‘Disappointing': Outcry after fast-fashion brand Princess Polly earns B Corp certification
However, the news of the brand's latest achievement has many environmentalists and fashion experts scratching their heads, arguing the fast-fashion brand's certification 'undermines the value and credibility of the accreditation'.
More than 7300 businesses worldwide have been Certified B Corp by parent company and global non-profit B Lab. The certification highlights that companies have met certain sustainability and ethical targets, based on strict assessment criteria.
Known for its hyper-trendy styles and social media-infused trends that go viral on social media platforms including TikTok, Princess Polly's target audience are women aged 18-26.
A fast-fashion brand is defined as inexpensive clothing produced quickly in response to rapidly changing trends.
Brands and companies eager for a B Corp certification must undergo a strict round of vetting to pass, earning a minimum score of 80 for its B Impact Assessment, a wide-ranging test comprised of 200 questions that examines a company's impact on the planet in five different categories – environment, community, customers, governance and workers.
'B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input material,' a B Lab spokesman told NewsWire.
Princess Polly achieved an 86.8 in its overall impact score, just passing the threshold to be certified and above the median business average of 50.9.
However, RMIT School of Fashion and Textiles senior lecturer Harriette Richards said Princess Polly's B Corp certification was 'disappointing' and claimed 'it undermines the value and credibility of the accreditation'.
'It demonstrates the value of the 'sustainability' label as a marketing tool as Princess Polly attempts to position itself as distinct from other ultra-fast-fashion brands such as Shein by claiming that they are sustainable,' Dr Richards said in a statement.
'While they may use more environmentally friendly materials than some of its ultra-fast fashion counterparts, the reality is that their business model, which relies on overproduction and overconsumption, is unsustainable.'
Fellow RMIT lecturer Jon Hewitt told NewsWire the fashion brand's 'trend driven, high volume, at low cost' business model 'encourages overconsumption' and the 'prioritisation of quantity over quality', which he said made the brand 'widely criticised as inherently unsustainable'.
'Princess Polly's B Corp certification sends the message that a fashion enterprise only needs to offer some low-impact products to achieve certification, rather than fully embracing a triple bottom-line approach where people, planet, and profit are all equally prioritised in their business model,' Dr Hewitt said.
'This suggests that a brand can maintain a profit-maximising, high-volume, low-cost model, typical of fast fashion, while still receiving the same accreditation as brands that genuinely embed sustainable and ethical practices across all areas of their business.'
While Princess Polly earnt a score that qualified it for the certification, Dr Hewitt argued that companies that 'meet the minimal benchmark receive the same accreditation as those with much higher scores'.
'They are essentially being treated the same as brands with limited or questionable commitments to sustainable and ethical practices,' he said.
'When a fast-fashion brand like Princess Polly receives the same certification as these more committed brands, it undermines the value of their hard work and dedication to truly sustainable and ethical practices.'
Dr Hewitt told NewsWire the certification 'raises alarm bells', arguing it would only add confusion to consumers who were seeking out more sustainable options.
'There is already a lot of confusion among consumers, and making sustainable purchasing decisions is hindered by the growing presence of greenwashing found throughout the sector,' he said.
'Third-party accreditations can help reduce confusion and even scepticism by providing a clear signal of trustworthiness without the need for detailed explanations.
'However, if certifications like B Corp are found to be certifying brands with questionable sustainable practices, consumer trust will ultimately be undermined, leading to even greater confusion as to how to shop sustainable fashion.'
In April 2025, B Lab introduced a new set of standards for its certification that Dr Hewitt hoped would 'make it more difficult to obtain certification in the future'.
'This may mean that Princess Polly benefited by receiving certification before these changes were implemented, and they won't need to reapply until 2028,' he said.
Speaking to NewsWire, a Princess Polly spokesperson said the fashion brand was 'proud' of its B Corp certification and said the 'decision to pursue B Corp certification stems from wanting to be part of a community that recognises and enables progress and change makers'.
'As a brand built for the next generation, we're proud to be taking bold steps to drive meaningful change at scale,' they told NewsWire.
'Princess Polly was the second Australian fashion retailer with near- and long-term carbon reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.'
The spokesperson said the brand 'outperformed the industry average' for its emissions, scoring a B grade by the Carbon Disclosure Project in 2024.
The spokesperson also argued the brand's garments were 'not cheaply made or priced'.
'We have made significant progress converting a large portion of our range into lower environmental impact materials and will continue growing this number,' they said.
They said Princess Polly manufactured 37 per cent of its products this year from 'certified lower-impact materials' and was placed in the top 20 per cent of companies in the 2024 Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Guide.
'We make our initiatives publicly available, we are proud of the progress we've made and remain committed to continually advancing our ESG (environmental, social and governance) efforts,' they said.
A B Lab spokesperson said the Gold Coast brand had undergone a 'two-year process to measure itself against these standards and took the necessary steps to improve and meet the certification requirements'.
'Some of the ways Princess Polly achieved certification included increasing the use of certified lower-impact materials, implementing stringent testing to ensure durability, actively reducing carbon emissions across its supply chain, promoting circularity, and supporting employees' wellness during family planning and parenting,' they said.
'Princess Polly, like all B Corps with recertification dates in 2028, will be expected to recertify under the new standards to maintain their certification.'
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