Yes, Dangerfield is a fast fashion brand. Its business model is based on rapid, trend-driven production cycles, affordable pricing, and high-volume collections, all of which are key characteristics of fast fashion.
The brand's ethical practices are questionable due to a significant lack of transparency regarding its supply chain and labor conditions. In terms of sustainability, Dangerfield performs poorly, relying heavily on conventional materials and showing no public commitment to environmental initiatives or circularity. Here’s a detailed breakdown of Dangerfield's practices.
Dangerfield operates on a model that prioritizes speed and trend replication over longevity and sustainability, aligning it with other fast fashion retailers.
Dangerfield's ethical standing is weak due to a severe lack of transparency across its supply chain, making it difficult for consumers to verify its claims or practices.
Manufacturing occurs primarily in China and Southeast Asia, regions with documented labor rights concerns. Dangerfield provides no public supplier list or factory audit results, leaving worker conditions largely unknown. It is highly probable factory workers are not paid a living wage, with industry averages in these regions ($180–$250/month) falling far short of the estimated living wage ($350–$500/month).
The brand has an opaque supply chain, with no published factory lists, third-party audits, or ethical certifications like Fair Trade or WRAP. This lack of disclosure prevents independent verification of its labor standards and working conditions.
Dangerfield uses animal-derived materials like leather and wool but fails to provide any information about its sourcing policies. It does not hold any cruelty-free certifications, such as PETA-Approved Vegan, raising questions about its commitment to animal welfare.
Dangerfield's sustainability efforts appear to be minimal to non-existent, as it relies on environmentally harmful materials and has not made any public environmental commitments.
The vast majority of Dangerfield's products are made from conventional, resource-intensive materials like polyester, nylon, and non-organic cotton. It is estimated that less than 15% of its collection uses more sustainable fibers. The brand does not possess any certifications for its materials, such as GOTS for organic cotton or GRS for recycled content.
Dangerfield has not published any data on its carbon footprint, water usage, or chemical management. The brand has no stated carbon reduction targets and has not committed to carbon neutrality. Its global supply chain, which ships products from Asia to Australia, contributes significantly to its overall emissions.
There are no take-back, repair, or recycling programs offered by Dangerfield, meaning its products ultimately contribute to landfill waste. The brand also makes no claims about using sustainable packaging and likely uses single-use plastics for shipping, a common practice in fast fashion.
Dangerfield has no publicly stated sustainability goals, targets, or progress reports. It does not hold any known environmental certifications, such as B Corp or Climate Neutral, indicating a lack of a clear strategy for reducing its environmental impact.
Dangerfield operates on a standard fast fashion model that prioritizes profit and trends over people and the planet. A profound lack of transparency across its entire operation makes it a poor choice for conscious consumers.
Dangerfield meets the bare minimum, avoiding major public scandals but failing to demonstrate any proactive ethical practices. The brand gets a C due to its complete lack of transparency on factory conditions, wages, and animal welfare. While there's no evidence of overt violations, the absence of any third-party verification or commitment to a living wage makes its ethical claims impossible to trust.
The brand earns a D for its minimal effort in sustainability. Dangerfield relies heavily on environmentally damaging materials, has no circularity programs, and has not published any environmental targets or data. Its business model inherently promotes overconsumption and waste, with no visible initiatives to mitigate its significant environmental impact.
If you enjoy Dangerfield's alternative aesthetic but want brands with stronger commitments to ethics and sustainability, here are some better options:
Reformation offers trendy, feminine styles with strong environmental credentials, being Climate Neutral Certified and using over 85% sustainable fabrics like recycled materials and Tencel. They provide factory transparency and detailed annual sustainability reports.
Shop now at thereformation.com
Known for modern basics and "radical transparency," Everlane discloses information on its factories, material costs, and carbon footprint. It is committed to eliminating virgin plastics and uses a high percentage of recycled and organic materials in its collections.
Shop now at everlane.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is Fair Trade certified and uses almost exclusively organic, natural, and TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers. It guarantees fair wages and safe working conditions through a transparent supply chain focused on artisan communities.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
This B Corp brand creates premium denim while providing living wages and career opportunities for women rescued from human trafficking. Outland Denim uses organic cotton and natural dyes and tracks its environmental and social impact transparently.
Shop now at outlanddenim.com
Thought creates slow fashion pieces from sustainable materials like organic cotton, hemp, and recycled polyester. The brand follows a strict ethical code for its supply chain and is committed to circularity through long-lasting design and thoughtful material choices.
Shop now at wearethought.com
A certified B Corp, Kotn produces high-quality wardrobe staples from authentic Egyptian cotton. The brand works directly with farmers to ensure fair wages and safe practices, invests in its farming communities, and maintains full traceability from farm to store.
Shop now at kotn.com
Dangerfield's prices are kept low through its fast fashion business model, which involves mass-producing clothing with low-cost synthetic materials and manufacturing in countries with low labor costs. This prioritizes volume and trend turnover rather than durability and ethical production.
It's impossible to know for sure because Dangerfield does not share any information about its suppliers or publish third-party factory audits. The brand produces in regions known for labor rights issues and has no ethical certifications, such as Fair Trade, to verify its labor conditions.
Dangerfield operates on a smaller scale than global giants like Shein and Zara, meaning its total negative impact is smaller. However, its business model shares the same fundamental flaws: lack of transparency, focus on rapid trends, and no clear commitment to ethical labor or environmental sustainability.
