Fast Fashion Disguised: Sustainable or Just Expensive?

by Ava Killbourn

Gucci factory in Florence

For the sustainable consumer, there are a few big names in the fast fashion industry that are instantly recognizable. Industry giants like H&M, Shein, Forever 21, Boohoo and Fashion Nova have been extensively dissected by fashion bloggers and watchdogs; their rock-bottom prices, obscure supply chains, fast turnover and poor quality make them easy to identify. While these brands experience increasing critical attention, flying under the radar are a great number of brands who may not meet all four criteria but nonetheless inflict equal damage on the environment and the workforce. Brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Anthropologie and Free People are typically perceived as high-end; their prices can be astronomical, and their clothes appear well-made and long-lasting. For even the most conscious consumer, these brands present fewer red flags on the surface.  

Unfortunately, high prices and a well-curated brand image do not necessarily equate to sustainability. The 2021 Fashion Transparency Index (FTI) listed Abercrombie & Fitch, Anthropologie and Free People at an abysmal 11-20%. Although prices and reputation of these brands might suggest they are taking the appropriate steps to ensure an ethical supply chain, this is grossly misleading. Anthropologie has no certifications for labour standards to ensure living wages in their supply chain, not to mention their use of hazardous chemicals. Free People is known for their wandering, free-spirit vibe but, like Anthropologie, have no labour standards and do not publish their suppliers. They went angora-free in 2016 but still use leather, wool and exotic animal hair from unspecified sources. Abercrombie & Fitch, and its subsidiary Hollister, have experienced backlash in the past for their exclusionary practices but are now making a tentative comeback. To their credit, A&F reports that their greenhouse gas emissions have decreased from 128,830 metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2019 to 84,710 metric tons in 2020. However, their supply chain is still largely obscure, scoring 6-10% in the traceability category of the FTI. 

Fashion Transparency Index 2021 Final Scores

Although luxury brands are not, by definition, fast fashion, they are also not consistently ethical or sustainable. Dior, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, and COACH barely break 21-30% on the FTI. Chanel has a 0% traceability rating. Gucci has been accused of labour violations and inhumane working conditions in Chinese factories as far back as 2012. In Know The Chain’s 2021 Apparel and Footwear Benchmark Report, luxury brands were reported among the poorest performers, often failing to challenge forced labour or investigate exploitation in the supply chain. Prada and Hermes shared an equally depressing 0/100 score for workers’ rights. With Prada offering $100 million in dividends to its shareholders in 2021, Know the Chain suggests that poor performance on these indexes of ethicality and sustainability connotes lack of will rather than lack of ability. 

Unfortunately, the onus falls once again on the consumer to hold companies accountable for poor practice and misleading policies. This only becomes more difficult with brands that lack the traditional hallmarks of unethical fashion, where higher prices become easily conflated with good practice. Yet, thanks to the diligent work of independent researchers and public pressure, there is real hope for affecting change in the luxury industry. Despite its troubling past, Gucci reached 56% in the 2021 Fashion Transparency Index, sitting alongside names like Patagonia, Converse, Nike, UGG, Adidas, Reebok and Calvin Klein. North Face and Timberland both boast 66%. There is certainly ample room for improvement, but the work of rooting out unethical practices in even the most prestigious, big-name brands has begun. Now more than ever, the consumer is empowered to make informed choices, no matter the price point. 

KTC Footwear Scores