with suppliers who don’t have 100% compliance with its code of conduct and wage policies.

Zara Sustainable Alternatives

Instead of Zara, check out brands like Reformation, Amour Vert, and Whimsy + Row, which focus on ethical production and sustainable materials

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H&M is the largest fast fashion brand in the world. The H&M group, which owns Monki, Other Stores, Cos, Arket, and Weekday churns out over 3 billion garments per year, and it was reported in 2019 that the brand had around $4.1 billion worth of unsold clothes.

While the brand is improving its use of sustainable materials, transparency, and social impact, it is still the largest contributor to the massive waste problem we face in the fashion industry.

H&M Sustainable Alternatives

Rather than support H&M, shop from smaller fashion brands using responsible materials like Pact, Nobody’s Child, and Kotn.

Missguided is an online-only retailer famous for creating cheap clothing inspired by the latest trends.

Unfortunately, the brand does not disclose information about where its clothes are produced. In addition, reports say that the brand has left hundreds of garment workers without pay or compensation after canceling ready-made orders post-COVID.

Overall, Missguided is a fast fashion brand we would avoid, and we’ve given the brand a sustainability score of 0/5.

Missguided Sustainable Alternatives

Instead of supporting Missguided, check out sustainable clothing brands Afends, Colorful Standard, and Omnes.

Urban Outfitters is owned by parent company URBN, which also parent sister companies Free People and Anthropologie.

We’ve given the fast fashion brand a sustainability rating of 1/5 because of its lack of transparency and the fact it doesn’t use many sustainable materials.

Along with the lack of sustainability and transparency, there are reports that an Urban Outfitters store fired all its employees and rehired them as agency staff on lower wages…Yikes, not a brand we want to support.

Urban Outfitters Alternatives

Afends, GOODEE (homeware), Pangaia, and Kotn are all great Urban Outfitters alternatives.

Edikted falls into the ultra fast fashion category because the brand creates hundreds of styles of low-quality clothing to follow rapidly changing trends and retails these items for a low price. The brand also heavily markets its apparel online, pushing discounts and sales to encourage its customers to purchase more and more clothing.

Edikted also provides no transparency on whether safe working conditions are met in its factories and provides no evidence, such as certifications or audit scores.

Edikted Alternatives

Instead of Edikted, check out cool sustainable brands like Back Beat Co, Girlfriend Collective, and Afends.

Dolls Kill is right up there as one of the worst fast fashion brands to avoid. The brand doesn’t give any information about the treatment of its workers, and it doesn’t use sustainable materials.

Not to mention the major reg flag statement on the brand’s website, which states that some of its products contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and congenital disabilities or other reproductive harm – not a brand we want to be shopping from.

Dolls Kill Alternatives

If you’d rather make sure your clothes are safe from cancer causing chemicals, or any other toxic chemicals, look out for brands that use fabrics that carry the Oeko-tex label. The Oeko-tex standard ensures products are checked and don’t contain high levels of dangerous materials or chemicals.

Famed by millions of teens worldwide for creating Instagram and tik tok trending fashion, Gen-Z-focused brand Princess Polly is one of the largest growing fast fashion brands in the US, with net sales of $137.4 million US dollars in 2021.

The brand works with factories that currently don’t pay its workers a living wage, and audit reports show that 83% of its factories have failed to meet some ethical and safe working standards.

Princess Polly Alternatives

Try Whimsy + Row for dreamy dresses, skirts, and co-ord sets created ethically from sustainable materials in Los Angeles.

We’ve given Cider a terrible sustainability rating of 0/5. The brand doesn’t publish any carbon emissions information and offers no transparency into its supply chain processes. So the only conclusion we can conclude is that Cider isn’t an ethical brand.

Reports also detail that Cider has been accused of stealing designs from small independent designers like Saturday by Megan Alleby and copying them.

Cider Alternatives

Try brands like Saturday, Afends, Plant faced, and Pangaia instead of Cider.

I Saw it First is a textbook example of a fast fashion brand to avoid.

The brand creates low-quality clothing from unsustainable materials. It holds regular flash sales to create urgency in the buyer, promoting consumers to buy more clothing – leading to the problem of overconsumption of clothes.

I Saw it First Alternatives

Instead of I Saw it First check out Omnes and Reformation for stylish dresses and clothing.

Lulus is a fast fashion brand to avoid because while it has an ethical code of conduct, the brand states also don’t actively participate in checks of its suppliers. This leads us to ask how the brand knows it is not working with sweatshops or unethical factories.

Lulus Alternatives

Why not try Valani or Reformation instead of Lulus.

Boohoo hit the headlines this year after they revealed that Kourtney Kardashian joined the group as a sustainability advisor.

While the brand claims to focus on sustainability, we smell a lot of greenwashing. For example, it was reported that the factories that Boohoo owns in the UK were paying as little as £3.50 an hour (lower than the UK minimum wage), and workers were forced to work in appalling conditions. Boohoo uses large amounts of virgin polyester, a nonbiodegradable material that relies on crude oil to produce.

Boohoo Alternatives

Boohoo is a fast fashion brand to avoid. Instead, check out the UK slow fashion brand Molby the Label, which makes all of its clothing to order.

You may not think of Asos as a fast fashion brand, but the brand is actually fast fashion brand to avoid, and here’s why.

Firstly Asos is one of the largest fashion retailers in the world, its website receives over 70 million monthly hits and in 2021 the brand generated almost £4 billion in revenue. The brand produces clothing on a mass scale, contributing to the global textile waste problem.

Secondly, ASOS doesn’t publish whether clear guidance is in place for their factories. For example, there’s no mention whether workers receive living wages, whether their factories are certified, or if their factories use safe products and dyes in their production processes.

Overall, we consider Asos another fast fashion brand to avoid.

Asos Alternatives

Theres many great ethical online marketplaces out there, offering an alternative to Asos. Our favorites are Made Trade, Urbankissed, and Staiy.

While the brand has set targets to improve its use of sustainable materials, American Eagle still has a long way to go. The brand is a fast fashion brand that doesn’t provide much information around its supply chain. Plus, AEO achieved a poor 16% overall score in the Fashion Transparency Index 2021, a tool designed to hold large clothing retailers accountable for human rights, social and environmental impact, and sustainable production practices.

American Eagle Alternatives

Our top picks for AEO alternatives are Reformation and Amour Vert.

The following fast fashion retailer on the list is Brandy Melville. When we rated this brand, we struggled to find any positives we liked about the brand.

First, the brand has adopted a ‘one size fits all model,’ which can seriously damage the mental health of the young girls it targets.

