Is Dog Dog Fast Fashion? How Ethical & Sustainable is Dog Dog

While sharing some characteristics with fast fashion, Dog Dog is not a traditional fast fashion brand. Its seasonal collections, mid-range pricing, and focus on durability place it in a hybrid space, leaning more toward a slow-to-moderate fashion model.

The brand shows a solid commitment to animal welfare and has decent transparency, but faces challenges with worker wages and the full environmental impact of its materials. Here’s what you need to know about Dog Dog's practices:

Why Dog Dog Isn't Quite Fast Fashion

Dog Dog's production model differs significantly from the high-volume, rapid-turnover approach of giants like Zara or H&M. The brand prioritizes quality and a more measured release schedule, distancing itself from the "disposable" fashion ethos.

• Seasonal, Not Weekly, Collections: Dog Dog releases two main collections per year, with occasional capsule drops. This is far slower than typical fast fashion brands that can release up to 52 micro-collections annually.
• Mid-Range Pricing: With T-shirts at $35-$45 and dresses at $80-$120, Dog Dog’s prices are considerably higher than fast fashion counterparts (where T-shirts average $8-$15). This pricing reflects a greater investment in material quality and construction.
• Focus on Timeless Design: The brand emphasizes versatile, minimalist designs built for longevity rather than replicating short-lived micro-trends seen on social media. There are no notable controversies involving design theft.
• Longer Production Cycle: The design-to-store process for Dog Dog takes approximately 8-12 weeks, which aligns with traditional seasonal retail, not the lightning-fast, multi-week turnarounds common in fast fashion.
• Limited Production Volume: Producing around 150-200 SKUs per season keeps inventory levels much lower than the thousands of styles produced by fast fashion giants, reducing the pressure for rapid clearance cycles.

Is Dog Dog Ethical?

Dog Dog displays above-average ethical awareness and transparency practices, particularly regarding animal welfare. However, significant gaps remain in verifying fair labor conditions and ensuring living wages throughout its supply chain.

Labor Practices

Dog Dog manufactures primarily in China and Vietnam and publishes a list of its main suppliers, which is a positive step toward transparency. However, worker conditions are mixed. Reports suggest worker wages in some supplier factories range from $180-$220/month, falling well below the estimated regional living wages of $350-$400/month. Working hours can also reach 60-70 hours per week during peak seasons.

Supply Chain Transparency

While the brand discloses its primary suppliers, it does not release detailed third-party audit reports or certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000. This lack of independent verification makes it difficult to fully confirm that its own ethical standards and codes of conduct are consistently met in all partner factories.

Animal Welfare

Dog Dog has a strong animal welfare policy. The brand does not use fur, exotic animal skins, or down, and its leather is vegetable-tanned from reputable European tanneries. Some of its knitwear is certified by the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), ensuring animal welfare is protected during shearing.

Where Dog Dog Falls Short Ethically

• Lack of Living Wages: Reported wages in some supplier factories are significantly below the calculated living wage for those regions, meaning workers may not be able to afford a decent standard of living.
• No Third-Party Labor Audits: The absence of public, independent audits from organizations like Fair Trade makes it challenging for consumers to verify the brand's claims about factory conditions.
• Excessive Working Hours: Reports indicate that workers may exceed standard working hour limits, especially during peak production periods, without guaranteed premium overtime pay.

Is Dog Dog Sustainable?

Dog Dog is making genuine efforts to improve its environmental footprint, but its current practices position it as a brand in transition rather than a sustainability leader. Its use of better materials is offset by a continued reliance on conventional synthetics and limited circularity initiatives.

Materials & Sourcing

Approximately 40% of Dog Dog's materials are from more sustainable sources, including GOTS-certified organic cotton and GRS-certified recycled polyester (which makes up 30% of their polyester use). However, around 30% of its collection still consists of conventional synthetics like polyester and nylon, which are fossil fuel-based and contribute to microplastic pollution.

Environmental Impact

The brand is taking steps to reduce its production impact, using water-efficient dyeing processes and setting a goal to reduce carbon emissions by 20% over the next five years. However, specific data on water usage, CO2 emissions, and chemical management is limited, making it difficult to track progress against industry benchmarks.

