Stella McCartney is known for being one of the first luxury houses to take a stance on sustainability. But just how good are its practices?
The brand was created by Stella McCartney in 2001, after her stint as Chloe’s creative director. Since then it’s been known to provide clothing with sharp tailoring and which evokes a sensual femininity — all while being kind to the planet.
But just how sustainable is the British brand? Let’s dive in.
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Is Stella McCartney sustainable?
As someone who grew up vegetarian, Stella McCartney made sure that her brand was kind to animals from the beginning. The brand has never used leather, feathers, fur or any animal skin in its products.
Aside from that, the company now no longer uses PVC, virgin cashmere, mohair, and angora in all of its products. It has also switched to using organic cotton.
Other notable sustainability efforts from the brand include the release of the first-ever vegan Stan Smith sneakers in partnership with adidas and the first collection made with Evrnu’s NuCycle yarn and KOBA fur-free fur, a sustainable material made from recycled polyester and plant-based plastic.
The brand is also part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.
You may read more about Stella McCartney’s sustainability projects here.
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Is Stella McCartney ethical?
Stella McCartney is a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, which helps to tackle issues about trading ethically and ‘how to make a positive difference to workers’ lives.’
The brand has also said that it provides its workers with living wages. However, Good On You said there is no way to know whether the brand is making good on this commitment.
Stella McCartney’s Animal Welfare Policy
The brand has pushed for vegetarian-friendly and cruelty-free clothing since its inception. It does, however, still use wool and cashmere in some of its products.
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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.
