Hey earth muffins! For today’s post, I thought it would be interesting to discuss something I don’t particularly care about: trendy fashion brands. Many popular, fast fashion clothing companies are not eco-friendly. Personally, I shop for my clothes secondhand; you can find amazing thrifted pieces if you know what to look for! I thought it would be interesting to take 7 different “trendy” brands and compare their fashion sustainability scores. These scores are from Good on You (one of my favorite sustainability apps!) and Remake. Let’s jump right into it!
I’ll admit it – I was a sucker for Forever 21 back in the day. I could buy a lot with little money… Which ironically I can now do at the thrift store. π Their Good on You ranking is the lowest on the scale: “We Avoid”. This is due to the fact that they don’t share their environmental policies. While they minimize animal cruelty by not using furs, the labor practices are also not transparent. Remake also mentions that they often rip off designers as well. Definitely not a brand I am looking to support any time soon!
Ah, the infamous H&M greenwashing. I feel like this brand has been getting a ton of heat recently about their “conscious” line and who they have selected as brand ambassadors. I’ve called out H&M before in my “What is Greenwashing” post; but, at least they are trying to make some changes as a fast fashion company. The company uses some eco-friendly materials, discloses many of their labor policies, and has an animal welfare policy that is aligned with Five Freedoms. I’m curious to see how this brand continues to up its fashion sustainability scores in the future!
I feel like in many of the YouTube videos I watch, Urban is mentioned at some point. While I commend them for using reusable bags instead of plastic, they still have a ways to go. It ranks poorly in all the Planet, People, and Animal categories. This makes their sustainability score pretty low overall. I definitely wish a more eco-friendly company would be considered as “trendy” as Urban!
Many influencers also seem to be obsessed with Princess Polly, but their ratings are not good. Just like Forever 21, the company doesn’t do a good job sharing their environmental or labor policies. While Remake mentions that they do have some ethical manufacturing goals, they are all focused on the future with little to no steps on how to get there. Plus, they charge a higher price to hurt the planet; it’s a no from me!
While the vibe of PacSun reminds me of surfing and the great outdoors, it doesn’t seem like this company actually cares about Mother Earth. Good on You gives them a 1 out of 5 in the Planet category; there is absolutely no transparency when it comes to their environmental policies. I think I’ll take my sunshine elsewhere…
While the Madewell Eco Denim collection scores an incredible 63/100 points on the Remake sustainability scale, the overall brands gets a 29. πYikes. Sounds like we definitely need those tips for identifying greenwashing! Good on You gives them a 2/5 for each of their categories, so it looks like there can (and should) be a lot of improvement!
You think I could forget about Nike? No way! While they use some recycled materials and have a Manufacturing Map to share where your products are made, it still scores a 38/100 on Remake. There are still some gaps in terms of transparency and sustainability, which makes its fashion sustainability scores low. With such an iconic brand, it is a shame they don’t use all of their money to reduce their impact on Mother Earth!
Fashion Sustainability Scores: Final Thoughts!
In our final tally, it looks like we have 2 brands in the “We Avoid” rank, 3 in “Not Good Enough”, and 2 in “It’s a Start”. While I am happy that a couple brands are starting to making changes, it is eye-opening that not one “trendy” popular brand could pass the “It’s a Start” ranking. When I was thinking about what brands to pick for this post, I tried to create a list of companies that others are talking about. I know I definitely missed a bunch of “trendy” brands (like Lululemon, etc.)… So, I might just have to do another post like this in the future! This might find some gem companies that are truly trying to lower their impact… But I personally wouldn’t put my money on it. π I’ve said it before; and, I’ll say it again – SHOP SECONDHAND!
Love,
Jenna β₯
This is SUCH a helpful post. I used to buy a ton from Forever 21 but stopped shopping there several years ago now. It’s good to know how these different stores stack up.
Very interesting. And I know that I shop Nike because I have a permanent 30% discount there. I guess I might have to look saving the Earth more than saving some money.