How do they rate?

Find out the true cost of the clothes you buy

10 top FasHion brands

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the truth about fashionClothing is something we all buy, but few of us know how our clothes are really made. For instance, did you know that the global garment industry is the second-most polluting after oil, and the third most harmful in terms of climate change? Fashion also has a long history of human and animal rights abuses.

While most of us want the clothing we buy to reflect our personal values on these issues, it can be hard to find the information we need to make an informed choice.

So, how do you balance the desire for convenience, style, and the right price against the human and environmental costs of producing it?

This guide assess the kind of clothes you want to wear, made in the kind of world you want to live in.

Get informed, and you’ll really be dressed to impress!

Ethics in the clothing industryLabour rights violations in the fashion industry are notorious. The problem was brought into focus by the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh in 2013, when 1,134 lives were lost. Some major cotton producing and processing countries also have serious issues with forced labour, child labour, and other labour rights abuses.

Animals are also frequently ill-treated in the production of angora, cashmere, silk, and wool among others.

Yet, there’s a huge capacity for positive change within the industry. The fashion trade is one of the largest industries in the world, with sales estimated at US$1.7 trillion in 2012.

Clothing manufacture is the second-most polluting industry after oil, and the third most harmful in terms of climate change.

The Good On You Ratings:

About Good On You

Good On You make it easy to know a brand’s impact on the things you might care about – whether it’s human rights, the environment, or animals.

Their team of ethical sleuths do the research for you, and make the information available when and where you need it via their website (goodonyou.org.au). Rating over 1,000 clothing and footwear brands, they also plan to move into other categories such as personal and beauty care, and electronics. The Good On You smartphone app for fashion and cosmetics will be released later in 2015.

To rate products, the Good On You team take into account the work of certification schemes, advocacy NGOs, and independent rating sources – so who better to look to when rating the ethics of the top ten fashion stores in our ‘lucky country’?

Get familiar with the Good On You rating system below. The next few pages have more info about the factors affecting these ratings.

Great

Good

it’s a start

not Good Enough

04 05

Certifications to know aboutCertifications by credible eco-labels are like a gold star for the ethical shopper! It’s the best way to be sure that a brand’s ethical claims are clear, accurate, relevant, and based on a robust and transparent system.

Independent Brand Ratings

The following NGOs have undertaken independent research into the performance of brands on particular ethical issues. Good On You take account of each of these in compiling their ratings.

Shop EthicalShop Ethical provides ethical information about the companies behind brands, in a wide range of categories, including around 100 for clothing. Shop Ethical also publishes a detailed guide to ethical issues related to clothing.

Behind the BarcodeA project of Baptist World Aid, Behind the Barcode ranks 219 brands available in Australia based on comprehensive assessments of labour rights performance. Behind the Barcode looks at a wide range of labour issues including worker health and safety, freedom of association, child and forced labour and payment of a living wage.

The 2015 Australian Fashion Report issued by Behind the Barcode rated brands from A to F on their overall labour rights performance. Nine of the ten brands assessed in this Guide are rated and listed under the External Rating heading.

The 2015 Report noted that many of the worst overall performers on labour rights were iconic Australian fashion brands such as the Just Group (owner of Just Jeans and Portmans) and low cost suppliers like Lowes and Best & Less. These companies all received D or F grades.

Rank a Brand Rank a Brand is a European NGO that assesses the performance of about 200 leading brands available in Australia across labour, climate, and ecology based on publicly available information.

FairtradeWhen a product carries the Fairtrade mark it means

the producers and traders have met Fairtrade standards. These are designed to address the

imbalance of power in trading relationships, unstable markets, and the injustices of conventional trade.

They include a minimum price and a Fairtrade premium for producers to invest in their community or businesses. Fairtrade principles include avoiding

child and forced labour, good working conditions, non-discrimination and respect for the environment.

www.fairtrade.com.au

Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA)ECA accreditation is granted to brands that

demonstrate that all their production in Australia complies with labour laws. The ECA label exists

to ensure that the rights of workers in the textile, clothing and footwear industry, including homeworkers, are being protected. It requires a

transparent supply chain and an annual independent audit. Some brands certified by ECA include Ginger

and Smart, Carla Zampatti, Nobody Denim, and Manning Cartell. A full list is on their website.

www.ethicalclothingaustralia.org.au

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) GOTS is the most widely recognised organic standard

for textiles globally. The standard defines high-level environmental criteria along the entire organic

textiles supply chain and requires compliance with social criteria as well. GOTS certification requires full

traceability and annual inspections across the supply chain. www.global-standard.org

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Human rights issuesCodes of conduct

The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is an alliance of companies, unions, and NGOs that promote respect for workers. The ETI’s base code is an internationally recognised code of practice based on the Conventions of the International Labour Organisation. A large number of global fashion brands have signed-up to the ETI base code.

