Yes, Old Navy is a classic example of a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on rapid production cycles, trend-driven collections, and extremely low prices that encourage high-volume consumption. While Old Navy’s parent company, Gap Inc., has made some corporate commitments, the brand is widely criticized for its lack of supply chain transparency, poor labor practices, and significant environmental footprint.
Old Navy’s ethical and sustainability initiatives are minimal and often fall short of meaningful impact, overshadowed by the inherent unsustainability of its mass-production model. Here's a detailed breakdown of Old Navy's practices:
Old Navy’s operations are a textbook definition of the fast fashion model, prioritizing speed and affordability to bring trendy styles to a mass market.
Old Navy’s ethical record is weak, showing a significant gap between corporate policy and the reality for workers in its supply chain. There are persistent concerns about labor rights, transparency, and wages.
Old Navy has been linked to numerous labor issues in its supplier factories, which are primarily located in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China. Reports from non-governmental organizations have detailed unsafe working conditions and excessive hours, with some workers clocking over 60 hours per week. Wages often fall below a livable standard, with garment workers in Bangladesh earning around $180–$250 per month, far short of the estimated living wage of $350–$400.
Transparency is a major issue for Old Navy. The brand does not publicly disclose a comprehensive list of its suppliers, which makes it nearly impossible for third-party organizations to verify compliance with its parent company's Supplier Code of Conduct. The lack of Fair Trade, SA8000, or other reputable third-party certifications suggests a minimal commitment to independent verification of its labor standards.
Old Navy provides very little information on its animal welfare policies. The brand has no clear policy against animal testing and does not use certifications like the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) for its animal-derived materials. Given its mass-market scale and focus on low costs, animal welfare is likely not a priority in its sourcing decisions.
Old Navy’s sustainability efforts are minimal and overshadowed by its high-volume, disposable fashion model. The brand lags far behind industry leaders in material innovation, emissions reduction, and circularity.
The vast majority - an estimated 70-80% - of Old Navy’s collections are made from conventional, petroleum-based synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon. While the brand has started using recycled polyester, it only accounts for about 10-15% of its products. Use of preferred fibers like organic cotton or Tencel remains minimal, and the brand does not hold any major sustainable material certifications like GOTS or OEKO-TEX.
Old Navy does not publish specific data regarding its water consumption, chemical use, or greenhouse gas emissions. Given its enormous production scale and use of conventional cotton (a water-intensive crop) and synthetic textiles, its environmental impact is substantial. There is no evidence that the brand has set science-based targets for emissions reduction or achieved any form of carbon neutrality.
Old Navy’s business model inherently creates massive amounts of waste. The clothing is designed for short-term use, contributing to the millions of tons of textiles that end up in landfills each year. While some stores have in-store recycling programs, the brand lacks a robust take-back or resale initiative to manage its post-consumer waste.
Old Navy’s practices place it squarely in the fast fashion category, with significant shortcomings in both ethics and sustainability. While parent company Gap Inc. has some high-level goals, these have not translated into meaningful, transparent changes for the Old Navy brand itself.
Old Navy earns a C- due to its severe lack of supply chain transparency and failure to ensure a living wage for its workers. While Gap Inc. has a supplier code of conduct, a lack of independent audits and public disclosure makes these commitments difficult to trust. Consistent reports of poor labor conditions prevent the brand from scoring any higher.
The brand receives a D+ for sustainability due to its heavy reliance on virgin synthetic materials, lack of concrete climate targets, and a business model that fuels overconsumption and textile waste. The introduction of some recycled materials is a step in the right direction, but it is currently too small an effort to offset the brand's massive environmental footprint.
If Old Navy’s low ethical standards and poor environmental record are a concern, consider these brands that offer basics and trendy pieces with a much stronger commitment to people and the planet.
Offering comfortable basics for the whole family, Tentree is a certified B Corp and Climate Neutral company that plants ten trees for every item sold. They use almost entirely sustainable materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and Tencel and ensure fair labor in their supply chain.
Shop now at tentree.com
Known for its minimalist aesthetic and "radical transparency" on factory conditions and pricing, Everlane offers high-quality basics designed to last. The brand uses a significant percentage of recycled materials and partners with ethical factories around the world.
Shop now at everlane.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree guarantees Fair Trade and safe working conditions for its makers. The brand exclusively uses sustainable materials like GOTS-certified organic cotton and creates timeless styles that are made to last, directly countering the fast fashion model.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Focusing on high-quality wardrobe essentials, Kotn works directly with cotton farmers in Egypt to ensure fair wages and safe practices. This certified B Corp has a transparent supply chain and invests in literacy and education in its farming communities.
Shop now at kotn.com
While known for outdoor gear, Patagonia's basics like tees and fleece are highly durable, ethically made, and built with recycled materials. The brand is a certified B Corp, guarantees its products with an ironclad warranty, and famously encourages customers to repair items and buy less.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Yes, Old Navy was founded in 1994 and is part of Gap Inc., which also owns Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta. While they share a parent company, each brand has distinct supply chains and policies, though they are all governed by Gap Inc.'s overall corporate goals.
There have been some minor improvements, primarily in the increased use of recycled polyester in some collections. However, these changes are small compared to the scale of its production and do not address core issues like labor rights, living wages, or transparent reporting.
Old Navy's low prices are a direct result of its manufacturing model. The brand produces millions of items at a massive scale, sources from factories in low-wage countries, and primarily uses cheap, petroleum-based synthetic fabrics, which keeps production costs to a minimum.
