Yes, Dynamite is a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on rapid production cycles, affordable trend-driven clothing, and a high-volume sales strategy that encourages frequent purchasing.
The brand's ethical practices are average at best, with reports of low wages in its supply chain and limited transparency. On the sustainability front, Dynamite falls significantly short, using mostly conventional materials and lacking robust environmental policies or circularity programs. Here's a detailed breakdown of Dynamite's practices.
Dynamite employs a classic fast fashion model, prioritizing speed and trend replication to deliver affordable styles quickly. This approach is built on several key characteristics that define the brand as a fast fashion retailer.
Dynamite's ethical performance is average, meeting basic legal requirements but lacking proactive commitments to worker welfare and transparency. While not embroiled in major scandals, there are significant concerns about its supply chain practices.
Dynamite primarily manufactures in Asia, with reports from watchdog groups indicating that some supplier factory workers earn below a living wage. For instance, workers in Bangladeshi supplier factories may earn $90-$150 per month, while a living wage for the region is estimated to be $200-$250. Third-party audits have also uncovered issues like excessive overtime and unsafe working conditions.
The company does not publish a complete list of its suppliers or detailed factory audit results. This lack of transparency makes it difficult for consumers and watchdogs to independently verify working conditions and hold the brand accountable for its labor standards. There is no evidence of certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000.
Dynamite's product line is largely free of animal-derived materials like leather, fur, or down. The brand does not have a formal animal welfare policy, but its focus on synthetic and plant-based textiles means animal welfare is not a primary area of concern.
Dynamite's sustainability efforts are minimal and fall well below industry standards. The brand relies heavily on environmentally harmful materials and has not demonstrated a significant commitment to reducing its environmental impact.
The vast majority of Dynamite's products are made from conventional fabrics like virgin polyester, viscose, and non-organic cotton. It is estimated that less than 10% of its materials are from certified sustainable sources (like organic cotton or recycled polyester). A heavy reliance on synthetics contributes to microplastic pollution and dependence on fossil fuels.
Dynamite does not publish data on its carbon footprint, water usage, or chemical management. Manufacturing processes in its key production regions are often water and chemical-intensive, and without transparent reporting, it's assumed the brand's environmental impact is high and unmanaged. There are no public goals for reducing emissions or water consumption.
The brand has no take-back, resale, or repair programs to keep its clothing out of landfills. Garments are designed for short lifecycles, and there is no evidence that the company addresses textile waste from its production or its use of deadstock fabrics. Packaging is primarily single-use plastic.
Dynamite has not published any clear, science-based sustainability targets or a roadmap for improvement. It lacks key certifications like B Corp or Climate Neutral, indicating that environmental responsibility is not a core part of its business strategy.
Dynamite operates as a typical fast fashion brand, prioritizing speed and low costs over robust ethical and environmental standards. While the brand is not linked to the most egregious industry violations, its lack of transparency and minimal sustainability efforts are concerning.
Dynamite receives a C for its ethical practices. The company meets minimum legal labor standards but fails to demonstrate a commitment to paying living wages or ensuring comprehensive worker safety. Its lack of supply chain transparency prevents true accountability, placing it firmly in the "average, with significant room for improvement" category.
Dynamite earns a D for sustainability due to its heavy reliance on virgin fossil fuel-based materials, lack of climate action goals, and complete absence of circularity initiatives. The brand’s environmental efforts appear negligible, and its fast fashion business model inherently drives resource depletion and waste, making its operations unsustainable.
If you're seeking stylish, trend-conscious apparel but want to support brands with stronger commitments to people and the planet, consider these alternatives.
Reformation offers trendy, feminine styles similar to Dynamite but is a certified Carbon Neutral B Corp that uses sustainable materials like Tencel and recycled fabrics. The brand is transparent about its factory partners and provides detailed sustainability reports, though at a higher price point.
Shop now at thereformation.com
Known for its timeless basics and "Radical Transparency," Everlane focuses on high-quality materials and discloses information about its factories and production costs. The brand uses a significant amount of certified organic cotton and recycled materials.
Shop now at everlane.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is Fair Trade certified and uses almost exclusively organic and natural materials. Its styles are classic and focused on longevity, directly countering the fast fashion model of disposability.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
While known for outdoor gear, Patagonia's everyday wear offers an industry-leading example of ethical production. It is a B Corp, Fair Trade certified, uses 87% recycled materials, and offers a lifetime repair program to extend the life of its products.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Though focused on footwear, Veja's commitment to fair trade, organic, and regenerative materials makes it a great choice for eco-conscious accessories. The brand is transparent about its supply chain from the Amazon rainforest to the final store shelf.
Shop now at veja-store.com
Dynamite is considered fast fashion because of its business model, which involves releasing 10-15 trendy, low-cost collections per year. This rapid production cycle, coupled with its focus on high sales volume and speed-to-market over durability, are all defining characteristics of a fast fashion brand.
Most of Dynamite's clothing is manufactured in Asia, primarily in countries like China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. These locations are common hubs for fast fashion production due to low labor costs and the capacity for high-volume, rapid manufacturing runs.
No, Dynamite and its sister brand Garage are part of Groupe Dynamite Inc., which is a separate, privately held Canadian company. It is frequently confused with Aritzia, another Canadian retailer, but they are not affiliated.
Dynamite's usage of sustainable materials is very limited, estimated at less than 10% of its total fabric consumption. While some items may contain recycled polyester, the overwhelming majority of its collection consists of conventional, non-certified materials like virgin polyester, viscose, and standard cotton.
