// Our (humble) take
Our take on Monki’s ethical and sustainable approach
// How we went about it
We look at a brand’s sustainable and ethical approach based on the information available. For this review we put ourselves in a customer’s shoes, relying on public information: what the brand publishes on its website and social media, and what third-party partners publish when the brand cites them.
We don’t claim to hold the truth.
// In short
01
Monki’s environmental approach
Eco-friendly materials used
| Eco-friendly materials * | Non eco-friendly materials * |
| Organic cotton | Viscose |
| Recycled cotton | Polyester |
| Recycled wool | Wool |
| Recycled polyester | Acrylic |
| Recycled plastics | Elastane |
| Recycled polyamide | Polyurethane |
| Modal | Polyamide |
| Polycarbonate | |
| Polypropylene | |
| Rubber |
*Non-exhaustive list
Percentage of eco-friendly products and materials
Information published by Monki:
Monki is making an effort with its choice of materials, which are more eco-friendly than those usually used in fast fashion. Since 2018, the brand has notably dropped conventional cotton in favour of "100% sustainable" cotton (organic, recycled, BCI). Moki states that cotton makes up 56.9% of its collection, so 56.9% is "sustainable" cotton.
However, BCI is controversial because it leaves farmers free to use GMOs and pesticides. It would be good for the brand to specify the share of each type of cotton (organic, recycled or BCI) across all its products. Looking at a few products (women's tops), we noticed that the products labelled "Monki Cares", considered eco-friendly, are mostly made from BCI cotton. What's more, a number of Monki Cares products contain a significant amount of synthetics (up to 50%).
The brand also uses several recycled materials such as cotton, wool and recycled polyester. It recently launched a mini denim collection in upcycled organic cotton.
On animal welfare, Monki no longer makes items containing mohair, exotic leather, fur, angora or cashmere. The following materials: down, feathers and wool, cannot be used unless certified, so their production must be tightly controlled. The wool used must be certified mulesing-free or ceased-mulesed. Cashmere is still used by the brand, which has committed to gradually reducing its use.
Leather must come from the meat industry and cannot come from India or Bangladesh. Silk cannot come from India or Uzbekistan.
The future goals in this area of H&M, which Monki is part of, are: eliminating chrome tanning by 2025, using only RWS-certified virgin wool by 2022, and using certified leather from known, fully traceable sources. Finally, no product is tested on animals and the brand develops PETA-certified vegan products.
The brand has committed to using only recycled/sustainable materials by 2030. It also promises that by the end of 2020, 100% of the man-made cellulosic fibres used will come from low-risk suppliers, and by the end of 2025, 100% of these fibres will come from FSC-certified forests or "other more sustainable and innovative sources, such as agricultural residues or post-consumer textiles".
In terms of raw material traceability, the brand
💬 Our opinion :
✅ Monki's efforts to include more eco-friendly materials and to reduce bad practices towards animals are a step in the right direction.
🔴 However, many materials are still not eco-friendly or are certified by controversial bodies. Likewise, some "Monki Cares" products contain a significant amount of synthetic materials. The brand's stated goals are welcome but not enough until they are put into practice.
Approach to environmental labels
Information published by Monki :
Various environmental labels certify some Monki items. Among them are GOTS and BCI, which cover all the cotton used by the brand.
Recycled clothes are certified Global Recycled Standard or Recycled Claim Standard. Down must be certified Responsible Down Standard or Traceable Down Standard. The wool is partly RWS-certified.
However, apart from BCI, the labels are not mentioned on the product pages.
💬 Our opinion :
✅ The brand seems committed to including serious labels in its collection.
🔴 The BCI label is controversial. The product pages would be clearer if they always stated whether the material is certified. The brand could go further by specifying what percentage of the collection is certified.
Raw material traceability
Information published by Monki: The brand publishes no information.
🔴 The brand does not seem committed to transparency in its production chain.
Other eco-friendly initiatives
Information published by Monki :
Monki is part of the H&M group, so a number of the points listed below are specific to the group and therefore involve Monki.
First, on clothing recycling, Monki provides clothing collection points in its shops in partnership with I:CO. The brand also co-organised an event called Re:Love with the University of Borås in Sweden. The idea was to let participants learn how to customise their old Monki clothes.
As for the brand's energy policy, the H&M group has introduced a policy to reduce CO2 emissions (-11% between 2017 and 2018), as well as a policy to reduce water use. All Monki shops and offices run on renewable energy. The brand has committed to using materials from more sustainable sources by 2030 for its shops and its packaging (currently made from FSC-certified recycled paper).
Regarding Monki's commitments, the H&M group has joined many groups and signed many agreements aimed at a more responsible approach, notably after the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013. Here is a non-exhaustive list:
- Member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition: an alliance of major clothing, footwear and textile companies working together to tackle global environmental and social issues
- Member of Make Fashion Circular: an initiative of the Ellen McArthur Foundation aiming to transform the textile industry to make it more circular and eco-friendly
- Member of the UN Global Compact: a voluntary initiative by CEOs who decide to implement sustainability policies within their companies and commit to respecting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Signatory of the Transparency Pledge: aims to help the clothing industry reach a common minimum standard for disclosing supply chain information
- Signatory of the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety: an independent, legally binding agreement between brands and trade unions to work towards safety and health in the clothing and textile industry in Bangladesh.
As for the brand's transparency policy, you can access the H&M group's 2018 Sustainability Report (the 2019 one can't be downloaded), as well as a number of documents (Chemical Restrictions, Animal Welfare & Material Ethics Policy, etc.).
💬 Our opinion :
✅ The group seems committed to measuring and reducing its environmental impact.
🔴 However, no measure or action regarding production volumes is mentioned.
Support for environmental NGOs or charities
Information published by Monki:
Monki works with the NGO Canopy, to end the use of man-made cellulosic fibres from endangered forests and replace them with more sustainable alternatives.
R&D efforts and laboratory testing
Information published by Monki:
First, on microfibres, the H&M group takes part in the MinShed project (coordinated by the Swedish research group SWEREA), which aims to design synthetic clothes that don't shed microfibres and, more broadly, to work on the microfibre issue and eco-friendly solutions to it.
The H&M group says it "reinvests its surplus in its circular and renewable innovation lab to support entrepreneurs and innovators in recycling and more sustainable materials and production processes".
The group aims to reduce the use of chemicals in the items it makes. The H&M group states that it does not discharge hazardous chemicals as listed by AFIRM, a coalition of brands promoting the responsible use of chemicals.
✅ The brand seems committed to measuring and reducing its environmental impact.
🔴 Tests on product durability should be carried out and detailed.
03
Monki’s commercial approach
Sales and marketing
Information published by Monki:
The brand runs a lot of sales, and seems to sell regularly on promotion.
🔴 Monki seems to follow a policy of selling high volumes at low cost. It does not seem to be involved in mindful consumption.
Raising awareness and educating about overconsumption
Information published by Monki:
Monki gives advice on caring for your clothes and making them last.
🔴 The brand could go further in raising awareness about overconsumption.
This article was written by: Anna Demont, Beryl Tirali and Marie Nguyen.
