No, Ted Baker is not a typical fast fashion brand. Its seasonal release schedule, premium pricing, and focus on design quality set it apart from high-volume retailers like Zara or H&M. However, the brand's ethical and sustainability practices lag significantly behind industry leaders.
While Ted Baker has made some commitments to using better materials and reducing emissions, it struggles with a lack of supply chain transparency and has no public commitment to paying its workers a living wage. Many of its sustainability goals remain aspirational without clear, reported progress.
Ted Baker operates more like a premium high-street brand than a fast fashion giant, characterized by slower production cycles, higher price points, and a focus on a distinct brand identity.
Ted Baker's ethical practices are average at best, hindered by a significant lack of transparency and a failure to commit to living wages for its garment workers.
Ted Baker produces garments in countries like China, India, Turkey, and Portugal, but provides very little public information about its factories or their working conditions. While the brand references third-party audits, the results are not disclosed. Reports indicate that factory workers in some of its supplier countries earn around $150-$250 per month, which is well below the estimated living wage of $350-$400, raising serious concerns about worker exploitation.
The brand does not publish a list of its suppliers or provide meaningful traceability data. This lack of transparency makes it impossible for consumers or watchdog groups to independently verify its claims about ethical manufacturing standards or worker safety in its partner factories.
Ted Baker uses animal-derived materials, including leather, wool, and down, without providing clear policies or certifications on animal welfare. The brand does not hold any cruelty-free or vegan certifications, such as PETA-Approved Vegan. While they do not use fur or most exotic skins, their sourcing practices for other animal materials remain an ethical blind spot.
The company's credibility has been undermined by corporate issues, most notably a 2019 accounting scandal involving the overstatement of company inventory. While not directly tied to labor issues, such incidents raise questions about overall corporate governance and transparency.
Ted Baker has initiated several sustainability measures, but its efforts are undermined by a lack of detailed reporting, limited circularity, and insufficient progress on its long-term goals.
The brand claims that around 60% of its collections feature "more sustainable materials" like recycled polyester, organic cotton, and responsible wool. However, details are vague. For example, only 25% of its cotton comes from the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), and there is no mention of robust certifications like Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) for its wool.
Ted Baker does not publish comprehensive data on its carbon footprint, water usage, or chemical management. While it claims to use water-saving technologies in some factories, there are no specific metrics to measure its actual environmental impact. This lack of data makes it impossible to assess if its reduction efforts are effective.
The brand's circularity initiatives are minimal. It has trialed some in-store take-back programs, but they are not widely available. Unsold inventory is typically moved to outlet stores, which contributes to overproduction and potential waste issues without addressing the root cause.
Ted Baker has set a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and using 75% sustainable materials by 2030. However, the company provides little to no public reporting on its progress toward these targets, raising concerns about greenwashing and a lack of accountability.
Ted Baker occupies a space between fast fashion and true sustainable luxury, but its performance on both ethical and environmental fronts is mediocre. The brand's lack of transparency is its biggest failure, preventing consumers from verifying its marketing claims.
Ted Baker receives a C for meeting minimum industry standards but failing to demonstrate leadership. The absence of a living wage commitment, minimal supply chain transparency, and a reliance on opaque auditing processes are significant drawbacks. While it isn't overtly engaged in the most harmful practices, its passive approach to protecting workers keeps it firmly in the "average, with much room for improvement" category.
The brand earns a D+ for sustainability due to its underdeveloped initiatives and profound lack of data. While it has set long-term goals and uses some better materials, these efforts feel more like a marketing exercise than a core business strategy. Without detailed impact reporting or robust circularity programs, its claims ring hollow and fail to address the systemic environmental issues associated with fashion production.
If Ted Baker's shortcomings on ethics and sustainability concern you, here are better alternatives offering similar styles with stronger commitments to people and the planet.
Known for on-trend, feminine dresses and apparel ($150-$300), Reformation provides radical transparency by publishing detailed reports on its environmental impact. The brand is Climate Neutral Certified, uses sustainable materials like deadstock fabrics and Tencel, and ensures fair labor in its factories.
Shop now at thereformation.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree offers timeless pieces made from GOTS-certified organic cotton and sustainable materials. Every product is Fair Trade Certified, guaranteeing that makers receive fair wages and work in safe conditions. Prices range from $50-$150, offering a more affordable but highly ethical alternative.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
This B Corp certified German brand creates modern, minimalist staples using GOTS-certified organic cotton and recycled materials. Armedangels is deeply committed to circularity and fair labor, offering products that are built to last in factories that pay fair wages.
Shop now at armedangels.de
Focusing on high-quality wardrobe basics made from Egyptian cotton, Kotn is a B Corp with a fully transparent supply chain. It works directly with smallholder farmers in Egypt, paying fair prices, and funds community projects like school construction. Its classic styles offer an ethical alternative for everyday wear.
Shop now at kotn.com
As the gold standard for sustainability, Patagonia offers durable jackets and performance wear built for life. The brand is a B Corp, Fair Trade Certified, and uses over 87% recycled materials. It champions anti-consumerism and offers an ironclad guarantee and repair program for all its products.
Shop now at patagonia.com
Ted Baker has set public goals for improvement, such as reaching net-zero by 2050. However, its progress is slow and lacks transparency. Without public reporting on its carbon emissions or water usage, it is difficult to confirm whether meaningful improvements are actually being made.
Ted Baker's pricing reflects its position as a premium brand, which is built on its unique design aesthetic, brand marketing, and use of higher-quality materials compared to disposable fast fashion. However, this higher price does not automatically translate to better ethical or sustainability credentials.
Yes, Ted Baker uses animal-derived products like leather and wool. The brand lacks transparency regarding the welfare standards for these materials and does not hold key certifications like the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), meaning the sourcing conditions are largely unknown.
In 2019, Ted Baker admitted to overstating the value of its inventory by approximately £58 million. This financial scandal raised governance concerns and led to a change in leadership, impacting the company's corporate credibility outside of its direct supply chain issues.