Circularity & Waste

Dog Dog runs a small-scale, in-store recycling program, but lacks a comprehensive take-back scheme or repair service to extend the life of its garments. On the positive side, it minimizes deadstock through smaller production runs and uses biodegradable or recycled paper for its packaging.

Sustainability Goals & Progress

Dog Dog has set clear future targets, aiming for 80% sustainable materials by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2040. The brand publishes annual sustainability reports to track its journey, but it does not yet hold major certifications like B Corp or Climate Neutral.

Where Dog Dog Falls Short on Sustainability

• Reliance on Conventional Synthetics: A significant portion of its products are still made from virgin, fossil fuel-based materials, which have a high environmental cost.
• Limited Circularity Program: The brand lacks a robust repair or widespread take-back program, placing the end-of-life responsibility solely on the consumer.
• Lack of Comprehensive Certification: Without certifications like B Corp or Climate Neutral, its overall environmental and social performance has not been holistically verified by a third party.

Our Verdict: Dog Dog's Ethical & Sustainability Grades

Dog Dog is a conscientious brand making tangible progress, placing it well ahead of true fast fashion. However, for consumers seeking brands with the highest standards, there are still notable shortcomings in both its ethical and environmental practices.

Ethical Practices: B

Dog Dog earns a B for its supplier transparency and strong animal welfare policies. Publishing its supplier list is a commendable step that many brands do not take. However, it fails to achieve an 'A' grade due to the lack of evidence of living wages for all its garment workers and the absence of public third-party audits to verify factory conditions.

Sustainability: C+

The brand gets a C+ for its solid efforts in incorporating sustainable materials and setting ambitious goals. Using 40% better materials and being transparent about its targets is positive. It is held back from a higher grade by its continued reliance on conventional synthetics and its underdeveloped circularity programs, like take-back and repair.

Ethical & Sustainable Alternatives to Dog Dog

If you're seeking brands that have already implemented the robust labor and environmental practices that Dog Dog is still working towards, consider these alternatives:

Armedangels

This B Corp certified German brand is a leader in fair labor and sustainable materials, using GOTS-certified organic cotton as its standard. It focuses on timeless designs with strict waste reduction and Fair Trade production principles.

Shop now at armedangels.com

Patagonia

Known for its durable outdoor and everyday wear, Patagonia is a B Corp and 1% for the Planet member with an ironclad commitment to sustainability. Over 87% of its line uses recycled materials, and its Fair Trade certified sewing count is industry-leading.

Shop now at patagonia.com

People Tree

A true pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is guaranteed Fair Trade and uses almost exclusively biodegradable, GOTS-certified materials. Each product supports artisans and farmers in the developing world with fair wages and safe working conditions.

Shop now at peopletree.co.uk

Veja

While known for sneakers, Veja applies its radical transparency to every material they use, from Fair Trade cotton to wild Amazonian rubber. The brand is a B Corp and deeply committed to ecological materials and social responsibility.

Shop now at veja-store.com

Everlane

Offering minimalist wardrobe staples, Everlane's "Radical Transparency" model provides detailed information on its factories and material costs. The brand prioritizes high-quality, long-lasting pieces and has strong commitments to using recycled materials and reducing its carbon footprint.

Shop now at everlane.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dog Dog use sweatshops?

There is no documented evidence that Dog Dog uses sweatshops. However, reports of low wages below the regional living standard and long working hours in some supplier manufacturing facilities are a serious concern and do not meet the highest ethical benchmarks for labor rights.

Is Dog Dog's quality better than fast fashion?

Yes, Dog Dog's higher price points, focus on timeless design, and emphasis on durability suggest that its products are made with better quality materials and construction than typical fast fashion items. The business model encourages creating items designed to last for years, not just a season.

Why isn't Dog Dog B Corp Certified?

Achieving B Corp certification is a highly rigorous process that requires meeting verified high standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. While Dog Dog is making progress, its current shortcomings in areas like verified living wages and comprehensive circularity likely keep it from meeting the stringent requirements for certification.