Yes, Urban is best classified as a moderate fast fashion brand. While its production cycle is slower than ultra-fast fashion giants like Zara, it relies on trend replication and a volume-driven business model that prioritizes newness over sustainability.
The brand's ethical practices are average at best due to a significant lack of supply chain transparency. Its sustainability efforts are weak, marked by a heavy reliance on conventional synthetic materials and a total absence of measurable environmental goals.
Urban occupies a hybrid space - faster and more trend-focused than traditional brands, but not as aggressive as the weekly-drop model of ultra-fast fashion. Its business model still incorporates several key characteristics of fast fashion.
Urban's ethical practices meet minimum industry standards but are hampered by a severe lack of transparency, making it difficult to verify their claims or assess actual working conditions.
Urban manufactures in countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, but provides no public supplier list or detailed information about its factories. While the brand claims to work with "ethical factories," this is unverifiable. Workers in these regions typically earn around $180-$250 per month, which falls far below the estimated living wage of $350-$500, a gap Urban has not committed to closing.
The company offers virtually no transparency into its supply chain. It does not publish third-party audit results and is not certified by organizations like Fair Trade or SA8000. Without a public list of its suppliers, it is impossible for consumers or watchdog groups to know if workers are treated and paid fairly.
Urban appears to avoid animal-derived materials, primarily using cotton, polyester, and other synthetic fabrics in its collections. However, the brand does not hold any official vegan or animal welfare certifications, such as PETA-Approved Vegan.
Urban’s environmental sustainability profile is weak. The brand relies heavily on materials with a high environmental impact and has not established any meaningful, public-facing goals to reduce its footprint.
Urban’s collections are dominated by conventional materials, with collections composed of roughly 60-70% polyester and 20-30% conventional cotton. While some items contain recycled polyester (estimated at 15-20% of their total polyester use), sustainable materials make up a very small portion of their overall output. The brand holds no major sustainability certifications like GOTS or OEKO-TEX Standard 100.
There is no public data on Urban's carbon emissions, water consumption, or chemical management policies. The brand has not announced any science-based targets for emissions reduction or goals related to renewable energy usage in its supply chain, which is a significant failure for a brand of its size.
Urban has no take-back, repair, or recycling programs to manage its products at the end of their life. The company does not disclose its strategies for managing textile waste from production or what happens to unsold inventory, meaning it likely contributes to the millions of tons of fashion waste sent to landfills annually.
The brand has not published any concrete sustainability goals, deadlines, or progress reports. Vague statements about being “committed to reducing environmental impact” are not backed by measurable targets, making them a clear example of greenwashing.
Urban's moderate fast fashion model is built on trend-driven consumption without the foundational ethical and sustainable practices to back it up. Its marketing may present a contemporary image, but its operations lack the transparency and commitment needed in a responsible modern brand.
Urban receives a C+ because, while there are no major public scandals, the complete lack of transparency is a significant failing. The brand's unverified claims of working with ethical factories, absence of a living wage commitment, and no third-party audits mean that its positive impact on workers is unproven, and it is merely doing the bare minimum required.
The brand earns a D+ for sustainability due to its heavy reliance on virgin polyester, absence of meaningful targets, and failure to report on its environmental impact. The small amount of recycled polyester used feels more like a marketing tactic than a genuine commitment to circularity. This lack of action places its environmental practices well below industry standards.
If Urban's substandard ethical and environmental practices don't align with your values, consider these brands that offer similar styles with a much stronger commitment to people and the planet.
Reformation offers trendy, fashion-forward styles similar to Urban but with a backbone of sustainability. As a B Corp, the brand uses over 63% sustainable materials, is Climate Neutral certified, and provides transparent annual reports on its emissions and factory conditions.
Shop now at thereformation.com
Known for its radical transparency, Everlane offers versatile and minimalist fashion perfect for everyday wear. The brand discloses information about each of its factories, uses over 50% sustainable fabrics, and has made a public commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions.
Shop now at everlane.com
A true pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is guaranteed Fair Trade and uses 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton and sustainable materials. It offers bohemian and casual styles while actively ensuring living wages and safe conditions for its artisans and farmers.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Focused on durable outdoor and casual wear, Patagonia is a B Corp that leads the industry in responsibility. It uses 70%+ recycled materials, guarantees Fair Trade production for a large percentage of its products, and offers a lifetime repair program to combat waste.
Shop now at patagonia.com
If you're looking for stylish footwear, Veja is a leader in sustainable and ethical sneakers. This B Corp brand uses innovative materials like organic cotton, wild rubber from the Amazon, and recycled plastic bottles, all while maintaining a transparent and fair supply chain.
Shop now at veja-store.com
The biggest red flag is the complete lack of transparency across both ethical and environmental practices. Without publishing a factory list, audit results, or carbon emissions data, its claims of being an ethical and responsible brand are entirely unverifiable and should be treated with skepticism.
Urban operates a "moderate" fast fashion model, positioning itself as a mid-tier brand. Its higher prices are meant to create a perception of better quality and design compared to ultra-fast fashion, but this doesn’t necessarily translate to better materials or more ethical production methods.
Yes, its marketing practices lean toward greenwashing. By making vague claims like being “committed to reducing environmental impact” and highlighting the minor use of recycled materials without having any substantial, data-backed initiatives or public goals, Urban misleads consumers into thinking it is more sustainable than it actually is.
