Is Eloquii Fast Fashion? How Ethical & Sustainable is Eloquii

Is Eloquii fast fashion? Discover how its focus on trendy plus-size clothing fits fast fashion principles and explore its ethics and sustainability efforts.
Written by: 
Ash Read
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Yes, Eloquii is a fast fashion brand. While it carves out a niche by focusing on trendy, plus-size clothing, its business model aligns with fast fashion principles like rapid production cycles, trend replication, and accessible pricing.

The brand's ethical practices are opaque, marked by a lack of supply chain transparency and limited verification of fair labor conditions. On the sustainability front, Eloquii's efforts are minimal, with a heavy reliance on synthetic materials and an absence of clear environmental goals or circularity programs.

What Makes Eloquii Fast Fashion?

Eloquii embodies the fast fashion model by prioritizing speed and trend-responsiveness to serve the plus-size market, an approach that relies on high-volume production and frequent new arrivals.

  • Rapid New Arrivals: Eloquii releases dozens of new styles weekly, averaging 50-60 new items online each week. This rapid turnover is designed to keep shoppers engaged with a constant stream of fresh, trend-aligned inventory, shortening the time from design to sale to just 4-6 weeks.
  • Trend Replication: The brand's design strategy centers on quickly translating mainstream runway fashion and streetwear trends into plus-size options. This focus on immediate trends over timeless design encourages a cycle of frequent consumption and disposal.
  • Accessible Pricing: With dresses typically priced between $50-$120 and tops from $20-$40, Eloquii's pricing strategy encourages volume sales. These accessible price points are made possible through outsourced manufacturing and the use of cost-effective, often synthetic, materials.
  • Outsourced Manufacturing & Material Use: Production is outsourced to factories in countries like China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. The majority of its clothing is made from conventional synthetics such as polyester, viscose, and elastane, which are cheap but environmentally damaging.

Is Eloquii Ethical?

Eloquii's ethical standing is weakened by a significant lack of transparency in its supply chain. While the brand champions body positivity and inclusivity in its marketing, it provides very little evidence to back up ethical treatment of its garment workers.

Labor Practices

Eloquii manufactures in countries like Bangladesh and China, where garment workers are at high risk of exploitation. The brand does not publish specific wage data for its suppliers, but average worker pay in these regions is often just $180–$250 per month - well below the estimated living wage of $350–$450 monthly needed to cover basic needs.

Supply Chain Transparency

There is a complete lack of transparency from Eloquii regarding its manufacturing partners. The brand does not publish a list of its suppliers, nor does it provide results from factory audits. It also lacks key third-party certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000 that would verify claims of ethical labor conditions.

Animal Welfare

Eloquii primarily uses synthetic fabrics and avoids animal-derived materials like exotic skins, fur, and leather. While this approach minimizes direct harm to animals, the brand is not certified by any animal welfare organizations such as PETA.

Where Eloquii Falls Short Ethically

  • No Supplier Transparency: The brand fails to disclose any information about the factories that produce its clothing, making it impossible to independently verify worker conditions or safety standards.
  • No Proof of Living Wages: Eloquii provides no evidence that its garment workers receive a living wage, and it sources from countries notorious for low wages and poor labor rights.
  • Absence of Ethical Certifications: The brand lacks credible third-party certifications (e.g., Fair Trade, WRAP) that would ensure adherence to fair labor practices in its global supply chain.

Is Eloquii Sustainable?

Eloquii's sustainability practices are in the very early stages and do not address the environmental impact of its fast fashion model. Its reliance on fossil fuel-based fabrics and lack of concrete goals place it far behind industry leaders.

Materials & Sourcing

The majority of Eloquii's clothing, approximately 60-70%, is made from conventional synthetic materials like polyester and viscose. While it has introduced more sustainable options like organic cotton and recycled polyester, these materials make up a relatively small portion of its overall production and are not paired with third-party certifications like GOTS or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

Environmental Impact

Eloquii does not publish data on its carbon emissions, water usage, or chemical management. The brand has not set any science-based targets for reducing its environmental footprint, nor has it made any commitment to becoming carbon neutral. This lack of data and goals makes it impossible to track progress or hold the company accountable.