Secondly, reports of racism and body shaming towards customers and staff are standard at the brand. Add these red flags to the fact the brand isn’t transparent about its factories and doesn’t prioritize sustainable materials, and it equals a fast fashion brand to avoid.

Brandy Melville Alternatives

Instead of supporting the brand, check out alternatives such as Girlfriend Collective and Parade.

YesStyle is a fast fashion retailer that we see as using greenwashing tactics. For example, the brand pushed its YS collection by Yesstyle, which claims garments are made with sustainable fabrics like organic cotton or recycled polyester. However, when we dig deeper, the brand only uses a small percentage of these materials and uses mostly unsustainable materials like cotton or virgin polyester.

YesStyle Alternatives

Pact, Mate, and Graceful District are all sustainable brands using fully sustainable materials across their collections.

While Aritzia is increasing its use of sustainable materials, the brand has a long way to go regarding the transparency of its supply chain. Aritzia scored a poor score of 23% in the Transparency Materials Index 2021 report, which reflects the lack of information given by the brand regarding the factories it works with and the treatment of garment workers in its supply chain.

Aritzia Alternatives

Discover brands like Tentree, United By Blue, or Frank and Oak for ethical fashion.

Express had many red flags regarding worker treatment and environmental protection. Big red flags include the brand’s lack of transparency about where its clothes are made or the audit scores of its supply chain.

Express isn’t doing enough to ensure workers are paid a living wage and instead is compliant in allowing workers to be paid low wages.

Express Alternatives

Discover slow fashion brands like Whimsy + Row and Christy Dawn instead.

Pacsun has a code of conduct in line with international labor standards, stating that its factories must comply with no forced labor, child labor, or excessive hours worked. However, Pacsun doesn’t publish its audit scores, so how can we know that these standards are being met? Plus, Pacsun gives zero information about its where its clothes are made.

Pacsun Alternatives

We recommend Pangaia, Afends, and Girlfriend Collective as Pacsun alternatives.

As well as being a fast fashion brand, when looking through hundreds of reviews of Romwe’s products, there are hundreds of negative reviews regarding incorrect sizing, poor-quality materials, and poor-quality garments. This leads to customers discarding clothing after only a couple of wears, which adds to the textile waste problem.

Romwe Alternatives

Check out UK brand WAWWA and Lucy and Yak.

Nasty Gal is a fast fashion retailer which is now owned by the Boohoo group. Need we say anymore?

Nasty Gal Alternatives

Sustainable fashion brands like Warp + Weft, For Days, and Reformation are great alternatives to Nasty Gal.

Modcloth doesn’t share enough information about its supply chain, making it difficult for consumers to tell if the brand is ethical. For example, the brand didn’t disclose whether workers are paid a living wage and have safe working conditions. Plus, we didn’t find any use of sustainable materials like organic cotton, recycled materials, or Better Cotton Initiative cotton.

Modcloth

Check out thought, People Tree, and Big Bud Press for Modcloth alternatives.

You may not automatically think of Hollister as a fast fashion brand. Still, the brand produces large quantities of rapidly rotating seasonal styles made from unsustainable materials – much of the stock destined for end-of-season sales.

Along with being a fast fashion brand, the brand has been exposed for discriminating against disabled shoppers over ‘inaccessible’ stores and for not being an inclusive brand.

Hollister Alternatives

If you’re looking for sustainable Cali style, check out Back Beat Co, Pact, and Mate The Label.

Zaful releases new styles daily based on the latest fashion trends. The brand has been spotted stealing pictures of products from other brands and using them to advertise its website.

In addition, there is a lack of sustainable fabrics used, and the brand doesn’t give any information about its suppliers, the treatment of workers, or any information on its animal welfare policies. We therefore consider them a fast fashion brand to avoid.

Zaful Alternatives

Instead of Zaful, check out Kitty & Vibe for sustainable swimwear, Wolven for activewear, and Organic Basics for t-shirts.

We rate brands based on the transparent information we can find as consumers. Therefore, we keep the rating simple from a consumer perspective.

When we rate a brand, we’re looking at things like the information given about the treatment of workers in its supply chain, disclosure of where a brand’s clothing is made, whether the brand works with certified factories, and the audit scores of factories. We also use external information like The Fashion Transparency Index by Fashion Revolution and certifications such as B Corp, GOTS, and Oeko-Tex.

In addition, we look at the information given about environmental impacts, such as the use of sustainable fabrics, control of hazardous chemicals, and whether the brand is working to reduce carbon emissions.

We take all of the research we can find as a customer looking to shop from that brand and then give an Ecothes opinion rating; any rating under 3 is a brand we wouldn’t personally support.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our article on the worst fast fashion brands to avoid. If you’re looking for sustainable alternatives, check out our post on the best affordable sustainable brands.

The post 20+ Fast Fashion Brands to Avoid & Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.

Tentree is a Canadian clothing brand founded in 2011 by Kalen Emsley and David Luba. While Kelen was working as a tree planter in Hawaii, David visited, and the two friends became inspired to start a fashion brand that gave back to the planet.

Over a decade later, Tentree is now a household name in the sustainable fashion industry, creating women’s, men’s, and kid’s clothing. In addition, the brand is well known for its tree planting, planting ten trees for every item sold and planting over fifty million trees so far.

But while Tentree is advocating for the planet, we want to know if the same care is given to the workers in its supply chain; that’s why we’re asking the question Is Tentree Ethical?

Join us as we discuss where Tentree’s clothes are made, what materials the brand uses, and whether the brand is using fair and ethical production.

Ecothes Opinion: Is Tentree Ethical?

Overall we rate Tentree a 4.5/5 and consider it a brand we would support.

Discover Tentree

Is Tentree Fast Fashion?

No, we would not consider Tentree a fast fashion brand. The brand creates limited collections that aren’t based on rapidly changing trends. Tentree clothes also receive excellent reviews for quality, meaning their clothes will last and not fall apart like many fast fashion brands’ clothing.

What Materials Does Tentree Use?

Tentree mainly uses sustainable materials in its collections. The brand mainly uses a combination of the following materials:

Tencel – Tencel is a brand of lyocell and modal fibers created through an environmentally friendly process from sustainably sourced, natural wood. Tencel is a sustainable alternative to nylon, cotton, or rayon because its created in a closed-loop process where water and solvents are recycled.

Organic Cotton – Organic cotton is favored over conventional cotton because it’s grown without harmful pesticides or chemicals that pose a risk to human health and the biodiversity around cotton farms. In addition, organic cotton requires less water to grow and process, making it a more eco-friendly material.