A robust Code of Conduct for any brand should cover similar issues to the ETI Code, including freedom of association and collective bargaining, and no discrimination. It should be included in supplier contracts.

Worker safety

The Bangladesh Fire and Safety Accord is an independent, legally binding agreement between brands and trade unions designed to work towards a safe and healthy Bangladeshi Ready-Made Garment Industry. Its provisions go beyond companies’ typical supplier codes of conduct. It has built-in enforcement methods that are transparently reported on the Bangladesh Accord web site. About 40% of Bangladeshi factories are covered.

Forced Labour

Uzbekistan is a major cotton exporting country. It routinely uses forced labour, and until recently child labour to harvest cotton. Brands doing the right thing do what they can to avoid Uzbek cotton including signing the Responsible Sourcing Networks’ Cotton Pledge. A Living Wage

Many codes and sourcing policies require payment of the legal minimum wage, but in countries like Bangladesh and Cambodia such wages are not enough to live on. A ‘living wage’ is a wage high enough for workers to meet their families’ basic needs with a small amount left over for savings in case of an emergency.

A ‘living wage’ is a wage high enough for workers to meet their families’ basic needs with a small amount left over.

Pesticides and other chemicals can

affect the health of garment workers.

08 09

Environment & animal issuesHazardous Chemicals

Toxic chemicals from clothing manufacturing pollute waterways and can harm human health. In China, some two-thirds of all waters are contaminated with hazardous chemicals, mainly from the textile industry.

The Greenpeace Detox campaign challenged the world’s most popular clothing brands to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals. Chemicals of concern include phthalates, amines from azo dies (linked to cancer), and NPEs. Greenpeace considers any use of these and some other chemicals to be unacceptable.

31 major international fashion companies have made commitments to the Greenpeace campaign. Most have been assessed as leaders – meaning they have met their commitments to date.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Fashion companies should disclose their total carbon emissions, set a target for reduction of their total emissions over time, and adopt practices designed to meet those targets. Better still, they should include their direct and as far as possible indirect suppliers in their carbon accounting.

The most robust way to achieve these goals is for the company to participate in the international Carbon Disclosure Project, now known as CDP. The CDP was created to gain information for investors – a project that Australian Ethical Investment has helped lead in this country. Much of the CDPs information is also useful to consumers directly or via a consumer organisation like Good On You. Some companies choose to disclose separately, a practice that has been criticised by the CDP, but still better than those that refuse to disclose or set targets at all.

Waste and packaging

While the Australian Packaging Covenant is in theory a voluntary agreement to encourage waste minimisation, brands with turnover above $5 million per annum are required to sign up or comply with regulations designed to limit packaging.

Ensuring animal welfare

Key animal welfare issues include the cruelty involved in obtaining fur and angora ‘wool’ - which is in fact rabbit fur often stripped from live animals, and the ‘mulesing’ of some sheep.

Many brands have committed to be fur free, and separately have pledged not to use Angora fur.

Mulesing involves cutting into the flesh of the live animal as an efficient way to prevent the fly strike disease. Mulesing was to be phased out by the Australian Merino wool industry in favour of more humane prevention strategies. This has not in fact happened. However, a number of brands are committed to avoiding wool produced using mulesing.

Nearly $2.6 billion USD worth of pesticides are sprayed on cotton fields

each year – that’s 10% of total pesticide use worldwide, according to the

Pesticide Action Network.

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not good enough

#10. Just JeansAnother child of the 70s, Just Jeans is an Australian-born company that now has almost a thousand locations across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK. Despite what the name would suggest, Just Jeans carries more than just denim for the whole family. Alongside designer denim brands, Just Jeans stocks its own line of jeans, clothing, accessories, and footwear.

