I Saw It First
Rated: Avoid
Price: $
Location: UK
Quick verdict
I Saw It First is best avoided by anyone concerned with sustainability, founded by the brother of Boohoo's co-founder, the brand shares the same Leicester manufacturing ecosystem implicated in labor scandals. Now owned by Frasers Group (acquired for just £1 in 2022), the brand appears to be winding down. Its "New In" section had only 11 products at time of research. Transparency is virtually nonexistent.
Key info
- Headquarters
- Manchester, United Kingdom (owned by Frasers Group plc)
- Founded
- 2017
- Product categories
- Fast Fashion, Womenswear
- Price range
- $
- Key certifications
- None. No certifications of any kind
I Saw It First sustainability rating
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We Avoid) to 5 (Excellent). How we rate
Rating breakdown
Predominantly conventional synthetics and cotton—a tiny "Sustainable" edit used small percentages of recycled polyester. One limited BCI cotton collection launched then apparently abandoned.
Linked to a Leicester factory (Morefray) paying below minimum wage. The brand's own Modern Slavery Policy admits "only some factories are checked." Not a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative.
No carbon targets, no emissions data, no circularity programs, no recycling initiatives. Zero meaningful environmental action documented.
No supplier list, no factory audits published, no sustainability report. The brand scores very poorly on sustainability assessments. The sustainability page only offered consumer advice rather than disclosing its own practices.
Very cheap (many items under £10), and Trustpilot shows a surprisingly high 4.3/5 across 292,000 reviews. Though ComplaintsBoard reports a 0% resolution rate for formal complaints, and return shipping costs £4.99–£5.
What they do well
- Mainstream visibility: Was the official fashion partner of Love Island for three years (2019–2021), giving it widespread brand recognition
- Budget accessibility: Offers very affordable pricing, making fashion accessible to budget-constrained consumers
- Customer satisfaction basics: Trustpilot rating (4.3/5) suggests many customers are satisfied with the basic shopping experience
- Trend responsiveness: Rapidly translates runway and reality TV trends into affordable pieces for its target demographic
Room for improvement
- Extremely poor sustainability rating: I Saw It First scores extremely poorly on sustainability, and the "Sustainable" edit featuring recycled polyester has been specifically flagged as greenwashing
- Leicester factory network ties: The brand is linked to the same Leicester factory network as Boohoo through direct ownership connections — Morefray, a factory accused of paying below minimum wage, is 50% owned by I5 Holdings, controlled by an I Saw It First director
- Zero worker protections under new ownership: Under Frasers Group ownership, transparency has not improved: Ethical Consumer found the parent company has no published supplier code of conduct, no supplier list, and barely any workers' rights policies
About I Saw It First
I Saw It First launched in 2017, founded by Jalal Kamani, Brother of Boohoo co-founder Mahmud Kamani. Positioning itself as a direct competitor to PrettyLittleThing and Missguided in the ultra-fast fashion space. The brand gained mainstream visibility through a £1–2 million Love Island partnership (2019–2021), though the show dropped fast fashion sponsors in 2023 in favor of eBay's sustainable shopping initiative.
Materials are predominantly conventional synthetics with no meaningful sustainable alternatives at scale. Manufacturing has been linked to Leicester's garment district. The same supply chain ecosystem exposed in Boohoo's scandal—a factory connected to I Saw It First directors was implicated in below-minimum-wage payments during COVID-19.
In July 2022, Frasers Group (owner of Sports Direct) acquired the brand for £1: a literal one-pound purchase. Signaling its financial distress. Revenue had already been declining, with the brand posting a £7.8 million loss on £53.9 million in sales. Post-acquisition operating losses reached £5.8 million against just £5.6 million in revenue.
The brand holds zero certifications and has never published a sustainability report—a small "Sustainable Staples" loungewear range using BCI cotton was launched once with no follow-up. Current inventory appears drastically reduced, suggesting the brand may be in its final stages or being absorbed into Frasers Group's Missguided operation.
Product highlights
Printed Frill Hem Satin Shirt Dress
Satin-finish shirt dress
£9.00 (was £40)
Perpetual deep discounting from inflated "original" prices is a hallmark of overproduction
Ultimate Oversized Joggers
Basic loungewear jogger
£9.00 (was £18)
Typical of the ultra-low pricing that raises supply chain concerns
Ruffle Mini Dress
Short dress with ruffle details
£19.99 (was £64.99)
69% discount illustrates the brand's unsustainable pricing model
High Waisted Split Hem Midi Skirt
Midi-length skirt
£18.00 (was £25)
One of few items at closer to original price; no material composition disclosed
