No, Everlane is not considered a typical fast fashion brand. Its business model is built around timeless basics and fewer seasonal collections, contrasting sharply with the high-volume, trend-driven approach of companies like Zara or Shein. Everlane's ethical standing is strong due to its commitment to supply chain transparency, but it falls short on verifying living wages for all its workers. Its sustainability efforts are commendable, with over half its materials being eco-friendly, yet it lacks detailed reporting on its overall environmental footprint.
Here's a detailed breakdown of Everlane's ethical and sustainability practices to help you make an informed decision.
Everlane positions itself as a more durable and transparent alternative to fast fashion, focusing on quality and ethical production rather than speed and volume.
Everlane has built its brand on "Radical Transparency" and ethical production, making significant positive strides but leaving some key areas for improvement.
Everlane publishes a list of its factories in countries like Vietnam, China, and Portugal and claims to partner with facilities that ensure fair wages and safe working conditions. While third-party audits are conducted, wages remain a point of concern. For example, some factory workers in Vietnam earn approximately $180-$220 per month, which is above the local minimum wage but can fall short of the estimated living wage of $350-$400 for the region.
The brand is a leader in transparency and is often recognized by Fashion Revolution for publishing detailed information on its factories and pricing logic. However, while Everlane shares factory locations, it does not publicly release the full, detailed results of its audits, leading to calls for more third-party verification to back up its claims.
Everlane has an animal welfare policy that includes using responsibly sourced wool and leather from suppliers certified by the Leather Working Group. The brand avoids using fur or exotic skins, but not all its animal-derived materials are certified cruelty-free or organic.
Everlane has made sustainability a core part of its mission, with ambitious goals and clear progress in materials, but transparency gaps remain regarding its overall environmental impact.
Everlane reports that 50-60% of its products are made with certified sustainable materials, such as GOTS-certified organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled polyester used in its ReNew collection. However, conventional cotton and virgin synthetics still make up a significant portion of its material portfolio.
The company has set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2025 and claims its factories use wastewater treatment systems and renewable energy where possible. Despite these commendable goals, Everlane does not publish detailed metrics on its water usage, chemical management, or carbon emissions, making it difficult to assess its true environmental footprint.
Everlane promotes longevity and has launched end-of-life programs, allowing customers to send back old clothing for recycling. It utilizes some deadstock fabrics and has shifted to more minimal, recyclable packaging, though plastic still remains in its supply chain.
As a certified B Corporation, Everlane is held to high standards of social and environmental performance. While it has set aggressive targets, like using 100% sustainable materials by a certain date, progress reports indicate that some of these goals have not been fully met on their original timeline.
Everlane is a significantly better choice than any traditional fast fashion brand, but it isn't the perfect model of sustainability and ethics. Its efforts in transparency and material innovation are strong, but critical gaps in wage verification and impact reporting prevent it from being a top-tier leader.
Everlane earns a B- for its industry-leading transparency, B Corp certification, and commitment to safe factory conditions. It loses points for the gap between paid wages and verified living wages in parts of its supply chain and for its lack of comprehensive Fair Trade certifications that would provide greater assurance to consumers.
We grade Everlane's sustainability a B-. The brand's use of a growing portfolio of certified sustainable and recycled materials is a major plus, as are its goals for carbon neutrality. However, the lack of transparent reporting on its environmental footprint and its failure to meet all its ambitious targets on schedule keeps it from scoring higher.
If you're looking for brands that go even further with their commitments to people and the planet, consider these alternatives that offer similar styles with stronger certifications and verification.
A B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, Patagonia is an industry leader in using recycled materials and implementing Fair Trade Certified production. Known for its durable outdoor gear and activism, it offers ironclad repair programs to extend the life of every product and actively fights overconsumption.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Reformation focuses on feminine, modern styles and is Climate Neutral Certified. The brand transparently reports its environmental footprint for each garment, uses a high percentage of sustainable materials like Tencel and recycled fabrics, and manufactures a large portion of its clothing in its own fair-wage factory in Los Angeles.
Shop now at wearereformation.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is a Guaranteed Fair Trade organization that uses almost exclusively organic and sustainable materials. Every product is made to the highest ethical and environmental standards, making it a gold standard for conscious shoppers who prioritize artisan craft and social impact.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Specializing in high-quality basics made from authentic Egyptian cotton, B Corp certified Kotn has built a transparent supply chain from the farm to the factory. The brand works directly with farmers, ensuring fair prices and reinvesting its profits into building schools in its sourcing communities in Egypt.
Shop now at kotn.com