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. No info

impact - hazardous chemicals. Has banned sandblasting.

impact - eco-materials. No info

Packaging and waste. Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Minimal Supplier Code of Conduct; it doesn’t include freedom of

association and collective bargaining of a ‘no discrimination’ provision, and it’s not included in supplier contracts.

Living wage. No

Safe workplace. Have not signed Bangladesh Accord.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child labour but doesn’t mention forced labour. Has not signed Uzbek Cotton Pledge.

traceability and transparancy. Almost no tracing of suppliers and little monitoring. Hasn’t published a list of their suppliers.

External Ranking. Behind the Barcode: D

Animal Welfare: Fur Free. No commitment; no evidence of use.

angora pledge. Have recently committed to discontinue.

avoids Mulesing. No info

Overall: Just Jeans fails to be transparent across all aspects of production and needs to do significant work to improve their rating. While they have made some small efforts to minimise their environmental impact and are taking stands against child labour, they have yet to prove their claims regarding labour rights. They have been slow to act on animal welfare issues and need to do a lot more regarding environmental sustainability.

– Just Jeans is owned by Premier Investments Ltd, which also owns Peter Alexander, Jacqui E, Jay Jays, Portmans, and Dotti.

Tip: Wash your clothes in cold

water to reduce your eco-impact,

reduce the risk of colours running,

and make clothes last longer.

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not good enough

#9. Myer

Myer has been Australia’s one-stop shop for everything from clothing and cosmetics to electronics and furniture since 1900. The popular department store can be found in every Australian state and carries mid-range to high-end essentials.

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. Reports greenhouse gas emissions. Targeted a

5% decrease in FY2014 on FY2013. Targets energy intensity reduction of 10-15% by 2018.

impact - hazardous chemicals. Prohibits use of azo dyes in products.

impact - eco-materials. No info

Packaging and waste. Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant. Operates recycling programs across distribution centres and support office – reports 57% recycling rate.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Has a solid Supplier Code of Conduct based on the Ethical Trading

Initiative, included in supplier contracts.

Living wage. No

Safe workplace. Appears to source from Bangladesh but has not signed the Bangladesh Accord.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child and forced labour; Has “taken steps” to exclude Uzbek cotton from supply chain.

traceability and transparancy. Traces & monitors some suppliers at cut-make-trim level. Hasn’t published list of suppliers. Both auditors & factory managers trained to identify human trafficking, child- and forced-labour.

External Ranking. Behind the Barcode: C-

Animal Welfare: Fur Free

signed angora pledge

avoids Mulesing. No info

Overall: While Myer has made some improvements, the company needs to show far more effort across all three categories. According the 2013 report by the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, Myer sources products from countries with known systemic labour and human rights concerns. They lack adequate transparency in their policies on workers’ rights and environmental impact.

The most ethical clothes are the ones

you already own! Try ‘shopping in

your own cupboard’ before buying new.

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not good enough

#8. sportsgirlSince the 1940s, Melbourne-born Sportsgirl has aimed to provide young female consumers with fun designs and an innovative shopping experience. This fast-fashion brand prides itself on staying ahead of the global trends, and has partnered with the Butterfly Foundation to promote positive body image.

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. No info found about CO2 emissions other than that

it works with Greenfleet to calculate and offset emissions from its vehicles.

impact - hazardous chemicals. No azo dyes are used in any denim production.

impact - eco-materials.

Packaging and waste. Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Has a solid Supplier Code of Conduct based on the Ethical Trading

Initiative; included in supplier contracts.

Living wage. Pays wages above legal minimum to a portion of their cut-make-trim facilities.

Safe workplace. Appears not to source from Bangladesh.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child and forced labour. Boycotts Uzbek cotton.

traceability and transparancy. Traces and monitors all suppliers at cut-make trim level. Audited by an external auditor. Has not published a list of suppliers.

External Ranking. Behind the Barcode: B

Animal Welfare: Fur Free. No commitment; no evidence of use.

signed angora pledge

avoids Mulesing. No info

Overall: The company has taken steps to improve its impact on labour and animals, but lacks transparency on its climate change and other environmental impacts. The Australian Fashion Report highlighted Sportsgirl’s parent company Sussan’s significant improvement on labour over the past two years.

