Is Etsy Fast Fashion?
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E-commerce is an innovative way to sell services and goods online. As such businesses rely on their websites, they tend to have a large social media presence. It saves brands the headache of maintaining brick-and-mortar shops and also allows customers the hassle of having to visit physical shops. E-commerce brands have introduced a comfortable and enjoyable experience for customers.
Etsy is an E-commerce company that was founded in 2005 by Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppick. It connects people looking for different kinds of items like makeup, garments, and baby products. The aim behind Etsy’s making was to connect small artists producing creative and personalized items like gifts and collectibles. Etsy is a way for people from all over the world to interact and discover extraordinary items.
Etsy was launched in 2005 but after only two years, it had nearly half a million users and $26 million in sales. People loved an online store that housed different brands and sellers offering vintage and handmade pieces. In 2019, it was reported that almost 89% of the sellers on Etsy are women. Etsy merely acts as a middle-man between the seller and buyer; the seller has to arrange their own orders and shipping method. This is the reason that Etsy does not have a warehouse.
Etsy’s role is to categorize the various items on its website into multiple groups based on types and colors. You can even use keywords to browse through the store’s limitless collections. Etsy does not force customers to make an account on the website so you can buy from the store as a guest as well.
Etsy has set many policies for buyers and sellers who use the store to maintain a certain standard and ensure the longevity of the business as well. It takes strict action against hate speech and discrimination and has requirements that need to be met if you want to participate in community spaces.
Sustainability Rating: 5/10
Category: Clothing, Shoes, Baby Products
For: Women, Men, Kids
Products: Sneakers, Pants, Jackets, Perfume
Style: Casual, Contemporary, Vintage
Quality: Low, Medium
Prices: -
Size: -
Fabrics: Polyester, Organic Cotton, Spandex, Viscose, Elastane, Linen, Leather, Nylon
100% Organic: No
100% Vegan: No
Ethical and Fair: No
Recycling: No
Manufacturing Countries: Not Transparent Enough
Certifications: Not Transparent Enough
Etsy takes its policies very seriously and those wanting to sell vintage pieces on the store have to go through a rigorous verification process in which they have to prove that the item they are selling is at least 20 years old because anything under that is not considered vintage by Etsy. It has three categories that consist of items that can be sold in the store; handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies like feathers and buttons. Anything that does not fit into these categories cannot be sold on Etsy. In 2022, it was calculated that the store had over 100 million items on its website. To create a shop on Etsy, you must have a minimum of one listing at about $0.20.
It is important before purchasing from a store to check whether it is fast fashion or not. Fast fashion brands have been a great contributor to climate change due to the intense emission of greenhouse gasses and toxic chemicals and wastes. In addition, fast fashion brands also waste a great amount of Earth’s natural resources to produce low-quality clothing at cheap prices. Thus, fast fashion brands cannot be ethical or sustainable as their business model requires harm to be brought to the planet and people.
However, Etsy cannot be called a fast fashion brand as it takes no part in any manufacturing or shipping practice. It only provides a platform for other businesses and connects people and sellers. Etsy recognizes its responsibility to do good for the planet. It believes that it “has the power to make a positive impact” and bring consciously-minded people together. As Etsy aims to highlight small businesses and entrepreneurs, it is an even bigger supporter of sustainability due to which it has introduced a few sustainability attributes that allow sellers to tag their items as such if they meet the requirements and use eco-friendly materials. Some of the sustainability attributes consist of recycled content, reusable, plastic-free, and more.
Etsy is the first known shopping site to offset 100% of carbon emissions from packaging and delivery and has goals to reach net zero very soon. It has partnered with sustainable organizations such as EcoEnclose to bring 100% recycled packaging to US sellers as an option. It also ensures to keep a check on all items listed under any sustainable attribute to see whether it is following the guidelines or not.
It is quite unfortunate though that Etsy has not been able to keep up with all of its sellers and mass-production is rapidly creeping into the store as well. According to reviewers, some items listed as handmade were not handmade as various other sellers were selling the same design. What is more surprising is that the same design was also spotted being sold on SHEIN.
Moreover, Etsy received one of the worst scores for its Supply Chain Management. Etsy claims to be efficient in keeping a check on all sellers but denies responsibility at the same time. In a statement, Etsy said that it could not "guarantee the conditions under which products listed for sale on Etsy were made" and did not "require sellers to demonstrate that the materials incorporated into their products comply with the laws in the country or countries in which such suppliers do business". This way Etsy resolves itself of all responsibility.
Etsy has also not addressed various environmental factors such as the use of toxins in items even though toxic substances are prohibited from being used in Etsy products. It also only reports about Etsy’s emissions and does not discuss toxic substances or gasses being emitted by the activities of the sellers. We could also track a lot of animal products being used in the items such as leather, wool, and feathers.
Thus, it is difficult to categorize Etsy as sustainable or ethical because it does not directly control any of the production processes, however, we can rightly criticize its lack of attention and vigilance towards what the sellers are offering.
Etsy | Definition, Policies, & Facts | Britannica
What Is Etsy? Here's What You Need to Know (businessinsider.com)
Committing to a World of Good | Etsy
How ethical is Etsy, Inc? | Ethical Consumer
Is Shopping on Etsy Ethical and Sustainable? (imperfectidealist.com)
Introducing New Sustainability Attributes for Listings (etsy.com)