Princess Polly offers affordable and trendy clothing for young women. The brand is becoming increasingly popular among millennials, but is Princess Polly fast fashion?
In this article, we’ll explore the origins of the term fast fashion and how that applies to Princess Polly.
We’ll also discuss brand-check criteria for fast fashion and list better alternatives for conscious consumers.
About Princess Polly
Princess Polly is a fashion brand that sells trendy and affordable women’s clothing.
The brand was started by a 19-year-old named Ashton Kutcher.
The clothing is designed in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Is Princess Polly Fast Fashion? 3 Reasons That Confirm This
By definition, fast fashion is the process of quickly adapting new fashion and designs into retail, and making them available for purchase at an affordable price. So, does Princess Polly fall into that category?
Of course, it does. Princess Polly is a great example of a superfast fashion brand. Not only are they quick to adapt to the latest trends, but they also provide great discounts. If you check their website, you’ll be greeted instantaneously by a large discount offer.
1. Exploitative Conditions of Employment
As with any other fast fashion store, workers are mostly exploited for this under unfair conditions – sometimes even children.
Unfortunately, Princess Polly itself doesn’t disclose any information about suppliers’ policies and working conditions, or practices to ensure gender equality, forced labor, and freedom of association. There is also no indication that a living wage is paid in the supply chain. All of this suggests unfair working conditions.
2. Is Princess Polly Fast Fashion: Low Prices with Poor Quality
Due to the comparatively low prices, one cannot expect particularly good quality. This alone should make it noticeable that good working conditions are hardly feasible when the low prices mean that profit margins aren’t exactly high.
There are also many sales and discounts so that the products can be purchased at even lower prices. This is exactly the characteristic of a fast fashion brand, selling seasonal clothes at low prices.
3. Oodles of Synthetic Materials
In terms of fibers, many synthetic materials are used (polyester, acetate, “vegan leather”) and viscose without TENCEL.
Princess Polly doesn’t use eco-friendly materials overall, nor has it made much effort to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals or water in its supply chain.
While Princess Polly reports greenhouse gas emissions from its direct operations, it doesn’t bother when it comes to its supply chain.
Summary – Is Princess Polly Fast Fashion?
Since there are no clear indications about the suppliers and their working conditions, and it is clearly visible that quantity is more important to the brand than quality, it can be said unequivocally: Yes, Princess Polly belongs to the fast fashion brands.
What Do Fast Fashion Brands Do?
Fast fashion refers to brands that produce large quantities of clothing throughout the year and release large quantities of new collections and pieces on a weekly – if not daily – basis.
In doing so, these brands produce clothing at very low prices that are considered attractive opportunities for many consumers. But under the high price of poor working and environmental conditions and release of toxic chemicals, high water consumption, as well as many other dramatic disadvantages.
This allows consumers to update their wardrobes very quickly and inexpensively, leading to overconsumption and causing that for every two fast-fashion pieces purchased, in reality only one is worn. The other is disposed of – without having been worn once.
Further Characteristics of a Fast Fashion Brand:
- Trends that are already out after a few weeks
- Poor quality that tears, threads, stretches, or discolors after a few washes
- The items are often characterized by a strong chemical smell
- Low transparency & poor working conditions
- Mainly synthetic materials
- Disposable consumption
- High environmental impact due to pesticides and water consumption
Is Princess Polly Good Quality?
We wouldn’t go as far as to say that Princess Polly isn’t good quality, but it’s usually a case of hit or miss. According to various online reviews, we can safely say that the quality is somewhat mediocre.
This isn’t a bad thing when you consider that the brand is fairly affordable to most people with stable incomes. One thing that does annoy customers, though, is the fitting.
The sizes of Princess Polly products can be a little questionable. A woman who normally wears medium might find a medium Princess Polly dress unfitting.
Is Princess Polly Sustainable?
It’d be a stretch to say that Princess Polly is entirely sustainable. However, it wouldn’t be fair to say that they haven’t already started the sustainability journey.
Being a fast fashion brand, Princess Polly tries to cut overproduction costs by manufacturing small batches based on the customers’ requests.
The brand also currently claims that it uses environmentally-friendly materials in 20% of its products. The target is to raise that percentage to 60% by 2025.
So, we can safely say that Princess Polly isn’t sustainable yet, but on its way.
Where Are Princess Polly Clothes Made?
According to Princess Polly’s website, the brand has 84 factories. 79 of those factories are in China, 4 are in India, and the last factory is in Pakistan.
The products are then shipped using supply chains until they reach retailers all over the world.
Is Princess Polly Ethical?
With 84 factories and over 5800 workers, the question of Princess Polly’s ethical means is frequently asked. Unfortunately, modern slavery is still a thing, and the brand is aware of it.
As such, the brand started publishing annual statements about its ethics and code of conduct. So far, there are two statements, one for 2021, and the other for 2022.
The materials used for making the products also raise ethical questions. Princess Polly does use leather in some products. However, it doesn’t use exotic animal skin, fur, angora, or down.
The brand also has a road map to ensure its ethical sourcing.
Does Princess Polly Use Child Labor?
There are currently no solid claims or sources that involve Princess Polly with child labor.
Moreover, the brand claims that it has zero tolerance for child labor. It’s also constantly motivating its factory workers to reach out to Princess Polly about their work experience and welfare.
