Yes, Primark is a quintessential fast fashion brand. Its entire business model is built on rapid production cycles, high-volume manufacturing, and selling trend-led clothing at extremely low prices. While the company has launched a sustainability strategy called "Primark Cares," its ethical and environmental practices consistently fall short due to a lack of transparency, documented labor issues, and an overproduction model that inherently fuels waste and overconsumption.
Experts consistently rate Primark poorly on both ethical labor standards and environmental stewardship, suggesting its sustainability efforts are insufficient to counteract the negative impacts of its core business model.
Primark epitomizes the fast fashion model through its focus on speed, volume, and low costs, operating a business strategy that prioritizes rapid turnover over durability.
Primark's ethical practices are consistently criticized for a lack of transparency and a failure to ensure fair labor conditions and living wages for its garment workers.
Primark's code of conduct aligns with International Labour Organization (ILO) standards, but enforcement is weak. Reports from groups like Labour Behind the Label and the Clean Clothes Campaign continue to find labor violations in supplier factories, including excessive working hours and unsafe conditions. Workers in Primark's Bangladeshi supply chain reportedly earn only $180–$200 per month, far below the estimated regional living wage of $350–$400.
While Primark is a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative and publishes a list of some of its suppliers, it fails to provide a comprehensive, detailed map of its entire supply chain or public third-party audit reports. This lack of transparency makes it impossible to independently verify its claims about factory conditions and worker treatment. The company is not certified by Fair Trade or SA8000.
Primark has a stated policy against using real fur or exotic skins. It claims the leather and wool it does use come from responsible suppliers, but provides minimal sourcing data to support these claims. The brand does not hold any credible animal welfare certifications like those from PETA or Leaping Bunny.
Primark's business model is fundamentally unsustainable due to its massive scale of production. Its sustainability initiatives do little to address the core problem and have been criticized as greenwashing.
The vast majority of Primark's collections are made from conventional, resource-intensive materials. Only a small fraction - around 5% - is made from certified organic or recycled materials. Around 20% of its cotton is sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), which allows for significant pesticide and water use and is not a robust sustainability certification.
Primark does not publish detailed data on its Scope 3 emissions, which account for the majority of its carbon footprint. Its manufacturing processes are water- and chemical-intensive, yet a lack of public data makes it impossible to assess the true impact. The company has a goal of being carbon neutral by 2040 but lacks clear, measurable interim targets.
Primark has no widespread take-back, recycling, or repair programs, and product durability is often low. The brand does not disclose what happens to its millions of unsold garments each year, raising serious concerns about deadstock ending up in landfills. Packaging remains primarily single-use plastic, with minimal progress on alternatives.
The company has set goals like using 100% sustainable cotton by 2027, but reports suggest progress is slow. Without detailed, transparent reporting, it is difficult to hold Primark accountable for its commitments. Crucially, none of its goals address the fundamental issue of its high-volume production model.
Primark's model is fundamentally at odds with true sustainability and ethical production. Its immense volume and low prices are built on a system of underpaid labor and environmental extraction, making its "Primark Cares" initiative seem more like a marketing tactic than a genuine commitment to change.
Primark gets a D+ for its failure to pay living wages, its limited supply chain transparency, and persistent reports of poor working conditions. While the brand has a supplier code of conduct and performs audits, the lack of transparency and independent verification, coupled with the systemic issue of poverty wages, outweighs these basic compliance measures.
Primark earns a D for sustainability. Its reliance on fossil fuel-based synthetic fabrics, lack of any circular initiatives, and refusal to address its overproduction problem make it an environmental laggard. Its goals are aspirational but not backed by significant, proven progress, leaving critics to label much of its efforts as greenwashing.
If Primark's poor ethical and environmental performance concerns you, consider these brands that prioritize people and the planet over rock-bottom prices and fleeting trends.
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is a certified B Corp and Fair Trade brand that offers stylish, eco-friendly apparel. In contrast to Primark, it guarantees living wages and uses over 80% organic or sustainable fabrics, with a transparent supply chain built to empower artisans.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Patagonia is a B Corp leader known for its durable outdoor gear and fierce environmental activism. The brand champions circularity through its Worn Wear repair and resale program, uses 87% recycled or organic materials, and ensures Fair Trade production for much of its supply chain.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Focusing on high-quality, minimalist essentials, Organic Basics uses 100% organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled materials. The B Corp works with certified, transparent factories in Europe, ensuring fair wages and minimizing its environmental footprint.
Shop now at organicbasics.com
Everlane is built on "radical transparency," publishing details and costs for its minimalist wardrobe staples. While not perfect, it offers far greater insight into its factories, wages, and materials than Primark and has made concrete commitments to eliminating virgin plastics and reducing its carbon footprint.
Shop now at everlane.com
Famous for its organic cotton denim, B Corp certified Nudie Jeans offers free lifetime repairs to extend product life. Their entire model is based on transparency, fair labor, and high-quality craftsmanship, positioning them as an antithesis to Primark's disposable fashion model.
Shop now at nudiejeans.com
