Shopping for more sustainable kids’ clothing is tricky, so we’ve rated and curated these “Good” and “Great” brands from around the world to make things easier.

From buying gifts to outfitting growing kids, we’ve got you

Staying committed to your ethical fashion values when shopping for an entire family can be a real challenge—especially when young ones grow out of garments so quickly. Big chains offer cheap children’s clothing for children, which could be useful as they grow—but chances are that shopping from these places will compromise your morals as a conscious consumer.

These days, there are lots of great second-hand retailers and community swap shops for kids’ clothes (or you could even exchange items with other parents in your network), but if you’re in need of something new—or perhaps a baby shower gift—then look no further than this guide.

Each brand in this more sustainable childrenswear guide is rated either “Good” or “Great” in the Good On You directory, meaning they’re committed to the ethical and environmental issues you care about. Read on to discover our favourites.

We’ve split this guide into regions so that you can choose the brands that are closer to home, but do note that many of the brands listed here ship worldwide.

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Lifestyle brand Urban Outfitters has been catering for young, trend-loving shoppers since the ’70s, but it’s “Not Good Enough” across the board for its impact on people, the planet, and animals. This article is based on the Urban Outfitters rating published in August 2022.

Urban Outfitters is not doing enough to reduce its impact

American fashion chain Urban Outfitters has made a name for itself with its on-trend and affordable clothing aimed at young adults. Affectionately referring to its customer base as “metropolitan hipsters”, it pulls consumers in with its carefully curated, Insta-worthy image. But are its ethics as shiny as its brand persona? How ethical is Urban Outfitters?

Owned by retail-industry giant, URBN—who also owns Anthropologie and Free People—Urban Outfitters has over 600 stores across the globe. As one of North America’s top retailers, it is easy for consumers to be swept up in the hype of the brand, rather than reflect upon its commitment to sustainability and ethical practice. So, how does Urban Outfitters rate in terms of environmental sustainability, labour rights, and animal welfare? We’ll break it down for you.

Environmental impact

Urban Outfitters is “Not Good Enough” for the environment. While it uses some lower-impact materials in its products including recycled materials, there is no evidence it minimises textile waste. It uses some renewable energy in its direct operations to reduce its climate impact, but no meaningful action has been taken to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals or carbon and other GHG emissions. There is also no evidence it implements water reduction initiatives. You can do better for the planet, Urban Outfitters.

Labour conditions

Urban Outfitters describes itself as “dedicated to inspiring customers through a unique combination of product, creativity and cultural understanding”. But how much does the brand care about the workers across its supply chain? In its response to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, Urban Outfitters briefly outlines some of its labour policies, including its third-party auditing processes and commitment to not use child or slave labour.

There is, however, very little evidence to support any of these claims. We’d like to know, for example, how often its factories are audited, which parts of its supply chain are audited, who its suppliers are, and where they’re located.

Plus, we found no evidence Urban Outfitters ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain, or that the brand has any policies or safeguards to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19. It also received a score of only 11-20% in the 2021 Fashion Transparency Index.

Despite having a policy stating that Urban Outfitter does “…not knowingly carry products that use cotton originating from Uzbekistan”, in 2014 it received the lowest score possible on a survey conducted by the Responsible Sourcing Network that measured action taken by brands to ensure cotton originating from Uzbekistan was not used in its products.

No stranger to controversy, in 2015 Urban Outfitters was caught up in a labour rights scandal where employees were asked to work for free over the weekend in the guise of a training day.  Unsurprisingly, Urban Outfitters is also “Not Good Enough” for people.

Animal welfare

Also scoring “Not Good Enough” for animals, there is no evidence Urban Outfitters has an animal welfare policy. While it does not use fur, down, angora, or exotic animal skin, it does use leather and wool from unspecified sources. There is no evidence it traces any animal products even to the first stage of production. This is problematic because the welfare of both the animals and the workers cannot be guaranteed.

Overall rating: Not Good Enough

Urban Outfitters is doing very little to help the environment, its workers, or our animal friends. There is no evidence that its “policies” regarding labour and transparency in the supply chain are actually undertaken.

Despite the fact that its collections are often designed to appeal to open-minded and progressive young people, Urban Outfitters has a long way to go before it can be considered a more sustainable and ethical brand. As a major retailer worth billions of dollars, it could do so much more to differentiate itself for the better.

Note that Good On You ratings consider hundreds of issues, and it is not possible to list every relevant issue in a summary of the brand’s performance. For more information, see our How We Rate page and our FAQs.

See the rating.

Luckily, the Good On You team found a few responsible fashion alternatives to Urban Outfitters:

Good swaps

“Good” and “Great” alternatives to Urban Outfitters

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Let’s be honest, it’s hard enough to find the partner of your dreams, but finding the perfect wedding attire? Daunting, to say the least. And that’s before you look for an outfit made with the wellbeing of the planet and its inhabitants in mind. We went on the hunt for the best sustainable and ethical wedding outfits to match your marriage to your morals on your special day.

