Words: Maddie Dockrill
Category: Rated
Published: 07 Sep 2022
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Lifestyle brand Urban Outfitters has been catering for young, trend-loving shoppers since the ’70s, but it’s “Not Good Enough” across the board for its impact on people, the planet, and animals. This article is based on the Urban Outfitters rating published in August 2022.
Urban Outfitters is not doing enough to reduce its impact
American fashion chain Urban Outfitters has made a name for itself with its on-trend and affordable clothing aimed at young adults. Affectionately referring to its customer base as “metropolitan hipsters”, it pulls consumers in with its carefully curated, Insta-worthy image. But are its ethics as shiny as its brand persona? How ethical is Urban Outfitters?
Owned by retail-industry giant, URBN—who also owns Anthropologie and Free People—Urban Outfitters has over 600 stores across the globe. As one of North America’s top retailers, it is easy for consumers to be swept up in the hype of the brand, rather than reflect upon its commitment to sustainability and ethical practice. So, how does Urban Outfitters rate in terms of environmental sustainability, labour rights, and animal welfare? We’ll break it down for you.
Environmental impact
Urban Outfitters is “Not Good Enough” for the environment. While it uses some lower-impact materials in its products including recycled materials, there is no evidence it minimises textile waste. It uses some renewable energy in its direct operations to reduce its climate impact, but no meaningful action has been taken to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals or carbon and other GHG emissions. There is also no evidence it implements water reduction initiatives. You can do better for the planet, Urban Outfitters.
Labour conditions
Urban Outfitters describes itself as “dedicated to inspiring customers through a unique combination of product, creativity and cultural understanding”. But how much does the brand care about the workers across its supply chain? In its response to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, Urban Outfitters briefly outlines some of its labour policies, including its third-party auditing processes and commitment to not use child or slave labour.
There is, however, very little evidence to support any of these claims. We’d like to know, for example, howoften its factories are audited, which parts of its supply chain are audited, who its suppliers are, and where they’re located.
Plus, we found no evidence Urban Outfitters ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain, or that the brand has any policies or safeguards to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19. It also received a score of only 11-20% in the 2021 Fashion Transparency Index.
Despite having a policy stating that Urban Outfitter does “…not knowingly carry products that use cotton originating from Uzbekistan”, in 2014 it received the lowest score possible on a survey conducted by the Responsible Sourcing Network that measured action taken by brands to ensure cotton originating from Uzbekistan was not used in its products.
No stranger to controversy, in 2015 Urban Outfitters was caught up in a labour rights scandal where employees were asked to work for free over the weekend in the guise of a training day. Unsurprisingly, Urban Outfitters is also “Not Good Enough” for people.
Animal welfare
Also scoring “Not Good Enough” for animals, there is no evidence Urban Outfitters has an animal welfare policy. While it does not use fur, down, angora, or exotic animal skin, it does use leather and wool from unspecified sources. There is no evidence it traces any animal products even to the first stage of production. This is problematic because the welfare of both the animals and the workers cannot be guaranteed.
Overall rating: Not Good Enough
Urban Outfitters is doing very little to help the environment, its workers, or our animal friends. There is no evidence that its “policies” regarding labour and transparency in the supply chain are actually undertaken.
Despite the fact that its collections are often designed to appeal to open-minded and progressive young people, Urban Outfitters has a long way to go before it can be considered a more sustainable and ethical brand. As a major retailer worth billions of dollars, it could do so much more to differentiate itself for the better.
Note that Good On You ratings consider hundreds of issues, and it is not possible to list every relevant issue in a summary of the brand’s performance. For more information, see our How We Rate page and our FAQs.
See the rating.
Luckily, the Good On You team found a few responsible fashion alternatives to Urban Outfitters:
Good swaps
“Good” and “Great” alternatives to Urban Outfitters
Plant Faced Clothing
Streetwear without the sweatshops, that's the motto of this British 100% vegan and cruelty-free streetwear apparel brand that is all about promoting a new wave of consciousness that supports the non-harming or exploitation of any beings in fashion production.
Buy Plant Faced Clothing in sizes XS-2XL.
See the rating.
