Is Pull And Bear Fast Fashion? An Expert Breakdown!

October 31, 2023

Pull and Bear is a Spanish clothing and accessories brand established by Amancio Ortega in 1991, with its headquarters located in Narón, A Coruña, Galicia. It is a part of Inditex, which also owns the brands Bershka, Zara, Massimo Dutti, Oysho, and more.

With just Zara stores at the time, Inditex's economic goal was diversifying, which led to the establishment of the chain in 1991. It was first a brand only for men, but a few years after its founding, in 1998, it debuted a collection for girls that has now surpassed the sales of the male line.

The Inditex Group's implementation of a market segmentation strategy gave rise to the Pull and Bear fashion retail chain. The public was calling for a basic fashion style that was influenced by global trends and could easily adjust to their demands.

The three main criteria for this type of fashion were style, price, and quality. Pull and Bear's fundamental mission was to make fashion accessible to all.

Pull&Bear has now over 970 stores on major thoroughfares and in 77 market retail malls in just 29 years. All because of a group of more than 12,000 youthful professionals.

At the end of 2019, turnover was 2,140 million euros, up 6% from the previous year. A total of almost 156 million goods, comprising 36 million T-shirts, were sold.

Because of the strong demand for its products and fast production, Pull and Bear is considered a fast fashion brand.

Sustainability Rating: 5/10

Category: Clothing, accessories, footwear, jewelry

For: Women, men

Products: Denim, dresses, knitwear, loungewear, activewear, swimwear, outerwear, underwear, heels, flats, sandals, boots, sneakers, bags

Style: Casual

Quality: Medium

Price: $

Sizes: 2XS-2XL, 2-16 (UK), 0-14 (US), 4-18 (AU), 32-44 (EU)

Fabrics: Cotton, hemp, jute, linen, viscose, cupro, acetate, polyester, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic, neoprene, leather, wool, silk, down, ramie modal, lyocell spandex,

100% Organic: No

100% Vegan: No

Ethical & Fair: No

Recycling: Yes

Manufacturing countries: Argentina, Brazil, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Pakistan, Morocco, Turkey, Portugal, Vietnam, Spain

Certifications: GOTS, GRS, OCS, FSC, RCS

Interpretation Of The Sustainability Score

In terms of making fashion sustainable, a brand with a score of 5/10 is generally on the right track. It is more transparent and open than the majority of clothing brands, and it takes significant steps to lessen its effects.

What Are The Sustainability Practices Of Pull And Bear?

Pull and Bear promises to implement a variety of strategies to minimize waste, cut down on energy and water usage, and fight global warming.

It seeks to improve and increase efficiency by examining every link in its value chain to guarantee the planet's continued good health. The majority of its operations, though, continue to be environmentally harmful.

As a part of its parent company Inditex's environmental drive, Pull and Bear debuted its inaugural "Join Life" collection in 2018. Under the Join Life brand, you may find products composed of sustainable materials such as Tencel, organic cotton, recycled polyester, and more.

Clothes that consumers no longer need are also accepted by Pull and Bear as part of the Join Life initiative, and they are given new life through recycling, mending for resale, or donation to nonprofit organizations.

The brand also claims that its plastic bags are more than 50 microns thick, composed of over 70% recycled plastic, and certified PEFC/FSC.

By 2025, Pull and Bear and its sister businesses intend to provide products produced only from sustainable materials. The brand has also set a target of 30% emission reduction for 2030. The long-term goal of the organization is to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Pull and Bear also claims to train its employees on how to reduce energy use and increase environmental consciousness on a personal and professional level.

Although these are all fantastic aims, we couldn't find any indication that it will reach its goal. Furthermore, the brand does not appear to minimize textile waste throughout the manufacturing process, and it employs few eco-friendly components overall.

Are There Any Ethical Practices Of Pull And Bear?

In 2020, Pull and Bear as well as other Inditex brands received a score of 51-60% on the Fashion Transparency Index. It describes its stances on social development, animal welfare, and the environment.

The brand claims to have community development projects in Bangladesh and Cambodia in addition to job operations in Spain.

Pull and Bear also opened a "for&from" business in Ferrol, Spain, where disabled workers are employed. It's important to remember that the brand presently has 73 locations.

The company claims that it only collaborates with vendors who satisfy its "high standards," which include maintaining secure and healthy working conditions. It allegedly lacks evidence, nevertheless, that it pays its employees a livable salary.

However, we found no proof that it guarantees payment of a living wage in its supply chain. It received a score of 31-40% due to that in the 2021 Fashion Transparency Index.