Circularity & Waste

The brand does not have any initiatives in place to deal with its products at the end of their life. Eloquii offers no repair services, take-back programs, or recycling options for its used clothing, meaning most of its garments will ultimately end up in a landfill. Its packaging primarily consists of conventional plastic.

Where Eloquii Falls Short on Sustainability

  • Heavy Reliance on Synthetics: With 60-70% of its fabrics being polyester or other synthetics, Eloquii contributes to microplastic pollution and relies heavily on fossil fuels.
  • No Public Environmental Goals: The company has not set any meaningful, time-bound targets for reducing its carbon emissions, water consumption, or waste.
  • Lack of End-of-Life Solutions: Eloquii fails to take responsibility for its products post-sale, offering no recycling or take-back programs to prevent clothing from contributing to landfill waste.

Our Verdict: Eloquii's Ethical & Sustainability Grades

Eloquii serves an important market with its trendy, plus-size offerings, but its underlying business practices are largely indistinguishable from other fast fashion brands. Its minor steps toward sustainability do little to offset the environmental and social costs of its high-volume, trend-driven model.

Ethical Practices: C+

Eloquii earns a C+ for its positive marketing of inclusivity and its avoidance of animal products. However, this is significantly undermined by a stark lack of transparency in its supply chain. Without any published factory lists, wage data, or third-party audits, its commitment to worker welfare remains unverified and highly questionable.

Sustainability: D+

The brand receives a D+ for sustainability due to its minimal efforts and lack of strategy. A minor inclusion of "sustainable" fabrics is not enough to offset a high reliance on virgin synthetics, a complete lack of public environmental targets, and a failure to implement any circularity programs. The brand's practices encourage a disposable relationship with clothing.

Ethical & Sustainable Alternatives to Eloquii

If Eloquii's lack of transparency and sustainability is a concern, here are some better alternatives offering stylish apparel with strong commitments to ethical and environmental practices:

Girlfriend Collective

This B Corp brand creates size-inclusive (XXS-6XL) activewear and basics from certified 100% recycled materials and operates out of a Fair Trade certified factory. Prices are comparable to Eloquii, but with radical transparency about its supply chain and a take-back program for old garments.

Shop now at girlfriend.com

Eileen Fisher

Serving up to size 3X, Eileen Fisher is a leader in timeless design and circularity, using high-quality sustainable materials like organic linen and silk. The B Corp brand takes back its old garments to be resold or remade, and it maintains strict oversight of its transparent supply chain.

Shop now at eileenfisher.com

Reformation

Known for trendy styles in sizes up to 24, Reformation is a Climate Neutral Certified brand that provides detailed sustainability reports on the impact of each garment. It focuses on using low-impact materials like Tencel and recycled fabrics, with manufacturing primarily in Los Angeles.

Shop now at thereformation.com

People Tree

A pioneer in fair fashion, People Tree is guaranteed Fair Trade by the WFTO and uses GOTS-certified organic cotton. It partners with artisans in developing countries to create clothing that is both ethical and environmentally friendly at an accessible price point.

Shop now at peopletree.co.uk

Patagonia

Renowned for its commitment to environmental activism and durability, Patagonia builds gear for the long haul. Most of its products are Fair Trade Certified sewn and made from recycled materials, and the brand offers a lifetime repair program to combat waste.

Shop now at patagonia.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Eloquii considered fast fashion if it serves the plus-size market?

While Eloquii fulfills an important need in the plus-size market, its "fast fashion" label comes from its business model. Its fast production cycles, constant release of new trend-based styles, and use of low-cost materials define its operations, regardless of the consumer base it serves.

Does Eloquii's owner, Walmart, influence its ethical practices?

Eloquii is owned by The CJR Group, which Walmart acquired. While likely influenced by Walmart's overarching corporate policies, Eloquii operates with its own distinct lack of transparency. Details on how Walmart's policies directly impact Eloquii's ethical or sustainability performance are not publicly disclosed by the brand.

Are there any sustainable fabrics used by Eloquii?

Yes, Eloquii incorporates some more sustainable materials like organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled polyester into its collections. However, these fabrics account for a minority of its production (30-40%) and are not enough to offset the environmental impact of the majority of its garments, which are made from virgin synthetics.