– This brand belongs to Sussan Group, which also includes Suzanne Grae, and Sussan.

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not good enough *

#7. Cotton onA prominent fast-fashion chain, this Australian brand specialises in both trendy pieces and basic essentials for men, women, teens and children. The brand was founded in 1991 and has since expanded to 12 countries.

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. No information on commitments or reported reductions

in greenhouse gas use or energy efficiency.

impact - hazardous chemicals. Ban on sandblasting and azo dyes.

impact - eco-materials. No info.

Packaging and waste. Distribution Centres have a focus on recycling materials including plastic, cardboard, general waste and metal.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Has a solid Supplier Code of Conduct; included in supplier contracts.

Concerns about absence of trade unions and collective bargaining at some suppliers.

Living wage. No commitment.

Safe workplace. Has signed the Bangladesh Accord.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child & forced labour. Policies to prevent children from being hired into overseas factories. If children are found working, they are rehabilitated & the family is compensated. Have signed Uzbek Cotton Pledge.

traceability and transparancy. Traces & monitors all suppliers at cut-make-trim & input levels. Has published a list of some of their direct suppliers.

External Ranking. Behind the Barcode: A-

Animal Welfare: Fur Free. No commitment; no evidence of use.

signed angora pledge

avoids Mulesing. No info

Overall: Cotton On has made great improvements in their labour policies. Cotton on could do better by moving towards ensuring workers receive a living wage, measuring and reporting their environmental impact and improving their commitments on animal welfare.

– This brand belongs to Cotton On Group, which also includes Factorie, Rubi Shoes, Typo, and Supré.

* But committed to improve.

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it’s a start

#6. topshopThis UK brand began in a London department store in the 1960s. Today, Topshop has international standing as a retailer, and has partnered with celebrities, models, and designers. The latest collaboration? An activewear line designed by Beyoncé!

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. Limited info. In 2013, 94% of stores, offices, and

dstribution centres run on renewable energy. In 2014, CO2 down 8%, and total combined energy use decreased by 12%.

impact - hazardous chemicals. Ban on sandblasting.

impact - eco-materials. Member of the Better Cotton Initiative. No info on total use of preferred raw materials (organic cotton, recycled polyester).

Packaging and waste. Limited info. They claim their overall recycling rate is 89%.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Supplier Code of Conduct. Unclear if it’s included in all supplier

contracts. Not members of the Ethical Trading Initiative.

Living wage. Code of Conduct states that “wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income” but implementation is not convincing.

Safe workplace. Has signed the Bangladesh Accord.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child and forced labour, however definition of a “child” is under 15 years, not 18.

traceability and transparancy. Unsure. They did 3,212 ethical audits (by an external company) over a year, but unclear proportion of suppliers this covers.

External Ranking. Not rated by Behind the Barcode.

Animal Welfare: Fur Free

signed angora pledge

avoids Mulesing. Ban on mulesing.

Overall: In 2007, parent company Arcadia was involved in sweatshop labour in both Mauritius and the UK. Since then, Arcadia has at least committed to “living wages” and signed up to some key multi-stakeholder agreements, like the Bangladesh Accord. Topshop has shown significant improvement in the last few years. However unlike its international fast-fashion peers it has joined neither the Ethical Trading Initiative nor the Carbon Disclosure Project. New efforts towards producing ethical clothing and encouraging consumers to wash clothes at lower temperatures are steps in the right direction.

– This brand belongs to Arcadia Group Ltd, which also owns Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Burton, Evans, Miss Selfridge, and Wallis.

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#5. david JonesA Welsh merchant founded this high-end department store chain in Sydney in 1838. The DJs name is synonymous with luxury shopping, and 39 locations exist across the country.

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. Listed in Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index 2014.

Measures emissions and reports annually. Reports under National Greenhouse Reporting scheme. Reduced emissions by 33% against 2016 baseline with further specific targets set. All private label suppliers have signed Code of Conduct with climate related provisions.

impact - hazardous chemicals. Policy requires ‘adequate control measures’ and prioritises elimination of Azo dyes, heavy metals and other chemicals.

impact - eco-materials. Commitment to increasing use of sustainable fires in particular sustainable cotton. DJs brand includes organic cotton range; other house brands made from recycled plastic or sustainable fires.