Recycled Polyester –Recycled polyester takes existing plastic and transforms it into new rPET fibers. While recycled polyester isn’t biodegradable, it is more beneficial than virgin polyester because it reduces the reliance on crude oil and diverts plastic from landfills and marine environments.

Hemp – Hemp is a great sustainable material; it’s fast-growing, replenishes the soil, and can be grown with little irrigation and without harmful pesticides. Plus, Hemp is a strong, durable fiber and naturally anti-microbial.

Is Tentree Carbon Neutral?

Yes, Tentree is climate-neutral certified, meaning it offsets all of the carbon emissions in its supply chain.

Annually, the brand emits 14,311 tCO2e across its scope 1, 2, and 3 supply chains. However, every year, the brand offsets the equivalent (14,311 tCO2e) through carbon-reducing initiatives like projects that reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and instead increase renewables like solar power.

Along with being carbon neutral, Tentree publishes a goal of reducing emissions across its production processes and includes updated progress towards these goals.

Is Tentree Ethical?

Yes, we would consider Tentree an ethical brand. The brand is a certified B corp, ensuring it meets strict social and environmental standards.

The company has a code of conduct based on International Labour Organization standards. The code states that suppliers must not use any forced or child labor and that workers must have safe working environments with no excessive hours worked.

The brand also specifies that suppliers must pay a living wage and equal pay to workers; however, we don’t know whether this is followed across its supply chain.

Along with having a detailed and transparent code of conduct, Tentree is transparent about where its clothing is made. The brand partners with some factories with certifications such as WRAP, SA8000: Auditing Standard and Certification from SAI (Social Accountability International), Fair Trade, and Fair Wear, but not all of its partners are certified.

Where are Tentree’s Clothes Made?

We often discuss how much information a brand shares as being one of the biggest indicators of whether a brand is ethical – we refer to this sharing of information as brand transparency.

Tentree publishes an accessible list of all its suppliers, including whether they have been audited or carry any certifications.

Tentree manufactures mainly in China, India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.

One point we noticed when looking through all of Tentree’s suppliers was that not all factories have been audited or visited by Tentree.

Is Tentree Vegan and Cruelty-Free?

No, Tentree is not a vegan brand, as it uses some wool in its products. The brand doesn’t use fur, leather, or exotic skins in its collections.

Does Tentree Have A Clothing Recycling Program?

Unfortunately, Tentree doesn’t have an active clothing recycling scheme at present. However, we hope this is something the brand would look towards implementing in the future.

Sustainable Brands Like Tentree

If you already love Tentree but you want to discover a bunch of sustainable brands like Tentree, you can read our post on the best affordable, sustainable brands, or check out our favorites below:

1. Pact

Sustainability: GOTS-certified organic cotton clothing made in Fair Trade factories

Ecothes Rating: 4.2/5

Best for: Casual wear

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Pact

2. Kotn

Sustainability: Canadian B Corp creates sustainable clothing using sustainable materials.

Ecothes Rating: 4/5

Best for: Cotton basics and minimalist fashion

Ships to: Canada, the US & International

Shop Kotn

3. Mate the Label

Sustainability: Nontoxic clothing made in the USA from organic cotton

Ecothes Rating: 4/5

Best for: Loungewear, jumpsuits

Ships to: the US & International

Shop Mate the Label

4. For Days

Sustainability: Zero-waste circular fashion brand creating recyclable clothing from recycled materials

Ecothes Rating: 4/5

Best for: Affordable, sustainable clothing

Ships to: the US & International

Shop For Days

Wrapping Up: Is Tentree Ethical?

We hope you’ve enjoyed our brand analysis. Make sure you check out our analysis of other brands like J. Crew, Reformation, Girlfriend Collective, and Cider.

The post Is Tentree Ethical? Brand Analysis + Brands Like Tentree appeared first on Ecothes.

Wondering is PacSun Fast Fashion? Where are PacSun clothes made, and is PacSun ethical? Well, you’re in the right place.

We’ve taken an in-depth look into the brand to give an overall Ecothes Opinion Rating of PacSun.

Let’s dive in.

About Pacsun

Pacsun is an American retailer founded n in 1980 in California. The brand creates apparel for teens, young adults, and children and operates online and in-store. As of 2022, Pacsun operates 325 stores in the USA and Puerto Rico.

The brand curates and sells clothing from hundreds of other fashion brands, such as Brandy Melville, Essentials Fear of God, Kendal and Kylie, and LA Hearts, as well as its own clothing collections.

Overall Ecothes Opinion: PacSun Sustainability Rating

We give PacSun a poor overall sustainability rating of 1.5/5 stars.

What We Liked:
✔ We liked the pre-worn section of the website, where you can buy pre-loved PacSun clothes.

✔ The brand has also recognized the need to move towards earth-friendly fabrics and uses some sustainable fabrics to form part of its ‘Eco’ collection. ❌ However, this can be seen as a greenwashing tactic as the brand predominantly uses non-sustainable materials in its collections. 

What We Didn’t Like:
❌ We didn’t like the lack of transparency about where its clothes are made. As a result, we’ve contacted the brand for further information on where its clothes are produced.

❌ We also found a lack of information about the brands’ carbon emissions or whether it has any plans to reduce emissions.

Is Pacsun Fast Fashion?

Yes, we would consider Pacsun a fast fashion brand as it produces an extensive range of garments which change regularly depending on the latest trends and seasons. The brand then sells them at a low price, which is often heavily discounted in sales.

What Materials Does Pacsun Use?

Unfortunately, there is very little information about the materials Pacsun uses for its core collections.

The brand has released a Pacsun Eco collection, which features at least 50% of materials from sustainable origins, recycled fibers, or organic materials. However, this is a small selection of the whole Pacsun clothing range.

When looking at reviews of Pacsun products, many customers comment on the poor quality of materials and fit of garments. Unfortunately, using low-quality materials means clothing becomes damaged and unwearable, leading to garments being sent to landfills.

Is Pacsun Carbon Neutral?

No Pacsun is not a carbon-neutral brand, nor does the brand give any information about its carbon emissions or whether there is a plan in place to reduce carbon emissions.

Is Pacsun Ethical?

There is a shockingly low amount of information given by Pacsun about where its clothes are made and the actual working conditions of its garment workers.

The brand has a code of conduct in line with international labor standards and laws, specifying that its factories must comply with no forced labor, child labor, excessive hours worked, and legal minimum wages.

The brand also states that its factories and partners conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with its code of conduct.

