about 4 years ago
Is honesty the best policy? Ethical Everlane (and Meghan) think so…
The eco-friendly brand that boasts ‘radical transparency’ has decided that honesty IS the best policy. With Meghan Markle taking a liking to the brand as she was spotted sporting their clothing at her first Royal appearance with Prince Harry.
Everlane, a San Francisco-based brand, offer a range of casual, affordable and ethical clothing, allowing customers to see the location and even factory name their item was made in, as well as a breakdown of material, transport and labour costs.
Imagine knowing exactly how much it cost for your favourite top to get from the drawing board into your wardrobe, and the extra you are paying. Would it still be your favourite top, or would the mark-up put you off?
Each item on their website shows ‘transparent pricing’ which breaks down the cost of the materials, hardware, labour, duties, and transport.
This is followed by the ‘true cost’ of the item, then Everlane’s mark-up compared to what a ‘traditional retailer’ would sell the item for.
Not only is Everlane appealing to customers by being more ethical and honest than most retailers, but they are also more affordable…what more could you want! Here you can see that the true cost of a pair of Everlane jeans was £19.84, but they are selling them for £61, totalling to a mark-up of £41.16.
A traditional retailer would supposedly sell the same pair of jeans for £121, totaling to a mark-up of £101.16.
I know what I’d rather pay.
Everlane believes this is a refreshing way to engage with their customers, and that giving customers more knowledge of the effort that has gone into their wardrobe will make them less inclined to buy unwanted clothing or throw clothes away.
Is this the way forward to put a stop to fast fashion?