Yes, Torrid is a fast fashion brand, although it serves a specific niche in the plus-size market. Its business model is built on rapid turnover of trendy collections, quick design-to-retail timelines, and affordable pricing, aligning it with core fast fashion principles.
The brand faces significant criticism for its lack of transparency regarding labor practices and wages in its supply chain. Environmentally, Torrid has made minimal effort to adopt sustainable materials or set meaningful targets to reduce its impact. Here’s what you need to know about Torrid's practices:
Torrid's operating model mirrors traditional fast fashion by prioritizing speed, volume, and trend replication to serve the plus-size apparel market.
Torrid's ethical performance is poor due to a severe lack of transparency and the absence of commitments to living wages for its garment workers.
Torrid’s clothing is mostly manufactured in Asia, with production centered in countries like China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh - regions with known risks of labor exploitation. The company states it holds suppliers to a code of conduct but fails to provide a public list of its factories or detailed third-party audit results, making it impossible to verify the actual working conditions or safety standards for its workers.
Transparency is a major weakness for Torrid. The brand does not publicly disclose details about its supply chain, factory audits, or policies to protect workers from abuses. Without this critical information, customers have no way of knowing whether the people making their clothes are paid fairly or work in safe environments. Third-party watchdogs have noted that workers in these regions are often paid below the local living wage, sometimes earning as little as $180-$250 per month when a living wage is estimated to be $350-$500.
Torrid primarily uses synthetic materials like polyester and cotton. While the brand does use leather and wool occasionally, it does not provide any public policies or certifications regarding animal welfare standards for these materials. It does not appear to use fur or exotic animal skins.
Torrid's sustainability efforts are minimal to non-existent, reflecting a lack of serious commitment to reducing its environmental impact.
The majority of Torrid's clothing is made from conventional materials like polyester, nylon, and non-organic cotton. It is estimated that less than 10% of its collections use sustainable materials. The brand has not made any public commitment to increase its use of recycled, organic, or other eco-friendly fabrics and lacks key certifications like GOTS or OEKO-TEX.
Torrid does not publish any data regarding its environmental footprint. There is no public information on its carbon emissions, water usage, chemical management, or wastewater treatment practices in its supply chain. Without quantifiable data or clear reduction targets, its impact on the planet remains unaddressed and likely significant.
The brand does not offer any garment take-back, repair, or recycling programs to manage its products at the end of their life. There is also no public information on how Torrid manages unsold inventory or reduces deadstock fabric waste. Its packaging remains predominantly plastic-based with no significant push towards sustainable alternatives.
Torrid has not set any public, time-bound sustainability goals, such as carbon neutrality targets or commitments to use 100% sustainable materials. The brand is not a certified B Corporation and has not joined major industry initiatives like the Fashion Pact, indicating a lack of strategic focus on environmental responsibility.
Torrid’s business model prioritizes trend-driven, plus-size fashion at an affordable price, but this comes at a significant ethical and environmental cost. Its impressive marketing of body positivity is not matched by responsibility in its supply chain.
Torrid receives a 'D' due to its severe lack of supply chain transparency. Without disclosing factory locations, audit results, or committing to living wages, the brand fails to meet basic ethical accountability standards. While its focus on inclusive sizing is commendable, it does not excuse the potential for labor exploitation within its hidden supply chain.
For sustainability, Torrid also earns a 'D.' The brand has taken virtually no meaningful steps to address its environmental impact. Its heavy reliance on virgin polyester and conventional cotton, coupled with a complete absence of public sustainability targets or reporting, places it far behind industry peers moving towards more responsible practices.
If you're looking for plus-size fashion from brands with stronger commitments to people and the planet, here are some better alternatives:
PACT offers basics and everyday wear made from GOTS-certified organic cotton in Fair Trade certified factories. As a B Corp, PACT is highly transparent about its supply chain and is committed to reducing water usage and eliminating harmful chemicals. Their plus sizes are expanding, offering a truly sustainable alternative.
Shop now at wearpact.com
Kotn focuses on timeless staples made from ethically sourced Egyptian cotton. As a B Corp, they provide direct traceability from farm to factory, ensuring fair wages for farmers and garment workers. Their clothing is made to last, representing a move away from the fast fashion consumption cycle.
Shop now at kotn.com
Offering trendy and feminine styles with inclusive sizing, Reformation is a B Corp that prioritizes sustainable materials like Tencel and recycled fabrics. The brand is Climate Neutral Certified and provides detailed "RefScale" impact reports for each garment, though it is at a higher price point.
Shop now at thereformation.com
Tentree is a B Corp known for its comfortable, casual apparel made from eco-friendly materials like recycled polyester and organic cotton. For every item purchased, the brand plants ten trees and is transparent about its factory partners and more ethical labor practices.
Shop now at tentree.com
A pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is guaranteed Fair Trade and uses sustainable materials like organic cotton and Tencel. While their style is more timeless and artisanal, they offer a fundamentally more ethical way to shop for well-made clothing.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
No, Torrid does not publicly disclose a list of the factories that manufacture its clothing. This lack of supply chain transparency is a major red flag for ethical shoppers, as it makes it impossible to verify claims about worker treatment and factory conditions.
Torrid has a strong following because it successfully serves the plus-size market - a demographic historically underserved by the fashion industry. The brand provides trendy, affordable, and well-fitting clothing that allows plus-size consumers to participate in current fashion trends, which often outweighs ethical concerns for some shoppers.
Torrid is marginally better than ultra-fast fashion giants like SHEIN, purely because its production cycle is slightly slower and it produces fewer new items annually. However, both brands share fundamental fast fashion problems: lack of transparency, questionable labor practices, reliance on fossil fuel-based fabrics, and business models that promote overconsumption.