However, there is no information on the outcomes of these audits, or whether there are any active noncompliance issues, so we cannot validate whether the brand is ethical.

Where are Pacsun Clothes Made?

Pacsun does not publish a transparent list of its partnering factories, so we cannot give information about where its clothing is made.

Is Pacsun Cruelty-Free?

We could not find accessible evidence of animal-cruelty policy on the Pacsun website.

Sustainable Alternatives to Pacsun

1. Pangaia

Sustainability: Natural materials including hemp, linen, organic cotton

Best for: Sustainable loungewear, t-shirts, sweatshirts

Price range: $$ – $$$

Shop Pangaia

2. Afends

Sustainability: Ethical clothing created from sustainable and organic fabrics

Best for: Dresses, crop tops, pants

Price range: $$ – $$$

Shop AFENDS

3. Pact

Sustainability: Ethical clothing created from GOTS-certified organic cotton

Best for: Dresses, tanks, pants

Price range: $$

Shop Pact

4. Girlfriend Collective

Sustainability: Ethical clothing created from recycled plastic bottles

Best for: Sustainable activewear, sweatshirts

Price range: $$ – $$$

Shop Girlfriend Collective

Is PacSun Fast Fashion – Related Posts

If you enjoyed this article, and want to discover more ratings, check out our analysis of Nasty Gal, Romwe, Zaful, and Banana Republic.

The post Is PacSun Fast Fashion? Brand Rating + Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.

Athleta was founded in 1998 and was bought by parent company GAP inc in 2008. Athleta remains part of the GAP portfolio of brands, including GAP and Acquired by Gap, Inc. The brand is owned by parent company GAP Inc, which also owns popular brands Old Navy and Banana Republic. Athleta retails its pieces online and in-store and has over 200 stores across North America

Ecothes Opinion: Is Athleta Ethical?

Overall we rate Athleta a ‘Could be better’ sustainability score of 3/5. Despite the brand being a B corporation, we feel that it lacks transparency about where its clothes are made and the wages paid to its employees.

Things we liked:

✔ Use of sustainable and recycled materials

✔ The brand works to empower women by giving back to the community

✔ Certified B Corp status

✔ It uses some Fair Trade-certified factories

Things we didn’t like:

❌ No in-depth information about where its clothes are made

❌ No indication of the audit results of its partner suppliers

❌ No indication of whether all of its factories are Fair Trade certified

Is Athleta Fast Fashion?

While we wouldn’t consider Athleta to be in the ultra-fast fashion category like brands such as Shein, for example, we would still consider the brand to be a fast fashion brand as global retailer GAP inc owns it. The brand also produces hundreds of styles of clothing, and despite it using some sustainable materials, it still operates to mass-produce products on a large scale so that we wouldn’t class it as a slow fashion brand.

Who Owns Athleta?

Athleta is owned by GAP inc, an American retailer that owns a portfolio of fashion brands, including GAP, Old Navy, and Banana Republic.

What Materials Does Altheta Use?

Regarding materials, Athleta is leading the way for large activewear brands by using a percentage of sustainable materials in some of its products (around 60% of products).

Athleta uses materials such as organic cotton, which uses less water than conventional cotton and is grown without toxic pesticides.

In addition, the brand uses innovative sustainable materials such as Tencel and recycled fabrics from recycled plastic bottles and recycled nylon.

However, the problem we’ve found is that while the brand has a ‘Conscious collection,’ a large proportion of the brand’s clothing is still made from unsustainable virgin materials. The brand aims to continue to increase its use of more sustainable materials and has a target to source 45% of its polyester from recycled streams by 2025 and use 90% recycled polyester by 2030.

Is Athleta Carbon Neutral?

No, Athleta as a whole is not carbon neutral. GAP published that as of 2021, GAP inc offset 100% of the emissions of Athleta’s company shops in North America by using renewable energy. However, the brand is not carbon-neutral across its supply chains.

Is Athleta Ethical?

While Altheta is owned by GAP, which, unfortunately, has a poor history when it comes to ethical labor, however, Athleta was awarded B Corporation status in 2018, a verification which shows that a brand demonstrates a commitment to a high social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Athleta states that it works with some Fair Trade-certified factories but doesn’t detail whether all its suppliers are certified.

GAPInc has a Code of Business Conduct that it and its suppliers must follow.

However, GAP Inc (Athleta’s parent company) only scored 44% out of 100% in the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index, showing that there is still a long way to go for the brand to be truly transparent.

Athleta also doesn’t pay 100% of its employees a living wage, as the brand reports that less than 75% of Full Time Employees are currently paid a living wage.

Where are Athleta Clothes Made?

Athleta doesn’t give a list of its direct suppliers, but parent company GAP inc provides a transparent list of all Tier 1 suppliers. GAP inc mainly works with suppliers based in China, Vietnam, and India; check out the whole list here.

Is Athleta Cruelty-Free?

The brand doesn’t have an easily accessible stand-alone animal welfare policy (or if they do, we couldn’t find it). Additionally, the brand isn’t vegan as they use wool in some products, and it isn’t specified if the wool used is from certified sources (such as RWS or ZQ).

Does Athleta Have A Clothing Recycling Program?

Although not automatically easy to find on the brand’s website, Athleta has partnered with ThredUp to allow its customers to send back worn or unwanted Athleta pieces to be recycled or reused. So far, with their partnership, 525K Athleta items have been diverted away from landfill and into the recycling program.

Sustainable Alternatives to Athleta

We’re reader-supported. The following post contains affiliate links. If you click through a link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission. We only partner with brands who share the same values as we do.

1. Girlfriend Collective

Sustainability: All of its Activewear is created from recycled materials

Best for: Size-inclusive brand creating workout leggings, sets, and loungewear

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Girlfriend Collective

2. Wolven

Sustainability: Climate-neutral brand creating activewear from recycled plastics

Best for: Patterned workout sets, loungewear

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Wolven

3. Summersalt

Sustainability: Brand using ethical production and sustainable materials

Best for: Size-inclusive Activewear

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Summersalt

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our opinion into the brand. We also have lots more brand ratings to discover, like Nasty Gal, Express, Aritzia, Emmiol, and more!

The post Is Athleta Ethical? Brand Rating & Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.

Patagonia’s mission statement sums it up: “We’re in business to save our home planet”.

Patagonia was founded in 1973, and since then, has been creating high-quality, durable, and functional clothing, apparel, accessories, and luggage.

The brand is also outspoken about supporting environmental action and using the power of their business to drive positive change.

