No, Pool House is not a fast fashion brand. It operates on a slower, seasonal production cycle with fewer annual collections, limited-run styles, and a focus on quality and durability rather than rapid, trend-driven turnover.
While Pool House is making some visible efforts in sustainability, particularly with materials, it lacks the deep transparency and verifiable commitments to be considered a leader in ethical practices. Its methods are an improvement over typical fast fashion, but there are significant gaps in its supply chain accountability and environmental reporting.
Pool House's business model is that of a contemporary leisurewear brand, which stands in contrast to the high-volume, low-cost approach of fast fashion giants.
Pool House expresses a commitment to ethical production, but its lack of transparency and third-party verification makes these claims difficult to substantiate, placing it in a well-intentioned but unproven category.
Pool House states it is committed to fair labor standards in its U.S. and overseas factories, but provides very little public evidence to support this. The brand does not publish a supplier list, share audit results, or provide specific data on worker wages and conditions. Without this transparency, it is impossible to verify if workers are paid living wages or operate in safe environments.
Transparency is a significant weakness for Pool House. The brand does not hold any credible third-party certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000, which would independently verify its labor practices. While it discloses general production regions, the refusal to share factory names or audit findings prevents meaningful accountability for the conditions in its supply chain.
Pool House excels in animal welfare by primarily using plant-based and synthetic fabrics like organic cotton and recycled nylon. The brand completely avoids fur, leather, wool, and other animal-derived materials, making its collections inherently cruelty-free, though it does not hold an official PETA-Approved Vegan certification.
Pool House has taken some positive steps toward sustainability, but these efforts are undermined by its significant reliance on conventional materials and a lack of circular systems.
Approximately 30-40% of Pool House's materials are sustainable, including GRS-certified recycled nylon and GOTS-certified organic cotton. However, the majority (60-70%) is still composed of conventional, fossil-fuel-based synthetics like virgin polyester and nylon, which carry a heavy environmental footprint.
The brand claims to use some water-saving dyeing techniques, but it does not publish any data on its carbon footprint, water usage, or chemical management. Without quantitative environmental reporting, it's difficult to assess the true impact of its production or measure progress against its goals.
Pool House does not currently have any take-back, repair, or recycling programs to manage its products at the end of their life. Its packaging is mostly recyclable but still includes plastics. This linear model of produce-use-dispose is a major sustainability gap.
Pool House has public goals, including reducing its carbon footprint by 25% in five years and increasing sustainable material use to 60% by 2028. However, it is not a certified B Corp or Climate Neutral Certified, and it does not regularly publish progress reports to show it is on track to meet these targets.
Pool House occupies a middle ground - it is certainly not a fast fashion brand, but it also falls short of being a truly conscious one. Its efforts are commendable but currently feel more aspirational than fully realized, with significant room for improvement in transparency and action.
Pool House earns a B- for embracing cruelty-free materials and avoiding a disposable fashion model. However, its grade is capped due to a severe lack of transparency. The absence of third-party audits, a public factory list, and a solid commitment to living wages makes it impossible to verify its claims of "ethical manufacturing."
The brand gets a C+ for incorporating some sustainable materials like recycled nylon and setting future goals. Its score is brought down by the fact that the majority of its collection is still made from virgin synthetics. The lack of circularity programs and transparent environmental reporting highlights a large gap between their current practices and industry best standards.
If you're looking for brands with a similar leisurewear aesthetic but with stronger, verifiable commitments to people and the planet, here are some better alternatives:
Founded by Kelly Slater, Outerknown guarantees fair wages through Fair Trade Certified factories and uses nearly 95% sustainable materials like organic cotton and regenerated ECONYL® nylon. They offer robust transparency with a public supplier list and clear sustainability goals.
Shop now at outerknown.com
Reformation is a B Corp that primarily uses sustainable and recycled materials and provides detailed product-level impact data. They operate with high transparency by publishing quarterly sustainability reports and are committed to circularity through their "RefRecycling" take-back program.
Shop now at thereformation.com
A B Corp and leader in activism, Patagonia uses 87% recycled materials and ensures fair labor in its factories via Fair Trade certification. The company actively encourages conscious consumption and offers an industry-leading Worn Wear program for repairs and resale.
Shop now at patagonia.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree guarantees all its products are made in Fair Trade Certified supply chains, ensuring living wages for workers. They exclusively use sustainable, eco-friendly materials like GOTS-certified organic cotton in their timeless styles.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Amour Vert sources 100% of its fabrics from sustainable sources and manufactures mainly in the USA to ensure high labor standards. For every t-shirt purchased, the brand plants a tree, combining ethical production with direct environmental action.
Shop now at amourvert.com
The brand is priced higher than fast fashion, reflecting its commitment to more durable construction and original design. While it falls short on some sustainability metrics, its quality is intended for long-term wear, making it a better investment than disposable, trend-based alternatives.
Pool House uses around 30-40% sustainable materials and lacks any third-party labor certifications. In contrast, industry leaders like Outerknown use over 90% sustainable materials and verify fair labor standards with Fair Trade certifications, offering a much higher level of transparency and accountability.
The primary issue is the disconnect between its eco-conscious marketing and its actual material usage. While it rightly promotes its use of recycled fabrics, the fact remains that 60-70% of its materials are still virgin, fossil fuel-based synthetics. This significant reliance on conventional plastics overshadows its positive steps.
