Princess Polly recently received B Corp certification, an acknowledgement aimed at recognising high social and environmental performance. However, RMIT experts argue that granting this to an ultrafast fashion brand undermines the certification's value for other sustainable fashion companies.
Dr Harriette Richards, Senior Lecturer, School of Fashion and Textiles
"The B Corp certification of Princess Polly is disappointing because it undermines the value and credibility of the accreditation.
"It demonstrates the value of the 'sustainability' label as a marketing tool as Princess Polly attempts to position itself as distinct from other ultrafast fashion brands such as Shein by claiming that they are sustainable.
"While they may use more environmentally friendly materials than some of its ultrafast fashion counterparts, the reality is that their business model, which relies on overproduction and overconsumption, is unsustainable."
Dr Jon Hewitt, Lecturer, School of Fashion and Textiles
"Accrediting a brand with questionable sustainability and ethical credentials can increase consumer scepticism, which may undermine trust in genuinely committed fashion brands.
"Certification is an important part of communication strategies for fashion-based social enterprises that are built on ethical principles, however, when the same accreditation is used to certify an ultrafast fashion brand, it risks becoming meaningless.
"B Lap (the parent organisation of B Corp) has recently announced that new standards, with far more rigor, will be rolled out in the coming years, so the hope is that this change in the certification system will help B Corp become more meaningful."