In this article, we’ll look at the ways in which Patagonia is pushing their sustainability agenda forwards, the materials the brand uses, worker treatment, and ask the ultimate question, is Patagonia ethical?

If you want to learn more on Patagonia’s website, visit it here.

Let’s dive in.

Ecothes Opinion: Patagonia Sustainability Rating

We give Patagonia a great rating of 5/5 stars, and see it as a brand we would support.

Shop Patagonia

Yes, we consider Patagonia to be an ethical brand. In summary, Patagonia is a great brand if you’re looking to support a sustainable brand.

Let’s take a look at the facts:

• Patagonia is a Certified B Corp – this means Patagonia must meet strict standards of social and environmental production practices.
• Patagonia donates 1% of sales revenue to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment and has done so since 1985.
• Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard, founded the nonprofit, 1% For The Planet
• The brand offers lifelong guarantees and will repair and recycle all old Patagonia clothes to reduce waste
• The brand is transparent about their environmental impact and progress
• The Patagonia Action Works program helps connect environmental groups with supporters
• Patagonia partners with Fair Trade factories to create its products.

As a B Corp, Patagonia received a B Impact Score of 151.4. The score takes into account factors such as:

• Labor practices
• Materials
• Community initiatives
• Overall environmental impact. 

The requirement to be labelled a B Corp is 80, so clearly Patagonia are doing well to receive a score of 151.4.

While the B Impact Report isn’t always perfect, it does act as a good barometer for sustainability so it’s good to see Patagonia performing so well.

Naturally, no apparel company will ever be truly sustainable, as the act of manufacturing is not completely sustainable, even if there are initiatives to offset the emissions and harm done.

Patagonia is transparent about their history, and you can view a detailed timeline of how the brand has continuously improved on their labor practices and ensured every worker is treated as fairly as possible.

The company is also a founding member of the Fair Labor Association® which acts as a third-party body that regularly audits the labor practices in Patagonia’s supply chain.

The company is also well-known for being one of the first companies in the US to launch an on-site childcare program to help families avoid having to face financial struggles due to childcare costs.

No, Patagonia is not a fast fashion brand. While the brand is a global brand, creating large amounts of products and stock, the business does not operate on a fast fashion business model.

Instead, Patagonia creates its products ethically from more sustainable materials and retails them at a higher price point, reflecting the products’ quality and supply chain practices.

Patagonia use a variety of sustainable and eco-friendly materials, including:

• Regenerative Organic Certified Pilot Cotton
• Recycled fishing nets
• Recycled polyester (and other recycled materials)
• TENCEL
• Hemp

Every item of clothing or equipment is clearly labelled so you know exactly what goes into each garment.

Patagonia is also aiming to be a completely carbon neutral company by 2025, offsetting all of the emissions created in their production process. 

Recent data shows that Patagonia’s emissions per year amount to approximately 230,000 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions.

95% of those carbon emissions are generated during the supply chain process — from growing crops to create the materials, to shipping, to warehouse operations.

They offset this using renewable energy, switching to low-emission materials and dyes, as well as using their shipping data to improve the efficiency of product shipments to customers.

Almost 50 years after Yvon Chouinard founded a small rock climbing company, which became one of the world’s biggest outdoor brands, the Patagonia founder has furthered the company’s responsibility and commitment to protecting the environment by giving his company to planet earth.

Well, in a statement on their website, the Patagonia founder stated they were ‘going purpose’ rather than going public.’

The landmark move, which now means the Chouinards no longer own the company, transfers 100% of the company’s voting stock transfers to the Patagonia Purpose Trust and 100% of the nonvoting stock transfers to the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting the environmental crisis and defending nature. 

Rather than shareholders receiving money from shares, the funds will be sent to these two trusts and distributed as dividends to help fight the climate crisis.

The transfer of ownership of the company doesn’t mean that Patagonia has become a nonprofit organization, though. The brand remains a for-profit business and a certified B Corp. However, Patagonia will use the profit left over after reinvesting directly to help fight the environmental crisis, protect nature and biodiversity, and support thriving communities.

Click here to visit Patagonia’s website to learn more.

The post Is Patagonia Ethical? Patagonia Gives Company To Planet Earth appeared first on Ecothes.

We’ll ask the question and take a deep dive into the brand to see what materials the brand uses and whether it is ethical.

Let’s jump in.

Ecothes Opinion: COS Sustainability Rating

We rate COS a 2.7/5 overall. The brand is taking steps in the right direction, but improvements could be made around disclosing more information about its factories.

What we liked:

✔ The brand prioritizes using sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled cotton, and recycled polyester over virgin materials.

✔ The brand has some transparency surrounding its supply chain.

✔ The brand has targets for reducing GHG emissions. However, these targets are yet to be met.

What we didn’t like:

❌ We felt the lack of transparency around workers’ wages and working conditions fell short of the transparency we expect in a truly ethical brand.

❌ COS is part of the H&M group, which is notorious for fast fashion.

Cos is a clothing brand creating contemporary minimalist collections for mid-range prices. The brand is part of the H&M group, with parent company H&M owning popular retail brands including H&M, Other Stories, Monki, Arket, and Cos.

While Cos is part of the H&M group, its products have a more luxury feeling, and the brand feels more ‘premium’ than H&M.

While we wouldn’t consider COS to be a fast fashion brand itself, the brand is owned by the H&M group, which is one of the most notorious fast fashion brands in the world.

On a brand level, COS doesn’t follow the same fast fashion model as H&M. As COS doesn’t sell its products for a low price, its clothing is generally well made from sustainable materials.

Overall, we wouldn’t consider COS an ultra fast fashion brand (like H&M or Zara), but we wouldn’t consider them a slow fashion brand either, as the brand produces many different styles in every collection, and they’re owned by fast fashion giants H&M.

While I’ve bought COS clothes in the past, and think they’re genuinely well made and last for years, the fact they’re part of the H&M group does put me off supporting the brand.

The H&M group publishes a brand sustainability report which covers all of its brands, including COS. The group targets 100% of its materials to be recycled or sustainably sourced by 2030. In 2021, 80% of H&M group’s materials were sustainably sourced or from recycled sources, an increase of almost 16% from the previous year.

Overall, COS uses sustainable and recycled materials for most of its collection.

The sustainable materials COS currently uses are:

• Organic Cotton
• Recycled cotton
• Cupro
• TENCEL™, Modal
• Recycled polyester
• Recycled wool

No, COS is not a carbon-neutral brand. Cos’ parent group H&M is transparent about carbon emissions and has targets to reduce its GHG emissions, including its electricity, energy, and water footprints. However, the brand isn’t actually on track to meet its water reduction targets by 2022.

