28 Unethical Clothing Brands to Avoid in 2025

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Are you wondering which clothing brands are the worst offenders when it comes to ethics and sustainability? You’re not alone.

Whether you’re trying to shop more consciously or just avoid supporting exploitative labor practices, this list will help you steer clear of the most unethical clothing brands in 2025.

Many of these brands contribute to harmful environmental practices, fail to ensure fair labor conditions, or are simply greenwashing with no real change behind their claims.

Let’s break them down — including who owns whom, so you know which companies are connected.

What Makes a Clothing Brand “Unethical”?

Unethical clothing brands usually:

• Underpay and overwork garment workers
• Lack of supply chain transparency
• Use environmentally harmful materials
• Greenwash consumers with vague or misleading claims
• Overproduce cheap, disposable fashion that ends up in landfills

Now, let’s look at the worst offenders.

The Worst Unethical Clothing Brands

Table:

Brand	Recent Scandals & Why to Avoid
Shein Group	Accused of 75-hour work weeks and $0.04/item wages, linked to forced labor, relies on cheap synthetics fueling microplastic pollution, and floods the market with over 600,000 styles.
Temu	Ultra-low prices suggest labor exploitation and unsafe materials, with allegations of forced labor, privacy-invasive tech, and product safety issues.
Zaful	Lacks transparency, uses toxic synthetic materials, and offers ultra-cheap items without proof of ethical sourcing or safe conditions.
Boohoo Group	Linked to UK sweatshops, workers paid £3.50/hour, adds 100+ new items daily, and are flagged for unsafe chemical use and poor labor practices.
Inditex Group	Puts out over 1.5 billion items yearly, contributing to overproduction; uses animal products and shows little proof of fair wages or ethical sourcing.
H&M Group	Linked to UK sweatshops, workers paid £3.50/hour, add 100+ new items daily, and are flagged for unsafe chemical use and poor labor practices.
Arcadia Group	History of labor violations, animal welfare concerns, and founder scandals like misusing pension funds.
Fashion Nova	Broke promise to pay living wages by 2018, has a history of labor abuse, and makes vague sustainability claims with little evidence of action.
Forever 21	Fined for safety violations, offers vague green claims, no fair wage guarantees, and uses animal materials without disclosing sources.
Missguided	Known for unsustainable gimmicks like £1 bikinis, sold real fur as faux, and drops 1,000+ styles weekly with no ethical policies.
Nike	Linked to forced Uyghur labor, child labor in past scandals, relies on petroleum-based synthetics, and faced lawsuits over false eco claims.
Adidas	Accused of union busting, fined for unsafe work conditions, linked to labor abuse, and called out for greenwashing in France.
Lululemon	Accused of greenwashing, relies on synthetics, and overcharges despite questionable labor practices.
Cider	No data on labor or sustainability, relies on mass-produced synthetics, and markets itself as ethical without proof.
Brandy Melville	Offers zero public info on labor practices or sustainability.
New Look	Accused of paying UK workers £3/hour, lacks transparency on both labor and eco practices.
Cotton On	No clear proof of fair wages or sustainable practices across its supply chain.
Gap (includes Old Navy, Banana Republic)	Still reliant on synthetics, with vague and inconsistent sustainability commitments.
New Yorker	Shares no data on sourcing, environmental practices, or worker rights.
Guess	No evidence of ethical labor or sustainability improvements.
Next	Criticized in 2024 for not paying living wages. Uses exotic animal hair and lacks clear labor standards.
Primark	Mass-produces cheap clothing linked to labor exploitation, with little sustainability commitment.
S. Oliver	Provides no meaningful info on reducing its environmental or social impact.
Urban Outfitters	Discloses nothing about its supply chain, labor conditions, or sustainability efforts.
Victoria’s Secret	Tied to child labor, excessive textile waste, and minimal ethical accountability.
Mango	Makes lofty claims with minimal proof of sustainability.
Uniqlo	Tied to Chinese labor violations, with limited transparency around sourcing and fair wages.
United Colors of Benetton	Offers weak evidence of ethical or environmental progress.

List:

1. Shein Group

Pumps out 6,000+ new styles a day like it’s printing money. Except it’s printing microplastics, trash, and worker exploitation.

Brands: Shein, Romwe

Why to avoid:

• Workers face 75-hour work weeks and wages as low as $0.04 per item
• No living wage or fair labor policies
• Uses cheap synthetic fabrics, fueling microplastic pollution
• Supply chain linked to forced labor (e.g., Xinjiang cotton)
• It has as many as 600,000 items for sale on its online platform, fueling waste

2. Temu

If the price tag makes you say “how?!” the answer is probably: underpaid labor, toxic materials, and zero ethics.

Parent: PDD HoldingsTemu

Why to avoid:

• Ultra-low prices raise red flags about labor ethics
• No evidence of living wages or safe working conditions
• Allegations of forced labor
• Platform investigated for unsafe, non-compliant products
• Privacy concerns over invasive app tracking

3. Zaful

When your outfit costs less than your iced coffee, it’s not a deal. It’s a red flag.

Parent: Global Egrow (Linked to Shein via Nanjing-based networks)

Why to avoid:

• Fast fashion model with little transparency
• No proof or public data on working conditions
• Heavy use of unsustainable materials
• Toxic chemicals in clothes & low quality
• Lack of proof on ethical sourcing

4. Boohoo Group

They cry “trendy,” we cry “sweatshop.”

Brands: Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing, Nasty Gal

Why to avoid:

• History of sweatshop conditions in UK factories
• 2019 and 2020 scandals, where they were called out for not paying living wages & labeling rights abuses
• Workers paid as little as £3.50/hour
• Overproduction: 100+ new items added daily
• Privacy warning on PLT’s website about cancer-causing chemicals
• No transparency about fabrics or sourcing
• Failing to improve working conditions

5. Inditex Group

Pretends to be chic and green while dropping over a billion garments a year.

