Is Winners Fast Fashion? An Expert Breakdown!
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Almost all fashion brands have always maintained an online presence as much as they could but with the rise of the internet, we can barely find any brand that does not advertise itself online. Online apps such as Instagram and Twitter allow such brands to attract a wider audience and help them expand to other countries that may not have access to the brand’s physical stores. However, Winners is a fashion brand whose items cannot be bought online and we must find its physical stores to be able to buy anything.
This off-price store was established in 1982 by TJX Companies with quite a unique aim. Instead of producing clothing and accessories, its team goes on the search for mass produced or out-of-trend items made by high-end or luxury brands and sells them at less than half of the price. Because it buys these in bulk, they cost less which enables the brand to sell the products at discounted prices. This allows it to sell high-quality clothing and accessories at affordable prices for people who can only dream of owning such clothes.
This business model is not very common and was mostly found in the USA but Winners was created in Canada and proved to be quite successful. It does not only offer clothing but also jewelry, beauty products, furniture, footwear, and many more. The reason why it can offer such a vast collection of items to its customers is because it does not produce anything of its own. It was made with the idea of attracting people who have an eye for beauty but lack the means to buy to their heart’s desire. Winners become a wish-granting factory for people with exquisite tastes by offering them their favorite pieces at the lowest possible prices.
Winners occasionally manufactures its clothing but this only happens when an item sells out and is high in demand. However, this happens far too rarely to be taken into consideration. It usually sells items like athletic and casual shoes, dresses, tops, and outerwear.
Sustainability Rating: 3/10
Category: Clothing, Accessories, Shoes, Bags
For: Women, Men, Kids
Products: Casual Wear, Outerwear, Football Shoes, Jewelry
Style: Trendy, Classic, Chic
Quality: Medium, High
Prices: -
Size: 2XS-2XL (International Size)
Fabrics: Polyester, Polyester Blend, Cotton, Spandex, Nylon, Linen, Elastane, Rayon
100% Organic: No
100% Vegan: No
Ethical and Fair: No
Recycling: No
Manufacturing Countries: China, Turkey, India
Certifications: Not Transparent Enough
A wonderful advantage of buying from Winners is that it has something for everyone! Do you want to buy a high-quality pair of shoes that is stylish and also lasts you a long time? You can find brands like Nike, Adidas, and Steven Madden at Winners. Prom night is coming up but you have yet to find your dream dress? Visit Winners for dresses by Calvin Klein, Micheal Kors, and more. From Ralph Lauren and Levi’s to Gap, Winners provides you with limitless choices for every event and occasion.
Moreover, it also caters to all genders and ages which widens its audience because it becomes a one-stop shop for many individuals and families. You need only visit the store once every few months and take home something for each family member. However, women still make up almost 70% of its customer base. It also takes into consideration teenagers and young adults who may be looking for cheaper items to buy with their money by keeping their prices affordable. With over 270 stores across Canada, it is successful in being accessible to the local population.
Another reason Winners has become a customer favorite is because of its many discounts and rewards. It has a loyalty program that offers you instant discounts at its store and even holds monthly games to help customers win gifts. Plus, we can gauge how good of a brand Winners is for its employees by the fact that it gives them a 15% discount on all items across all stores in the country.
In terms of sustainability, we can not call Winners a 100% fast fashion brand because Winners does not produce any product of its own. It merely displays items made by other brands and stores at a discounted price. Due to this, it has no sustainability policies on its website.
Its parent company; TJX Companies, has taken several steps for the environment in the form of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sourcing 100% renewable energy, reducing waste, and finding ways to reuse and recycle to lessen the burden on landfills. However, these achievements do not belong to Winners because there is no proof that all of this is implemented there or not. There is a lack of transparency surrounding the brand to the point that the GoodOnYou directory has not reviewed the store at all.
Even though we cannot label Winners as fast fashion, it cannot be called sustainable either because it buys items from many brands that are fast fashion. It does not have any policies set in place that prevent animal abuse, child labor, or the ejection of toxic wastes into the environment for any of the brands it advertises under its name. It is easy to say that Winners holds no responsibility towards any of those companies’ products as it is not the one manufacturing them, but in this age when it is so important to be conscious of the Earth, no one can get away with such a poor excuse. Every brand or store has the choice to be eco-friendly or not and it seems like Winners has chosen to turn away from it.
Its choice to get a few items manufactured in countries like India and China proves that it does not care much about being ethical or sustainable because these countries are known for their less-than-ideal work environments.
Winners may be a blessing for common individuals who can wear luxury items at a discounted price but they are unaware of the environmental price they may be paying because Winners does not keep a check on the brands that it buys from. It needs to be more transparent and socially aware to accommodate eco-conscious people who want to work to save the planet. Until then, customers should do a background check for any item they wish to buy if they’re concerned about whether it is environmentally friendly or not.
Sources:
How Sustainable are Off-Price Retailers? | by UW Campus Compost | Medium