Yes, Forever 21 is a quintessential fast fashion brand. Its business model is fundamentally built on rapid trend replication, high-volume production, and rock-bottom prices that encourage a disposable view of clothing. The brand faces significant criticism for its poor labor practices, lack of supply chain transparency, and substantial environmental footprint driven by its reliance on cheap, synthetic materials.
Simply put, Forever 21's practices prioritize speed and profit over ethical sourcing and environmental responsibility. Here's a detailed breakdown of its operations:
Forever 21 embodies nearly every characteristic of the fast fashion model, from its production speed to its pricing strategy.
Forever 21's ethical track record is poor, marked by a pattern of labor rights issues, a severe lack of transparency, and legal controversies.
Reports from multiple investigations have exposed poor working conditions in Forever 21's supplier factories. These include allegations of excessive overtime exceeding 60 hours per week and paying workers wages that fall far below their region's living wage. For instance, some supplier factories in Bangladesh were found to pay workers as little as $70 per month, which is less than half the estimated living wage needed for a decent standard of life.
The brand offers almost no transparency into its supply chain. It does not publish a list of its suppliers, making it impossible for third-party organizations to independently verify working conditions. While Forever 21 claims to conduct audits, it provides no details about the findings or frequency, and it holds no reputable certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000 that would validate its ethical claims.
Beyond its labor issues, Forever 21 has been embroiled in legal battles over wage theft and copyright infringement. In 2020, the company settled a class-action lawsuit related to wage theft in its supply chain. Its reputation for copying designs from smaller, independent artists is also a significant ethical concern.
To its credit, an area where Forever 21 does not raise major ethical flags is animal welfare. The brand predominantly uses synthetic and plant-based materials and does not have a history of controversies related to animal cruelty, leather, or fur sourcing.
Forever 21's business model is fundamentally unsustainable, creating massive environmental harm through material choice, waste generation, and pollution.
The vast majority of Forever 21's clothing is made from virgin, fossil fuel-based synthetics. Polyester is estimated to make up over 60% of its material composition. Less than 10% of its collections feature any type of sustainable material, and even those fibers are often blended with conventional synthetics, negating many of the environmental benefits.
The brand's reliance on synthetic fabrics contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and microplastic pollution. It has not published any concrete, science-based targets for reducing its carbon footprint, water use, or chemical pollution. Opaque sourcing and manufacturing practices mean its environmental impact remains largely unmeasured and unaddressed.
Forever 21 has no meaningful initiatives promoting circularity. It does not have a take-back, repair, or recycling program for its garments. Unsold inventory and deadstock fabric contribute to the fashion industry's massive waste problem, and its packaging is typically single-use plastic.
The brand has no clear, time-bound sustainability goals and is not certified by any major environmental group like B Corp, Bluesign, or Climate Neutral. Any mention of sustainability on its site amounts to greenwashing, as it fails to address the core problem of its high-volume, disposable production model.
Forever 21 is a clear example of the harmful impacts of fast fashion. Its business model's reliance on overproduction and disposability negates any minor ethical or sustainable claims it might make.
Forever 21 earns a D for its severe lack of supply chain transparency, documented reports of exploitative labor conditions, and a history of legal issues including wage theft claims. While their use of animal products is minimal, this does not offset the systemic harm to workers in their supply chain.
The brand's heavy reliance on virgin synthetics, absence of circularity programs, and complete lack of public environmental targets lands it a D grade. The enormous volume of clothing it produces is inherently unsustainable, fueling a culture of overconsumption and waste without any meaningful effort to mitigate its vast environmental footprint.
If Forever 21's poor ethical and environmental performance is a concern, consider supporting these brands that offer more responsible trend-forward and basic styles.
Known for on-trend dresses and apparel, Reformation is a great alternative that uses sustainable materials like TENCEL and recycled fabrics. The brand is Climate Neutral Certified and provides detailed transparency about its factories and environmental footprint.
Shop now at thereformation.com
Offering seasonless basics with transparent pricing, Everlane details the cost behind each product and partners with ethical factories worldwide. Over 90% of its materials are now recycled or certified more sustainable, making it a stronger choice for conscious basics.
Shop now at everlane.com
A true pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and uses primarily organic cotton and low-impact dyes. This brand is a fantastic choice for those who want to ensure garment workers are treated with respect.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
While at a higher price point, Eileen Fisher is a leader in circularity with its "Renew" take-back program that resells or remakes old garments. The brand is a certified B Corp and heavily favors sustainable materials like organic linen and silk.
Shop now at eileenfisher.com
Though an outdoor brand, Patagonia's basics like t-shirts, fleeces, and jackets are built to last a lifetime. The company is a certified B Corp, uses Fair Trade Certified factories, and invests heavily in environmental activism and lifetime repair services.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Forever 21's prices are low because it uses cheap, low-quality synthetic materials and manufactures its products in countries with extremely low labor costs. Its business model relies on selling a very high volume of items with a slim profit margin on each one, a strategy made possible by exploiting workers and the environment.
There is no public evidence to suggest that Forever 21 has made significant improvements to its ethical or sustainability practices following its 2019 bankruptcy and subsequent acquisition. The core fast fashion business model remains the same, and the company has not published new transparency reports or earned any major ethical certifications.
The most significant controversies include numerous reports of poor working conditions and extremely low wages in its supplier factories, legal disputes over wage theft, and a long, well-documented history of stealing designs from independent artists and selling them as their own.
