Is White House Black Market Fast Fashion? An Expert Breakdown!

November 7, 2023

White House Black Market (WHBM), partnered with Chico’s, was founded in 1985 and has been working ever since to provide a large selection of women's apparel and accessories.

It is a Florida-based company specialising in producing luxury apparel. It empowers women to embrace themselves and feel confident in their bodies.

Throughout more than sixty cities in the world, WHBM boasts more than 400 stores. They exclusively design their products making sure they don’t cause any damage to the environment.

Moreover, their clothes are durable and long-lasting. Hence, it is not a fast fashion brand. However, their environmental ratings are not quite good.

This article focuses on the brand’s sustainable and ethical practices which are discussed later.

Sustainability Rating: 3/10

Category: Clothing, footwear, accessories

For: Women

Products: Tops, sweaters, tees, jackets, blazers, suits, separates, dresses, skirts, skirts, jeans, pants, shorts, swimwear, petites, cocktail dresses, sequin & shine dresses, wedding guest dresses, formal dresses, vacation dresses, wide leg jeans, skinny jeans, straight jeans, slim jeans

Style: Chic, trendy

Quality: Medium to high

Prices: $

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

Fabrics: Polyester, acrylic, polyurethane, linen, cotton, nylon, viscose, acetate, spandex, lurex, wool, leather

100% Organic: No

100% Vegan: No

Ethical & Fair: Yes

Recycling: Yes

Manufacturing countries: Fort Myers, Florida

Certifications: Insufficient information

Interpretation Of The Sustainability Score

For fashion brands to receive a sustainability score of 3 out of 10 shows the following:

They are beginning to adopt sustainable and ethical approaches, however, they are not quite experienced.
They are not transparent and open about their sustainability practices.
They don’t have relevant certifications to prove their claims.

What Are The Sustainability Practices Of White House Black Market?

They claim that the foundation of their beliefs is the care they take for the planet and communities.

They believe that their customers and associates who are devoted to them are inspired by their values and are the source of their passion and dedication.

Based on this, their environmental and governance emphasis areas and their initiatives are all aimed at inspiring and making a positive impact on the planet.

These approaches include:

Though they have claimed to be sustainable, they are unable to prove it as they are not certified enough to be called sustainable.

What Are The Ethical Practices Of The Brand?

The brand has been seen as following ethical practices, including treating their employees right, caring for them, not using child or forced labor, and providing fair wages and a safe work environment. Let’s discuss it in detail below:

What Are The Animal Welfare Policies Of The Brand?

They do use animal-derived products in their apparel, such as wool, leather, and feathers, however, they claim them to be cruelty-free.

They believe that their sellers obtain these items from vendors who uphold the moral and compassionate treatment of animals.

These animal-derived materials are believed to be in line with the Farm Animal Welfare Council's Five Freedoms, which are the following:

Do They Give Back To The Community?

They believe that it is people who make their brand successful. The individuals who create, produce, and market their goods, and the consumers who purchase their distinctive clothing should be taken care of.

They think that it is their duty to look after their employees, consumers, and the places in which they reside and work.

They think that everyone, whether they work for them or for another company, has a right to respectable, safe, and compassionate working circumstances.

This is why they are dedicated to reducing their environmental impact, fostering an inclusive workplace, providing their employees with health and wellness initiatives, and giving back to the communities in which they operate.

They are specifically dedicated to empowering the well-being of women. They have a positive influence on their clients, colleagues, and the communities where they live and work by serving others and giving back.

They are associated with Habitat for Humanity, which was founded in 1976, and has expanded to become one of the world's largest nonprofit organizations, operating in more than 1,300 communities across the United States and more than 70 other countries.

Together with volunteers, Habitat homeowners construct their own homes and make minimal mortgage payments.

Helping families gain the resilience, security, and self-sufficiency necessary to construct better lives for themselves can be accomplished by everyone, whether through donations, volunteer work, or lending support to the cause of affordable housing.

Sources:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chicos-fas-2022-sustainability-update-301530139.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0oz0oMGrMI&pp=ygUfd2hpdGUgaG91c2UgYmxhY2sgbWFya2V0IHJldmlldw%3D%3D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCGX18L35aQ&pp=ygUfd2hpdGUgaG91c2UgYmxhY2sgbWFya2V0IHJldmlldw%3D%3D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3LbQns_3Rw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6yTK8df__8

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