Eco-conscious brides, grooms, and couples everywhere are having more mindful celebrations and ethical weddings. Even royals like Meghan Markle and Princess Beatrice opted for eco-friendly wedding and reception dresses, Markle with a stunning Stella McCartney number and Princess Beatrice with a vintage gown on loan from the Queen. This kind of exposure to more sustainable gown options can only be a good thing for the wedding industry, which is typically highly polluting. According to research in The Green Bride Guide, the average wedding produces 400lbs (200kg) of garbage and 63 tons of CO2. With an estimated 2.5 million weddings per year, that means 1 billion lbs of trash and the emissions equivalent of what four people would produce in a year in just one day.

So, this ultimate guide to ethical wedding outfits is here to make at least one part of your wedding experience a little less stressful and a little more compassionate. Here’s a list of places to start in your hunt for “the one”, 2.0.

Vintage, second hand, and rental wedding attire

The best thing you can do for the environment when choosing a wedding outfit is to find something pre-existing.

Vintage

Vintage gowns and suits can leave a lasting impression. However, poring over racks of gowns in vintage shops takes time and a good eye for picking out diamonds in the rough. And while sites like eBay can provide you with a plethora of options, they don’t always guarantee that the item will be of high quality.

So why not try a vintage bridal shop alternative, such as Oxfam Shops, which are well known amongst fashion fans as a place to nab some bargain quality threads—and that includes wedding dresses. Their online store has an extensive range of vintage gowns in all shapes, sizes, and eras. So whether you’re going the full 1980s meringue or 1960s flower child, you can find something that fits the bill. Etsy is also where great vintage stores show off a selection of their best garments.

Second hand

The vintage look is not for everyone. However, second hand does not necessarily have to mean vintage. For an eco-conscious bride and groom-to-be who prefers more modern styles, try one of these great sites that connect current couples with past ones:

• Once Wed: With over 5,000 dresses available on their online marketplace, there is a high chance the dress of your dreams could already be waiting for you. Once Wed launched in 2008 and has since become one of the “top wedding websites in the world“. To inspire brides-to-be, Once Wed offers a variety of content from wedding ideas to real-life inspiration. There are some great finds to be had, like this 2013 Vera Wang gown.
• Still White: Still White is a huge worldwide marketplace for second hand wedding dresses with thousands of pre-loved wedding dresses to choose from. Offering a variety of filters, including size, price, condition, and style, Still White allows you to shop by price or by design, making the search for that perfect dress a little bit easier.
• Borrowing Magnolia: Borrowing Magnolia is an expansive bridal marketplace with designer wedding dresses from renowned designers worldwide. Along the way, the brand has made sustainability a cornerstone of its mission, ensuring that the brand leaves a trail of social and environmental impact along the way. Borrowing Magnolia is a treasure chest for an eco-minded bride-to-be on a dress hunt.
• The Loop: If you’re looking for preowned luxury bridal wear, then take a look at The Loop. The company offers a curated selection of stunning gowns, aiming to amplify the belief, that considering the finite resources needed to create luxury clothing, more thought should be given to its lifecycle thereafter.
• Vestiaire Collective: Since launching in 2009, Vestiaire Collective has grown from a French company to a global one whilst maintaining a strong Parisian DNA. Vestiaire Collective is “the leading online marketplace to buy and sell authenticated pre-owned luxury fashion” and with some digging, you’ll also be able to find some gorgeous looks for your special day.

Rental

It’s not uncommon to hire out suits for the day, so it’s surprising that this trend is taboo for the party’s dress-wearers.

With the “rent-a-dress” trend on the rise, eco-conscious brides can consider hiring a dress instead. Saving you a fortune, the rental movement sees beautiful dresses being loved over and over again, rather than rotting away in the back of the closet after one wear.

• Vow To Be Chic: Vow to be Chic is a US-based bridal rental service. With the intent to “deliver luxury at affordable prices”, the online experience has complimentary bridal stylists available to help decide between the thousands of designer dresses on offer. Their “great fit” program allows you to request fabric swatches and gives detailed fitting guidance to ensure brides the perfect fit for the perfect day.
• Glam Corner: Sydney-based formal wear rental service Glam Corner offers a wide variety of dresses to suit all tastes and occasions. The business also aims to introduce smaller designers to a larger market while emphasising the importance of environmental sustainability.

Buying second hand or borrowing might not be the right options for you. Maybe you don’t want your special dress or suit worn by anyone but you, or perhaps you can’t find what you’re looking for second hand.

Never fear—you can still stay true to your ethical values with one of these phenomenal brands bringing you the ethical wedding outfits of your dreams.

Ethical wedding outfits

Sustainable wedding dresses

The post The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable and Ethical Wedding Outfits appeared first on Good On You.

