An SOS to the World

Ethics and eco-friendliness don’t typically go hand-in-hand with mass-market fashion. Rules of thumb are made to be broken, however, and ASOS are certainly challenging our preconceptions. The UK-based online giant has just launched an Australian store, which means less time waiting by the mailbox for your latest purchase to arrive. We thought we would take a look at their social and environmental policies and check out the substance behind the glamour.

ASOS have been a member of the Ethical Trade Initiative since 2009 and adhere to their own Ethical Code of Conduct. By independently auditing their factories, they encourage suppliers and producers to raise their standards in employee care, workplace health and safety and ethical purchasing. ASOS stick by strict animal welfare guidelines which regulate their use of fur and leather as well as an Environmental Policy which minimizes their impact on the planet. They are even carbon neutral!

The ASOS Foundation has long-term partnerships with a number of global charities committed to social and environmental causes in the developing world. The company also makes annual donations to Retail Trust, a charity dedicated to aiding retail workers back home in the UK. ASOS’s payroll giving scheme encourages their employees to donate to other charities as well.

Oh, and did we mention their gorgeous clothes, shoes, skincare and accessories? Check out the ‘green room‘ where it breaks the sections down into handy categories, like ‘fair trade’, ‘eco materials’ and ‘handmade’. All the more reason to jump on their store right now!