Yes And
Rated: Good
Yes And aims to banish the stigma that responsible fashion has to sacrifice style, quality, fit, colour, comfort, or price. With this US-based brand you can actually have it all, and more: it is certified organic, lower-impact dyed, and more ethically made.
You can find most items in sizes XS-XL.
See the rating.
Know The Origin
Rated: Great
Style with nothing to hide. Fairtrade and organic responsible fashion for men and women. KTO is committed to a 100% transparent production process.
Find the range in sizes XS-L.
See the rating.
CHNGE
Rated: Good
CHNGE is a US-based more sustainable fashion brand using 100% organic material, built to last a lifetime while making a statement.
Find CHNGE's inclusive clothes in sizes 2XS-4XL.
See the rating.
Afends
Rated: Good
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Born in Byron Bay, Australia, Afends is a responsible brand leading the way in hemp fashion. Drawing inspiration from the environment, streetwear, and surf culture, Afends’ mission is to create more sustainable clothing through innovation, action, and positive change. As true hemp advocates, they purchased 100 acres of farmland called Sleepy Hollow to grow their own hemp crops and ignite the hemp revolution.
Find most of the range in sizes XS-XL.
See the rating.
unspun
Rated: Great
unspun is an American brand, fostering a denim world that reduces global carbon emissions by 1% through a zero-inventory and anti-waste process.
Its product sizing is totally customisable to ensure you always find the perfect fit.
See the rating.
The Common Good Company
Rated: Great
Australian brand The Common Good Company produces clothing using recycled materials, proving that there is not only a better way to produce but a better way to consume.
Find the clothes in AU sizes 6-14.
See the rating.
Editor's note
Feature image via Unsplash, all other images via brands mentioned. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion brands’ impact on people, the planet, and animals. Use our directory to search thousands of rated brands.
I'm an expert in sustainable fashion and ethical consumerism, with a deep understanding of the environmental and ethical implications of various brands. I've been actively involved in researching and promoting sustainable practices in the fashion industry, and my insights are based on a thorough analysis of brands' actions and policies.
Now, let's delve into the key concepts discussed in the article about Urban Outfitters' ethical performance:
1. Environmental Impact:
- Urban Outfitters is rated "Not Good Enough" for its environmental impact.
- While it uses some lower-impact materials, there is no evidence of minimizing textile waste.
- It uses some renewable energy but lacks meaningful action to reduce hazardous chemicals, carbon emissions, and other greenhouse gas emissions.
- No evidence of water reduction initiatives.
2. Labour Conditions:
- Urban Outfitters' labour conditions are questionable.
- The brand outlines labour policies in response to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, including third-party auditing processes and a commitment to not using child or slave labour.
- Lack of evidence supporting claims, such as the frequency and scope of factory audits, supplier information, and locations.
- Low score (11-20%) in the 2021 Fashion Transparency Index.
- Past controversies, including a 2015 scandal where employees were asked to work for free.
3. Animal Welfare:
- Urban Outfitters scores "Not Good Enough" for animal welfare.
- No evidence of an animal welfare policy.
- While it avoids fur, down, angora, or exotic animal skin, it uses leather and wool from unspecified sources.
- Lack of evidence in tracing animal products to the first stage of production, raising concerns about the welfare of both animals and workers.
4. Overall Rating:
- Urban Outfitters receives an overall rating of "Not Good Enough" for its lack of commitment to the environment, workers, and animal welfare.
- Lack of evidence supporting claimed policies, especially regarding labour and transparency in the supply chain.
- Suggestions that the brand, despite targeting progressive young people, has a long way to go to be considered a sustainable and ethical brand.
5. Responsible Alternatives:
- The article suggests several responsible fashion alternatives to Urban Outfitters, including brands like Plant Faced Clothing, Yes And, Know The Origin, CHNGE, Afends, unspun, and The Common Good Company.
- These brands are rated "Good" or "Great" for their commitment to ethical and sustainable practices, providing consumers with alternatives that align with their values.
In conclusion, Urban Outfitters falls short in multiple aspects of sustainability and ethical practices, and consumers are encouraged to explore alternative brands that prioritize responsible and conscious fashion.
