Is PacSun Fast Fashion? Brand Rating + Alternatives

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Wondering is PacSun Fast Fashion? Where are PacSun clothes made, and is PacSun ethical? Well, you’re in the right place.

We’ve taken an in-depth look into the brand to give an overall Ecothes Opinion Rating of PacSun.

Let’s dive in.

About Pacsun

Pacsun is an American retailer founded n in 1980 in California. The brand creates apparel for teens, young adults, and children and operates online and in-store. As of 2022, Pacsun operates 325 stores in the USA and Puerto Rico.

The brand curates and sells clothing from hundreds of other fashion brands, such as Brandy Melville, Essentials Fear of God, Kendal and Kylie, and LA Hearts, as well as its own clothing collections.

Overall Ecothes Opinion: PacSun Sustainability Rating

We give PacSun a poor overall sustainability rating of 1.5/5 stars.

What We Liked:
✔ We liked the pre-worn section of the website, where you can buy pre-loved PacSun clothes.

✔ The brand has also recognized the need to move towards earth-friendly fabrics and uses some sustainable fabrics to form part of its ‘Eco’ collection. ❌ However, this can be seen as a greenwashing tactic as the brand predominantly uses non-sustainable materials in its collections. 

What We Didn’t Like:
❌ We didn’t like the lack of transparency about where its clothes are made. As a result, we’ve contacted the brand for further information on where its clothes are produced.

❌ We also found a lack of information about the brands’ carbon emissions or whether it has any plans to reduce emissions.

Is Pacsun Fast Fashion?

Yes, we would consider Pacsun a fast fashion brand as it produces an extensive range of garments which change regularly depending on the latest trends and seasons. The brand then sells them at a low price, which is often heavily discounted in sales.

What Materials Does Pacsun Use?

Unfortunately, there is very little information about the materials Pacsun uses for its core collections.

The brand has released a Pacsun Eco collection, which features at least 50% of materials from sustainable origins, recycled fibers, or organic materials. However, this is a small selection of the whole Pacsun clothing range.

When looking at reviews of Pacsun products, many customers comment on the poor quality of materials and fit of garments. Unfortunately, using low-quality materials means clothing becomes damaged and unwearable, leading to garments being sent to landfills.

Is Pacsun Carbon Neutral?

No Pacsun is not a carbon-neutral brand, nor does the brand give any information about its carbon emissions or whether there is a plan in place to reduce carbon emissions.

Is Pacsun Ethical?

There is a shockingly low amount of information given by Pacsun about where its clothes are made and the actual working conditions of its garment workers.

The brand has a code of conduct in line with international labor standards and laws, specifying that its factories must comply with no forced labor, child labor, excessive hours worked, and legal minimum wages.

The brand also states that its factories and partners conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with its code of conduct.

However, there is no information on the outcomes of these audits, or whether there are any active noncompliance issues, so we cannot validate whether the brand is ethical.

Where are Pacsun Clothes Made?

Pacsun does not publish a transparent list of its partnering factories, so we cannot give information about where its clothing is made.

Is Pacsun Cruelty-Free?

We could not find accessible evidence of animal-cruelty policy on the Pacsun website.

Sustainable Alternatives to Pacsun

1.

Pangaia eco friendly alternatives to PacSun

Sustainability: Natural materials including hemp, linen, organic cotton

Best for: Sustainable loungewear, t-shirts, sweatshirts

Price range: $$ – $$$

Pangaia eco friendly alternatives to PacSun

2.

Afends sustainable alternatives to PacSun

Sustainability: Ethical clothing created from sustainable and organic fabrics

Best for: Dresses, crop tops, pants

Price range: $$ – $$$

Afends ethical alternatives to PacSun

3. Pact

Pact ethical alternatives to PacSun

Sustainability: Ethical clothing created from GOTS-certified organic cotton

Best for: Dresses, tanks, pants

Price range: $$

Pact Dress alternative to Pacsun

4. Girlfriend Collective

Girlfriend Collective sustainable alternative to PacSun

Sustainability: Ethical clothing created from recycled plastic bottles

Best for: Sustainable activewear, sweatshirts

Price range: $$ – $$$

Girlfriend Collective

If you enjoyed this article, and want to discover more ratings, check out our analysis of Nasty Gal, Romwe, Zaful, and Banana Republic.

Bethany
Bethany

Bethany Worthington BSc (Hons) (she/her) is the Sustainable Fashion Editor and Co-founder of Ecothes. She has a passion for the environment, and a long love of all things clothing, and combines those two interests with Ecothes. In her free time she loves dancing, hiking in the countryside, and laughing with friends.

Articles: 207

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