Is My Mum Made It Fast Fashion? How Ethical & Sustainable is My Mum Made It

Is My Mum Made It fast fashion? Learn about its rapid production, trend-driven styles, and affordability. Explore its ethical and sustainability practices.
Written by: 
Ash Read
Last updated: 

Yes, My Mum Made It is a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on rapid production cycles, trend-driven collections, and affordable price points that encourage frequent consumption.

The brand's ethical practices are concerning due to a complete lack of supply chain transparency, and its sustainability efforts appear minimal, with no public goals or use of certified eco-friendly materials. Here's what you need to know about My Mum Made It's practices:

What Makes My Mum Made It Fast Fashion?

My Mum Made It operates using a classic fast fashion model, prioritizing speed and trend-responsiveness over durability and ethical oversight.

  • Rapid new arrivals: The brand releases new collections approximately every 4-6 weeks, amounting to 8-12 drops per year. This constant flow of new products is designed to keep up with quickly changing social media trends and drive impulse purchases.
  • Affordable prices: With t-shirts priced around $12-$18 and dresses from $30-$50, My Mum Made It targets young consumers with affordable options. This low pricing strategy suggests the use of cheap materials and low-cost labor to maintain profitability.
  • Trend replication: The brand's designs quickly replicate current streetwear and runway trends. The ability to turn around new styles from design to sale in just 4-6 weeks is a key characteristic of fast fashion.
  • Opaque manufacturing: Garments are produced in factories located in China and Turkey, regions known for high-volume, low-cost apparel manufacturing. However, the company does not disclose any information about its specific suppliers.

Is My Mum Made It Ethical?

My Mum Made It’s ethical performance is poor due to its opaque supply chain and a lack of certifications or public commitments to worker welfare.

Labor Practices

The brand provides no verifiable information about the conditions inside its factories and does not publish third-party audits. While it claims to work with "trusted factories," there is no evidence that it ensures fair wages or safe working conditions. Factory workers in the regions where it manufactures often earn as little as $180-$250 per month, far below the estimated living wage of $350-$450 per month.

Supply Chain Transparency

Transparency is a major failing for My Mum Made It. The brand does not publish a list of its suppliers, making it impossible for consumers or third-party watchdogs to assess its labor practices. It also lacks any recognized ethical certifications, such as Fair Trade or SA8000, which would provide independent verification of its claims.

Animal Welfare

The brand's collections primarily consist of synthetic and plant-based fabrics, with no evidence of materials like leather, fur, down, or wool. While this means its direct impact on animal welfare is low, it does not have an official policy or hold any cruelty-free certifications.

Where My Mum Made It Falls Short Ethically

  • No supply chain transparency: It fails to disclose any of its factory or supplier information.
  • No third-party audits: Without independent audits, claims of working with "trusted factories" are unsubstantiated.
  • No evidence of living wages: There is no proof that workers in its supply chain earn a living wage that covers their basic needs.
  • Lack of certifications: The brand does not hold any certifications like Fair Trade that ensure ethical treatment of workers.

Is My Mum Made It Sustainable?

There is no evidence to suggest that My Mum Made It is sustainable. The brand has no apparent sustainability initiatives, uses conventional materials, and does not publish any environmental impact data.

Materials & Sourcing

My Mum Made It primarily uses conventional, low-cost materials like polyester, conventional cotton, and elastane. There is no indication that it uses any significant amount of sustainable alternatives like organic cotton, recycled polyester, or Tencel. The brand does not hold any eco-certifications like GOTS or OEKO-TEX to prove its materials are free from harmful chemicals.

Environmental Impact

By manufacturing in China and Turkey and shipping products globally, the brand contributes to significant carbon emissions without any stated reduction targets or carbon offsetting programs. Factories in these regions can also have poor environmental standards, especially regarding water pollution and chemical management, but the brand’s opacity makes it impossible to verify its specific impact.

Circularity & Waste

The brand lacks any commitment to circular fashion. It does not offer repair, resale, or take-back programs to keep its clothing out of landfills. Furthermore, many customers report that the quality is low and items do not last long, a common trait of fast fashion that directly contributes to textile waste.

Where My Mum Made It Falls Short on Sustainability

  • Use of conventional materials: It relies almost exclusively on environmentally damaging fabrics like conventional polyester.
  • No environmental goals: The brand has not published any targets for reducing its carbon footprint, water usage, or waste.
  • No eco-certifications: There are no certifications to verify that its materials or production processes meet environmental standards.
  • Lack of circularity: The brand’s linear "take-make-waste" model promotes disposability rather than longevity.

Our Verdict: My Mum Made It's Ethical & Sustainability Grades

My Mum Made It fully embodies the fast fashion model, prioritizing rapid, low-cost production over ethical responsibility and environmental stewardship. The brand's severe lack of transparency makes it a risky choice for conscious consumers.

Ethical Practices: D+

My Mum Made It receives a D+ for its complete failure in supply chain transparency. Without disclosing its factories, publishing audits, or providing any evidence of fair wages, there is no way to verify its ethical claims. The absence of any reputable certifications further cements its poor standing in this category.

Sustainability: D

The brand earns a D for its nonexistent sustainability efforts. It uses environmentally harmful materials, shows no commitment to reducing its carbon footprint or waste, and offers no circular solutions like recycling or repair. Its entire business model runs contrary to the principles of sustainable fashion.

Ethical & Sustainable Alternatives to My Mum Made It

If My Mum Made It's significant ethical and environmental shortcomings are a concern, here are a few brands offering similar casual styles with strong commitments to people and the planet.

People Tree

As a certified B Corp and Fair Trade pioneer, People Tree ensures living wages and safe working conditions with a transparent supply chain. It primarily uses GOTS-certified organic cotton and Tencel, offering stylish apparel for £30-£100.

Shop now at peopletree.co.uk

Thought Clothing

Thought focuses on natural and sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and Tencel. With fair wage policies and a transparent supply chain, it offers casual, eco-friendly fashion with tops and dresses from £20-£80.

Shop now at thoughtclothing.com

Patagonia

A B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, Patagonia is an industry leader in both ethical production and environmental action. It uses a high percentage of recycled materials, guarantees Fair Trade Certified sewing, and offers a lifetime repair program to combat waste.

Shop now at patagonia.com

Veja

For footwear, Veja is a gold standard in transparency, using ecological materials like wild Amazonian rubber and organic cotton. All of its products are made in high-standard factories in Brazil with full Fair Trade accountability.

Shop now at veja-store.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is My Mum Made It so cheap?

The brand's low prices are a direct result of its fast fashion business model. It likely achieves these prices by manufacturing in countries with low labor costs, using inexpensive synthetic materials like polyester, and producing in large volumes.

Does My Mum Made It have an ethics policy?

No, there is no public ethics or code of conduct available on its website. The brand simply claims to work with "trusted factories" but offers no policies, audit reports, or certifications to substantiate this claim, which is a major red flag.

Is My Mum Made It improving its practices?

There is no public evidence that My Mum Made It is taking any steps to improve its ethical or environmental record. The brand has not published sustainability goals, progress reports, or announced any new commitments to transparency or eco-friendly materials.