Is ASOS Fast Fashion? A Closer Look

ASOS is a United Kingdom-based online retailer that specializes in fashion and beauty products. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in London, targeting mainly young adults. Its site showcases more than 850 brands along with the company’s own apparel and accessories. Their distribution centers are situated in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom.

ASOS is an abbreviation of AsSeenOnScreen. Its tagline at the time was “Buy What You See on Film and TV” and the company specialized in selling replicas of apparels from these mediums.

Over the recent years, ASOS has become one of the largest online fashion retailers in the world. Though, with their growing presence, more and more people are asking themselves whether the company really reflects the whole idea of “fast fashion” and what that means for the brand’s ethics. Usually, fast fashion means trendy clothing which is mass produced and offered at a low price to meet the market demand. But this brings us to the question, does ASOS fall under the fast fashion category? Let us explore the brand’s business model and how its practices impact ethics and sustainability.

Is ASOS Fast Fashion?

ASOS is, in many ways, a fast fashion brand. Indeed, its business model resembles that of other fast fashion companies in the following ways:

Lots of New Products at Once: Every week, ASOS introduces thousands of new products. It is no secret that fast fashion brands attempt to give their targeted audience what is in demand within the fashion industry, just like ASOS is doing.

Greatly Lower Costs: ASOS has a long list of price ranges for products, but a good number of them are reasonably priced. Though these trendy fashion items can be purchased by a larger audience because of their price, there is a concern on how they are able to offer such low prices.

High Volume of New Products: ASOS has over 850 brands and its own label ‘ASOS’ which offers a large array of clothes and accessories. The addition of many different products is typical in fast fashion, where the multitude and diversity of items encourages consumers to buy.

So, based on these points, it’s easy to see why people might categorize ASOS as a fast fashion brand. However, ASOS also tries to differentiate itself from traditional fast fashion brands by focusing on ethical and sustainable practices. But is ASOS ethical?

ASOS and Ethics: The Push for Sustainability

While ASOS shares many traits with fast fashion brands, the company is making some efforts to improve its sustainability and ethical impact. In recent years, ASOS has introduced various initiatives aimed at reducing its environmental footprint and promoting more ethical practices in fashion.

1. ASOS’ Sustainable Collections:
   ASOS has made a commitment to offering more sustainable fashion options. Its “Responsible Edit” collection includes items made from recycled materials, organic cotton, and other eco-friendly fabrics. This initiative aims to reduce the brand’s environmental impact, offering consumers a greener option when shopping.
2. Eco-Friendly Packaging:
   ASOS has also made changes to its packaging. The brand uses recycled materials in its shipping bags and has set goals to reduce waste. This might not be groundbreaking in the fight against fast fashion, but it’s a step towards a more sustainable approach.
3. Better Cotton Initiative:
   ASOS is part of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), which is aimed at improving global cotton production. By partnering with BCI, ASOS supports better farming practices that reduce environmental impacts and promote fair labor conditions.
4. Ethical Labor Practices:
   ASOS has committed to ethical labor practices, ensuring that its suppliers meet certain standards for worker treatment. The company is part of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), which sets standards for fair wages and safe working conditions. However, despite these commitments, some critics argue that ASOS could do more to ensure full transparency across its supply chain.
5. Reducing Carbon Emissions:
   ASOS has set a goal to reduce its carbon emissions, particularly through its supply chain, which is often the largest contributor to a brand’s carbon footprint. This includes looking into how products are sourced, manufactured, and delivered to consumers.

While ASOS has taken these steps, they still operate within a fast fashion model, which inherently raises concerns about overproduction and waste. Many critics believe that no matter how ethical or sustainable a fast fashion company tries to be, the sheer volume of production needed to stay on top of trends leads to unavoidable environmental harm.

Ethical Dilemmas: Can ASOS Balance Fast Fashion with Sustainability?

So, where does ASOS stand? Is ASOS ethical or is it simply another fast fashion company trying to greenwash its image?

There are certainly some improvements being made by ASOS towards being ethical but it is hard to judge if they should be labeled as sustainable in the context of fast fashion. It is in the name of fast fashion – encourages over consumption as a result of which there is potential for generation of excessive waste, harming the environment and poor treatment of workers. There is no doubt that ASOS implements some ethical and sustainable strategies but majorily ASOS aims on volume sales of clothing,which does not comply to the concept of Sustainability.

ASOS should also be protected in the sense that they are not only selling their own products, they are selling hundreds of other brands’ products. As far as ethical ASOS is concerned it is easy to manage but what goes on with brands that ASOS sells is an entirely different story. This creates an ethical tightrope in which there are reasonable beliefs that ASOS is doing some good but it might still be engaging in unethical practices by virtue of its partners.

