Is Ghanda Fast Fashion? An Expert Breakdown!

When faced with thousands of choices in clothing brands, it can be fun having so much variety at your disposal but it's just as difficult to stop overfilling your wardrobe with the latest designs. This is a dilemma all of us face regularly now because of the abundance of marvelous fashion brands tempting us with their magnificent items. Ghanda is one of such brands as well, attractive in its simplicity.

The name Ghanda brings to mind something associated with a bohemian lifestyle and one look at Ghanda clothing confirms this thought as one look at its items transports you into a colorful creative world. Its designs are bold and beautiful, showcasing the creative prowess of its design team. Ghanda isn’t a brand you can call elegant but it is a brand that will make you feel like the main character of a coming-of-age film. Its flowy and loose-fitting dresses and shirts make you feel free-spirited and beautiful.

Based in Australia, Ghanda was started by Josh Rudd who began selling clothes from the back of his car. He wanted to embody the culture of Australian beach and street life in the clothes he sold and his sharp designs attracted many people. What helped him stand out and rise from selling out of his car to owning multiple shops throughout Australia is his customer-oriented approach. He used to listen to what customers wanted and go back home and print that exact design.

This highlights how valued the customers’ opinions are for Ghanda and how closely entwined the company is with the local trends. Out of the various fashion brands we have researched, Ghanda is the most linked to the local culture and is able to represent it through clothing.

Its line of collections features activewear and outerwear encouraging a free and creative spirit. Its clothes are meant to be worn as you wander through the streets in all your glory or read a book by the beach.

Sustainability Rating: 7/10

Category: Clothing, Accessories

For: Women, Men, Kids

Products: Tops, Dresses, Hoodies, Socks

Style: Trendy, Bohemian, Casual

Quality: Low, Medium

Prices: $03.00 - $200.00 (US Dollars)

Size: XS - L (International Size)

Fabrics: Linen, Polyester, Cotton, Cotton Blend, Nylon, Rayon, Viscose

100% Organic: No

100% Vegan: No

Ethical and Fair: No

Recycling: No

Manufacturing Countries: Australia

Certifications: BSCI, WRAP

 

A Ghanda feature that lends it credibility and helps it save on resources is the fact that its factory is located in Australia and it does not use any factories situated internationally. This helps it keep a close eye on the manufacturing process and also saves resources that are otherwise spent on shipment and delivery.

Moreover, it prints its t-shirts in the factories as well. In an interview with fortemag, Amanda Ferring visited its factory and warehouse and she was delighted to see the design team working on printing and cutting up designs, calling the owner for any advice on colors and styles. She described the factory as an explosion of color with enthusiasm and dedication in the air as every worker seemed to exude pride in their work. She was fascinated to witness what goes on behind the scenes because most brands ship clothing from other countries, mostly Asian like China or Bangladesh where it is not possible to keep a vigilant eye on the process or provide input of any sort.

In Ghanda’s factory, the designer Holly Fahey said, “It’s so good that they just call me up when they’re finished printing, and I come over to check on colors and the design. That’s something I couldn’t do if we printed in China.” This is something that we do not spend much time thinking about but it truly offers for greater and better quality and designs overall because the mind behind the entire brand is in close contact with the staff.

Ghanda collaborated with CMARIX to expand its reach on social media. The brand was already well-loved by loyal customers but it wanted to stretch its boundaries beyond Australia as well. CMARIX helped design its website and put forth its sustainable stance so that eco-conscious people can have another brand to rely on.

This leads us to closely examine whether Ghanda is fast fashion or not and if it is as sustainable as it claims to be. While Ghanda does not mention any sustainable materials that it uses, one of its most used materials is linen which is one of the least environmentally damaging fabrics in the world. If used correctly, it leaves behind no waste and it is biodegradable as well which makes it perfect for clothing brands wanting to become more sustainable.

Furthermore, as we mentioned before Ghanda prints its t-shirts itself, another interesting fact is that it uses water-based ink which is eco-friendly and does not harm your skin. It does not contain any chemicals and is a much healthier alternative to other inks.

Another thing that fast fashion brands are known for is the alarming amount of waste. They usually produce bulk amounts of clothing that end up in landfills once the trend dies out. But, Ghanda claims that it prints on order which means that it has a lesser amount of waste compared to other brands. Plus, instead of plastic hangers, Ghanda makes use of timbre hangers and has removed the use of plastic poly bags entirely which has cut down its plastic consumption by 60%.

Another fact that Ghanda can be proud of is that it is BSCI and WRAP certified. It follows the 11 principles laid out by BSCI which discourage child labor and calls for decent working hours and protection of the workers. These certifications are recognized internationally and Ghanda being certified by them is a huge feat which also increases the trust of the customers in the brand.

While it does not have such a good rating on the GoodOnYou directory which deems it not good enough taking the brand’s recent actions towards sustainability into consideration, it seems that it is well on its way towards a sustainable future. While we cannot call it 100% sustainable, it has come a long way as compared to other brands. Lastly, we do not consider Ghanda a fast fashion brand because of its consideration towards its workers and the environment so any people who care about the environment, we encourage you to try out Ghanda!

 Sources:

Ghanda: The story behind the cherished Torquay-born clothing label (fortemag.com.au)

Ghanda - Sustainability Rating - Good On You

Is Ghanda Ethical? - Bob Cut Magazine

9 Sustainable Brands You Can Support This Year (theteenmagazine.com)