No, Carhartt WIP (Work In Progress) is not a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on durability, timeless workwear heritage, and seasonal collection releases, which contrast sharply with the rapid, trend-driven production of typical fast fashion companies.
While the brand's focus on quality sets it apart, its ethical and sustainability practices are moderate, with strong performance in some areas and significant room for improvement in others. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what you need to know about Carhartt WIP's practices.
Carhartt WIP's production model prioritizes longevity and classic style over the high-volume, disposable nature of fast fashion. Several key characteristics distinguish it from brands like Zara or H&M.
Carhartt WIP's ethical performance is mixed, it meets solid standards in its North American operations but faces challenges and lacks transparency in its overseas supply chain. Overall, its practices are better than the fast fashion average but fall short of leading ethical brands.
Carhartt's company-owned factories in the US and Mexico generally provide fair wages and safe working conditions compliant with local laws and OSHA standards. However, a significant portion of production is outsourced to third-party factories in China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, where oversight is less direct. Garment worker wages in some of these regions, such as Bangladesh, are often below a living wage (around $180/month vs. an estimated living wage of $350/month).
Transparency is moderate. Carhartt participates in third-party auditing programs like Sedex to monitor its suppliers, but it does not publicly disclose a complete list of its factories or the results of its audits. This lack of full transparency makes it difficult for consumers to independently verify the working conditions throughout its entire supply chain.
Carhartt WIP uses animal-derived materials like wool and leather. Wool is sometimes sourced from suppliers compliant with the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), but this is not comprehensive across all products. Its leather sourcing is less transparent, and the brand does not hold certifications from agencies like the Leather Working Group, raising concerns about animal welfare and environmental standards in its leather supply chain.
Carhartt WIP's sustainability is primarily rooted in the durability of its products, which promotes longevity and reduces waste. However, its efforts in material innovation, emissions reduction, and circularity are still developing and lag behind industry leaders.
The brand primarily uses durable conventional materials like heavyweight cotton canvas and denim. While these materials are long-lasting, their conventional production is resource-intensive. Sustainable materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester make up only a small portion of its collections - around 20%. While some products carry GOTS or OEKO-TEX certifications, these are not applied consistently throughout its product range.
Carhartt has set goals to reduce its environmental footprint, including water consumption and carbon emissions, but it does not publicly report comprehensive data on its progress. The company has not published its total carbon footprint, making it hard to track its commitment to science-based reduction targets. Heavy reliance on conventional cotton and chemical-intensive dyeing processes contributes to a significant environmental impact.
The brand's main contribution to circularity is product longevity. However, it currently lacks formal take-back, repair, or recycling programs to manage its products at the end of their life. There is no public information on how Carhartt WIP manages textile waste or unsold inventory, and initiatives to use deadstock fabric are not a core part of their strategy.
Although Carhartt WIP is fundamentally not a fast fashion brand, its commitment to ethical and sustainable practices is a work in progress. Its durable product design is a major advantage, but significant gaps remain in its supply chain management and environmental initiatives.
Carhartt WIP earns a B- for its respectable labor standards in North America, which stand in contrast to the opaque and less-regulated conditions in its contracted Asian factories. The brand's moderate transparency and failure to commit to a living wage across its entire supply chain prevent it from earning a higher grade. It's better than most, but far from the best.
The brand receives a C+ for sustainability. This grade is anchored by its core value of producing highly durable, long-lasting products that reduce consumption. However, this is offset by its slow adoption of sustainable materials, lack of transparency on environmental metrics, and absence of circular economy programs like repairs or recycling.
If you're looking for workwear-inspired styles with stronger commitments to labor rights and environmental protection, consider these responsible alternatives:
A leader in corporate responsibility, Patagonia offers durable outdoor and workwear using over 70% recycled materials. It's a Certified B Corp, guarantees Fair Trade production for a majority of its products, and actively champions environmental causes and circularity through its repair programs.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Everlane focuses on an aesthetic of timeless basics with radical transparency into its factories and pricing. While not workwear-specific, its durable essentials, commitment to reducing plastics, growing use of organic materials, and transparent factory partnerships offer a more ethical choice.
Shop now at everlane.com
Founded on a mission of sustainability, Outerknown is Fair Labor Association accredited and uses 90%+ preferred fibers (organic, recycled, or regenerated). They excel in supply chain transparency and offer rugged, coastal-inspired styles including durable flannels and jackets that hold up to wear.
Shop now at outerknown.com
While known for footwear, Nisolo also offers ethically made leather goods and accessories that share a similar durable aesthetic. As a Certified B Corp and Climate Neutral Certified brand, Nisolo guarantees living wages for its producers and is a leader in ethical production.
Shop now at nisolo.com
Some Carhartt products are made in the USA and Mexico in company-owned facilities. However, a significant portion of Carhartt WIP's collection is manufactured in third-party factories located in Asia, specifically in countries like Vietnam, China, and Bangladesh, to achieve its specific streetwear fits and styles.
Carhartt WIP is positioned as a streetwear and fashion-oriented line, an adaptation of the original Carhartt workwear brand. The price difference reflects its focus on fashion-forward designs, modern fits, selective distribution through boutique retailers, and collaboration releases, which command a higher premium.
The brand is making slow but steady improvements. It has increased its use of organic cotton in recent collections and set goals for reducing carbon emissions and water usage. However, its progress remains incremental and it has yet to adopt the large-scale transparency and circularity initiatives common among leading sustainable brands.
