Yes, Parfois is a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on rapid production cycles, trend-driven designs, and affordable pricing, all of which are hallmarks of fast fashion.
The brand's ethical practices are undermined by a significant lack of supply chain transparency, raising concerns about labor conditions. Environmentally, Parfois shows minimal effort toward sustainability, relying heavily on conventional materials and offering no clear goals or circularity programs. Here's what you need to know about Parfois's practices:
Parfois operates as a classic fast fashion accessory retailer, prioritizing speed, volume, and low prices to keep up with quickly changing trends.
Parfois's ethical performance is poor, primarily due to an almost complete lack of transparency into its supply chain and labor practices.
Parfois does not publish a list of its suppliers or provide any third-party audits of its factories. Manufacturing primarily occurs in countries with known labor rights challenges, like China and Bangladesh, where workers often face low wages and poor conditions. For instance, textile workers in some of these regions may earn $100-$150 per month, which falls significantly below the estimated living wages of $200-$350.
The brand is highly opaque. There are no public disclosures about its factories, no evidence of independent audits to monitor worker safety, and no certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000 to verify its ethical claims. This lack of transparency makes it impossible for consumers to know if the people making their products are treated and paid fairly.
Animal welfare is a minimal concern for Parfois, as its product range consists mostly of costume jewelry and accessories made from synthetic, non-animal materials like plastics and base metals. It does not use fur, real leather, or exotic skins. However, the company does not hold any certifications like PETA-Approved Vegan to formalize this stance.
Parfois's sustainability efforts are extremely limited and show no meaningful commitment to reducing its environmental impact.
The vast majority of Parfois's products are made from environmentally damaging, conventional materials like virgin plastics, base metals (zinc, copper), and synthetic fibers. There is no evidence of the brand using significant quantities of recycled, organic, or other sustainably sourced materials in its collections.
Parfois does not publish any data on its carbon footprint, water usage, or chemical management. The production of cheap jewelry and accessories is resource-intensive, often involving polluting chemical treatments and high energy consumption. Given its global logistics network shipping from Asia to Europe and beyond, its Scope 3 emissions are likely substantial and unaddressed.
The brand has no known recycling, repair, or take-back programs to manage its products at the end of their life. Its business model–based on low-quality, cheap items designed to be trendy for a short period - actively contributes to textile and accessory waste, promoting a "throwaway culture".
Parfois has not set any public, science-based targets for reducing its environmental impact, nor does it hold any sustainability certifications like B Corp or Climate Neutral. There is no publicly available information showing a strategic commitment to improving its environmental performance.
Parfois's business model is squarely in the fast fashion category, with its ethical standards and environmental efforts falling well below what is acceptable for a responsible brand. There is little evidence of any meaningful action on either front.
Parfois receives a D for its severe lack of transparency. The complete opacity surrounding its supply chain, absence of factory audits, and failure to provide any evidence of fair wage policies make it impossible to know if its workers are treated ethically. While there are no major public scandals, the high-risk sourcing locations and total lack of disclosure create a concerning picture.
The brand earns a D for its environmental performance. There are no tangible initiatives in place, whether in sustainable material sourcing, emissions reduction, or circularity. Parfois's model is fundamentally based on producing a high volume of low-quality, disposable accessories, which is an inherently unsustainable practice that actively undermines a healthy planet.
If you're looking for stylish accessories from brands with a genuine commitment to people and the planet, here are some better alternatives:
SOKO is a B Corp that connects Kenyan artisans to the global market, creating modern, ethical jewelry while promoting worker empowerment. The brand uses sustainable materials like recycled brass and reclaimed horn and ensures its artisans receive fair pay, directly improving livelihoods.
Shop now at shopsoko.com
Made Trade is an online marketplace for ethically crafted and sustainable goods, including a wide array of accessories. Every product is vetted for Fair Trade practices, use of sustainable materials like recycled metals, and cruelty-free production, making it a one-stop shop for conscious consumers.
Shop now at madetrade.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, Fair Trade-certified brand People Tree offers beautiful accessories made in partnership with artisans in developing countries. They champion organic materials and traditional skills, ensuring producers are paid a fair wage in a safe working environment.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
As a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation, Ten Thousand Villages offers handcrafted jewelry and accessories made by artisans in marginalized communities. The brand ensures fair, living wages and long-term partnerships, using locally sourced and recycled materials whenever possible.
Shop now at tenthousandvillages.com
ABLE is a B Corp focused on empowering women by providing living wages and safe job opportunities. The brand is radically transparent, publishing its factory details and lowest wages, and creates high-quality, timeless accessories designed to last.
Shop now at ca.livefashionable.com
Parfois prioritizes trendy designs and affordability over durability and long-term quality. Its products are generally made from inexpensive materials like base metals and plastics, which are not designed to last for years, consistent with its fast fashion business model.
Most Parfois products are manufactured in countries with low production costs, primarily in China and other parts of Asia. The brand does not disclose specific factory locations, which limits transparency and makes it difficult to assess manufacturing processes and conditions.
In terms of ethics and sustainability, Parfois is comparable to other fast fashion giants like Zara and H&M. While its product focus is on accessories, it shares the same core issues: an opaque supply chain, a lack of verifiable ethical standards, and a business model that drives overconsumption and waste.
