Oysho is a womenswear brand whose pieces are said to be ‘lovingly designed to marry fashion and grace with comfort and quality.’ But is it ethical and sustainable?
If you’re on the hunt for lingerie, beachwear, loungewear, and athletic gear that’s embraces the minimalist aesthetic, you may like Oysho. The brand is a great place to shop for stylish basics that make you look instantly put together.
You could say it’s Zara’s younger, more carefree sister — because it is. Oysho is part of the Spanish powerhouse retailing group Inditex. To refresh your memory, it also owns the brands Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, and Uterque.
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What does this mean in terms of Oysho’s ethics and sustainability? Let’s find out.
Is Oysho sustainable?
In 2018, Oysho launched a ‘Join Life’ collection, which features products created with eco-friendly fabrics such as organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled polyester.
While the brand doesn’t have a dedicated page for its sustainability policies, it does share its goals for the Join Life collection. The brand said that it is committed to use 100% sustainable cellulose fibers and green packaging by 2023, as well as reach 100% zero-plastic given to customers in any form.
However, the brand doesn’t share where they are when it comes to these goals.
Another major point to consider is that the Join Life collection is just a portion of its entire product selection. You won’t be wrong to assume that the other products are not made of sustainable or environment-friendly materials.
On top of that, Oysho operates with a fast-fashion model — much like Shein, NastyGal, and Boohoo. ‘We renew collections as fast as the fashion trends change,’ it says.
Now, the question is: Can fast fashion ever be sustainable?
You may read up on Inditex’s environmental policies here.
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Is Oysho ethical?
Inditex brands, Oysho included, scored 51-60% in the Fashion Transparency Index. This means they’ve made a few details of some of their policies available to the public.
As far as commitment to people goes, Oysho currently has two stores that are part of its mother company’s ‘for&from’ program, which aims to employ people with disabilities. The brand has 575 stores as of writing.
Oysho itself has not had complaints about its labour practices, but its parent company has been called out for taking down a statement about its zero-tolerance policy for forced labour, in light of the surfacing of workers’ maltreatment in Xinjiang, China. The province is one of the largest producers and suppliers of cotton for many brands, including those under Inditex.
Aside from that, there is also no proof that the brand provides its workers with living wages, according to Good On You.
You may read more about Inditex’s ethical policies here.
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Oysho’s Animal Welfare Policy
Like its sister brands, Oysho, under Inditex, is in agreement with the Fur Free Alliance to commit to not sell products that contain animal fur such as rabbit, sable, mink, coyote, muskrat, fox, and more.
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.
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