Is Restyle Fast Fashion? How Ethical & Sustainable is Restyle

Is Restyle fast fashion? Discover how Restyle champions ethical practices with quality materials, timeless designs, and minimal collections for sustainability.
Written by: 
Ash Read
Last updated: 

No, Restyle is not a fast fashion brand. Its business model is rooted in more conscious production, using higher-quality materials, timeless designs, and releasing a limited number of collections annually.

Restyle's ethical practices are commendable, focusing on manufacturing in regions with better labor standards, but it falls short of guaranteeing a living wage for all workers. On the sustainability front, it demonstrates a strong commitment by using a majority of certified sustainable materials and setting clear emissions goals, though it still has room to improve its circularity programs.

Why Restyle Is Not Considered Fast Fashion

Restyle distinguishes itself from the high-volume, trend-driven fast fashion model through a more deliberate and responsible approach.

  • Moderate production cycle: Restyle releases approximately 8-12 collections per year, not weekly or daily drops. Its design-to-store timeline is around 4-6 weeks, allowing for more thoughtful production compared to fast fashion giants who can turn around designs in days.
  • Mid-range pricing for quality: With t-shirts priced at $25-$35 and dresses from $60-$90, Restyle’s products are positioned to reflect higher-quality materials and more ethical production costs. This model encourages investment in durable pieces rather than frequent, disposable purchases.
  • Emphasis on timeless design: The brand focuses on classic, versatile styles that are built to last, intentionally steering clear of replicating micro-trends. There are no known controversies regarding design theft, a common issue with fast fashion brands.
  • Conscious manufacturing locations: Restyle primarily manufactures its clothing in Portugal, Turkey, and Eastern Europe. These regions are known for stronger labor protections and higher standards than the manufacturing hubs in Southeast Asia commonly used by fast fashion companies.

Is Restyle Ethical?

Restyle shows a solid commitment to ethical practices, particularly in its sourcing and transparency, though improvement is needed regarding worker wages.

Labor Practices

Restyle manufactures in facilities in Portugal, Turkey, and Eastern Europe, which generally have better labor regulations. The brand provides a public supplier list for its main factories and some have third-party audits from organizations like the Fair Wear Foundation. While factory wages of €300-€400 per month are above the regional minimum, they fall below estimated living wages of €500-€700 per month.

Supply Chain Transparency

The brand publishes annual ethical reports that include supplier lists and audit summaries, showing an above-average commitment to transparency. However, complete traceability down to the raw material level is limited, and some of its publicly available audit reports are outdated or not comprehensive.

Animal Welfare

Restyle follows a strong cruelty-free policy and is PETA-approved. The company avoids all animal-derived materials like fur, leather, and exotic skins, focusing instead on plant-based and recycled fabrics. Certified materials like GOTS organic cotton and GRS recycled polyester further ensure no harmful practices are involved.

Where Restyle Falls Short Ethically

  • Wages below living wage standards: While workers are paid above the legal minimum wage, Restyle does not guarantee a scientifically calculated living wage that covers basic needs across its entire supply chain.
  • Lack of Fair Trade Certification: The brand currently is not Fair Trade certified, a key third-party verification that ensures workers receive fair compensation and have safe working conditions.
  • Incomplete factory audits: Full, recent audit reports for all supplier factories are not publicly available, leaving gaps in transparency for consumers who want to verify claims.

Is Restyle Sustainable?

Restyle's sustainability initiatives are robust and position it as a leader in responsible fashion, though its reliance on some conventional materials prevents it from perfection.

Materials & Sourcing

Around 60-70% of Restyle’s collection is made from sustainable materials. This includes GOTS-certified organic cotton, GRS-certified recycled polyester, and Tencel Lyocell. However, the remaining 30-40% is still composed of conventional fabrics like standard cotton and virgin polyester, which have a higher environmental footprint.

Environmental Impact

Restyle is Climate Neutral Certified and has reduced its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 15% in the last two years. Its factories utilize low-water dyeing processes and wastewater treatment, cutting water consumption by up to 30%. The brand’s average carbon footprint per item is roughly 8-10 kg CO₂e, significantly lower than the 15-20 kg CO₂e common for fast fashion products.

