No, Altered State is not typically classified as a fast fashion brand. Its business model is based on seasonal collections rather than the ultra-rapid, high-volume production cycles of brands like Zara or Shein. However, the brand's ethical and sustainability practices fall short due to a significant lack of transparency in its supply chain. While some efforts are made towards using recycled materials, there are no concrete goals or third-party verifications to back up its environmental claims.
For conscious shoppers, Altered State's operations raise several red flags around labor rights and genuine environmental commitment. Here's what you need to know about the brand's practices:
Altered State's production model is more characteristic of a mid-tier contemporary brand than a fast fashion giant, focusing on seasonal releases over rapid trend turnover.
Altered State's ethical standing is poor due to its extreme lack of transparency regarding its supply chain and labor practices.
Altered State sources its products from countries like China, India, and Bangladesh but does not disclose its specific factory locations or provide audit reports. This makes it impossible to verify working conditions. Factory workers in these regions often earn an estimated $120-$200 per month, which falls significantly below the recognized living wage of $350-$400 per month needed to cover basic expenses.
The brand provides almost no information about its supply chain. It does not hold any ethical certifications such as Fair Trade or SA8000, which are designed to verify fair labor standards. Without this transparency, consumers have no way of knowing if the people who make Altered State's clothes are treated and paid fairly.
Altered State primarily uses synthetic and plant-based fabrics like polyester and rayon, and there is no evidence it uses materials like real fur, leather, or conventional wool. However, it does not have any animal welfare certifications, such as PETA-Approved Vegan, to formalize this commitment.
Altered State’s sustainability efforts are minimal and lack clear goals, transparency, or verification, putting its environmental commitment into question.
The brand relies heavily on conventional synthetic materials like polyester and rayon. It is estimated that less than 20% of its materials come from sustainable sources, with recycled polyester making up just 10-15% of its total fabric usage. There is no information provided about traceability or the environmental standards of its raw material suppliers.
Altered State does not publish any data on its carbon footprint, water usage, or chemical management policies. The production of synthetic fabrics is chemically intensive and a major source of water pollution, but without reporting, the brand’s environmental impact remains unmeasured and unmanaged.
The company has no documented take-back, repair, or recycling programs to manage its products at the end of their life. Its packaging is standard, with no announced initiatives to transition to more sustainable or plastic-free alternatives, and there is no information on how it manages unsold inventory.
Altered State makes vague statements about being "eco-conscious" but has not published any specific, time-bound targets for reducing its environmental impact. Without clear goals for increasing sustainable materials, reducing carbon emissions, or managing waste, its sustainability claims feel more like marketing than a meaningful strategy.
Altered State's lack of transparency and minimal sustainability efforts place it far behind brands that are genuinely committed to ethical and eco-conscious practices. Its business model, while not fast fashion, still lacks the accountability needed for a positive rating.
This grade reflects a profound lack of transparency regarding labor conditions and wages. By manufacturing in high-risk regions without providing any factory details, third-party audits, or certifications like Fair Trade, Altered State offers no assurance that its workers are treated or paid fairly. Meaningful ethical fashion cannot exist without accountability, which is absent here.
Altered State earns a C- for making minimal efforts that are not backed by a wider strategy. While the use of some recycled polyester is a small step, it is overshadowed by the dominance of conventional synthetics, the absence of any public environmental goals, and the lack of reporting on key impact areas like carbon emissions and water usage.
If you love Altered State's bohemian, trendy style but not its poor transparency, consider these brands that offer similar aesthetics with verifiable commitments to people and the planet.
A true pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is B Corp certified and guarantees Fair Trade production with living wages for its makers. They use GOTS-certified organic cotton and sustainable materials to create casual, bohemian styles at a similar price point to Altered State ($80-$120 for dresses).
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Reformation offers trendy, feminine styles with a serious commitment to sustainability. As a Climate Neutral certified B Corp, they use over 50% recycled materials, provide detailed factory information, and publish annual sustainability reports tracking their progress towards becoming climate positive.
Shop now at thereformation.com
For casual everyday and travel wear, tentree is a certified B Corp that plants ten trees for every item sold. The brand uses 95%+ sustainable materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and TENCEL, operates a transparent supply chain, and is committed to becoming Climate Neutral by 2030.
Shop now at tentree.com
While known for outdoor gear, Patagonia's casual wear offers unparalleled ethical and sustainable credentials. The B Corp is a Fair Trade Certified leader, uses primarily recycled and organic materials, and advocates fiercely against overconsumption while offering lifetime repairs.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Based in the UK, Thought creates bohemian-inspired clothing using sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and TENCEL. They maintain a transparent supply chain and prioritize fair labor and environmentally friendly production processes, offering a thoughtful alternative.
Shop now at wearethought.com
Altered State operates on a seasonal retail calendar, releasing four main collections a year. This slower, more curated approach to production and inventory differs from the fast fashion model, which relies on thousands of new styles released weekly and rapid, low-cost manufacturing.
It's impossible to know for sure because the brand does not disclose information about its factories. However, sourcing from China, India, and Bangladesh - countries where labor violations are common - without providing transparency or third-party audits is a major red flag for unethical labor practices.
Without specific data, time-bound goals, or third-party certifications, general claims like "eco-conscious" should be viewed with skepticism. True sustainability is backed by transparent reporting and measurable progress, both of which are currently missing from Altered State.
