No, Princess Highway is not a conventional fast fashion brand. Its focus on vintage-inspired, timeless designs and a seasonal release schedule sets it apart from the rapid, trend-driven models of brands like Shein or Fashion Nova.
However, while the brand utilizes a higher percentage of sustainable materials, its ethical and environmental claims are weakened by a significant lack of supply chain transparency. There is little public information to verify its factory conditions, worker wages, or overall environmental footprint. Here's what you need to know about Princess Highway’s practices.
Princess Highway operates on a more traditional fashion calendar than true fast fashion brands, focusing on quality and a distinct aesthetic over speed and volume.
Princess Highway's ethical performance is mixed, with positive intentions clouded by a major lack of transparency that makes its claims difficult to verify.
Princess Highway manufactures primarily in China, India, and Vietnam - countries with documented risks of labor rights issues. The brand has not been implicated in any specific labor scandals, but it fails to provide concrete data on worker wages or factory conditions. For context, garment workers in these regions can earn as little as $150-$200 per month, while a living wage is estimated to be closer to $300-$400.
This is the brand's biggest weakness. Princess Highway does not publish a list of its suppliers, nor does it provide third-party audit reports or recognized certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000 to back up its claims of working with ethical factories. This opacity prevents consumers and watchdog groups from independently verifying its labor standards.
The brand maintains a strong animal welfare policy. It does not use fur, leather, or exotic animal skins in its products, focusing instead on plant-based fabrics like cotton and linen, as well as synthetics and man-made cellulosics like Tencel.
Princess Highway has made tangible efforts in sustainable material sourcing, but it lags on tracking, reporting, and reducing its overall environmental impact.
A significant portion - approximately 60-70% - of Princess Highway’s collections are made from preferred materials, including Tencel (Lyocell), organic cotton, recycled polyester, and linen. While they use some GOTS-certified organic cotton and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified materials, the lack of transparency makes it unclear what percentage of their total collection meets these standards.
The brand has not published data on its environmental footprint. Crucial metrics like water usage, chemical management, energy consumption, and carbon emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3) are not disclosed to the public. They have set a vague goal to reduce emissions without providing a concrete target, timeline, or progress report.
Princess Highway does not currently have any take-back, repair, or recycling programs to manage its products at the end of their life cycle. Their packaging is mostly recyclable, but details on managing unsold inventory and production waste are not publicly available.
Princess Highway positions itself as a charming, eco-conscious brand, and its choice of materials largely supports that image. However, its failure to provide supply chain transparency or report on its environmental impact means it's asking for consumer trust without providing verification.
The brand earns a C+ for avoiding major ethical scandals and using some certified materials. However, its grade is severely limited by a near-total lack of transparency regarding its factories, wages, and working conditions. Without verifiable proof, its ethical claims remain just that - claims.
Princess Highway receives a B- for its strong focus on using a high percentage (60-70%) of sustainable materials like organic cotton and Tencel. It loses points for its complete lack of climate targets, environmental data reporting, and circularity initiatives, which are essential for a truly sustainable brand.
If you're looking for brands with a similar whimsical style but with stronger commitments to transparency and measurable impact, consider these alternatives:
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree offers bohemian-style apparel and is World Fair Trade Organization certified. The brand is deeply committed to supply chain transparency, pays partner artisans living wages, and uses over 80% organic or recycled materials.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Reformation combines trendy, feminine silhouettes with rigorous sustainability. The brand is Climate Neutral Certified, uses a high percentage of preferred materials, publishes detailed factory information, and provides impact reports on every product page.
Shop now at thereformation.com
With a focus on minimalist and timeless designs, this B Corp uses 100% certified organic cotton and ensures its entire supply chain is Fair Trade certified. Kowtow promotes mindful consumption, designs for circularity, and offers a take-back program.
Shop now at kowtowclothing.com
Offering elegant, locally-made essentials, Amour Vert prioritizes sustainable fabrics like Tencel Modal and organic cotton. For every T-shirt purchase, they plant a tree (over 300,000 to date) and focus a large part of their production in the USA for ethical oversight.
Shop now at amourvert.com
Known for its "Radical Transparency," Everlane shares detailed information on its factories and pricing breakdowns. They focus on modern basics made from sustainable materials like recycled fabrics and clean silk, with strong commitments to reducing carbon emissions.
Shop now at everlane.com
It is impossible to confirm if Princess Highway pays a living wage because the brand does not disclose information about its factories or provide credible third-party audits. This lack of transparency is a significant ethical red flag, as brands without oversight often fail to ensure fair pay.
Yes, materials like Tencel Lyocell and organic cotton, which make up 60-70% of their collection, are much better than conventional alternatives. They require far less water, pesticides, and toxic chemicals. However, without data on the brand's manufacturing processes, the full environmental impact remains unknown.
As a business, Princess Highway is better than ultra-fast fashion brands like Shein because it doesn’t follow the high-volume, trend-driven model. Compared to H&M, it is a trade-off, Princess Highway uses a better materials mix, but H&M, despite its own issues, often provides far greater supply chain transparency with a full public supplier list.
