Is Dr. Martens Fast Fashion? An Expert Breakdown!
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We have seen enough brands that mainly focus on clothing and also manufacture shoes on the side, but today we will put the limelight on a brand that is known for shoes like Adidas and Nike. Shoe brands are also put under scrutiny for their sustainable practices as there are alternative eco-friendly materials for almost all things out there.
Dr. Martens also known as Doc Martens originated in Britain in 1901 by a doctor with a broken foot. His name was Dr. Klaus Maertens and he was trying to find a way to provide comfort to his recovering broken foot. In this search, he decided to add a unique air-cushioned sole to his shoe and this gave him the idea to make more shoes like this. He showed a model shoe to show his friend who was an engineer, after which both of them entered into a partnership.
By 1952, they had to open a factory in Munich because sales for the shoe had grown so much. R Grigg Groups soon bought the rights to the brand to make these shoes in the United Kingdom as well. He experimented on the original design and changed the shape of the sole. These shoes were named “Airwair” and had the slogan “With Bouncing Soles” stitched or printed on them. This was when the 1460 Dr. Martens shoe was born which remains one of its classic shoes.
It has a culture of “doing the right thing” that highlights the fact that the brand was started as a family business. It is very focused on the people and customers and making decisions as a team to prioritize a healthy work environment. Its evolution is marked by the initial production of many kinds of shoes, even gardening shoes at some point but the brand attracted many people who wanted to have their styles and found a certain appeal in Dr. Martens’ designs. This helped raise the brand to a global scale.
Its designs are simple and minimalistic, suitable for an active lifestyle. They are durable and comfortable, allowing the wearer to brave any storm and activity.
Sustainability Rating: 4/10
Category: Shoes, Accessories
For: Women, Men, Kids
Products: Sandals, Boots, Loafers, Bags
Style: Trendy, Elegant, Grunge
Quality: Medium
Prices: -
Size: 36 - 43 (Women EU size), 39 – 51 (Men EU size)
Fabrics: Leather, Vegan Leather, Synthetic Materials
100% Organic: No
100% Vegan: No
Ethical and Fair: No
Recycling: Yes
Manufacturing Countries: Not Transparent Enough
Certifications: Not Transparent Enough
The brand’s grunge and black aesthetic have attracted people with different tastes and lifestyles such as goths, punks, and skinheads. Even musicians following these styles have worn shoes by Dr. Martens such as Nirvana, Green Day, and The Clash. Its shoes are instantly recognizable and have a timeless appeal. With every passing year, it keeps rising in popularity. Lyst, a search engine for fashion products reported that searches for Dr. Martens went up by 110% in 2018. Its shoes have become a representation of empowerment and confidence.
Even though shoes are its main selling item, the brand also sells other products like t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, bags, wallets, and much more. Even these items come in many colors and designs and are of top quality. You can buy any of these products on Dr. Martens’ website as well which has an attractive layout and is quite simple to operate. Simply clicking on an item takes you to a page detailing every item, size, and color it is available in. Moreover, its website also features a blog page which is regularly updated on topics such as music, fashion, and culture.
In terms of sustainability, Dr. Martens has a whole page dedicated to its commitment to the cause on its website. There, the team defines itself and its dedication in the following lines,
“As custodians of the brand, we are committed to standing by our belief in doing what is right for people and the planet - in leaving things better than we found them.”
Judging by these lines, Dr. Martens seems to take its responsibility to the people and the planet seriously. However, according to the GoonOnYou directory, the brand is “Not Good Enough”. It says that the brand’s efforts towards sustainability are nothing to be proud of as it uses very few eco-friendly materials with great emphasis on the use of resource-heavy leather. Its factories are audited by the Leather Working Group but the brand is not transparent enough about its energy and water use or greenhouse gas emissions.
However, the brand seems to be moving towards a brighter future through its new initiative called Planet, Product, People according to which it is striving to leave things better than it found them. It recognizes the problems that people have been facing due to the climate crisis and feels a strong responsibility towards the people and planet. It is trying to develop more eco-friendly alternatives to the materials it previously used, such as bio-based materials.
It plans to incorporate sustainability into its supply chain and stores by introducing reconditioned shop fixtures or bespoke recycled materials. Sadly, the brand provides no evidence regarding the incorporation of such material or the reduction of textile waste. It received a rating of 11-20% percentage by the Fashion Transparency Index which is quite a low score.
The Workplace Condition Assessment has authorized most of its supply chain, but Dr. Martens provides no proof that it upholds equality, diversity, and minimum livable wage to workers anywhere. Moreover, previously most of the brand’s manufacturing took place in the United Kingdom but when it found that labor is cheaper in Asian countries, it shifted its factories to India and China. Now, only 2% of the products are manufactured in the UK but items still have Made in the UK printed on them. We have no way to find out whether the workers in these Asian countries are being treated well and provided with basic labor rights or not.
It is a relief that the brand does not use fur, hide, angora, and filling feathers in its products but it does utilize leather and wool. It does claim that it uses cruelty-free methods to obtain these materials but once again, there is a lack of transparency about where they are sourced from and how they are obtained. However, it is important to applaud Dr. Martens for creating a vegan line for customers who do not tolerate the killing of animals just for a shoe or jacket. The brand plans to source packaging with sustainable certifications and increase recyclable items while discontinuing non-recyclable products.
Keeping these things in mind, it is hard to categorize Dr. Martens as fast fashion because while it does follow fashion trends, it also uses high-quality material for its shoes that makes them last a long time. Customers are primarily satisfied with the quality and say that they are well-made and can last them for years with proper care.
Sources:
How Ethical Is Dr. Martens? - Good On You
Sustainability | Dr. Martens plc (LSE: DOCS) (drmartensplc.com)
Dr Martens - Shoes & Trainers: Ethical Sustainable Comparison- The Good Shopping Guide
Product | Dr. Martens plc (LSE: DOCS) (drmartensplc.com)
Why Dr Martens is investing in recycled leather (drapersonline.com)