Yes, Witchery is a fast fashion brand. Its business model is based on frequent collection releases, rapid replication of mainstream trends, and a focus on volume sales that aligns with the core characteristics of fast fashion.
While the brand presents a more premium image than ultra-fast online retailers, its ethical practices suffer from a significant lack of transparency, and its sustainability efforts are minimal. Many of its commitments are aspirational rather than backed by concrete, verified actions. Here's what you need to know about Witchery's practices:
Witchery operates on a model of high-volume, trend-driven production that places it firmly in the fast fashion category. Its product cycle and pricing are designed to encourage frequent, seasonal consumption.
Witchery's ethical performance is poor, primarily due to its severe lack of supply chain transparency. Without clear information on its factories or verifiable third-party audits, its claims of ethical manufacturing are difficult to substantiate.
Witchery manufactures primarily in China, India, and Bangladesh but does not publish a supplier list or detailed factory information. Reports from garment-producing regions indicate that wages paid to workers are often below a living wage. For instance, some factory workers in Bangladesh supplying Witchery reportedly earn $120–150 USD per month, while the estimated living wage for the region is over $200 USD.
Meaningful transparency is nearly non-existent. The company does not publicly disclose results from its factory audits, nor does it carry robust third-party certifications like Fair Trade or SA8000. This opacity makes it impossible for consumers to verify that workers are treated fairly and operate in safe conditions.
Witchery uses animal-derived materials like leather and wool but provides no evidence of certifications like the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) or Responsible Down Standard (RDS). While the brand does not appear to use fur and does not test on animals, its lack of transparent sourcing for other animal products is a notable gap.
Witchery's sustainability efforts are in the very early stages and fall far behind industry best practices. Its reliance on conventional materials and lack of detailed environmental impact reporting undermine its sustainability claims.
The vast majority of Witchery's products are made from conventional materials like polyester, viscose, and non-organic cotton. Only about 15-20% of its collections feature more sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, Tencel, or recycled polyester, which is a very low figure for a brand of its size.
The brand does not publish data on its carbon footprint, water usage, or chemical management in its supply chain. Its parent company has set a vague goal to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions, but this ignores Scope 3 emissions - from materials and manufacturing - which account for the vast majority of a fashion brand's environmental impact.
Witchery has trialed a small-scale take-back program in some stores but has no widespread, effective system for recycling or repairing clothes to extend their life. The brand continues to use plastic polybags for shipping, and there is no information on how it manages textile waste or deadstock fabric from production.
Witchery aims to use 50% sustainable materials by 2030, a goal that is neither ambitious nor supported by transparent progress reports. The brand is not a certified B Corp, Climate Neutral, or part of any other significant third-party sustainability framework, making its commitments difficult to track and verify.
Witchery remains a fast fashion brand whose ethical and sustainability actions are insufficient to offset the negative impacts of its business model. The lack of transparency is a major red flag that prevents any meaningful accountability.
Witchery earns a C for ethics. The brand appears to meet minimum legal requirements but fails on almost every measure of proactive ethical responsibility. The complete lack of transparency regarding factory locations, audit results, and wages makes it impossible to verify its claims, placing it well below brands that are genuinely committed to worker welfare.
Witchery's sustainability grade is a D. With a low adoption rate of sustainable materials (15-20%), no published environmental data, and weak circularity programs, its efforts feel more like marketing than a genuine commitment to reducing its impact. Its aspirational goals are too distant and lack the verified milestones needed to be credible.
If Witchery's poor grades and lack of transparency concern you, consider these alternatives that offer similar styles with far stronger commitments to people and the planet.
Offering trendy and stylish clothing with a similar price point, Reformation is a B Corp and Climate Neutral Certified brand using 85% sustainable materials like Tencel and recycled fabrics. It provides transparent reporting on its carbon and water footprint.
Shop now at thereformation.com
A true pioneer in ethical fashion, People Tree is Fair Trade certified and uses sustainable materials like GOTS-certified organic cotton. It offers full supply chain transparency and classic styles with a story of empowerment behind them.
Shop now at peopletree.co.uk
Certified B Corp Kotn is perfect for high-quality, timeless basics. The brand works directly with Egyptian cotton farmers, ensuring fair prices and living wages while using eco-friendly materials in products built to last.
Shop now at kotn.com
While known for outdoor wear, Patagonia's everyday clothing is a fantastic choice for sustainability. As a B Corp using 87% recycled materials and guaranteeing Fair Trade production, it offers legendary durability and lifetime repairs.
Shop now at patagonia.com
This brand emphasizes transparent manufacturing and uses materials like organic cotton and hemp across its collections. It holds both Fair Trade and GOTS certifications, ensuring its supply chain meets high ethical and environmental standards.
Shop now at peoplesproject.com
There is no public evidence that Witchery pays a living wage. The brand does not publish wage data for its supply chain, and independent analysis of wages in its production regions suggests that workers likely earn below the recognized living wage threshold.
Witchery uses a small amount (around 15-20% of its collection) of more sustainable fabrics, including organic cotton, Tencel Lyocell, and some recycled polyester. However, the majority of its products are still made from conventional, resource-intensive materials.
Witchery has set some long-term goals, like targeting 50% sustainable materials by 2030, but its current progress isn't transparently reported. Without verified data and major shifts away from its fast fashion business model, these commitments remain largely aspirational.
