No, Spanx is not considered a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on creating durable, foundational shapewear and activewear at a premium price point, with slower seasonal product releases rather than the rapid, trend-driven cycles that define fast fashion.
However, the brand faces significant ethical and sustainability challenges. It lacks transparency in its supply chain, raising concerns about labor practices, and shows minimal commitment to using sustainable materials or reducing its environmental impact.
Spanx's production model aligns more with traditional apparel brands than with fast fashion giants. It prioritizes function and quality over the high-volume, rapid turnover of trends.
Spanx’s ethical performance is average at best, hindered by a significant lack of transparency that makes it difficult to verify its claims of responsible manufacturing.
Spanx manufactures its products primarily in Asian countries like China and Vietnam. Independent reports on the broader apparel industry in these regions have highlighted issues like low wages and poor working conditions. For example, garment workers in Vietnam earn an average of $180-$200 per month, which is nearly half of the estimated living wage of $350 per month.
The company does not publish a list of its suppliers or the results of any factory audits. This lack of transparency means consumers and watchdog groups cannot independently verify if workers are treated fairly or paid a living wage. The brand does not hold key ethical certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000.
Spanx primarily uses synthetic fabrics like nylon and spandex, so animal welfare is not a major concern for its core product line. The company does not have any animal welfare policies or certifications, but it also does not use materials like fur, leather, or wool.
Spanx’s sustainability efforts are minimal, with a heavy reliance on environmentally harmful materials and no clear public commitments to improve its practices.
The brand's products are almost entirely made from conventional, petroleum-based synthetic fabrics such as nylon, polyester, and spandex. These materials contribute to microplastic pollution with every wash, rely on fossil fuels for production, and are not biodegradable. Spanx does not disclose what percentage, if any, of its materials are from recycled sources and lacks certifications like GOTS or OEKO-TEX Standard 100.
Spanx has not published any data on its carbon emissions, water usage, or chemical management policies. The environmental impact of producing vast quantities of synthetic textiles is significant, but the brand has not announced any science-based targets or initiatives to reduce its footprint.
There is no take-back, repair, or recycling program for Spanx products. At the end of their life, these synthetic garments are destined for landfills, where they will take centuries to break down. The brand has also made no public commitments to using sustainable packaging or reducing production waste.
Spanx has no publicly stated sustainability goals. The company has not announced targets for moving to renewable energy, reducing its carbon footprint, or increasing its use of sustainable materials. Certifications that demonstrate a holistic commitment to sustainability, such as B Corp or Climate Neutral, are absent.
While not a fast fashion brand, Spanx's approach to ethical and sustainable production is insufficient. Its premium price tag does not translate to premium labor standards or environmental care, revealing serious gaps between its brand image and its actual practices.
Spanx earns a C+ due to its complete lack of supply chain transparency. Without disclosing its factories or audit results, its claims of ethical manufacturing are unverifiable. The high probability that its workers earn below a living wage is a major concern that cannot be adequately addressed without transparency. The company's positive marketing around inclusivity is a small plus but does not offset the core ethical accountability issues.
The brand gets a D for sustainability. Its reliance on virgin synthetics, absence of public environmental goals, lack of any circularity programs, and zero key sustainability certifications place it far behind its peers. Aside from making durable products, Spanx has demonstrated virtually no meaningful commitment to reducing its environmental impact.
If Spanx's lack of transparency and poor environmental record are concerning, consider these brands that offer similar products with a genuine commitment to people and the planet.
Girlfriend Collective makes size-inclusive activewear and basics from certified recycled materials like post-consumer plastic bottles. As a Certified B Corp, the brand guarantees fair wages and safe conditions in its SA8000-certified factory and is transparent about its supply chain from fiber to finish.
Shop now at girlfriend.com
This B Corp brand creates underwear, activewear, and basics using sustainable materials like GOTS-certified organic cotton and recycled nylon. Organic Basics partners with certified factories to ensure workers are paid a living wage and provides detailed impact reports on its water and energy consumption.
Shop now at organicbasics.com
Known for its ultra-soft basics, Pact uses 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton and operates in Fair Trade Certified factories. This ensures farmers and workers are paid fairly and protects waterways from harmful chemicals and dyes, making it an affordable alternative for everyday staples.
Shop now at wearpact.com
A leader in sustainability, Patagonia offers high-performance base layers and activewear made from recycled materials in Fair Trade Certified factories. As a B Corp, it donates 1% of sales to environmental causes and is pioneering programs for repair and take-back to fight textile waste.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Everlane is built on a model of "Radical Transparency," revealing the costs and factory partners behind each product. The brand focuses on timeless pieces and increasingly uses sustainable materials like recycled polyester and organic cotton while working toward reducing its carbon footprint.
Shop now at everlane.com
Spanx primarily uses virgin synthetic fabrics like nylon and spandex. While some products may contain a small percentage of recycled content, the company does not provide transparent data on its material composition or show a significant commitment to shifting away from petroleum-based fibers.
Spanx isn't fast fashion because its business model is based on higher prices, slower production cycles, and creating durable, foundational garments meant to last. Fast fashion is defined by rapid trend replication, weekly product drops, low prices, and intentionally poor quality to encourage overconsumption, none of which align with Spanx's core strategy.
Currently, there is no public evidence that Spanx is becoming more transparent. The brand still does not publish a list of its supplier factories or share third-party audit reports. This continued opacity remains one of the largest ethical concerns for the company.
Spanx products are mainly manufactured in countries across Asia, including China and Vietnam. These regions are major hubs for garment production globally, but without specific factory disclosures from Spanx, monitoring working conditions and wages is challenging.
