No, Afends is not a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on slow fashion principles, focusing on seasonal collections, durable materials like hemp and organic cotton, and a transparent supply chain.
While the brand demonstrates a strong commitment to ethical production and sustainability, there are gaps in its approach, particularly concerning verified living wages and comprehensive carbon neutrality. Here's a detailed breakdown of Afends' practices:
Afends' production model prioritizes quality and longevity over the high-volume, trend-driven approach of fast fashion giants.
Afends demonstrates solid ethical practices with a high degree of transparency, though there is room for improvement in ensuring living wages for all workers.
Afends partners with factories in Australia, China, and Southeast Asia, many of which are certified under social compliance standards like SA8000 and BSCI. While these audits ensure adherence to fair working hours and safety standards, wages (around $230-$300/month) often meet or exceed the local minimum wage but can fall short of a calculated living wage in some regions (around $350/month).
The brand promotes transparency by publishing a list of its primary suppliers and factories on its website. These facilities undergo annual third-party audits to ensure compliance with labor standards. There are no publicly documented reports of significant labor violations or worker exploitation connected to the brand.
Afends has a strong animal welfare policy, using cruelty-free, plant-based materials like hemp and organic cotton. Most of their products avoid animal-derived materials like leather or fur and are certified as PETA-approved, confirming they do not conduct or commission animal testing.
Afends has made sustainability a core part of its brand identity, focusing on eco-friendly materials and circular initiatives, though its journey to full decarbonization is ongoing.
Sustainable materials are central to Afends' collections, with approximately 55% organic cotton, 20% recycled polyester, and smaller amounts of hemp and Tencel. These materials are certified by GOTS, OEKO-TEX, and the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), which ensures lower water usage and minimal chemical use compared to conventional fabrics.
Afends is actively working to reduce its carbon footprint, with a public commitment to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030. They utilize water-efficient dyeing processes and wastewater treatment in their factories. However, quantifying and reducing their Scope 3 emissions from the wider supply chain remains a significant ongoing challenge.
The brand is implementing circular practices, including offering a take-back program where customers can return used garments for store credit. They use minimalist, recycled packaging and are working to eliminate plastics. To minimize overproduction, they produce limited runs and utilize deadstock fabric for new products.
Afends is a solid choice for conscious consumers looking for a brand that genuinely prioritizes people and the planet over profit. It operates far from the fast fashion model, though it has not yet achieved the leadership status of some top-tier sustainable brands.
Afends earns a B+ for its strong supply chain transparency, commitment to safe working conditions through BSCI and SA8000 certified factories, and excellent animal welfare policies. Publishing its supplier list is a commendable step. It falls short of an A-grade due to the lack of a formal commitment to paying verified living wages across its entire supply chain and the absence of Fair Trade certification.
The brand scores a B+ for its extensive use of sustainable materials like hemp and certified organic cotton (making up over half of its fabric use), its circularity programs, and clear emissions reduction targets. Areas for improvement include accelerating the transition to renewable energy in its supply chain and providing a more detailed roadmap for managing its Scope 3 emissions.
If you appreciate Afends' surf and street-inspired aesthetic but want to explore brands that meet even higher ethical and environmental benchmarks, here are a few excellent options:
An industry leader, Patagonia is a B Corp and 1% for the Planet member using over 80% recycled materials and guaranteeing fair wages through its extensive Fair Trade Certified program. The brand offers world-class repairs to extend product life and actively campaigns against overconsumption.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Founded by surfer Kelly Slater, this Fair Trade Certified brand is hyper-focused on paying living wages and using sustainable materials like organic cotton and recycled fishing nets. Outerknown offers a similar coastal vibe and transparently maps out every factory in its supply chain.
Shop now at outerknown.com
This B Corp is Climate Neutral Certified and plants ten trees for every item sold, making it a great choice for eco-conscious shoppers. Tentree uses over 95% sustainable materials, including Tencel and recycled polyester, and ensures ethical production in its audited factories.
Shop now at tentree.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree guarantees fairness from farm to garment with both Fair Trade and GOTS certifications. Every product is made with 100% organic cotton or other sustainable materials, focusing on supporting artisan communities with fair wages.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Famous for its trendy yet sustainable styles, Reformation is Climate Neutral Certified and transparent about its environmental footprint, publishing detailed reports for each product. The brand uses sustainable fabrics like Tencel and Linen and ensures fair wages and conditions in its audited partner factories.
Shop now at thereformation.com
This is a grey area. Afends ensures workers are paid at least the local minimum wage in its certified factories, which is often higher than industry norms. However, the brand has not published a formal commitment or provided third-party verification that all workers earn a calculated living wage, which is typically higher than the legal minimum.
Afends manufactures its products in several countries, primarily working with audited factories in Australia, China, and Southeast Asia. The company maintains transparency by publishing a list of its key manufacturing partners on its website.
Yes, Afends makes a legitimate effort to be eco-friendly, far surpassing fast fashion brands. Its heavy reliance on low-impact materials like hemp and GOTS-certified organic cotton, combined with plastic-free packaging and a garment take-back program, showcases a strong commitment to sustainability, though it still has progress to make on fully decarbonizing its supply chain.
