Yes, About You is a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on rapid production cycles, trend replication, high product volume, and low prices, all of which are defining characteristics of fast fashion.
The German-based retailer scores poorly on ethics due to a lack of supply chain transparency and no evidence of paying living wages. Its sustainability efforts are minimal, with a heavy reliance on virgin synthetic materials and no significant public commitments to reduce its environmental impact. Here's a detailed breakdown of its practices.
About You operates on a classic fast fashion model that prioritizes speed and volume to capitalize on fleeting trends. Its operations are designed to get clothes from concept to customer in a matter of weeks.
About You provides very little information to back up any claims of ethical production, leading to serious concerns about its treatment of workers in its supply chain.
The brand sources primarily from factories in Bangladesh, China, and Turkey - countries notorious for poor labor conditions. Without publishing a factory list or third-party audits, it is impossible to verify worker safety or conditions. Reports suggest workers in these regions often earn significantly below a living wage, for example, garment workers in Bangladesh earn around $180-$200 per month, while the estimated living wage is closer to $400.
Transparency is a major failure for About You. The company does not publicly disclose its list of suppliers or manufacturing partners. It also lacks certifications from reputable third-party organizations like Fair Trade, WRAP, or SA8000, which are commonly used to verify fair labor standards. This opacity makes it impossible for consumers to know where or how their clothes are made.
About You primarily uses conventional fabrics like cotton and polyester and does not have a public animal welfare policy. There is no mention of using certified animal-derived materials, and animal welfare does not appear to be a corporate priority.
About You's business model is fundamentally unsustainable, built on disposability and resource-intensive production with minimal effort to mitigate its environmental impact.
The vast majority of About You's clothing - an estimated 60-70% - is made from petroleum-based virgin synthetics like polyester and elastane. Less than 10% of its collections incorporate more sustainable fabrics like organic cotton or recycled materials. The brand holds no major material certifications like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) or Bluesign for chemical safety.
About You has not published any meaningful data regarding its carbon footprint, water usage, or chemical management. The company has not set any science-based targets for emissions reduction, nor has it committed to key goals like carbon neutrality or using renewable energy in its supply chain.
The brand's business model encourages a throwaway culture. About You offers no repair, take-back, or recycling programs to manage its products at the end of their short life cycles. Packaging is primarily plastic-based, and there are no significant initiatives to reduce textile waste in its production process.
About You has not published any specific, time-bound sustainability targets or a roadmap for improvement. Without clear goals, progress reports, or transparency, its shoppers are left completely in the dark about its environmental performance.
About You's practices are typical of a large fast fashion retailer: its entire operation prioritizes speed and profit over people and the planet. Minimal transparency and a lack of meaningful initiatives result in poor performance across the board.
About You fails on ethics due to its severe lack of transparency. With no supplier list, no evidence of living wages being paid, and no independent audits or certifications, consumers have no reason to believe the brand's clothes are made in fair and safe conditions. Relying on production in high-risk countries without providing proof of ethical oversight is unacceptable.
The brand earns a D for its almost complete lack of sustainable practices. Its heavy dependence on virgin fossil fuel-based fabrics, absence of climate goals, and business model that fuels a disposable culture make it a significant contributor to the industry's environmental problems. There are no credible green initiatives to offset the immense harm of its production volume.
If you're looking for trendy styles without the hidden environmental and social costs, consider these brands that prioritize transparency and conscious production.
A B Corp and leader in active and outerwear, Patagonia uses 100% organic or recycled materials. The brand guarantees Fair Trade Certified production, offers a lifetime repair program to fight disposability, and donates 1% of sales to environmental causes.
Shop now at patagonia.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree has been creating timeless styles with Fair Trade-certified artisan groups for decades. It uses sustainable materials like GOTS-certified organic cotton and Tencel and provides full transparency about its producers.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Famous for its stylish and eco-friendly sneakers, Veja is a B Corp that uses innovative materials like organic cotton, wild rubber from the Amazon, and recycled plastics. The brand is transparent about its supply chain and is committed to fair wages for its workers in Brazil.
Shop now at veja-store.com
Focused on minimalist, timeless essentials, Eileen Fisher is a B Corp committed to circular design and sustainable fibers like organic linen and recycled cashmere. The brand offers a take-back program ("Renew") that resells or remanufactures used garments.
Shop now at eileenfisher.com
Specializing in denim made from 100% organic cotton, Nudie Jeans offers free repairs for life to extend the wear of its products. It has strong supply chain transparency, pays living wages in a large part of its supply chain, and is a member of the Fair Wear Foundation.
Shop now at nudiejeans.com
About You keeps its prices low by producing clothing in massive quantities in countries with low labor costs, like Bangladesh and China. Additionally, it uses inexpensive, synthetic materials like polyester, which costs significantly less than high-quality natural or sustainable fibers. This combination of cheap labor and materials allows for its fast fashion pricing.
About You's sustainability efforts are extremely limited and poorly documented. While it may use a small percentage of more sustainable fabrics (estimated at less than 10%), the company has not made any meaningful public commitments, set emission reduction targets, or launched any circularity programs like recycling or take-back schemes.
About You's business model is comparable to other mainstream fast fashion giants like Zara or H&M, while Shein represents an even more extreme "ultra-fast fashion" model. About You is likely less damaging than Shein in terms of sheer production volume and speed, but both brands share the same fundamental problems: a lack of transparency, questionable labor practices, and an overproduction model that is devastating for the environment.