Zara is one of the largest fast fashion giants on the planet, but how is it treating its workers, the environment, and animals in the supply chain? This article is based on the Zara rating published in February 2022.

Not so giant on the ethics front

Zara, flagship brand of the Inditex Group, has gained a reputation as the ultimate destination for European fashion, with nearly 3000 stores in 96 countries, and billions of dollars worth of profit each year. But just how ethical is Zara? How is this fast fashion giant impacting people, the planet, and animals? Let’s break it down.

Environmental impact

When it comes to the planet, Zara gets a “Not Good Enough” rating from us. Zara’s parent company, Inditex, has started a repair and reuse program called Closing the Loop. The program offers customers the opportunity to drop off their used garments in-store or through the post in order for their clothes to gain a second life—which is a good initiative. The brand also uses recycled packaging.

However, there is no evidence it minimises textile waste when manufacturing its products. And, although Zara has set an absolute target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated from its own operations and supply chain, there is no evidence it is on track to meet its target.

It is important to remember that Zara has fast fashion traits such as on-trend styles and regular new arrivals. This business model is inherently harmful to the environment.

Labour conditions

Zara again scores “Not Good Enough” for labour. Half of its final stage of production is undertaken in Spain, a medium risk country for labour abuse, and the brand received a score of 51-60% in the Fashion Transparency Index.

The brand is somewhat transparent, as it likely publishes detailed information about its supplier policies, audits, and remediation processes. Zara also publishes a detailed list of suppliers in the final stage of production, some information about the findings of their supplier audits, as well as some information about forced labour, gender equality, or freedom of association. It also discloses some policies to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19.

However, it has made little to no progress on payment of a living wage across its supply chain. For a company with such a huge profit margin, this simply isn’t good enough.

Animal welfare

Zara’s animal welfare policy, aligned with Five Freedoms, includes a strict ban on fur, angora, and on stocking products tested on animals. Unfortunately, Zara does use wool, leather, down, and exotic animal hair, and there is no evidence it traces any animal products to the first stage of production, so we again rate them “Not Good Enough” again here.

Overall rating: Not good enough

As one of the largest fashion retailers in the world, Zara has an opportunity to lead the way into a more sustainable future. Zara has taken steps towards good supply chain management, such as the Closing the Loop program. However, its business model is based on an unsustainably high turnover rate. Zara prides itself on giving consumers the “latest fashion trends” every 13 days. The promotion of such rapid consumption is inherently harmful to both people and the planet. We believe that, as a global leader in retail, Zara needs to be setting the standard for sustainability, so there is work to do across the board before we give the brand a higher rating than “Not Good Enough”.

Good On You ratings consider hundreds of issues and it is not possible to list every relevant issue in a summary of the brand’s performance. For more information see our How We Rate page and our FAQs.

See the rating.

Good swaps

“Good” and “Great” alternatives to Zara

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Ethical Workwear

When it comes to our work wardrobes, we don’t have to compromise in favour of practicality. These great brands will help you stay smart and sustainable:

The post 5 Ways to Do Ethical at Work appeared first on Good On You.

This article is based on the Mimco rating published in August 2020. 

I sit here writing this article in my MIMCO boots, with my MIMCO bag and wallet beside me. Like many Australians, MIMCO is one of my favourite go-to stores for accessories; their pouches are an essential for a night out, and nothing beats receiving that little black bag for your birthday. However, lately, as I’ve become more ethically aware of my choices as a consumer, the question comes to mind – is MIMCO just another big fashion corporation doing more harm than good?

Environmental Impact: Good

MIMCO has environmental codes of practice prohibiting the use of hazardous dyes which pose an environmental risk. Their parent company has also improved its carbon footprint. MIMCO was given a score of 3.5 out of 5 for their packaging and waste action plan from the Australian Packaging Covenant – a federal government initiative that aims to reduce the amount of discarded packaging in landfill. Despite this progress, MIMCO still needs to strengthen their environmental policies, particularly with regard to setting water waste reduction targets.

Labour Conditions: Good

MIMCO received a B+ rating in the 2017 Australian Fashion Report. The report looked at criteria including payment of a living wage, transparency and worker empowerment. MIMCO has strong policies that support workers’ rights and they’ve been praised for making an effort to pay a living wage to some of their suppliers. MIMCO has also partnered with the Ethical Fashion Initiative, which aims to empower women in Africa and Haiti by reducing poverty through fair work opportunities. There is still room for improvement and MIMCO could be doing more to empower their workers.

Animal Welfare: It’s a Start

While MIMCO has committed to avoiding wool from mulesed lambs and they have banned the use of both fur and angora, they do use leather without specifying their sources. MIMCO vows that animals in their supply chain have been slaughtered humanely, and are by-products of other industries. Considering leather goods are their top sellers, this should be a concern for conscious consumers. In contrast, MIMCO’s parent company, Woolworths Holdings Limited, has been praised for its commitment to animal welfare.

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