Fast Food and Fast Fashion Everlane
UPDATE: Nosotros re-evaluate brands regularly, and as of 2/17/22 Everlane earned a higher score of 53 points—a significant improvement from their previous rating! You tin larn more than almost what changed here.
This is a great instance of how brands can improve. We wrote our first evaluation of Everlane in 2019, outlining what they're doing well and what areas they could improve in. Many of you read and shared this commodity, and Everlane took discover.
Your voice matters.
If you'd similar to see the erstwhile rating keep reading…
Telephone call information technology Sustainable or Phone call it Greenwashing
The sustainable clothing space is large and full of new brands popping up every single month. While the trend towards sustainability is overwhelmingly positive, how are you supposed to look at hundreds of brands and be able tell a sustainable one from ane that's greenwashing?
Greenwashing refers to the act of brands claiming to be sustainable so y'all'll buy from them, when in reality they're doing petty to cypher to be more sustainable. The perfect case is H&M, who recently got called out by the Norwegian Consumer Authority, asking what'southward really conscious about their Conscious line?
When it comes to finding sustainable brands, most people starting time with Google. There you'll rapidly find 800 blog manufactures featuring brands y'all know are sustainable, similar Patagonia, and brands yous're not quite sure virtually, like Matt & Nat, DSTLD, and yes, Everlane.
Many of these articles are surely written with the best of intentions, but also with no clear basis on which to decide if a brand is sustainable. That'due south why nosotros're going to share our findings on some of the brands that are being called sustainable when the bear witness tells a different story.
Permit'due south start with a brand yous've likely heard of: Everlane.
Everlane
Everlane is a San Francisco based clothing make founded in 2010.
Y'all might know them because like Allbirds, they took silicon valley fashion by storm. It's impossible to visit Apple tree, Facebook, or Google's offices without seeing people clad in Everlane gear.
In addition to their slick minimalist aesthetic, they apace grew in role considering of their call for radical transparency. Simply are they a sustainable make?
How Everlane Stacked Upwards
Using our sustainable brand criteria, powered past Remake, Everlane scored 30 points out of a possible 100, and that is failing!
In order for a brand to pass this criteria they need to score 50 or higher up. To put that in perspective, almost Eco-Stylist Certified brands score in the 50s, with our top brand in the 80s.
Let'southward dig in to Everlane's results.
Transparency
On transparency/traceability Everlane scored a 10 out of 15 possible points. Not bad.
This means that from their website y'all can discover some information on their manufacturing facilities such as the locations and the number of workers employed. However, at that place'due south besides some fundamental data missing such as transparency on wages paid to workers, besides as information on their raw fabric sources.
Everlane claims radical transparency, and compared to many fashion brands the fact that they share pictures, locations, number of workers, and more than is a step in the right direction. Plus the price transparency helps you know you're paying fair prices for your clothes.
Additionally, they take a decent lawmaking of conduct and they share that too. This helps to ensure no slave labor, kid labor, and fair working conditions.
Maker Well-Existence
On Maker Well-Being Everlane scored a 15 out of 33 points.
To pause this down, they have their own code of carry that is comparable to FLA standards. Ok, well that's good and they also invest in maker well-being programs.
However, where they are lacking is whatsoever certification or other evidence that they pay living wages. They have no Fair Trade certification, no GOTS, no SA8000, etc.
Living wages matter considering many countries lack sufficient minimum wages or the labor unions to protect workers interests.
Environmental Sustainability
On environmental sustainability Everlane scored a five out of 33 possible points.
They clearly exercise some things right on this front. For instance, look at how they make their jeans at 1 of the most sustainable denim factories in the earth, Saitex.
However, this category is nigh more than 1 product. Everlane has a large and diverse product range, and then scoring well on sustainability means doing well overall, non just on their jeans, and overall they are defective.
Most of their products offer no explanation for how or why they're more than sustainable than whatsoever other clothing product on the market place.
Sustainable Fabrics
On sustainable fabrics Everlane scored a 0 out of fourteen points.
While virtually of the brands that pass our criteria use organic cotton equally a blank minimum, many go in a higher place and beyond with recycled fabrics, upcycled fabrics, hemp, linen, and Tencel. Everlane on the other hand makes virtually no effort on sustainable fabrics across their large and various product range.
Leadership
On leadership Everlane scored 0 out of v.
Compared to the competition, brands nosotros approve such as Nudie Jeans are pushing the envelope with gratuitous repairs for life, Adelante Shoe Company is paving the mode on living wages, and Taylor Stitch is following in Patagonia'due south footsteps with its circular Restitch initiative.
With Everlane there'south unfortunately nothing that stands out. Their slogan about radical transparency ultimately falls a bit apartment.
Overall
Add together upward all the points from Transparency, Maker Well-being, Environmental Sustainability, Raw Materials, and Leadership and yous go 30 out of 100 points.
Everlane fails our sustainable make test, for at present.
These rankings aren't permanent, and while Eco-Stylist doesn't currently recommend Everlane equally a sustainable make, we hope to see the twenty-four hour period when that changes.
The Criteria
Remake'southward sustainable brand criteria takes a holistic and comprehensive approach to sustainability. It answers questions like does the brand pay living wages, practise workers have safe conditions free from modern slavery or sexual harassment, is the brand using sustainable fabrics, and how greenish is their manufacturing?
As mentioned, the criteria works on a bespeak system where brands need at least fifty out of 100 to pass. If y'all'd like to swoop deeper you can learn more than hither.
Looking for Sustainable Brands?
Check out our list of l+ brands that are doing things like using Fair Trade certified factories, expanding their apply of sustainable fabrics, incorporating upcycling, starting round initiatives, and paying living wages.
A Path for a More Sustainable Hereafter
If you lot want brands to be more sustainable information technology is important to hold them to a high standard. Equally the saying goes, if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.
There are already a number of brands leading in the ethical mode space. Outerknown, Organic Nuts, and Outland Denim are a few examples of brands that are proving sustainability can mean bully style, long-lasting wearing apparel, fair wages, worker well-being, and practices that are better for the surround.
Everlane is still putting forth some adept efforts and notably transparent data. Their clean aesthetic, transparent pricing, that they purchase carbon offsets for their Tread sneakers, and that they make their jeans in a manufactory that recycles all of the water used in production, all bode well for them equally a brand.
With some stronger commitments to living wages, worker well-existence, and sustainable fabrics they could easily hit the 50 points needed to laissez passer Remake's sustainable brand criteria. That's a day worth looking forrard to!
Like Everlane'south style? Check out 10 Ethical Alternatives to Everlane.
Looking for more than Make Reviews? Go here.
Are you surprised by these findings? What values matter the most to you when looking for sustainable brands?
*Article updated 7/fifteen/21
Garik Himebaugh is the founder of Eco-Stylist, the go-to resource for ethical clothing. He'due south also an international speaker on all things sustainable fashion. Garik loves java, climbing, and clothes.
0 Response to "Fast Food and Fast Fashion Everlane"
Post a Comment