Yes, NA-KD is a fast fashion brand. Its entire business model - built on rapid trend replication, weekly product drops, low prices, and high production volume - aligns with the core characteristics of fast fashion.
The brand's ethical practices are questionable due to a significant lack of transparency in its supply chain, and its sustainability efforts are largely aspirational with little verifiable data to back them up, leading to concerns of greenwashing. Here's what you need to know about NA-KD's practices.
NA-KD operates within the classic fast fashion model, prioritizing speed and trend-responsiveness over quality and longevity. Its production cycle is designed to quickly convert an online trend into an affordable product available for purchase worldwide.
NA-KD's ethical record is concerning, primarily due to a severe lack of transparency that makes it impossible for consumers to verify the company's claims. While there are no major public scandals, the absence of proof for its ethical standards is a significant red flag.
NA-KD manufactures its clothing in high-risk countries like Bangladesh, India, and China. While the company claims to conduct supplier audits, there are no publicly available reports or third-party verifications to confirm essential details about worker safety, and there is no evidence that it ensures workers are paid a living wage.
The brand’s biggest ethical failing is its opacity. NA-KD does not publish a list of its suppliers or factories, which prevents independent organizations from investigating working conditions. It holds no recognized ethical certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000, making its claims about supplier adherence to "standards" difficult to take at face value.
Because NA-KD predominantly uses synthetic and plant-based fabrics, major animal welfare concerns are minimal. However, the brand does not hold any certifications like PETA-Approved Vegan to formally confirm its animal welfare policies.
NA-KD's sustainability efforts fall woefully short. While the company has set future goals and markets certain "sustainable" items, its actions are minimal and fail to address the fundamental environmental damage caused by its high-volume fast fashion business model.
The majority of NA-KD’s garments are made from conventional synthetic fabrics like polyester and viscose. The brand claims that 20-30% of its collections include "some form" of sustainable material like recycled polyester, but it lacks key certifications like the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) or Global Recycled Standard (GRS) to verify the contents of its fabrics.
NA-KD fails to publish any comprehensive data on its carbon emissions, water consumption, or chemical usage in its manufacturing processes. While the company claims to be working towards carbon neutrality, it has not published clear, time-bound targets or detailed any progress on this front, hiding its true environmental footprint.
NA-KD has no meaningful circularity programs in place. It offers no garment recycling or take-back programs, operates no resale marketplace, and provides no clear policies on managing textile waste or deadstock fabric from production. Shipments typically arrive in plastic polybags, contributing to plastic waste.
The company has set a vague goal of using 50% sustainable materials by 2025, but provides no public roadmap or progress reports to track its progress. This gap between broad claims and tangible, verifiable action is a hallmark of corporate greenwashing.
NA-KD positions itself as a modern, digitally-native brand, yet its ethical and environmental practices remain stuck in the past. Its business model aligns squarely with the harmful fast fashion industry, and its improvements are superficial at best.
NA-KD scores poorly on ethics due to a profound lack of transparency. With no supplier list, no verified audits, and no commitment to a living wage, its ethical claims are hollow. Positive steps in inclusive marketing are not enough to offset the complete absence of accountability for the people who make its clothes.
The brand receives a D for sustainability because its efforts appear to be more about marketing than meaningful change. Without concrete targets, verified data, or any circularity programs, NA-KD's initiatives don't address its core problem: overproduction of cheap, disposable clothing made from environmentally damaging materials.
If you're seeking trendy styles without compromising on ethical and environmental values, here are some far better alternatives to NA-KD:
Everlane offers modern basics and wardrobe essentials (often priced around $20-$100) with a policy of "Radical Transparency," revealing the cost breakdown and factory information for each garment. The brand prioritizes better materials like recycled synthetics and publishes details about its supply chain audits.
Shop now at everlane.com
A true pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is World Fair Trade Organization certified, ensuring workers receive fair wages and a safe working environment. It exclusively uses sustainable materials like GOTS-certified organic cotton and TENCEL for its collection of timeless styles and basics ($40-$150).
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Tentree is a B Corp that plants ten trees for every item sold, making it an excellent choice for climate-conscious shoppers. It offers affordable casual wear and loungewear ($30-$120) made from 95%+ sustainable materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and TENCEL, with full supply chain transparency.
Shop now at tentree.com
Known for its custom-developed, incredibly soft fabrics, Marine Layer focuses on sustainable materials like TENCEL™ Modal and recycled cotton. The brand has a resale platform, Re-Spun, which helps extend the life of clothing and promotes circularity for its relaxed, casual styles ($30-$100).
Shop now at marinelayer.com
While known for outdoor gear, Patagonia's everyday apparel is a benchmark for ethics and sustainability. As a B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, it guarantees Fair Trade factory production, uses almost entirely recycled or organic materials, and offers lifetime repairs to fight overconsumption.
Shop now at patagonia.com
There are strong indications of greenwashing at NA-KD. The company promotes sustainability with vague claims and future goals but fails to provide specific, verifiable data or third-party certifications to support them. Its core business of producing hundreds of new, low-cost styles weekly is fundamentally unsustainable, making its green claims misleading.
NA-KD's popularity stems from its effective use of social media influencer marketing, its ability to quickly replicate viral trends, and its affordable pricing. This combination makes it highly appealing to young, digitally-native consumers who prioritize current styles and accessibility over quality or brand ethics.
NA-KD has made some minor improvements, such as introducing recycled materials into select products and stating sustainability ambitions. However, these steps are incremental and do not address the larger problems of overproduction, waste, and a lack of transparency. Progress is slow and lacks the accountability needed for meaningful change.