Brands: Zara, Bershka, Pull&Bear, Stradivarius, Massimo Dutti, Oysho

Why to avoid:

• Putting over 1.5 billion products on the market, contributing to overproduction and unsustainable consumption
• Failing to show evidence of paying a living wage
• Uses animal-derived materials (leather, fur)
• Limited transparency on ethical practices

6. H&M Group

Claimed it would pay living wages by 2018. Still waiting.

Brands: H&M, COS, Weekday, Monki, ARKET

Why to avoid:

• Promised living wages by 2018 – failed to deliver
• History of child labor and poor factory conditions
• Vague environmental goals, little proof of action
• Some certifications, but not across all suppliers

7. Arcadia Group

From fashion royalty to fast-fashion horror story.

Brands: Topshop, Miss Selfridge

Why to avoid:

• History of labor violations and mismanagement
• No transparency on animal products or hazardous chemicals
• Founder linked to misusing pension funds

8. Fashion Nova

No audits, no standards, just plastic clothes and unpaid labour.

Why to avoid:

• Accused of paying U.S. garment workers less than $3 an hour
• No info on supplier audits or environmental efforts
• Continues to sell cheap, trend-based items made of synthetics

9. Forever 21

Cute clothes, fueled by worker exploitation.

Why to avoid:

• Fines up to $100,000 for serious safety violations
• Vague and unverified sustainability claims
• No fair wage guarantees
• Uses animal-derived materials without source transparency

10. Missguided

A £1 bikini? If your swimwear costs less than your bus fare, someone’s definitely paying the price.

Why to avoid:

• Sold real fur as “faux”
• Lacks any real sustainability policies
• Releases 1,000+ new styles per week
• Accused of creating £1 bikinis — unsustainable and unethical

11. Nike

Swooshed its way into sweatshop scandals and forced labor links. Just… don’t do it.

Why to avoid:

• Long history of sweatshop labor, including child labor scandals
• Accused of worker mistreatment in Vietnam, China, and Indonesia in the past
• Uses unsustainable synthetic fabrics and petroleum-based dyes
• Allegations of forced labor linked to Uyghur cotton supply
• In 2023, there was a class action lawsuit for falsely claiming that some of its “sustainable” products were actually made from non-biodegradable plastics
• No concrete evidence ensures workers in its supply chain are paid living wages

12. Adidas

Recycles a bit, but still drowning in plastic and labor drama.

Why to avoid:

• Reports of labor abuses in Asian factories, including unsafe conditions
• Uses large amounts of plastic-based fabrics
• Adidas America faces nearly $400K in fines for not addressing fall hazards
• In 2023, Adidas was accused of union busting in Myanmar after a factory fired workers who had gone on strike in 2022 for better wages and working conditions
• Linked to suppliers that have been accused of wage theft
• The company was accused of greenwashing in 2022 for misleading marketing on environmental commitments

13. Lululemon

Fast fashion with a greenwashed twist.

Why to avoid:

• Claims sustainability but is still heavily reliant on synthetic fabrics
• Price markup doesn’t reflect ethical manufacturing
• Accused of greenwashing with minimal genuine sustainability efforts

14. Cider

Where the only thing more synthetic than their clothes is their “sustainable” claims.

Why to avoid:

• Emerging fast-fashion giant with zero labor transparency
• Mass production model fuels textile waste
• Uses synthetic fabrics with no clear plan for sustainability
• No data on ethical sourcing or fair wages

Other Notoriously Unethical Brands:

• Brandy Melville – No clear information on its sustainability efforts or production practices.
• New Look – Accused of paying UK workers £3/hour. Lacks transparency regarding its labor and environmental practices.
• Cotton On – Lack of transparency and proof regarding living wages.
• Gap (includes Old Navy, Banana Republic) – Still relies heavily on synthetics.
• New Yorker – Shares zero data on sustainability, production conditions, or animal welfare. 
• Guess – No evidence of fair labor or eco progress.
• Next – Uses exotic animal hairs, lacks fair labor standards. Criticized for failing to pay a living wage in 2024.
• Primark – Faces criticism for exploiting garment workers, and overproduction.
• S. Oliver – No sufficient information on reducing environmental impact.
• Urban Outfitters – Offers no supply chain information.
• Victoria’s Secret – Linked to child labor scandals and mass waste.
• Mango – Says a lot, proves little.
• Uniqlo – Labor violations in China, lacks transparency.
• United Colors of Benetton – Weak proof of ethical progress.

What Can You Do About It?

1. Look into ethical and sustainable fashion alternatives. Check out my list of affordable sustainable clothing brands.
2. Buy secondhand. Explore my list with 30+ online thrift shops for unique, eco-friendly finds.
3. Swap clothes with friends. Find out how to organize a clothing swap with my guide.
4. Explore eco-friendly materials. Check out the best eco-friendly clothing materials to better understand the materials that minimize harm to the environment.
5. Learn about sustainable fashion certifications. If you want to be more informed about certified sustainable options, read through 18 sustainable fashion certifications.
6. Speak up! Let brands know we demand better. The more consumers hold brands accountable, the greater the change. Help spread awareness & choose to avoid brands with unethical practices.

Summary

Fast fashion is built on the exploitation of people, animals, and the planet. While some brands are trying to do better, many are still getting away with poor practices under the radar.

Staying informed is your first step toward making conscious choices. And now, you’ve got the list to help you do that.

Did I miss a brand? Drop a comment below! Let’s call them out together.