Over the past few years, British company ASOS has blown up and become one of the world’s most popular online fashion destinations. They sell over 850 different brands and also make their own range of affordable clothing and accessories. But how ethical is the ASOS private range, and should you be looking elsewhere for your online shopping fix?
While the prospect of cheap and cute fashion delivered to your doorstep excites us all, the low price-tags often belie the true cost of fast fashion: questionable labour policies and production processes that are detrimental to the environment. So let’s take a look at the impact of ASOS on people, the planet and animals.
Environmental Impact: Mixed
ASOS are certified carbon neutral. They implement emission reduction measures in their warehouses and during the delivery process, and they have moved to reduce the amount of waste that comes from their packaging. However, these policies don’t appear to apply to ASOS’ own brand supply chain. The ASOS brand doesn’t cite use many eco-friendly materials in their clothing, and they haven’t committed to eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals in the production of materials.
In 2010, ASOS introduced a collection called the ‘Eco Edit’ — a selection of clothing, accessories and beauty products marketed for its lower environmental impact. ASOS private label clothing comprises about a quarter of this collection with pieces made in conjunction with fair labour partners in Kenya, and some lower impact fabrics like Tencel.
This is certainly a start for ASOS. It’s a sign that customer demand for ethical products is growing, and the company is responding. However, this collection only accounts for a small percentage of the total items made by ASOS, the rest of the range isn’t covered by strong policies that look to reduce their impact in the making stages.
Labour Conditions: Mixed
Since 2009 ASOS has been a member of the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI), which promotes respect for workers’ rights internationally. ASOS uses the ETI’s code of conduct and states that the company is monitored and audited. However, the audit results that are published are not comprehensive enough, and ASOS doesn’t publish a list of direct suppliers on its website.
Animal Welfare: Mixed
ASOS has banned the use of angora and other furs in their products. However, it does use wool and leather without specifying their sources.