Packaging and waste. Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant. Operates waste minimisation program. In FY2013, reported 54% reduction in general waste collection on a FY2006 baseline.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Robust Supplier Code of Conduct in line with Ethical Trading

Initiative’s Base Code.

Living wage. Code of Conduct says wages to meet basic needs + “some” discretionary income.

Safe workplace. Has not signed Bangladesh Accord as did not source from Bangladesh in past. Supports Accord and reviewing position.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child and forced labour; Signatory to the Responsible Sourcing Network’s Cotton Pledge”. Committed to “not knowingly” using cotton sourced from Uzbekistan in their products.

traceability and transparancy. Identifies and monitors direct suppliers. Has commenced process to identify all suppliers in supply chain. Does not yet publish a supplier list.

External Ranking. Behind the Barcode: C-

Animal Welfare: Fur Free

signed angora pledge

avoids Mulesing. Broad animal welfare provision in Code of Conduct but no specific prohibition.

Overall: In the past David Jones has been identified as sourcing from countries with known labour abuses. However, in May 2015 David Jones set an ambitious target for every product to be ethically sourced, and has begun to implement that commitment. In 2014 DJs was acquired by Woolworths South Africa, a company with relatively high ethical standards. Combined with their longer-standing environmental initiatives, DJs is now working towards a leadership position.

* But committed to improve.

Good On You rating: it’s a start *

Add meaning to your wardrobe

Bypass the shops and host a clothes swap with friends – each

item will have a story that reminds you

of friendship when you wear it.

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it’s a start

#4. ZaraKnown for its swift ability to turn runway designs into street clothing within a week, this Spanish company is the largest apparel retailer in the world. Distributed in 88 countries, this company launches thousands of designs a year for women, men, and children.

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. Goal of 10% reduction in emissions in 2015 (from 2005

CO2), & 20% reduction in 2020. Haven’t reported since 2013. Target of 20% reduction in energy across business, by “per garment sold”.

impact - hazardous chemicals. Committed to zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020. Signed the Greenpeace Detox Commitment to eliminate hazardous chemical groups from production. Has prohibited the use of PFCs. Ban on sandblasting.

impact - eco-materials. Member of the Better Cotton Initiative. No tangible information on the total use of preferred raw materials (organic cotton, recycled polyester).

Packaging and waste. Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant. All paper bags & labels used have the PEFC or FSC certification. Implements waste minimisation and management measures. Reports aggregate results on packaging and materials waste.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Has a robust Supplier Code of Conduct; included in supplier

contracts. Full member of the Ethical Trading Initiative.

Living wage. Pays wages above the legal minimum at cut-make-trim facilities.

Safe workplace. Has signed the Bangladesh Accord.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child and forced labour. Has signed Uzbek Cotton Pledge.

traceability and transparancy. Traces and monitors all suppliers at the cut-make trim level. Has not published a list of suppliers. Uses an external auditor. Auditors & factory managers trained to identify human trafficking, child labour, & forced labour.

External Ranking. Behind the Barcode: A-

Animal Welfare: Fur Free

signed angora pledge

avoids Mulesing. States mulesing is not accepted in its supply chain.

Overall: Zara actively addresses a wide range of animal, environmental and labour concerns but as the largest fashion company in the world it could be more transparent in responding to the disastrous impacts of fast fashion.

– This brand belongs to Inditex, which also includes Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home, and Uterqüe.

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it’s a start *

Tip: Before giving your clothing

away, consider if you could re-dye it, or

perhaps find another use

for the fabric – such as for

cushions.

#3. CueA winner of numerous fashion awards, Sydney brand Cue has brought the latest European trends to Australia and New Zealand since 1968. The “reactive” brand creates out new designs each week to bring consumers the hottest looks of the moment.

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. Cue minimises waste and transport emissions through

local production in response to in-store demand.

impact - hazardous chemicals. No info

impact - eco-materials. No info

Packaging and waste. Not a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) for products are made

in Australia (about 75% of sales). Cue products made overseas, including knits, are not covered by ECA certification. Robust Supplier Code of Conduct included in supplier contracts.

Living wage. Living wage at the cut-make-trim level for clothes made in Australia, which carry the Ethical Clothing Australia tag.

