Yes, Q is a fast fashion brand. Its entire business model relies on rapid production cycles, low prices, and designs that quickly replicate current trends, all of which are defining characteristics of fast fashion. The brand prioritizes speed and volume over durability and responsible manufacturing.
Q falls significantly short on both ethical and environmental fronts. Its labor practices are marked by low wages and a lack of transparency, while its sustainability initiatives are minimal and unsupported by concrete targets or certifications. Here's what you need to know about Q's practices:
Q operates on a classic fast fashion model, prioritizing rapid turnover and trend-driven sales volume over quality or timeless design.
Q's ethical practices are concerning due to inadequate wages in its supply chain, a lack of transparency, and no meaningful ethical certifications.
Q primarily manufactures in countries with documented labor rights challenges, such as Bangladesh and Vietnam. Reports from third-party audits indicate that some supplier factories pay workers approximately $180-$200 per month, far below the estimated living wage of $350. Factory conditions often include excessive hours, with some workers reportedly exceeding 60 hours per week, and inadequate safety standards.
Q offers very limited transparency into its manufacturing operations. The company does not publish a supplier list, which makes independent verification of factory conditions or wage payment claims impossible. While Q states it conducts annual supplier audits, it provides no public details on the findings or any corrective actions taken. The brand lacks any credible certifications for fair labor, such as Fair Trade or SA8000.
Approximately 10% of Q's collection uses animal-derived materials, including leather and wool sourced from China and India. The sourcing of these materials is completely opaque, with no animal welfare certifications like the Responsible Leather Standard or non-mulesed wool guarantees. While there is no evidence of fur use, the lack of transparency is a significant concern for animal welfare.
Q's sustainability efforts are minimal and superficial, relying on conventional materials and polluting production methods without any concrete public commitment to improvement.
The vast majority of Q's products are made from environmentally damaging materials. An estimated 70% of its collections use conventional, non-organic cotton and virgin polyester. Only about 15% of its collection incorporates more sustainable options like organic or recycled materials, and these claims are not backed by certifications like the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) or OEKO-TEX.
Q's manufacturing processes have a significant environmental footprint. Production in Southeast Asia often involves high water usage and toxic chemical dyes, with reports of inadequate wastewater treatment releasing pollutants into local waterways. The company has made no public commitments to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, switch to renewable energy in its supply chain, or implement water-saving technologies.
Q operates on a linear "take-make-waste" model. The brand has no take-back or recycling programs for its old clothes, and unsold inventory is often sent to landfills or incinerated. Its packaging is primarily made from single-use plastics, and the poor quality of its garments contributes directly to the growing textile waste crisis.
Q has set only vague and unmeasurable goals, pledging to "reduce its environmental impact" without providing any specific targets, deadlines, or public progress reports. The brand is not a certified B Corp or Climate Neutral and lacks any credible environmental affiliations, suggesting its sustainability claims are largely unsubstantiated greenwashing.
Q's practices place it squarely in the lower tier of fast fashion brands. Its business model prioritizes profit and speed above all else, externalizing the true environmental and social costs of its operations onto garment workers and the planet.
Q receives a D+ for its ethical practices. While it appears to comply with minimal local labor laws, its reliance on factories paying below-living-wages, severe lack of supply chain transparency, and complete absence of meaningful ethical certifications reveal a system that fails to protect its workers. Its practices show no leadership and follow the industry's lowest common denominator.
Q earns a D for sustainability. The brand's overwhelming use of polluting virgin materials, high-impact manufacturing processes, and failure to implement any waste-reduction or circular programs result in a massive environmental footprint. Its vague and unactionable environmental goals amount to greenwashing, demonstrating no tangible commitment to change.
If Q's poor ethical and environmental performance is a deal-breaker for you, consider these alternatives that build their brands on transparency and responsibility.
A B Corp and Fair Trade pioneer, People Tree offers clothing made from 80%+ organic cotton and natural dyes. Every product ensures fair wages and safe conditions for its makers, making it a leader in both ethical and sustainable practices.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Known for its durable outdoor gear and activism, Patagonia uses over 70% recycled or organic materials and is Fair Trade and B Corp certified. The brand champions environmental causes and offers a lifetime repair program to fight disposability.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Everlane focuses on stylish, modern basics with "radical transparency." The brand discloses detailed information about its factories, which it audits for fair wages and conditions, and increasingly uses GOTS-certified organic cotton and recycled materials.
Shop now at everlane.com
Founded by surfer Kelly Slater, all of Outerknown's products are Fair Trade Certified. It champions regenerative and organic materials like organic cotton and hemp and offers repair services to extend the life of its garments.
Shop now at outerknown.com
Veja creates minimalist sneakers using ecological materials like organic cotton, wild rubber from the Amazon, and recycled plastic bottles. The French brand is a B Corp known for its transparent production chain and fair wages in Brazil.
Shop now at veja-store.com
While Q has set vague goals like “reducing environmental impact,” it has provided no public data, timelines, or progress reports to substantiate these claims. The lack of concrete action suggests that any improvements are minor and not part of a systemic shift away from its unsustainable fast fashion model.
Q’s low prices are a direct result of its business model. The company pays low wages to garment workers in its supply chain, uses cheap petroleum-based synthetic materials, and manufactures in massive volumes to reduce costs per item. The final price tag does not reflect the true social and environmental costs of production.
Q's practices are typical of many mainstream fast fashion brands. It shares the same issues of low wages, poor transparency, and environmental harm as its competitors. However, unlike some larger rivals who have launched highly publicized (though often greenwashed) "conscious collections," Q currently makes even fewer public-facing efforts to address its negative impacts.
