While often celebrated as a sustainable leader, Reformation operates on a business model that shares many characteristics with fast fashion. Its rapid production cycle, frequent new collections, and trend-driven designs place it in a gray area, distinct from rock-bottom brands like Shein but still promoting a faster-than-ideal consumption pace.
The brand has made significant, verifiable sustainability strides but falls short on full supply chain transparency and fair labor verification. Here’s a detailed breakdown of Reformation's practices.
Reformation's business model blends sustainability marketing with the speed and volume typical of fast fashion, creating a hybrid that keeps pace with trends.
Reformation has taken more steps towards ethical transparency than many of its peers, but significant gaps remain in verifying worker pay and conditions across its entire supply chain.
Reformation states that workers in its Los Angeles facilities earn a living wage, but it does not disclose specific wage data for verification. For its overseas factories in locations like China and Turkey, third-party audits suggest compliance with local laws, but independent reports are scarce and not publicly available, making it difficult to confirm if those workers earn true living wages. The brand does not hold any Fair Trade certifications.
The brand publishes an annual sustainability report and details some of its factory partners, including some that are WRAP-certified. However, it fails to publish a complete, public list of its tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers or detailed audit results. This lack of exhaustive disclosure prevents full independent accountability and verification of its ethical claims.
Reformation has a decent animal welfare policy, explicitly banning fur and exotic skins from its collections. It does use animal-derived materials like silk and wool but claims to source from suppliers committed to humane practices. The brand does not advertise prominent animal welfare certifications like the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS).
Reformation is often seen as a sustainability trailblazer, holding a B Corp certification that holds it to higher standards. However, its fast production model presents an inherent conflict with true sustainability.
Approximately 70% of Reformation's materials are considered sustainably sourced. Tencel Lyocell makes up around 50% of its fabric use, with recycled materials like recycled polyester accounting for another 20%. The brand also uses deadstock fabrics and organic cotton and avoids many hazardous chemicals with OEKO-TEX Standard 100-certified dyes. Despite this, it still uses some conventional, non-recycled synthetics.
Certified as a B Corp and working with Climate Neutral, Reformation is committed to environmental standards. The company aims for carbon neutrality by 2025 and reports a 50% reduction in water use compared to traditional manufacturing. It actively tracks its GHG emissions (approx. 10,000 metric tons CO₂e annually) and invests in offsets and renewable energy.
Reformation has several circularity initiatives, including a take-back program for recycling old clothes, the use of deadstock fabrics to reduce textile waste, and promoted repair services. While these are positive steps, they address the symptoms rather than the root cause of waste generated by a high-volume production model.
Reformation is undeniably a leader among high-street brands, pushing the industry forward in material innovation and climate goals. However, its fast fashion-adjacent business model - built on speed and volume - inherently limits how ethical and sustainable it can truly be.
Reformation earns a solid B for its B Corp status and better-than-average transparency initiatives. It clearly makes an effort to ensure good labor practices in its U.S. factories. However, the grade is held back by a lack of complete supplier transparency and the absence of Fair Trade certifications to independently verify living wages and working conditions, especially in its overseas factories.
The brand receives a B+ for its aggressive sustainability goals, high percentage (70%) of sustainable fabrics, and tangible progress toward carbon neutrality. Its B Corp and Climate Neutral certifications are significant achievements. The plus grade recognizes its leadership, but it is held back from an A by a business model that encourages rapid consumption and its continued use of some conventional synthetic materials.
If Reformation's fast-cycle model and transparency gaps are a concern, consider these alternatives that prioritize deeper commitments to fair labor and slower production.
Eileen Fisher creates timeless, high-quality pieces designed for longevity. The brand uses over 80% organic or recycled fabrics, is B Corp and Fair Trade Certified, and is highly transparent about its supply chain and commitment to paying living wages.
Shop now at eileenfisher.com
A certified B Corp, Kotn produces elegant wardrobe basics from organic Egyptian cotton sourced directly from small farms. The brand ensures fair wages and invests in community development projects like building schools in rural Egypt, offering exceptional supply chain traceability.
Shop now at kotn.com
With a similar feminine aesthetic to Reformation, Amour Vert manufactures apparel in limited quantities in the U.S. using sustainable materials like Tencel Modal and cottonseed cupro. For every tee purchased, the brand plants a tree.
Shop now at amourvert.com
For affordable basics, Pact is a leader in using GOTS-certified organic cotton and manufacturing in Fair Trade Certified factories. This ensures that growers and workers are paid fair wages and work in safe conditions, with a strong focus on water conservation.
Shop now at wearpact.com
A true pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is B Corp Certified and was the first fashion company awarded the World Fair Trade Organization product label. They focus on handmade skills, organic materials, and total transparency, working with artisans to create beautiful, ethical clothing.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
While known for outdoor gear, Patagonia's everyday clothing uses 87% recycled materials and comes from Fair Trade Certified factories. As a certified B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, its business is activism, encouraging repair and fighting overconsumption.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Reformation's higher prices reflect its use of more costly sustainable fabrics like Tencel, a significant amount of US-based manufacturing which involves higher labor costs, and real investments in sustainability certifications and programs. Unlike brands like Zara, it isn't solely optimized for the lowest possible cost.
It's complicated. Reformation has made verifiable, industry-leading environmental progress, so it’s not pure greenwashing. However, critics argue that promoting its products as fully "sustainable" while operating a business model that releases new collections every few weeks knowingly fuels overconsumption, fundamentally undermining sustainability's core principles.
Reformation states that workers in its US-based factories are paid a living wage, but it has not released third-party verified data to support this. For its overseas factories, there is insufficient evidence and no Fair Trade certification to prove that workers are being paid a verified living wage, which remains a key ethical gap.
