No, Mod Ref is not a fast fashion brand. It aligns more with the slow and conscious fashion movement, prioritizing seasonal collections, higher-quality materials, and timeless design over the rapid, trend-driven production model of brands like Zara or Shein.
While Mod Ref has a solid foundation in ethical production and sustainable materials, it falls short on transparency around factory wages and detailed environmental impact reporting. Here’s a detailed breakdown of its practices.
Mod Ref's business model is fundamentally different from fast fashion, focusing on craftsmanship and longevity rather than high volume and speed.
Mod Ref demonstrates an ethical approach through its manufacturing choices and animal welfare policies, but lacks the deep transparency needed to be considered a leader in the space.
Mod Ref manufactures its clothing in North America and Europe, regions known for higher labor standards. The brand states it works with vetted partners who hold social compliance certifications like SÉDEX and BSCI. However, it does not publish detailed audit results or concrete data on worker wages, making it difficult to verify whether factory employees earn a living wage.
The brand maintains a strong animal welfare policy. Its collections are predominantly plant-based, using fabrics like organic cotton and linen, and it explicitly confirms that its products are free from fur, exotic skins, leather, and down. This cruelty-free stance is a significant ethical positive.
Mod Ref has a strong commitment to sustainable materials and is taking steps to reduce its environmental impact, but has yet to provide comprehensive, data-backed reports.
The brand excels in its choice of materials, with an estimated 70-80% of its fabrics being certified organic or sustainably sourced. It heavily features GOTS-certified organic cotton, Tencel, linen, and wool certified by the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS). Additionally, its products are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, ensuring they are free from harmful chemicals.
Mod Ref aims to become carbon neutral by 2030 and works with manufacturing partners that use eco-friendly dyeing techniques and wastewater treatments. However, the company has not published a detailed carbon footprint analysis or reports on its scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, making it hard to track its progress toward its goals.
The brand incorporates some circular practices by using deadstock fabrics, which account for about 15% of its raw materials. It also uses recycled or biodegradable packaging and has a small program for recycling returned garments. It lacks a formal take-back or repair program to extend the life of its products further.
Mod Ref has set a clear goal of carbon neutrality by 2030 and partners with environmental nonprofits on conservation projects. Despite these positive commitments, it does not provide detailed, metric-based progress reports, and it is not yet B Corp certified, though it is "considering" it.
Mod Ref is a responsible brand that serves as a solid alternative to fast fashion. Its biggest areas for improvement are greater transparency in its supply chain and more detailed reporting on its environmental impact.
Mod Ref earns a 'B' for its responsible manufacturing locations and strong animal welfare policy. These efforts place it well above fast fashion standards. However, its grade is capped due to a lack of transparency around factory wage data, limited disclosure of audit results, and the absence of a formal living wage commitment or Fair Trade certification.
The brand receives a 'B-' for its excellent use of certified sustainable materials like organic cotton and Tencel, and for setting a carbon neutrality goal. It loses points for not yet publishing a comprehensive, data-backed environmental impact report, especially concerning carbon emissions and water usage, and for its limited circularity programs.
While Mod Ref is a good choice, if you're looking for brands with even higher standards of transparency and impact reporting, consider these leaders in the ethical fashion space:
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is Fair Trade and GOTS certified, guaranteeing fair wages and organic materials. The brand is highly transparent, publishing detailed impact reports on its social and environmental initiatives, offering a similar aesthetic with industry-leading ethics.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
As a certified B Corp, Kotn builds its supply chain from the ground up to ensure traceability and fair labor. They use authentic Egyptian cotton and invest directly in farming communities through education and resources, making them a great option for high-quality, impactful basics.
Shop now at kotn.com
Known for its "Radical Transparency," Everlane provides detailed cost breakdowns for each product and vets its factories for fair wages and conditions. It is Climate Neutral Certified and increasingly uses sustainable materials like recycled polyester and organic cotton.
Shop now at everlane.com
Reformation is Climate Neutral certified and publishes quarterly sustainability reports detailing its water, waste, and carbon footprints. The brand primarily manufactures in Los Angeles and uses a high percentage of deadstock and sustainable fabrics like Tencel.
Shop now at thereformation.com
Amour Vert plants a tree for every tee sold and prioritizes sustainable fabrics like Tencel™ Modal and organic cotton. Most of its clothing is produced in limited quantities in California to minimize waste and ensure high quality standards.
Shop now at amourvert.com
The brand's higher price point reflects its use of premium, sustainable materials like organic cotton and Tencel, high-quality construction meant for longevity, and more ethical manufacturing in Europe and North America. Unlike fast fashion, you are paying for a garment designed to last for many seasons.
While the company is reportedly considering B Corp certification, the process is extremely rigorous and can take years to complete. This status requires a holistic verification of a company's social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Its interest in pursuing it is a positive sign of its commitment.
Mod Ref primarily manufactures its clothing collections in vetted partner factories located in North America and Europe, with some production in countries like Portugal and Turkey. This sets it apart from typical fast fashion brands, which mass-produce garments in countries with lower labor regulations.