Safe workplace. Most production is in Australia. Has not signed Bangladesh Accord but no evidence of production in Bangladesh.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child and forced labour. Has signed Uzbek Cotton Pledge.

traceability and transparancy. Traces and monitors all suppliers at the cut-make trim level. Has not published a list of suppliers.

External Ranking. Behind the Barcode: B

Animal Welfare: Fur Free. No commitment; no evidence of use.

angora pledge. Not signed, but has denounced the use of Angora and prohibited it in their supply chain.

avoids Mulesing. No info

Overall: Cue has been accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia since 2009, and 75% of their products are made in Australia. Cue works closely with the Textile Clothing & Footwear Union to maintain an ethical workplace. Unfortunately, Cue’s transparency and very high benchmark on labour are not matched in relation to their standards on environmental issues.

– This brand also includes Veronika Maine.

* But committed to improve.

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Good

#2. H&MThis Swedish brand is a big international player. The company’s roots go back to the 1940s, when it was envisioned as a women’s clothing store. Now, the company creates fast fashion for all ages, with stores on every continent. (Well, except for Antarctica!)

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. Set emissions reduction targets through CDP Climate

Performance Leadership Index 2014, but hasn’t fully reached them. Renewable energy target of 80% by end of 2015, & 20% energy reduction in stores.

impact - hazardous chemicals. Has banned sandblasting. Greenpeace Detox Commitment to eliminate hazardous chemical groups: rated as ‘Leader’.

impact - eco-materials. Member of the Better Cotton Initiative: 14% of raw materials made from more sustainable materials, such as organic cotton.

Packaging and waste. Garment collection initiative, and target to recycle 95% of waste.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Robust Supplier Code of Conduct included in supplier contracts.

Foundation member of the Ethical Trading Initiative.

Living wage. Pay wages above legal minimum at cut-make-trim facilities. Committed to living wage by 2018.

Safe workplace. Has signed Bangladesh Accord.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child and forced labour. Has signed Uzbek Cotton Pledge.

traceability and transparancy. Traces and monitors all suppliers at the cut-make-trim and inputs levels. Publishes lists of direct suppliers and countries in which suppliers are located. Auditors and factory managers trained to identify trafficking, child- and forced-labour.

External Ranking. Behind the Barcode: A-

Animal Welfare: Fur Free

signed angora pledge

avoids Mulesing. Supports sourcing non-mulesed wool.

Overall: H&M actively addresses a wide range of animal, environmental, and labour concerns – but as the second-largest international fashion company, it could be more transparent in responding to the disastrous impacts of fast fashion. Although H&M has signed a number of accords on labour issues, there are concerns reform is too slow. Their living wage commitments have been criticised as they source from Cambodia, where the minimum wage is just 21% of what Asia Floor Wage calculates to be fair.

– This brand belongs to H&M Group, which also includes COS, Monki, Weekday, and Cheap Monday.

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#1. Country roadWhat began as a cotton shirt label in the 1970s has grown to become an Australian and New Zealand staple for modern essentials. The company carries women and men’s clothing, footwear, and accessories, and also offers children’s necessities and homewares.

Good On You rating:

Environment: Climate change & energy efficiency. Limited information. Parent company Woolworths SA

has won awards for improved indicators on carbon footprint. LED lights in many stores.

impact - hazardous chemicals. Environmental Code of Practice prohibits dyes and chemicals that presents a risk to people/planet. Uses low volatile organic compound paint.

impact - eco-materials. No info.

Packaging and waste. Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant.

Labour: Fair Labour Conditions. Robust Supplier Code of Conduct aligned with Ethical Trading

Initiative’s Base Code; included in supplier contracts.

Living wage. Pays wages above legal minimum in their cut-make-trim facilities.

Safe workplace. Does not source from Bangladesh.

Child labour/forced labour. Code of Conduct includes elimination of child and forced labour. Do not knowingly purchase from Uzbekistan, however have not signed the Uzbek Cotton Pledge.

traceability and transparancy. Has traced all of their suppliers to raw materials level. Direct suppliers externally audited.

External Ranking. Behind the Bar Code: B+

Animal Welfare: Fur Free

signed angora pledge. Does not use angora wool.

avoids Mulesing. Supports sourcing non-mulesed wool.

