Yes, Justice is a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on rapid production cycles, trend-driven collections for a youth audience, and low price points that encourage frequent purchasing, treating clothing as disposable.
The brand's ethical practices are concerning due to a lack of supply chain transparency and no evidence of a commitment to paying living wages. Environmentally, its reliance on cheap synthetic materials and the absence of sustainability goals contribute to a significant negative impact. Here’s a detailed breakdown of Justice’s practices.
Justice embodies the fast fashion model through its core strategies of speed, volume, pricing, and manufacturing - all designed to keep up with quickly changing youth trends.
Justice's ethical track record is poor, primarily due to an extreme lack of transparency across its supply chain and no verifiable commitments to worker well-being.
Justice manufactures in regions where systemic labor issues are common, including low wages and poor working conditions. For example, factory workers in Bangladesh producing for fast fashion brands often earn around $90-$150 per month, which falls far below the estimated regional living wage of $200-$250 per month. Justice provides no public evidence that it ensures workers are paid a living wage or that conditions exceed minimum legal standards.
The brand does not publish a supplier list or detailed results from factory audits. While it claims to work with third-party auditors and adhere to certain standards, this lack of public disclosure makes it impossible for consumers to verify its claims. This opacity is a significant red flag regarding accountability for its labor practices.
Justice’s collections are primarily made from synthetic materials, and the brand appears to be free of fur, wool, and exotic animal skins. While this means it largely avoids direct animal harm in its materials, the synthetic alternatives it uses have their own serious environmental consequences, such as fossil fuel dependency and microplastic shedding.
Justice demonstrates minimal commitment to environmental sustainability, with business practices that prioritize low costs and rapid turnover over planetary health.
The brand's collections are dominated by virgin synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, which make up roughly 60-70% of its material use. While some items may contain a small percentage of recycled polyester (around 10-15%), these efforts are minor. Justice provides no evidence of using certified sustainable materials like GOTS organic cotton or OEKO-TEX certified fabrics.
Justice does not publicly report on its carbon footprint, water usage, or chemical management policies. The production of synthetic textiles is energy-intensive and depends on fossil fuels. The dyeing and finishing processes also contribute to water pollution, especially in countries with weak environmental regulations. The brand has no stated goals for carbon neutrality or emissions reduction.
There are no take-back, recycling, or repair programs offered by Justice to manage its products at the end of their life. The clothing is designed for low durability and short-term use, directly contributing to the textile waste crisis. Unsold inventory disposal methods are not disclosed, and its packaging predominantly consists of single-use plastic bags.
Justice has not published any specific, measurable sustainability goals, targets, or progress reports. The brand does not hold any well-regarded environmental certifications like B Corp or Climate Neutral, indicating sustainability is not a key area of focus for the company.
Justice’s business model is a clear example of fast fashion's most problematic traits: rapid production funded by questionable labor practices and a profound disregard for environmental consequences. While appealing to a young audience with its trendy and affordable clothes, it fails to meet even basic standards of corporate responsibility.
Justice earns a D due to its complete lack of transparency, which makes it impossible to verify any claims about worker safety or fair pay. Its business is built on a low-cost labor model in high-risk countries, and the absence of any public commitment to paying a living wage solidifies it as a brand that places profit far above people.
The brand receives a D for its high environmental impact and near-total inaction on sustainability. The heavy use of virgin synthetic materials, a business model that promotes disposability, and a complete absence of public environmental targets show a profound lack of commitment to protecting the planet.
If you're looking for more responsible brands for youth and basics that prioritize people and the planet, here are some better alternatives:
Tentree offers casual, eco-friendly apparel with a focus on sustainable materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester. A certified B Corp, they plant ten trees for every item sold and maintain transparent, ethical manufacturing practices.
Shop now at tentree.com
Known for its commitment to "radical transparency," Everlane discloses information about its partner factories and production costs. The brand focuses on modern basics using more sustainable materials like organic cotton and recycled fabrics, with set science-based climate targets.
Shop now at everlane.com
While known for outdoor gear, Patagonia offers durable basics for kids and adults and is an industry leader in both ethical and sustainable practices. As a B Corp, it uses a high percentage of recycled materials, guarantees Fair Trade production in many factories, and offers a lifetime repair program.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Kotn focuses on high-quality basics made from authentic Egyptian cotton sourced directly from small farms. The brand pays fair prices, invests in community development, and ensures supply chain transparency from farm to factory through to finished products.
Shop now at kotn.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is Certified Fair Trade and a B Corp. The brand uses natural and organic fibers, champions traditional artisan skills, and ensures living wages are paid throughout its supply chain to empower workers in developing countries.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
No, the brand has changed significantly. After filing for bankruptcy, Justice was acquired by Blue Star Alliance LLC and is now primarily a digital-first brand, with a large collection of items being exclusively sold at Walmart. While the branding is similar, the business structure and operations are entirely new models.
Justice maintains its low prices by using inexpensive, mass-produced synthetic materials and manufacturing products in countries with very low labor costs. This fast fashion model prioritizes producing a high volume of goods as cheaply as possible, with the cost savings passed on to the consumer.
Yes, but in very small quantities. The brand incorporates some recycled polyester in about 10-15% of certain collections. However, the vast majority of its materials are still virgin synthetics, meaning its overall reliance on new, fossil-fuel-based plastics has a high environmental cost.
