No, Tree of Life is not a fast fashion brand. It champions a slow, artisanal production model focused on preserving traditional craftsmanship, using natural materials, and establishing ethical partnerships with artisan communities. While the brand has a strong foundation in sustainability and ethical sourcing, there are opportunities for improvement in meeting global living wage standards and providing more transparent environmental data.
Tree of Life is a solid choice for conscious consumers, but it's important to understand the details of their practices. Here’s a closer look at what they do well and where they can improve:
Tree of Life’s entire business model is the antithesis of fast fashion. Instead of high-speed, trend-driven production, it prioritizes quality craftsmanship and timeless, bohemian styles.
Topically, Tree of Life demonstrates a strong commitment to ethical production, building its brand around empowering artisan communities. However, there are some nuances regarding wages that prevent a perfect score.
The core of Tree of Life's ethical mission is its direct partnerships with artisans and fair trade-certified cooperatives. Laborers work in safe environments and earn fair wages based on local standards, often exceeding the local minimum. Specific reports indicate artisan earnings of approximately $3–$6 per day, which is contextually fair in regions like India and Nepal but may fall short of a universally recognized living wage.
Tree of Life offers good transparency, openly disclosing its partnerships with artisan communities and sourcing locations. Some of its supply chains are certified by Fair Trade International and the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), which require third-party audits for working conditions. This level of disclosure goes far beyond the opacity common in the fast fashion market.
The brand maintains a clear cruelty-free stance. Its collections focus on plant-based materials like organic cotton and hemp, explicitly avoiding animal-derived products such as fur, exotic skins, or leather. No animal testing is involved in any part of its production process.
Tree of Life is rooted in sustainable practices, primarily through its use of natural materials and low-impact production methods. While its foundation is solid, it lacks the comprehensive data reporting and major certifications of industry leaders.
Prioritizing the planet is central to Tree of Life's material choices. An estimated 70-80% of its fibers are sustainable, including GOTS-certified organic cotton, hemp, and jute. The brand also focuses on using natural dyes derived from plants and minerals, sourced locally to reduce transportation emissions and support farming cooperatives.
By relying on traditional methods like handloom weaving and natural dyeing, Tree of Life significantly reduces the energy and water consumption typical of industrial manufacturing. However, the company does not publish comprehensive, third-party audited data on its water usage, emissions, or chemical management, making it difficult to fully verify its impact claims.
Waste is minimized through small-batch production that avoids the creation of deadstock fabric. The brand designs durable, lasting clothing and encourages repairs. It also offers a modest take-back program for recycling and repurposing garments and uses leftover textile scraps to create accessories.
Tree of Life has set a goal to reduce its carbon footprint by 30% by 2030 and works with Climate Neutral Now to offset its emissions. The brand also aims to increase its use of sustainable fibers to 90%. Its eco-friendly packaging consists of 100% recycled paper and biodegradable bags, avoiding plastic.
Tree of Life represents a heartfelt and genuine effort to create beautiful clothing without the harmful impacts of fast fashion. Their artisanal, slow fashion model champions both cultural preservation and environmental respect, though there's still room for progress toward industry-leading standards.
Tree of Life earns a B+ for its excellent work in empowering artisan communities, committing to Fair Trade principles, and maintaining respectable supply chain transparency. Their model is built on a foundation of human dignity. The grade is held back from an A due to wages that, while locally fair, can fall short of internationally recognized living wage standards.
The brand receives a B for its strong reliance on organic, natural materials and low-impact production methods. Its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and using eco-friendly packaging is commendable. However, the lack of comprehensive, independently audited environmental performance data and major certifications like B Corp prevents a higher score.
If you appreciate Tree of Life’s bohemian style and commitment to craft, you’ll likely enjoy these other brands that offer similar aesthetics with even stronger ethical and sustainability credentials.
A true pioneer in ethical fashion, this B Corp is Fair Trade-certified across its entire supply chain and a leader in using organic materials. People Tree offers modern, eco-friendly dresses, tops, and accessories with guaranteed living wages and full supply chain transparency.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Although it serves the outdoor market, this B Corp is the gold standard for corporate responsibility. Patagonia uses nearly 100% recycled or renewable materials, enforces fair labor standards globally, donates 1% to the planet, and guarantees its products with lifetime repairs.
Visit patagonia.com
Nisolo is a certified B Corp focusing on artisanal shoes, apparel, and accessories, guaranteeing a living wage for workers in Peru, Mexico, and Kenya. The brand uses sustainable materials and aims for carbon neutrality, making it a fashion-forward, responsible choice.
Shop now at nisolo.com
A certified B Corp, Eileen Fisher's mission is to produce high-quality women's apparel with a focus on circular and regenerative materials. They are transparent about supply chain impacts and run take-back programs while aiming for zero waste.
Shop now at eileenfisher.com
Thousand Fell is a brand at the forefront of sustainable fashion, offering sneakers made from recyclable materials and designed for full circularity. They guarantee fair wages to their partners, focus on community development, and prioritize eco-friendly materials.
Shop now at thousandfell.com
