No, Suitsupply is not a fast fashion brand. Its business model is built on quality craftsmanship, timeless designs, and higher price points, positioning it as a premium or slow fashion brand rather than a high-volume, trend-driven retailer.
While Suitsupply avoids the pitfalls of fast fashion, it faces challenges with transparency regarding its ethical practices and lacks clear, public sustainability goals. Here's a detailed look at where the brand stands.
Suitsupply stands apart from the typical fast fashion model by prioritizing quality and longevity over speed and volume. Its entire production philosophy is geared toward creating durable tailored garments, not disposable trends.
Suitsupply demonstrates a moderate commitment to ethics, largely by operating in regions with strong labor laws, but its lack of transparency makes it difficult to fully verify its claims and commitment to workers.
Suitsupply’s manufacturing is concentrated in European countries like Italy and Portugal, which have robust labor laws mandating fair wages and safe working conditions. Factory workers in Portugal, for example, earn around €700-€900 per month, which is above the minimum wage but may still fall short of a definitive living wage. While the brand states it audits its suppliers, it does not publish these results or provide specific details on worker conditions.
This is Suitsupply’s main weakness. The company does not publish a list of its suppliers or factories, nor does it provide third-party audit reports for independent verification. Without this transparency, consumers must take the company's claims about fair labor at face value. It does not hold certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000.
The brand primarily uses natural fibers like wool, cotton, and silk, avoiding fur and exotic skins. Some of its wool is certified by the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), which ensures certain animal welfare and land management standards are met. However, the exact percentage of RWS-certified wool used and sourcing details for other animal-derived materials remain unclear.
Suitsupply’s sustainability efforts are primarily rooted in its slow fashion model of producing durable, long-lasting clothing. However, it lacks a formal, public-facing sustainability strategy with clear targets and metrics.
Suitsupply prioritizes natural and biodegradable fibers like wool, linen, and cotton. As mentioned, some of its wool is RWS-certified, which is a positive step. However, a large portion of its materials appears to be conventional, with limited information on the use of organic cotton or other certified sustainable fabrics across its full collection.
Manufacturing in Europe means its factories must adhere to stricter environmental regulations, including wastewater treatment and chemical management. However, Suitsupply does not publish any data regarding its carbon footprint, water usage, or energy consumption, making it difficult to assess its environmental performance or progress.
The core of Suitsupply's circularity is product longevity. By creating well-made garments designed to last, the brand inherently combats waste. However, it does not currently operate any formal take-back, recycling, or repair programs to manage its products' end-of-life impact.
Currently, Suitsupply has not published specific, time-bound sustainability goals, such as targets for carbon emission reductions, water neutrality, or shifting to 100% sustainable materials. Without these public commitments, it’s unclear what the brand’s long-term environmental strategy is.
Suitsupply succeeds in being a higher-quality, more durable alternative to fast fashion, but its lack of transparency and proactive forward-looking commitments keeps it from being a leader in the ethical and sustainable space.
Suitsupply earns a B because its products are primarily made in European countries with strong labor laws, reducing the risk of the severe exploitation common in fast fashion. Strong craftsmanship also supports skilled labor. It loses points for a significant lack of transparency, including no public supplier list, no audit results, and no explicit living wage commitment, which prevents full verification of its practices.
The brand's focus on creating durable, long-lasting products is its greatest sustainability asset and forms the foundation of its C+ grade. However, this is undermined by a lack of public environmental data, no formal circularity programs, and an absence of clear, measurable goals for improvement. Sourcing some RWS-certified wool is a good step, but a broader commitment to certified sustainable materials is needed.
If Suitsupply’s gaps in transparency and sustainability concern you, here are several menswear-focused brands with stronger, verifiable commitments to people and the planet.
A B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, Patagonia is an industry leader in using recycled materials (over 70% of fibers) and enforcing Fair Trade Certified sewing practices. With lifetime repair programs and transparent impact reporting, it's a gold standard for functionality and activism.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Built on "Radical Transparency," Everlane shares details about its factories and production costs. The brand offers minimalist menswear staples using materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester, with many items coming from Fair Trade certified factories.
Shop now at everlane.com
This German B Corp brand is dedicated to using eco-friendly materials like GOTS-certified organic cotton and linen. Armedangels is also a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, ensuring its commitment to worker well-being is verified by a third party.
Shop now at armedangels.com
Founded by surfer Kelly Slater, Outerknown is committed to circularity, supply chain transparency, and fair labor, working with Fair Trade USA to support its factory workers. The brand uses 90%+ preferred fibers, including organic cotton, recycled materials, and regenerative wool.
Shop now at outerknown.com
While known for sneakers, Veja applies its industry-leading ethical model to a range of products, with full transparency on materials, fair wages, and manufacturing processes. They use innovative bio-based and recycled materials alongside organic cotton and wild rubber.
Shop now at veja-store.com
Suitsupply is best described as an affordable luxury or premium brand. It occupies a space between high-street retailers and high-end designer labels, offering luxury-level craftsmanship, quality materials, and in-store tailoring services at a more accessible price point.
Most Suitsupply garments are manufactured in company-owned and partner facilities in Europe - primarily Italy, Spain, and Portugal - as well as some locations in Asia. This commitment to European manufacturing is a key differentiator from fast fashion brands that predominantly produce in Southeast Asia.
No, Suitsupply does not have a formal repair program. However, its garments are constructed with high-quality techniques and materials that allow them to be easily altered and repaired by any competent local tailor, reinforcing the brand's emphasis on product lifetime and wearability.
