Is Frank and Oak Ethical? Brand Analysis + Alternatives

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Canadian-based sustainable clothing brand Frank and Oak have taken the market by storm thanks to its on-trend collections featuring sustainable materials. But, while the brand is heavily focused on using sustainable materials, we want to know, “Is Frank and Oak ethical?”.

Join us as we answer the question, Is Frank and Oak ethical? Discussing where its clothes are made and the materials used.

About Frank and Oak

Frank And Oak was founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 2012 by Ethan Song and Hicham Ratnani. The brand started as an online-only menswear brand. However, it quickly expanded its collection to include a line of modern womenswear. Now, the brand operates online and in-store locations across Canada, the USA, and China.

Is Frank and Oak Fast Fashion?

No, we would not consider Frank and Oak a fast fashion brand. Instead, the brand focuses on using sustainable and responsibly sourced materials and only produces limited styles in its collections.

What Materials Does Frank and Oak Use?

Frank and Oak prioritize the use of sustainable fabrics in their collections. The brand uses a range of sustainable materials like hemp, recycled cotton, Kapok, recycled polyester, recycled nylon, recycled wool, and nonmuseled wool over nonsustainable materials like cotton, polyester, and nylon.

Frank and Oak have committed to removing all virgin plastics in their collection, reducing the amount of recycled polyester for more sustainable fibers.

Is Frank and Oak Carbon Neutral?

No, Frank and Oak is not a carbon-neutral brand. The brand has started to offset the Greenhouse gases from its Scope 1 emissions; however, the brand doesn’t publish its figures on its scope 2 and 3 emissions.

The brand specified in its 2022 report that it is investing in more renewable energy to reduce its carbon footprint but doesn’t publish a detailed plan for reducing emissions through its supply chain.

Is Frank and Oak Ethical?

As a B Corporation, Frank and Oak must meet strict environmental and social standards. The brand achieved a B Corp score of 81.7 against a median business score of 50.9 for ordinary businesses. In addition, the brand scored a good score of 24.1 in the worker score, which evaluates a company’s contributions to its employees’ health & safety, wellness, career development, and finances.

However, we noticed when researching the brand that Frank and Oak don’t give much information about its factories.

We couldn’t find whether the brand had a code of conduct or if its partnered factories were certified by any labor standards. The brand also didn’t provide any information about how it checks the conditions of its factories.

Where are Franks and Oak’s Clothes Made?

Frank and Oak state that its manufacturing occurs in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia; however, they don’t give any transparent information about the suppliers it works with.

Is Frank and Oak Vegan and Cruelty-Free?

No Frank and Oak are not completely vegan because it uses wool and sea wool from oyster shell composites in its collections. The brand uses only non-museld wool or recycled wool, however.

Do Frank and Oak Have A Clothing Recycling Program?

No, Frank and Oak currently don’t have a clothing recycling program, but the brand is improving its use of recycled materials.

Ecothes Opinion: Sustainability Rating

What we liked:

✔ Frank and Oak use sustainable materials in its collections

✔ The brand is a certified B Corporation meaning it meets high social and environmental standards

✔ The brand is offsetting some carbon emissions in its supply chain

What we didn’t like:

❌ Frank and Oak don’t provide transparent information about its code of conduct or where its clothes are made.

❌ The brand gave no information about whether living wages are paid to its workers.

❌ We were disappointed the brand didn’t publish a clear plan to reduce emissions across all of its supply chains.

Sustainable Alternatives to Frank and Oak

While Frank and Oak are committed to sustainability, transparency is also key to showing consumers they are ethical.

If you want to shop sustainably and also know where your clothes are made, we’ve picked our favorite transparent, sustainable fashion brands below.

1. Reformation

2. Mate the Label

3. Pact

4. Girlfriend Collective

Wrapping Up: Is Frank and Oak Ethical?

If you enjoyed our analysis of Frank and Oak, why not check out other brand ratings including Old Navy, Urban Outfitters, and Uniqlo.

If you’re looking to make more responsible fashion choices, make sure you check out our complete guide of the worst fast fashion brands to avoid!