Overall: Country Road’s “Great” rating reflects the positive steps it has taken on animals, people, and the planet. The brand recognises the importance of transparency and has made efforts to reduce negative impacts across all aspects of production. To improve their score further, the company could make a commitment to choosing eco-friendly materials, and explicitly state the actions they are taking to minimise their impact on the climate.

– Country Road Ltd, also owns Trenery, Witchery, and Mimco.

Tip: Take a leaf out of Coco Chanel’s book: buy classic styles rather than the latest fashion trend.

“Fashion changes, but style endures” – Coco Chanel

Good

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Social Enterprise fashionThe Social Outfit and The Social Studio are quality fashion labels that produce distinctive, ethically-made garments by people from new migrant and refugee backgrounds.

Vegan and animal friendlyIf you’re concerned about animal welfare, there are plenty of vegan options available. Check the PETA Shopping Guide to Compassionate Clothing to discover vegan brands, and keep an eye on the Good On You blog for informative articles like The Hidden Costs of Leather.

Also check Animals Australia’s fur-free shopping list.

better alternatives:Finding clothing that meets your values

Good On You has rated nearly 1,000 clothing brands on ethical criteria. Search for a brand at www.goodonyou.org.au for the ratings – and if you aren’t happy with a brand they’ll show you alternative brands with a better rating.

The Good On You Ethical Shopping Assistant is a smartphone app that’s due to be released later in 2015, and includes over 3,000 brands. The app gives you locations of stores that stock the brands you’re looking for, and it even lets you to personalise the rankings to match your ethical priorities.

Fair Trade Clothing BrandsThere are at least a dozen fair trade clothing brands in Australia. Here’s just a few:

3Fish – mens and women’s tees

Audrey Blue – women’s jersey dresses

Etiko - shoes and t-shirts

Kowtow – women’s fashion

Life Threads - men’s graphic tees

Muka Kids – a NZ children’s brand

Pants to Poverty - underwear

Rrepp - basic tees and streetwear

OrganicMany of the Fair Trade brands listed above are also organic. Some of the following organic brands, such as ALAS and Carlie Ballard, address other ethical issues as well. Other options include:

ALAS Sleepwear

Carlie Ballard

Bestowed

Blessed Earth

Purepod

Some of the larger brands like Gorman, ASOS, and H&M also have organic options.

Check out the brands

accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia that have superior standards for Aussie-made

products.

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tipsIt’s not always easy to balance your budget, needs, and personal style with your commitment to doing better by people, the planet, and animals. But when you know your options, you can usually find better or worse choices. The goal is to choose better options more often!

Here are some of our top tips for creating an ethical wardrobe. Click the hyperlinks to learn more:

Find alternatives brand by brand

Buy for quality, not quantity

Work with your budget

Express yourself by choosing ethical

Opt to buy secondhand

Host a clothing swap

Repair and take care of your clothing

Know your labels

More info

- The True Cost, is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story and asks us to consider, who really pays the price for our clothing?

- Planet Money Makes a T-Shirt is a fascinating documentary series that shows you the world behind a simple T-shirt from cotton through each of the many stages of production and distribution.

- The Good On You ethical blog provides regular tips and news on clothing, fashion, beauty and lifestyle issues.

- The Australian Fashion Report by Behind the Barcode sets out the labour rights issues in fashion in detail.

- Shop Ethical’s Clothing pages give insights into particular issues including leather, silk, supply chain transparency, labour standards, living wages, jeans and sandblasting, cotton and pesticides and more.

- Oxfam continues to campaign for Australian brands to sign the Bangladesh Accord.

- There are a number of Australian Organisations involved in the fight against slavery, child labour and forced labour here and overseas including The Freedom Partnership, Stop the Traffik, Not for Sale and Project Futures, World Vision and Anti-Slavery Australia.

Sydney designer Carlie Ballard creates ethical, sustainable pieces like this ‘Destination Jumpsuit’.

This guide has been prepared for Australian Ethical by Good On You based on publicly available information. While utmost caution was taken to ensure accuracy, the parties cannot accept liability for incorrectness. The content was correct to the best of our knowledge as at 30 September, 2015. Things change and new information comes to light. Updated info is available from www.goodonyou.org.au.