One thing we like about COS and the H&M group is its transparency. H&M scored the second highest score in the 2021 Fashion Transparency index with an overall score of 68%, down slightly from 73% in 2020.

However, while being transparent is a great step in holding brands accountable for their production practices, transparency doesn’t always equal sustainability.

While the brand publishes a transparent list of its 602 factories, it doesn’t give additional information about the audit scores surrounding the working conditions or wages of these factories. In addition, it has been reported that H&M fell short of its pledge to provide all garment workers a living wage in 2018.

An improvement we’d like to see is the group taking it a step further to publish audit results of its factories and a transparent list of garment workers’ wages.

However, the brand is working to reduce the use of harmful chemicals in its supply chain to protect workers and the environment, with 95% of its suppliers involved in the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) programme.

While the H&M group publishes the full list of its suppliers, it doesn’t detail which factories produce garments solely for the COS brand.

H&M manufactures in over 602 factories worldwide, with most of its suppliers based in China, Bangladesh, and Turkey.

Find the complete list of H&M suppliers here.

H&M states they have strict requirements for materials of animal origin, such as wool, leather, or down.

While the brand doesn’t use fur, exotic skins, or angora wool, COS collections often feature other animal-derived products such as leather and wool.

The wool and cashmere used in COS knitwear carry certifications such as RWS (Responsible wool standard) and the GCS (Good Cashmere Standard).

COS only has recycling points in Austria, Poland, Spain, Italy, France, Sweden, Denmark, and The Netherlands as part of its recycling program.

The brand does have a resale platform where you can sell your pre-loved COS clothing online.

While COS does use sustainable materials, more can be done by the brand to ensure ethical labor, safe working conditions, and fair wages for its workers.
Check out a few of our favorite sustainable brands similar to COS.

1. Filippa K

Sustainability: Sustainable materials, ethical, transparent supply chain, resale platform

Best for: Minimal clothing, dresses, blazers, co-ords

Ships to: Worldwide

Discover Filippa K

2. Ninety Percent

Sustainability: Natural and eco-friendly fibers, ethical production

Best for: Dresses, suits, tops

Ships to: Worldwide

Discover Ninety Percent

3. Kotn

Sustainability: Responsible cotton and ethical production, small collections

Best for: Cotton basics

Ships to: Worldwide

Discover KOTN

4. Reformation

Sustainability: Climate-neutral certified brand using recycled and natural fibers, including deadstock fabric. Ethical and certified labor in the USA & Asia

Best for: Dresses, Denim

Ships to: Worldwide

Discover KOTN

Related Posts: Is COS Fast Fashion?

Continue to discover if other brands are actually fast fashion like Sezane, Banana Republic, Hollister, Nasty Gal, and Girlfriend Collective.

The post Is COS Fast Fashion? Brand Rating Plus Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.

Are you wondering is Express fast fashion? Then you’re in the right place.

As we need to reduce our consumption and consumer habits, many of us are now changing the way we shop, choosing smaller sustainable brands over large fast fashion brands.

That’s why we ask the question Is Express fast fashion? We discuss brand ethics, materials, and where its clothes are made.

Express Inc. is a large American retailer founded in 1980 in Chicago. The brand creates men’s and women’s clothing, and over the past 40 years, the brand has expanded rapidly, operating online and in over 500 stores across North and South America.

Ecothes Opinion: Express Sustainability Rating

We give a terrible rating of 1/5 for Express, and we would consider them a brand we wouldn’t support.

We’ll discuss more below!

What We Liked:

❌ Unfortunately, there was nothing we found which we liked about Express.

What We Didn’t Like:

❌ A big red flag from the brand is the lack of transparency about where its clothes are made or the audit scores of the factories it works with.

❌ The brand also isn’t doing enough to ensure workers are paid a living wage and instead is compliant in allowing workers to be paid low wages.

❌ Another point we didn’t like was the greenwashing behind the brand’s ‘conscious edit’; the brand is deceptively coming across as environmentally friendly when the brand overall is not.

Is Express Fast Fashion?

Yes, Express is considered a fast-fashion brand. As a result, we see the retail giant creating thousands of styles that change based on rapidly changing trends.

We see the Express website adding 100s of new styles regularly, which leaves the brand selling off old stock for a discounted price (As shown in a snippet below taken from the Express website).

The fast-fashion model is detrimental to the environment; it encourages customers to consume more clothing, ultimately ending up in landfills or incinerated. Plus, because the brand creates thousands of styles that they may not sell, this also means more textile waste.

What Materials Does Express Use?

Worryingly, Express uses a low amount of sustainable materials. Instead, the brand opts for polyester, nylon, and cotton materials. Unfortunately, these materials are environmentally damaging as polyester and nylon rely on crude oil and are not biodegradable. In addition, while cotton is biodegradable, cotton uses vast amounts of water to produce and is often grown and harvested in countries where low wages and forced labor are common.

The brand has released a ‘Conscious Edit’ consisting mainly of products created from ‘blended fabrics’ which feature a percentage of recycled polyester or recycled nylon… It smells a lot like greenwashing to us.

Greenwashing Red Flag

Taken from the Express website, a note about the brands ‘Conscious Edit’, when the brand isn’t taking serious steps to prioritize the use of sustainable materials across its collections.

As part of the brand’s sustainability goals, Express hopes to source 20% of fabrics sustainably and produce 75% of its denim range sustainably – not good enough if you ask us.

Is Express Carbon Neutral?

Nope, Express is not Carbon neutral, nor does the brand give any information on its greenhouse gas emissions or whether the company is even bothering to reduce them.

Is Express Ethical?

Again, the lack of transparency around the factories Express works with is worrying.

The brand has a short and general ‘Code of Conduct’ available to read (which took us a longggg time to find), which all partner factories must adhere to.

Express states that factories are audited annually, and more regular audits may occur in countries with a known high risk by the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking In Persons Report.

The brand is not championing a living wage for its garment workers. The Express code of conduct specified ‘Suppliers shall ensure that workers are paid wages equal to the minimum wage prescribed by local law or the prevailing local industry wage, whichever is higher. Therefore Express is allowing workers in less economically developed countries to be paid a low salary.

Where are Express Clothes Made?

Express says they source clothing from all over the world… they don’t give any details of which countries or factories it works with – a big red flag regarding ethics and transparency.

The brand simply says that items are ‘imported,’ but we want to know where from.

Is Express Cruelty-Free?

