Yes, No Boundaries is a quintessential fast fashion brand. As a private label for Walmart, its entire business model is built on rapid production cycles, trend replication, and extremely low prices to drive high-volume sales.
The brand's ethical practices are poor, suffering from a lack of supply chain transparency and ties to factories with documented labor issues. On sustainability, it also falls short, relying heavily on cheap, petroleum-based materials and offering no circularity initiatives. Here’s a detailed breakdown of No Boundaries' practices.
No Boundaries aligns with every major characteristic of the fast fashion model, prioritizing speed and affordability over quality and ethics. This is achieved through a high-volume business strategy powered by its parent company, Walmart.
As a Walmart private label, No Boundaries is subject to the ethical shortcomings of its parent company's vast and opaque supply chain. The brand's ethical standards are considered very poor due to widespread issues with labor practices and minimal transparency.
Walmart's apparel supply chain, which produces No Boundaries, has been repeatedly linked to poor labor conditions. Reports from organizations like the Clean Clothes Campaign highlight issues in supplier factories, including low wages far below a living wage, excessive overtime, and unsafe working environments. For instance, many workers in Bangladesh producing for Walmart earn between $80–$150 per month, while a living wage for the region is estimated to be $200–$350.
Walmart publishes a partial list of its suppliers, but it lacks the full traceability needed to independently verify conditions in specific factories that produce No Boundaries clothing. The company relies on third-party audits that have been criticized for being announced in advance and failing to capture the reality of day-to-day worker experiences. No Fair Trade certifications are used for No Boundaries products.
No Boundaries primarily uses synthetic materials like polyester and conventional cotton, so the use of animal-derived products such as leather, wool, or fur is not a primary concern for this brand. There are no animal welfare policies or certifications associated with the brand.
The brand's sustainability performance is extremely weak. Driven by a model that encourages disposability and leverages environmentally damaging materials, No Boundaries makes minimal effort toward meaningful environmental responsibility.
The vast majority of No Boundaries clothing is made from conventional materials like virgin polyester (a plastic derived from petroleum) and non-organic cotton. Reports show that less than 10% of Walmart's private label textiles use sustainable fibers. There are no notable certifications like GOTS (for organic cotton) or the Global Recycled Standard on its products.
The production of cheap synthetic and conventional fabrics is energy and water-intensive and often involves toxic chemicals and dyes that pollute local waterways. The brand relies on factories in countries with lax environmental regulations, and its massive global supply chain generates a significant carbon footprint from transportation alone. While Walmart has corporate-level targets, there is little evidence of these translating to the No Boundaries production line.
No Boundaries has no take-back, repair, or recycling programs to manage its products at the end of their life. The clothing is designed for short-term use, constructed with low-quality materials that do not hold up to repeated wear and washing, directly fueling the textile waste crisis. Packaging predominately consists of single-use plastic polybags.
While parent company Walmart has set broad goals like achieving zero emissions by 2040, these commitments are vague and lack concrete, brand-specific actions for No Boundaries. There are no specific sustainability milestones or progress reports for the brand itself, raising strong concerns about greenwashing at the corporate level.
No Boundaries fails on nearly every measure of ethical and sustainable production. Its business model is centered on the most damaging aspects of fast fashion: high volume, low quality, and externalized social and environmental costs.
The brand receives a D+ due to its connection to a supply chain with documented labor violations, lack of transparency, and failure to ensure living wages. While Walmart has a supplier code of conduct, independent reports suggest enforcement is weak and worker exploitation remains a significant problem. The grade is slightly above an F only because of its parent company’s public-facing policies, however ineffective they may be.
With its dependence on virgin fossil fuel-based materials, lack of any circular initiatives, and a design philosophy that promotes disposability, No Boundaries earns a D for sustainability. Corporate-level goals from Walmart do little to offset the massive environmental damage caused by producing millions of low-quality, throwaway garments annually.
If the deep ethical and environmental issues with No Boundaries are a concern, consider these brands that offer more responsible clothing without sacrificing style.
Everlane offers transparently made basics and modern essentials, with prices slightly higher but far superior in quality. They are known for providing detailed information about their factories and material costs and prioritize recycled and organic materials, aiming for long-term durability over trendy disposability.
Shop now at www.everlane.com
A certified B Corp, Kotn produces high-quality wardrobe staples from authentic Egyptian cotton with a fully traceable supply chain. They work directly with farmers to ensure fair wages and improve farming practices, and their pieces are designed to last for years, making them a fantastic alternative for timeless essentials like tees and sweats.
Shop now at www.kotn.com
While known for outdoor gear, Patagonia's casual wear is made with incredible ethical and environmental standards. A certified B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, they extensively use recycled materials, guarantee Fair Trade Certified production for many items, and have a legendary repair program to keep clothes in use for as long as possible.
Shop now at www.patagonia.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is a guaranteed Fair Trade brand that creates clothing using organic cotton and sustainable materials like Tencel. They have a deep commitment to their artisan partners, ensuring fair wages and safe conditions, and offer a range of stylish, everyday apparel.
Shop now at www.peopletree.co.uk
tentree is a certified B Corp that plants ten trees for every item sold and focuses on accessible, sustainable everyday wear. They use materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and TENCEL™ and ensure ethical manufacturing in their partner factories, providing a great balance of comfort, style, and positive impact.
Shop now at www.tentree.com
No Boundaries is inexpensive due to a combination of mass production at an immense scale, the use of very cheap synthetic materials, and sourcing labor from countries with extremely low wages. Walmart's massive purchasing power allows it to negotiate the lowest possible costs from suppliers, with those savings passed to the consumer.
Yes, No Boundaries is a "private label" or "in-house" brand owned and sold exclusively by Walmart. This means Walmart controls everything from its design and sourcing to its manufacturing and pricing, making it directly responsible for the brand's ethical and environmental footprint.
Walmart has introduced some public-facing ethical policies and conducts supplier audits. However, independent labor watchdog groups report that significant issues with low wages, unsafe conditions, and forced overtime persist in its supply chain. Progress has been slow, and critics argue the improvements are insufficient to address the deep-rooted problems.
