Tuesday, September 15, 2015

grading popular teenage clothing brands based on how eco-friendly they are!

American Apparel: one of the most eco-friendly, popular fashion brands out there, American Apparel has a section on their website that sells clothing made from 100% organic cotton. They also try to be as efficient as possible. "We try to minimize the gaps between pattern pieces when cutting our garments. We rank styles by efficiency. For really inefficient styles, we find complementary styles that, when cut together, drastically reduce the amount of waste generated," they wrote on their website. Also, they power their factories using solar panels, and have a bike program for their employees.
Eco-Rating: A+


Brandy Melville: i've read from multiple sources that the brand makes eco-friendly clothing. I'm not exactly sure what this means (organic cotton, or recycled materials?); also, since most of their clothing is one size fits all, the amount of energy expended on manufacturing the products is much less than other stores.
Eco-Rating: B-

Charlotte Russe: no eco-friendly/sustainable practices. i hate the clothes anyway. so trashy and cheap-looking. (see Forever 21)
Eco-Rating: F

Forever 21: honestly, please stop buying stuff at this store. Forever 21, along with other fast fashion brands such as Charlotte Russe, are basically just stores that want you to pay a cheap price for a crappy, poorly made piece of clothing that will get a whole in it after two washes. It's just not worth your time or your money to shop at this store. Not to mention the fact that these clothes, made in pollution-causing factories by high school age kids who are paid minimum wage, are absolutely terrible for the environment. it's a much smarter move to pay a little more money for quality clothing (from the brands that get an A+ eco-rating) and have it last longer.
Eco-Rating: F

American Eagle: no eco-friendly items. However, it donates all it's damaged clothes to charity.
Eco-Rating: C-

H&M: #1 user of organic cotton worldwide. Also has a "Conscious Collection" which is eco-friendly. I'm not really sure what this is: if all their clothes are conscious or if it's a specific collection that is. "21.2% of our cotton is either certified organic, recycled or grown under the Better Cotton Initiative. Our goal is 100% by 2020 at the latest," they wrote on their About page. They label their eco-friendly clothing items with a flower pattern. 
Eco-Rating: A

Urban Outfitters: UO has a popular brand called Urban Renewal which sells eco-friendly clothing, which could be vintage or deadstock. 
Eco-Rating: B

Uniqlo: Uniqlo made a commitment in 2013 to eliminate all hazardous chemicals from their production process by 2020. I'll keep updating you guys on that. 
Eco-Rating: A

Victoria's Secret: they have reduced energy and paper use; however, they don't have any eco-friendly items. They have also been accused of using cruel sweatshops with very tough conditions for the laborers. The laborers are paid about 4 cents for every $15. Think about that next time you want to buy a $40 bra. 
Eco-Rating: D-

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