The brand states it doesn’t use alpaca wool. However, Express does use other wool and states that their wool is from non-mulesed or recycled sources. When researching, though, we couldn’t find any mention of any responsible wool certifications such as Z.Q., RSW, or GRS.

Does Express Have A Clothing Recycling Program?

Nope, Express doesn’t have or actively promote a clothing recycling program.

One initiative the brand does have is a clothes rental system. Of course, renting clothes is a good way of reducing your consumption; however, there are many great rental programs out there from brands that are way more ethical and sustainable than Express – Rent The Runway, for example.

Sustainable Alternatives to Express

1. Reformation

Sustainability: Ethical production, climate-neutral brand creating stylish, sustainable clothing from recycled materials

Best for: Dresses, Denim, Shirts

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Reformation

2. Amour Vert

Sustainability: Sustainable fabrics, recyclable packaging, tree planting

Best for: Blouses, Dresses, Casual Wear

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Amour Vert

3. Whimsy + Row

Sustainability: Stylish slow fashion brand creating clothing made in Los-Angeles from responsible fabrics

Best for: Dresses, Occasion wear, Shirts

Ships to: the U.S. & International

Shop Whimsy + Row

4. Christy Dawn

Sustainability: Ethical brand creating dreamy dresses from regenerative cotton and deadstock fabrics

Best for: Dresses, Jumpsuits

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Christy Dawn

5. United By Blue

Sustainability: Certified B Corp and climate-neutral certified brand creating sustainable clothing for men and women.

Best for: Casual wear

Ships to: The U.S. & International

Shop United By Blue

Related Posts: Is Express Fast Fashion?

If you enjoyed this brand spotlight and are curious to see if other brands are fast fashion, check out some of our other guides, including Hollister, Banana Republic, Blushmark, Madewell, Aritzia, and Sézane.

As always, let us know if you have any questions in the comments below!

The post Is Express Fast Fashion? Brand Analysis + 5 Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.

That’s why we ask the question Is American eagle fast fashion? We discuss whether the brand is ethical, its materials, and where its clothes are made.

Let’s jump in.

American Eagle is a clothing retailer creating laidback men’s and women’s clothing and accessories.

Founded in Pennsylvania in 1977, the brand has grown to become one of the largest retail brands in America, with its clothing available in its 1,000 stores worldwide and online.

American Eagle is currently owned by the parent company American Eagle Outfitters® (AEO), which also parents sister company Aerie.

American Eagle has introduced the use of some sustainable materials into its collections like organic cotton, recycled cotton, and BCI cotton. In addition, the brand has also started to introduce some recycled polyester.

While the introduction of some sustainable materials is great to see, there are still improvements AEO can make.

When we initially researched AEO, the company aimed to source 100% of its cotton from sustainable sources by 2023 (this includes recycled, organic, and BCI cotton). In 2020 the brand only achieved a meager 26% from sustainable sources and hadn’t yet published the data for 2021.

We went back to their sustainability goals page in January 2024, and the 2023 target has now been removed, instead, stating: “All cotton used in products will be 100% more sustainably sourced”. This doesn’t inspire confidence in us that the brand is on track to shift to a more sustainable model.

On the other hand, the brand still uses large amounts of polyester in its clothing. Even though the brand has pledged to use 50% more recycled polyester, the plastic synthetic material is not biodegradable and will stick around the planet for hundreds of years.

No American Eagle is not carbon neutral.

The brand plans to be carbon-neutral in its offices, stores, and distribution centers by 2030 and reduce GHG emissions by 40% in all manufacturing facilities.

While it’s great to see a brand putting forward these targets to reduce carbon emissions, there is no indication from the company on whether it is set to meet its targets.

It would be an improvement if AEO were more transparent about its current carbon emissions in relation to its carbon-neutrality goal.

American Eagle does have a Code of Ethical Conduct, which its factories must adhere to. The brand also states that factories are audited and visited annually by the AEO team to ensure standards are met.

However, one caveat with this is that American Eagle doesn’t disclose scores from these audits, so we cannot verify if all of its factories meet its ethical code of conduct or whether there are non-conformances within its supply chain.

In addition, AEO states that it encourages its suppliers to pay a living wage but does not demand this as a standard in its code of conduct.

AEO achieved a poor 16% overall score in the Fashion Transparency Index 2021, a tool designed to hold large fashion brands accountable for human rights, environmental policies, and sustainable production practices.

Overall, the lack of transparency surrounding AEO, which includes audit scores and factory lists, makes it difficult to determine if American Eagle is ethical or is hiding behind CSR jargon used as a tool for its stakeholders.

AEO manufacturers its clothing in 300 factories in more than 20 countries worldwide.

One issue we have with the brand is that it doesn’t disclose a list of these factories. AEO fails to provide factory-specific information about pay, working environments, or other important attributes for workers’ safety and treatment in each factory.

American Eagle doesn’t tolerate animal cruelty within its design, manufacturing, or testing stage.

The brand also excludes the use of fur, endangered skins, Mulesed wool, animal testing, and Angora wool in its products.

The brand still permits leather, alpaca, and down, but these must carry responsible sourcing standards, including the Leather Working Group and Responsible Down standards.

American Eagle has implemented a recycling system within its stores to recycle old denim. The “Blue Jeans Go Green” initiative is a collection program turning old jeans into home insulation.

American Eagle has also partnered with the Give Back Box initiative, where customers can print a free returns label and donate their pre-loved clothes to charities.

Ecothes Opinion: Overall Sustainability Score

We give AEO an overall poor sustainability score of 2/5. We consider it a fast fashion brand we’d avoid.

What we liked

✔ We like that the brand is introducing more sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled cotton, and sustainably sourced cotton into its collections.

✔ We also liked that the brand actively participates in recycling initiatives and has a plan to reduce carbon emissions.

What we didn’t like

❌ We didn’t like the lack of transparency around its manufacturing partners.

❌ We also didn’t like that the brand doesn’t disclose a list of its suppliers and doesn’t disclose its supply chain traceability or audit scores, so it is difficult to check whether American Eagle is creating all of its clothing ethically.

❌ Although we liked the targets the brand has set around reducing its carbon emissions, we don’t like the fact the brand is not disclosing its progress on these targets.

While American Eagle is talking about improving its use of sustainable materials and ethical sourcing, there are brands out there who are creating genuinely sustainable clothing.

Check out our favorite sustainable alternatives to American Eagle:

1. Reformation

Sustainability: Carbon-neutral brand creating sustainable clothing using natural and recycled fabrics and ethical production.

