A report on Topshop's ethical history

Topshop is not known for being the most ethical brand on the high street, its had it’s share of high points and low points in terms of sustainability. A big high point that is not that familiar to everybody who shops there was their range “Reclaim to Wear” which last hit the shelves in 2014. This line was all about re-using old materials and resources from items that failed to be sold, this ethically is a great idea, it cuts out the process of manufacturing new materials, meaning less emissions are being put out into the atmosphere, textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of clean water globally, behind agriculture. This is also just a great initiative for the brand in general as it means the clothes go through a simpler manufacturing process, meaning it is less costly for the brand meaning retail prices for this range can be lower than the average range Topshop stocks. Ethically aware shoppers benefit from this range, being able to look at Topshop as a place in which they can shop, which is why I think they should look into bringing something similar to this back, this also meaning shoppers who might be unaware of sustainable fashion have the chance to see sustainable clothing in a shop they trust and shop at, also maybe meaning the clothes would be a bit more fashionable than those you might find in a charity shop, bringing sustainable fashion back to a whole new audience.

Another thing Topshop is doing to be environmentally aware, which they are currently doing and have been doing since 2017, is that in all the stores they are making a conscious effort to reduce water and electricity usage and all waste from packaging and rubbish is being recycled correctly. They also signed to be part of the Ethical Trade initiative and the Better Cotton Initiative however it is unclear how much impact these have on the store as there is no mention as to how much of their material is made using these initiatives. It is still unclear what happens to all the wasted stock that doesn’t sell, such as clothes, shoes and accessories, especially now that a range like ‘ Reclaim to Wear’ no longer exists.

Topshop has been the subject of many labour scandals to grace newspaper headlines, including ranges linked to Beyonce and Kate Moss. There have been numerous different stories about this however the most common occurrence seems to be due to wages, with workers in Topshop's factories reportedly being paid as little as £4.30 and hour sometimes even 40p an hour, alongside this it was found that they work in sweatshop like conditions, even in one factory in Sri Lanka workers were locked in the living quarters of the factory at night, supposedly for safety but that seems more like a way to prevent staff from leaving. many people protest these facts by boycotting the shop or even physical protest.
Topshop's store fronts have seen many protests in its time, over political and ethical issues, one recently was due to the behaviour of owner Phillip Green, whom refused the stock of a book about positive feminism in his stores, he saw a prototype for one of the stands made to display the book and reportedly ripped it apart refusing to stock such a product in his store, even though the brand sells T-shirt with the slogan 'Feminist' plastered across the front, many women heard this news and how Phillip Green looked at women and decided to boycott the store, starting the hashtag #PinkNotGreen.