What Does Lower Impact Mean on Princess Polly?
Princess Polly has a lower impact range of products which provides a minimum effect on the environment, both during production and disposal.
According to their official website, you can recognize their lower-impact products using the tags that say so. Princess Polly claims that these products have 80% less impact on the environment.
Stores Like Princess Polly?
Princes Polly isn’t the only pioneer in its field. If you’re seeking similar products with similar fashion trends, but not from Princess Polly, you might want to check these out:
All of these stores offer products with more or less the same price range and quality. You’ll even notice that the landing pages of their websites look fairly similar.
Alternatives to Fast Fashion?
Fast fashion can be great if you like to keep up with the trend, but there’s no denying how exhausting it can be to keep up with the fashion train.
If you’re into fashion, but don’t have the time or the energy to constantly update your appearance, here are other alternatives you can try:
1. Buy Clothes from Sustainable Brands
Sustainable brands like Addidas and Zara tend to have a “timeless” vibe into them.
It’s quite challenging to find a product from these brands that feel old or outdated. If anything, products from these brands start earning the “classic” badge once they get older.
2. Buy High-Quality Clothing
High-quality clothes may be expensive, but they’re built to last. They won’t only last in a good condition, but they also last as a fashionable wear.
Don’t be afraid to invest in good-quality outfits.
3. Support Your Local Thrift Stores
Thrift shopping is a decent alternative to fast fashion. The prices are also a lot more affordable and they have a better ethical reputation all in all.
The quality might be a little less than fancy fash fashion shopping, but the price difference will make up for it.
Is Princess Polly the same as Shein?
Shein is a very popular and cheap online clothing store. In fact, a lot of people use Shein as a comparison when talking about Princess Polly.
They are very similar in the sense that they are both cheap clothing brands.
But beyond that, the brands have little in common.
Princess Polly is a vertically integrated company. This means that the company designs, sources, and manufactures its clothing in-house.
Shein, on the other hand, is a drop-shipping company that sources from China and resells on Amazon and its own website.
Princess Polly is much more upfront about what they use and how they use it. Shein, on the other hand, is extremely secretive about that.
What Does Sustainable mean to Princess Polly?
Princess Polly offers an environmentally friendly and sustainable clothing line called the Eco Collection.
The Eco Collection is made with high-quality materials, but they are produced in a more eco-friendly way.
The fabrics are sourced from water-saving facilities, the dyes are eco-friendly, and the garments are sewn in a sustainable and responsible way.
However, the products are more expensive than the brand’s other clothing.
The brand’s other clothing is made with good fabrics, but the garments are not produced in an environmentally friendly way.
The fabrics are often made with synthetic materials that take a lot of energy to produce.
Eco-friendly dyes are often more expensive and harder to source compared to harmful dyes. The garments are often sewn in the same way that they are on all of the brand’s other clothing.
Where Are Princess Polly Clothes Made?
Princess Polly’s manufacturer is very difficult to track down.
The brand outsources to different manufacturers across the world. They don’t disclose who makes their clothing.
The brand’s policy is that they try to source from the USA and Europe when possible.
They also try to source from companies that have a sustainable supply chain. The brand’s website has a detailed rundown of what they look for in a manufacturer. Princess Polly’s manufacturer is almost certainly a giant factory in China.
This is the most likely scenario, especially if the brand is sourcing from Europe and the USA.
It’s expensive to source materials and make clothing in those regions. Chances are, if Princess Polly is sourcing from Western countries, they are buying their garments from China and reselling them with their own branding.
Is Princess Polly Carbon Neutral?
Princess Polly is a young and growing brand. As such, it is difficult to determine if they are carbon neutral at this point in time.
Since the brand is vertically integrated, they would need to make sure that their fabrics are sustainable and their garments are sewn sustainably. Princess Polly’s fabrics are made with good eco-friendly materials.
However, the brand is not carbon neutral. There are no certifications that prove this.
Alternatives to Fast Fashion Brands Like Princess Polly
When it comes to fast fashion brands, there are many better alternatives to Princess Polly.
One of the most obvious choices is to choose clothes made from natural fabrics like cotton, linen, and wool. Not only is this better for the environment, but it’s also better for your health! Natural fabrics breathe wick sweat and can be easily washed. They also come in a wide variety of styles and colors, so there is something for every body type and taste.
Other good alternatives include ethically sourced clothing from well-known brands like Patagonia, Eileen Fisher, and Everlane. You can also try ethical brands like Sailing Goods.
10 Affordable Alternatives to Fast Fashion
Reformation began by selling vintage clothing out of a small Los Angeles storefront in 2009.
They quickly expanded into making their own stuff, with a focus on sustainability.
Today, Reformation makes effortless silhouettes that celebrate the feminine figure and pioneer sustainable practices, focusing on people and progress each step of the way.
- They're Climate Neutral
- Energy-efficiency
- Natural and Recycled Materials
- Compost organic wastes
- They're Carbon-Neutral
- Sustainable Clothes
- Ethical Production
Sustainable activewear created from recycled plastic bottles.
- Eco-Friendly
- Recycled Materials
- Fair-Trade
- Ethical
Other Sustainable Brands:
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*Disclosure about the article “Is Princess Polly Fast Fashion”: We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
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