Best for: Denim, tops, dresses

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Reformation

2. Afends

Sustainability: Ethical production, supply chain transparency, natural and biodegradable fibers

Best for: Dresses, t-shirts

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Afends

3. Pact

Sustainability: GOTS-certified organic cotton created in Fair Trade-certified factories

Best for: tank tops, dresses, pajamas, underwear

Ships to: Worldwide

Read our breakdown of Pact’s Sustainability initiatives here.

Shop Pact

4. Amour Vert

Sustainability: Zero-waste design, sustainable fabrics, and tree planting

Best for: Casual wear and dresses

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Amour Vert

To find out if those other popular fashion brands are really fast fashion and ethical, check out our other brand ratings, including Banana Republic, Nasty Gal, Lulu Lemon, Pacsun, and YesStyle.

The post Is American Eagle Fast Fashion? Analysis & Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.

Emmiol is a new retailer on the scene, founded only in 2020, and the brand has grown in popularity thanks to its budget friendly clothes and keeping up with the latest trends.

Although Emmiol touts a sustainability plan and has launched its ‘Green Day’ every month, we’re asking, “Is Emmiol Fast Fashion?.” In this article, we’ll analyze the brand’s information and see whether the brand is making a change or whether the brand is greenwashing.

Let’s jump in.

Yes, Emmiol is a Fast Fashion Brand. Despite the brand’s efforts to greenwash its customers into believing it is committed to sustainability, we think that Emmiol is a fast fashion brand, and here’s why.

The brand sells its clothing for low prices, with tops selling for lower than $10. The problem with selling clothes for cheap is that it raises questions about whether the people making the clothes are paid a living wage. Plus, selling clothes for low prices and having regular flash sales are tactics that brands use to encourage customers to buy more items. Unfortunately, more items and overconsumption of clothing mean more waste and carbon emissions.

Secondly, Emmiol has thousands of styles of clothing available to buy. While the brand says it holds a limited amount of stock to prevent waste, the fact that it currently has over four thousand women’s styles doesn’t exactly scream slow fashion to us.

Lastly, while combing through Emmiol reviews, we found hundreds of terrible reviews mentioning low-quality clothing and poor customer service. Low quality is one of the main reasons we’re throwing away our clothing more than ever – with over three hundred thousand tonnes of clothing ending up in household bins in the UK every year.

Despite Emmiol’s apparent greenwashing claims that it’s expanding its sustainable fibers to include hemp, linen, and recycled cotton, we weren’t impressed at the brand’s transparency around its materials. We searched for these ‘sustainable fibers’ on the brand website and unfortunately found very few products containing said fibers.

On the other hand, we did find thousands of styles made with unsustainable fibers like cotton and polyester. A simple search on their website shows over three thousand styles are made with polyester (with no mention of whether recycled polyester is used).

Polyester seriously damages the environment; it relies on crude oil to produce and requires large amounts of energy to create. Plus, polyester isn’t biodegradable as it’s plastic, so it will hang around for thousands of years.

No, Emmiol isn’t a verified carbon-neutral brand and doesn’t publish transparent figures for its carbon emissions. The brand claims on its website that it is offsetting carbon through tree planting to become carbon neutral – however, unless backed up with transparent data, we cannot tell if the brand is actually carbon neutral.

We’d like to see the brand publishing its Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and give its customers an update on how it plans on becoming carbon neutral to back up its claims.

No, we wouldn’t consider Emmiol to be an ethical brand because we feel they don’t provide enough transparent information.

The brand doesn’t have a readable code of conduct that its suppliers must follow, and they also don’t specify whether workers in its supply chain are paid a living wage.

On top of that, the brand says that the criteria for its sourcing partners must include a tier 1 transparency list, but they need to look past Tier 1 suppliers to truly be ethical.

Unfortunately, the fashion industry is notoriously exploitative for workers in supply chains, and we need to have transparent information or transparency of where the brand is sourcing its clothes to know whether the brand is using ethical labor.

The brand doesn’t indicate whether its factories are certified or whether they visit the factories to audit and check the working conditions.

Unfortunately, Emmiol doesn’t provide transparent information about where its clothes are made, which is a major red flag for us.

Again, you may be unsurprised to know that Emmiol doesn’t have any transparent information about its animal welfare policy. For example, the brand doesn’t use leather or fur on its website, but we can’t verify whether the brand uses any animal-based glues or other animal-derived materials.

No, Emmiol doesn’t have a clothing recycled program.

Overall we give Emmiol a sustainability rating of 0.5/5.
While the brand is donating money to tree planting (only one day per month) and say’s they’re using more sustainable materials, we see absolutely no proof that the brand is taking serious steps to become what we would consider a sustainable brand.
In addition, we found the lack of transparency from the brand around its code of conduct and suppliers was extremely poor.

What we liked:

❌ Unfortunately, we didn’t find anything we liked and thought the brand was sending strong greenwashing messages.

What we didn’t like:

❌ The lack of transparency around where its clothes are made.

❌ Emmiol does not indicate whether it audits its suppliers or has full supply chain traceability.

❌ Limited use of sustainable materials.

❌ Major Greenwashing Vibes.

Rather than shop from a fast fashion brand like Emmiol, there are a ton of great affordable, sustainable fashion brands out there that are creating cool styles without harming people or the planet.

Below, we’ve picked out our favorite sustainable and ethical alternatives to Emmiol.

1. Kotn

Sustainability: Ethical clothing brand with a minimalist style using responsibly sourced cotton.

Ecothes rating: 4/5

Best for: Streetwear

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Kotn

2. Afends

Sustainability: Y2K and Gen-Z clothing brand using sustainable materials like hemp, organic cotton, and linen

Best for: Dresses, tops

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Afends

3. Colorful Standard

Sustainability: Brand creating organic cotton essentials ethically from GOTS-certified organic cotton

Best for: t-shirts, hoodies, sweats

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Colorful Standard

4. Lucy & Yak

Sustainability: Sustainable fashion brand creating organic and ethical clothing from organic cotton and recycled materials

Best for: Dungarees, Denim

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Lucy & Yak

5. Plant Faced Clothing

Sustainability: Vegan clothing brand creating clothes from organic cotton and recycled polyester

Best for: t-shirts, hoodies

Ships to: Worldwide

Shop Plant Faced Clothing

Overall, yes Emmiol is a fast Fashion brand in our book. If you’re surprised by this brand rating and want to find out if other brands are also fast fashion, check out our guide on the worst fast fashion brands!

Plus, you can check out a whole range of brand ratings like Target, Express, Missguided, I Saw it First, and more!

The post Is Emmiol Fast Fashion? Brand Analysis + Alternatives appeared first on Ecothes.