Circularity & Waste

The company promotes longevity through high-quality manufacturing and timeless designs. It offers a limited take-back program for recycling old garments, utilizes deadstock fabrics for special collections, and uses packaging made from recycled and biodegradable materials. However, its overall circularity framework is not fully comprehensive yet.

Sustainability Goals & Progress

Restyle has set ambitious public targets, including using 100% sustainable materials by 2025 and achieving a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The brand is currently B Corp pending and partners with external organizations like the Sustainable Apparel Coalition to drive industry-wide change.

Where Restyle Falls Short on Sustainability

  • Reliance on conventional fabrics: A significant portion (30-40%) of its materials are not certified sustainable, which undermines its overall environmental commitment.
  • Limited circularity programs: The brand's take-back and recycling initiatives are not widely accessible or comprehensive, leaving a gap in its end-of-life product management.
  • Progress on goals can be slow: While goals are ambitious, company reports indicate some milestones are slightly behind schedule, highlighting the difficulty of implementing systemic change.

Our Verdict: Restyle's Ethical & Sustainability Grades

Restyle is a much better choice for conscious consumers than any fast fashion brand. Its commitments to ethical sourcing and sustainability are robust and verified, though there is still clear room for improvement to become an A-list brand.

Ethical Practices: B

Restyle earns a B for its ethical practices. The brand gets high marks for its commitment to animal welfare, supplier transparency, and manufacturing in regions with better labor laws. However, it is held back from a higher grade because it does not yet pay a verified living wage across its supply chain and lacks Fair Trade certification.

Sustainability: B+

Restyle receives a B+ for sustainability. Its extensive use of certified eco-friendly materials (60-70%), Climate Neutral certification, and clear emission reduction targets are impressive. The grade is slightly tempered by its continued use of conventional fabrics in a portion of its collection and its developing, rather than fully established, circularity programs.

More Ethical & Sustainable Brands Like Restyle

If you appreciate Restyle's focus on timeless style and responsible production, here are some other ethical brands with similar values you might want to explore:

Pact

Pact offers affordable everyday basics ($20-$100) made almost exclusively from GOTS-certified organic cotton in Fair Trade Certified factories. They focus on super-soft, comfortable essentials like tees, hoodies, and underwear with full supply chain transparency.

Shop now at wearpact.com

Kotn

A certified B Corp, Kotn specializes in high-quality wardrobe staples made from Egyptian cotton ($30-$150). They ensure fair labor practices by working directly with family-run farms in Egypt, guaranteeing fair prices and funding the construction of local schools.

Shop now at kotn.com

Threads 4 Thought

Threads 4 Thought creates stylish and functional activewear and loungewear ($40-$120) using sustainable materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester. The brand is a certified B Corp and produces its clothing in factories that are Fair Trade or SA8000 certified.

Shop now at threads4thought.com

ABLE

ABLE is a B Corp that offers leather goods, denim, and apparel ($50-$250) made with a mission to empower women by providing living wages. They are radically transparent, publicly publishing the wages of their lowest-paid workers to hold themselves accountable.

Shop now at livefashionable.com

Frank And Oak

This certified B Corp offers modern, minimalist apparel for men and women ($40-$200) with a strong focus on innovative, sustainable materials like seawool and kapok. Over 75% of their products are made with eco-friendly fabrics and ethical production methods.

Shop now at frankandoak.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Restyle pay living wages?

No, Restyle does not currently guarantee living wages across its supply chain. While its factory workers earn more than the legal minimum wage in their countries, their pay falls below third-party estimates for a true living wage that covers all basic expenses.

Are all of Restyle's clothes sustainable?

Not entirely. Around 60-70% of Restyle's collection is made using sustainable materials like GOTS organic cotton and recycled polyester. The company has a goal to reach 100% by 2025, but a portion of its current products still uses conventional fabrics.

What certifications does Restyle have?

Restyle is Climate Neutral Certified, PETA-approved, and pending its B Corp certification. It heavily uses certified materials in its collections, including GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified fabrics.