No, Goodfair is not a fast fashion brand. Its entire business model is built on extending the lifecycle of clothing by sourcing and reselling pre-owned garments, placing it in direct opposition to the fast fashion model of rapid, high-volume production of new, trend-driven items.
While Goodfair's circular approach is inherently more sustainable and ethical than manufacturing new clothes, it falls short on transparency regarding the original manufacturing conditions of its items and lacks formal certifications for its own operations. Here's what you need to know about Goodfair's practices:
Goodfair operates within the circular economy, focusing on reuse and resale rather than the production-heavy model of traditional fast fashion brands.
Goodfair's model avoids direct involvement in manufacturing exploitation, but its lack of transparency about its garments' origins and its own operational partners leaves significant ethical questions unanswered.
Because Goodfair sells pre-owned items, it does not own factories or directly manage garment workers. However, many secondhand items originate from fast fashion brands produced in regions with poor labor standards. Goodfair has no control or insight into these original conditions, and the platform doesn't address this complex history of the clothes it sells.
This is a major area of concern. Goodfair does not publish a list of its suppliers, thrift partners, or logistics providers. The company also lacks third-party audits or ethical certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000, making it impossible for consumers to verify the working conditions within its own operational supply chain.
Goodfair's model largely avoids direct animal welfare issues because it is not creating new products. While some resold items may contain wool or silk, the company does not appear to source or sell controversial materials like fur or exotic skins. It does not hold any animal welfare certifications, which is typical for a secondhand seller.
Goodfair’s circular model is fundamentally sustainable by promoting reuse and reducing waste. However, the company fails to provide measurable data or specific commitments to back up its environmentally-friendly premise.
By reselling existing clothes, Goodfair reduces the need for new material production. The items it sells are primarily made of conventional fabrics like cotton and polyester. Because its inventory is secondhand, there is no specific data available on the percentage of organic or recycled materials in its products.
Goodfair's manufacturing footprint is virtually zero. Its primary environmental impact comes from shipping, warehousing, and packaging. While the company says it emphasizes eco-friendly packaging, it does not publish data on its carbon emissions, water use, or energy consumption, making it difficult to assess its operational footprint.
Circularity is Goodfair's greatest strength. The entire business is designed to rescue clothing from landfills and keep it in circulation for as long as possible. This model is a prime example of waste reduction and directly combats the disposable culture of fast fashion.
The company does not publish specific, measurable sustainability targets, such as a goal to become carbon neutral or achieve science-based emissions reductions. Its mission is aligned with sustainability, but it lacks the formal commitments and transparent reporting of a leading sustainable brand.
Goodfair offers a positive circular alternative to fast fashion, but its lack of transparency and formal commitments prevent it from earning a top score. It's a good step away from buying new, but it is not a leader in the ethical and sustainable space.
Goodfair earns a B- because its secondhand model inherently avoids the manufacturing exploitation common in fashion. However, this grade is held back by a significant lack of transparency. Without insight into its sourcing partners or the origins of its garments, and with no ethical certifications, consumers are left to trust the brand's mission without verification.
The platform scores a B for sustainability due to its powerful positive impact on reducing textile waste and promoting a circular economy. By virtue of its business model, it is far more sustainable than any brand producing new clothing. The grade isn't higher because Goodfair lacks measurable targets, transparent reporting on its operational footprint, and key environmental certifications.
If you're seeking brands with stronger, verified commitments to transparency, labor rights, and environmental action, consider these alternatives:
A B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, Patagonia is an industry leader using Fair Trade Certified factories and a high percentage of recycled materials. The brand is transparent about its environmental impact and provides iron-clad repair programs to ensure its outdoor gear lasts a lifetime.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Known for its timeless designs and commitment to circularity, Eileen Fisher uses materials like organic linen and regenerative wool. The brand has a take-back program to resell or recycle old garments and is transparent about its supply chain and Fair Trade practices.
Shop now at eileenfisher.com
Veja creates stylish sneakers using innovative, sustainable materials like wild rubber from the Amazon, organic cotton, and recycled bottles. The brand is radical about transparency, paying fair wages to its producers and detailing every step of its production process.
Shop now at veja-store.com
Reformation combines trendy styles with sustainable practices, using materials like TENCEL™ Lyocell and recycled fabrics while tracking the environmental footprint of each item. The company is Climate Neutral Certified and publishes quarterly sustainability reports for transparency.
Shop now at thereformation.com
For every item purchased from this B Corp brand, ten trees are planted. Tentree uses sustainable materials like organic cotton, hemp, and recycled polyester to create its comfortable, earth-friendly apparel and provides full transparency into its ethical manufacturing partners.
Shop now at tentree.com
Goodfair operates as a curated online platform rather than a traditional brick-and-mortar thrift store. While both sell secondhand items, Goodfair sources, inspects, and presents clothing in a consolidated online experience, often focused on specific styles or mystery bundles.
This is a complex issue. On one hand, reusing a fast fashion item prevents it from ending up in a landfill and reduces demand for a new item. On the other hand, it does not challenge the initial production. Ultimately, secondhand shopping is a form of harm reduction and a much better choice than buying new fast fashion.
While Goodfair's model is impactful, certifications like B Corp require rigorous third-party assessments of a company's entire social and environmental performance. This process demands a high level of transparency, data reporting, legal accountability, and investment that Goodfair may not have undertaken yet.
