Massimo Dutti launched in 1985 as a menswear brand, and has since grown to become one of Inditex’s most chic brands, offering elegant fashion for both men and women.
We all know it’s stylish, but what about its ethics and sustainability?
READ MORE: Is Stradivarius ethical and sustainable?
The brand was acquired by Inditex in 1991, and now has over 790 stores worldwide and employs over 10,000 people.
Here, we take a closer look at Massimo Dutti’s practises.
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Is Massimo Dutti sustainable?
The brand says they’re committed to ‘sustainable development and protecting the environment and natural resources.’ However, they don’t have a brand-specific environmental policy.
As you may (or may not) know, Massimo Dutti is part of Inditex, the world’s largest fashion retailer. It counts Zara, Bershka, Stradivarius and Pull & Bear as its sister brands.
Part of Inditex’s environmental policy is efficient energy and water use and proper waste management.
In 2019, it set a 30% target of emission reduction by 2030 as part of its signed agreement with the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.
The company also said they’ve been using eco-friendly fabrics such as organic and recycled cotton, lyocell, viscose, recycled polyester, polyamide, and more in their products. But there’s still no record that shows if and how their manufacturing processes do minimise textile waste.
READ MORE: Is Bershka ethical and sustainable?
Is Massimo Dutti ethical?
Massimo Dutti scored 41-50% in the Fashion Transparency Index in 2020, before drastically improving this to 81-90% for 2022.
Like other Inditex brands, it is quite open about its suppliers in the final stage of production as well as its supplier policies.
In 2016, the brand openly answered a Twitter user who asked who made the shirt they bought from the brand, detailing the suppliers from the fabric manufacturing to the tinting to the confection to the ironing.
The brand also has policies for employees and suppliers that aim to supposedly provide these people witha good living wages and uphold their safety and human rights.
It’s worth noting, however, that in June 2020, factory workers in Myanmar working for its sister company Zara were reportedly fired after forming a union.
A couple of months later, Inditex made a joint agreement with global workers’ union IndustriALL that it will ensure its workers’ health and safety are prioritised and that their right to unionise is maintained.
READ MORE: Which fabrics are eco-friendly?
Massimo Dutti’s Animal Welfare Policy
Under Inditex’s agreement, it’s part of the Fur Free Retailer Program organised by the Fur Free Alliance.
Massimo Dutti also has an animal welfare policy that states that all the animal products it uses — leather, down, exotic animal hair, and wool — ‘come from animals treated in an ethical and responsible manner.’
READ MORE: Is Zara ethical and sustainable?
Wear Next Opinion
Wear Next believes it’s important to highlight the negative and unjust practises taking place in the fashion industry. We believe ethics and sustainability are an important talking point to bring about change and we encourage you to contact fashion brands to demand this.
However we understand that sustainable fashion isn’t accessible for every body due to various factors, such as budget and the ability to find confidence-boosting clothes that fit. We will continue to offer you fashion inspiration and guidance to suit every body and budget, while also highlighting the unjust systems at play in the fashion industry.
