No, Modern Citizen is not a fast fashion brand, it is a slow fashion brand. It stands in direct contrast to the fast fashion model by emphasizing quality, ethical craftsmanship, and timeless design over rapid, trend-driven production.
The brand is recognized for its strong ethical labor standards and commitment to supply chain transparency. While it has commendable sustainability initiatives, including using eco-friendly materials and setting emission goals, there is still room for improvement in data reporting and certifications. Here's what you need to know about Modern Citizen's practices:
Modern Citizen’s business model is built on slow fashion principles, prioritizing longevity and responsible production over speed and volume.
Modern Citizen demonstrates a high commitment to ethical practices through strong labor standards and exceptional transparency, setting it well above the industry average.
Modern Citizen manufactures in regions with robust labor laws, primarily North America and Europe. Workers in its factories are paid wages aligned with living wage benchmarks, around $15-$20 per hour, which is substantially higher than the sub-living wages common in fast fashion supply chains. Factories are subject to regular third-party audits to ensure safe and fair working conditions.
The brand excels in transparency, publishing detailed information about its factory partners, including their names, locations, and audit results. Modern Citizen also releases annual reports outlining its progress on ethics and sustainability, a practice that builds trust and accountability rarely seen in the fashion industry.
Modern Citizen has a strong animal welfare policy, avoiding materials like fur and exotic skins. When wool or silk is used, they are sourced from suppliers that adhere to standards like the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) and OEKO-TEX, ensuring responsible and humane treatment of animals.
Modern Citizen has a credible and robust sustainability strategy, though it falls short of perfect due to gaps in public data and third-party certifications.
Approximately 60% of Modern Citizen's collection is made from sustainable materials, including GOTS-certified organic cotton, Tencel, linen, and recycled polyester. The brand provides transparent information about where its materials come from and holds certifications like OEKO-TEX to ensure products are free from harmful chemicals.
By manufacturing locally, Modern Citizen significantly reduces transportation-related carbon emissions. Its factories are encouraged to use renewable energy and water-saving processes. However, the company does not publish a comprehensive carbon footprint report, making it difficult to fully assess its total environmental impact.
The brand's limited production runs are a key strategy for minimizing deadstock and waste. It also uses recycled materials for its packaging to reduce its plastic footprint. While Modern Citizen offers repair services to extend the life of its garments, it has not yet implemented a formal take-back or recycling program.
Modern Citizen has set ambitious targets, including using 100% sustainable materials by 2025 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. While it is on track to meet its materials goal, its carbon neutrality plan relies partly on offsets rather than solely on direct emissions reductions.
Modern Citizen is a leader in ethical and sustainable fashion, particularly for a brand at its price point. Its commitment to transparency and slow fashion principles makes it a trustworthy choice for conscious consumers, though there are still opportunities for improvement.
Modern Citizen earns an A- for its exceptional supply chain transparency, commitment to living wages in its primary manufacturing regions, and safe working conditions verified by third-party audits. It sets a high bar for ethical production with detailed factory disclosures. The grade is slightly tempered by the lack of an official Fair Trade certification, which would add another layer of independent validation.
The brand receives a B+ for its strong use of sustainable materials (60% of its collection), clear emissions reduction targets, and waste-conscious production model. Its focus on local manufacturing and durable design is commendable. However, the lack of a public, comprehensive carbon footprint report and reliance on offsets for its climate goals prevent it from earning a top grade.
If you appreciate Modern Citizen's sophisticated style and commitment to conscious production, you might also be interested in these other brands that lead the way in ethical and sustainable fashion:
Known for its timeless, minimalist designs, Eileen Fisher is a B Corp and Climate Neutral Certified brand focused on circularity. They prioritize organic and recycled fibers, offer robust take-back and repair programs, and maintain exceptional supply chain transparency.
Shop now at eileenfisher.com
A true pioneer in activism and sustainability, Patagonia is a certified B Corp that uses a high percentage of recycled materials and guarantees Fair Trade Certified sewing for much of its line. The company is famous for its "Worn Wear" repair and resale platform, actively fighting overconsumption.
Shop now at patagonia.com
This B Corp brand creates elegant, minimalist apparel using 100% certified Fair Trade organic cotton. Kowtow is committed to circular design from seed to garment, ensuring ethical production, transparent supply chains, and a low environmental impact.
Shop now at kowtowclothing.com
As a pioneer of the ethical fashion movement, People Tree has been creating fair trade and environmentally sustainable clothing for over 30 years. The brand works directly with artisans and farmers in the developing world to produce unique styles using organic and natural materials.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
While known for sneakers, Veja applies the same high ethical and sustainable standards to all its products. The brand uses innovative, ecological materials like Fair Trade Certified cotton and wild Amazonian rubber, and maintains complete transparency from raw material to final product.
Shop now at veja-store.com
Modern Citizen’s clothing is primarily manufactured in the United States, Canada, and small, family-owned workshops in Europe. This localized production strategy helps ensure higher labor standards and reduces the brand's carbon footprint from shipping.
The brand uses a range of sustainable materials, including GOTS-certified organic cotton, Tencel Lyocell (sourced from sustainable forests), linen, and recycled polyester. Around 60% of its current collection is made with these eco-friendly fabrics.
No, Modern Citizen is not currently a certified B Corporation. While its practices align with many B Corp standards - such as high marks for ethics and environmental consideration - it has not undergone the official certification process.
Modern Citizen could improve by publishing a comprehensive public report on its full carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions). Pursuing official certifications like B Corp or Climate Neutral would also provide greater independent validation of its sustainability claims.