What Does This Mean for Consumers?

ASOS may not be the best option for you if you are looking for conscious shopping and do not want to endorse fast fashion. ASOS has indeed made headways but works within the ethos of fast fashion. On the other hand, if you are looking for fast fashion and its ecological options, ASOS has some better choices as well among them there is Responsible Edit.

When all is said and done, determining whether or not to make a purchase on the ASOS website is a matter of personal discretion. On the one hand, they can promote ASOS’ more sustainable lines: this may appeal to consumers who want to make more ethical choices while still wanting the ease, affordability and desirability of current fashions. However, if your aim is reducing fashion abuse, ASOS should not be the brand of your choice and instead one should focus on eco-focused brands instead that promote sustainability.

How do I purchase items?

Click on Add to Bag for the desired item. You will be able to add the item(s), you want, to your shopping bag. Pay Now or view your shopping cart. The items in your shopping bag are not reserved exclusively for you. They are also available to other customers, so act quickly if you want something. You will not reserve items until you pay for them. When an item is out of stock, it will show as ‘item currently unavailable’.

How does the currency converter work?

All ASOS Marketplace transactions are made in GBP.
PayPal accepts payments in major currencies. PayPal converts currencies at their own rate. Depending on the payment method (PayPal Balance or Guest Checkout), a PayPal conversion charge may be charged. If you have any questions, we recommend that you contact PayPal before making a payment.

Stripe: All major currencies are accepted. Your bank or card provider will calculate the currency conversion and may charge a fee.

Currency Converter Tool: Their currency converter allows you to get an estimate of the cost in various currencies. Currency data is updated regularly from multiple sources in order to produce a guideline rate. The rate offered by PayPal and your card provider may be different. Before you enter any payment information, the correct amount will be shown in GBP.

You may have disabled your “Customer Preferences” cookies. These cookies enable them to remember the language and currency you prefer while browsing their site.

What protections do I have as a client?

ASOS Marketplace allows you to make payments directly with the buyer via PayPal and Stripe.

PayPal manages Buyer protection for orders paid through a PayPal account. PayPal Buyer Protection is only to be used if you are unable to reach an agreement with your seller. If you are unable to reach an agreement with your seller, ASOS Marketplace guarantee can take over orders placed via Marketplace checkout. Send your confirmation email along with the details of the problem to MPGuarantee@asos.com. They’ll handle it from there. The Marketplace Guarantee applies to orders that are less than 180-days old. ASOS Marketplace will review all Buyer Protection cases and card reversals. Account closures and further escalation will be imposed if you use PayPal Buyer Protection, Card Reversals, or The Marketplace guarantee in an unreasonable manner. This is in accordance with Marketplace’s Terms and Conditions.

How long does it take for my item to be delivered?

Shipping times can vary depending on whether the seller provided a delivery method or if you chose one. They will also depend on where the item will be delivered. The seller should have stated the shipping time in the shipping information section of their listing. Depending on the chosen shipping method, deliveries within your own country are usually quicker than those to other countries. Some sellers offer tracking services for their deliveries. Click on the envelope icon in the storefront or on an item for sale to contact the seller if you need more information.

Pros of ASOS as Fast Fashion:

• Affordable Fashion: ASOS offers trendy clothing at budget-friendly prices, making fashion accessible to more people.
• Wide Variety: With thousands of new items added weekly, ASOS provides plenty of choices for different styles and occasions.
• Sustainable Initiatives: ASOS is making efforts with its “Responsible Edit” and eco-friendly packaging, offering more ethical options.

Cons of ASOS as Fast Fashion:

• Overproduction: The fast-paced production leads to overconsumption and waste, contributing to environmental harm.
• Ethical Concerns: While improving, ASOS still struggles with ensuring fair labor practices across all its suppliers.

Also read: Is ASOS Fast Fashion? A Closer Look

Conclusion: Is ASOS Fast Fashion?

Yes, ASOS is fast fashion. The company’s ability to produce and offer a large range of trendy clothes at affordable prices aligns it with the fast fashion industry. While ASOS is taking steps to improve its ethical practices and reduce its environmental impact, it is still part of a system that encourages mass consumption and waste.

Taking note of these elements and incorporating them in your decision-making process would be helpful as a consumer. It is acknowledged ASOS is not the biggest sinner in fast fashion but it certainly has alternatives which are more sustainable. Making more responsible selections and trying not to consume too much will also mean that you push the industry towards more responsible practices even while buying from brands like ASOS.

In the end, the question of whether ASOS is ethical is complex, but one thing is clear: ASOS is fast fashion.