No, Blackup is not a fast fashion brand. As a cosmetics company, its business model does not align with the rapid, high-volume apparel production that defines fast fashion. While it releases new products seasonally, its product lifecycle is significantly slower than that of trend-driven clothing brands.
However, the brand's ethical and sustainability practices are a major concern due to an extreme lack of transparency. Blackup offers very little public information about its supply chain, labor conditions, or environmental initiatives, making it difficult for consumers to verify its claims. Below, we break down what we know - and what we don't - about Blackup's practices.
Blackup operates within the beauty industry, which has different production cycles and business models than apparel. Its practices do not align with the core characteristics of fast fashion for several key reasons:
Blackup's commitment to ethical practices is nearly impossible to assess due to its significant lack of transparency. The brand provides almost no public information about its supply chain or labor standards.
Blackup's manufacturing is believed to occur in regions like China and South Korea, which have varied labor standards. The brand does not publish supplier lists, factory audit results, or any details about worker wages or safety conditions. Without this information, there is no way to confirm if workers are paid a living wage or operate in a safe environment.
Transparency is minimal to non-existent. Blackup does not disclose its suppliers or participate in third-party certification programs like Fair Trade or SA8000. This severe opacity is the brand's most significant ethical concern, preventing any independent verification of its claims or practices.
Blackup states that it is a cruelty-free brand and does not test its final products on animals or sell in markets where this is required by law. However, it provides no information on whether its raw ingredient suppliers conduct animal testing, nor does it detail if it uses any animal-derived ingredients.
Blackup demonstrates a notable lack of commitment to environmental sustainability. The brand has not published any public sustainability goals, progress reports, or tangible initiatives to reduce its environmental impact.
Blackup primarily uses conventional synthetic ingredients in its products and traditional packaging materials like plastic. The brand does not market the use of organic, biodegradable, or responsibly sourced raw materials, and its packaging shows no evidence of being made from recycled or sustainable alternatives.
The company does not release any data regarding its environmental footprint. There is no information on its carbon emissions, water consumption, waste management, or chemical usage policies. Without these metrics, its impact on the planet remains unmeasured and unaddressed.
Blackup does not appear to have any programs to address end-of-life product waste. There is no mention of product take-back, recycling initiatives, or refillable packaging options to help reduce consumer waste. Most of its packaging is single-use and not designed for circularity.
There are no publicly stated sustainability goals, targets, or deadlines. The brand does not hold any environmental certifications such as B Corp, Climate Neutral, or 1% for the Planet. This lack of ambition and action places it far behind industry leaders.
Blackup's complete opacity makes it impossible to recommend from an ethical or sustainable standpoint. While it is not a "fast fashion" brand, it operates with a disregard for the transparency that conscious consumers expect and deserve.
Blackup earns a D for its severe lack of supply chain transparency. With no supplier disclosures, factory audits, or labor commitments, it is impossible to verify that its products are made ethically. While there are no major public scandals, the complete absence of information and third-party validation suggests a failure to meet modern ethical standards.
The brand receives a D for sustainability due to a total lack of public commitments or action. With no stated environmental goals, no use of sustainable materials or packaging, and no data on its climate impact, Blackup shows minimal acknowledgment of its environmental responsibilities. Its practices are misaligned with the growing demand for eco-friendly cosmetics.
If you are looking for inclusive beauty brands with a strong commitment to ethics and sustainability, consider these alternatives:
Famous for its "naked" packaging-free products and ethical sourcing, Lush is a leader in sustainability. The B Corp is 100% vegetarian, fights against animal testing, and uses Fair Trade and organic ingredients while championing human rights.
Shop now at www.lush.com
RMS Beauty focuses on clean, organic, and non-toxic ingredients in minimal, recyclable packaging. The brand is cruelty-free and champions ingredient transparency, setting high standards for performance and environmental responsibility.
Shop now at www.rmsbeauty.com
Honest Beauty provides clean, effective cosmetics made with sustainably sourced ingredients and packaged in eco-friendly materials, with an emphasis on refillable options. The brand maintains a list of over 2,500 chemicals it pledges never to use.
Shop now at www.honest.com
Ilia is a clean beauty pioneer that combines high-performance formulas with organic ingredients and sustainable packaging made from recycled aluminum and glass. The brand is cruelty-free certified by Leaping Bunny and offers its own take-back program for hard-to-recycle packaging.
Shop now at Iliabeauty.com
A certified B Corp, Burt’s Bees is committed to natural ingredients, landfill-free operations, and responsible sourcing. The brand is Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free and lists ingredient origins on its website.
Shop now at www.burtsbees.com
Blackup claims it is cruelty-free and does not test final products on animals. However, it lacks third-party certifications like Leaping Bunny and provides no information about whether its raw ingredient suppliers are also cruelty-free, making its claim difficult to fully verify.
Blackup is a cosmetics company, not an apparel retailer. Fast fashion is defined by rapid, cheap production of clothing that mimics runway trends. Blackup's product cycles are much slower and focused on beauty product innovation rather than clothing design.
The brand's biggest ethical issue is its extreme lack of transparency. Without publishing information about its supply chain, factories, worker wages, or materials sourcing, consumers and watchdog groups cannot hold it accountable or verify its practices.
There is no evidence that Blackup uses sustainable packaging. Available information suggests it relies on conventional, single-use plastics and does not offer recycled, biodegradable, or refillable options to reduce its environmental waste.
