OPINION: Is Primark becoming a more sustainable fashion brand?

by Alima Bibi and Asfand Siddiqui

There’s no doubt that the 12^th of April was absolute carnage, as thousands across the country descended upon their nearest retail stores to scavenge new season stock after three months of retail hibernation.

One retail chain that stood out, however, was – you guessed it – Primark, arguably the UK’s most loved high street brand.

The retail giant had hundreds of people queuing before the doors of all its stores had even opened that morning. One outlet in particular that caught attention was Westfield London Primark.

The enormous queue of West London shoppers, eager for cheap bargains, started from the entrance of the store, going around and across to other stores, from before it opened until 3:30pm. A queue formed again later that afternoon, just when it looked like it had gone quiet for a brief period.

Luckily, the popular store enforced Covid safety measures, including making sure everyone sterilised their hands with the hand sanitizer provided at the entrance, and some Primark outlets even carried out temperature scans.

Also, for obvious hygiene reasons, shoppers were not allowed to try on clothes so all the changing rooms were closed – Primark have extended their returns policy to 60 days to compensate this.

Hot items for sale

Although the stores were fully stocked and ready for the 12^th, nothing could have prepared the fashion brand for the insanity that was about to ensue, which left stores half empty and with the rest of the stock on its floors. It’s quite clear why, as the brand’s new spring season items scream summer and several items went viral, whilst the bulk of the stock was incredibly fashionable and affordable as always.

A few of Primark’s sell-out items included:

• Cross strap faux fur slippers made from memory foam, which come in several colours with the white being a must have amongst well known beauty and fashion YouTubers, priced at just £6

• A ribbed triangle bra set for £5, which comes in white, black and beige colours, a huge favourite amongst YouTubers

• A blue knitted jumper from last season’s stock, which was reduced from £10 to £5 and sold out in no time with only the larger sizes remaining
• Saving the best for last but not least – a blogger’s favourite: a natural-striped, double-breasted blazer jacket for £30, which comes with matching trousers and waistcoat (sold separately_ – all three work wear-inspired pieces sold out in all the smaller sizes

More sustainable approach

The brand has taken a more sustainable approach to its clothing in the last few years, focusing on the quality and material used, with most of their clothing being made from recyclable materials therefore reducing the brand’s carbon footprint.

They also work with OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 (which stands for customer confidence and high product safety,) the label for sustainably produced textile and leather products, who have verified their sustainable production, and increased product safety and testing for harmful substances.

Primark have also improved their product packaging with the use of cardboard hangers for most of their clothing, and cardboard packaging for most of their home and beauty products.

Allegations of unsafe conditions

After allegations of unsafe working conditions and child labour, Primark now has its own ethical trade and sustainability team who work directly with suppliers who manufacture products on Primark’s behalf to ensure quality, sustainable production and fair wages and safe working conditions. 

This comes after the tragic Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, which highlighted the plight of garment workers in the developing world. An eight-story commercial building housing a garment factory and several other businesses, in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed, killing over 1,000 people and injuring another 2,500.

The building was found to have structural failure, as it was originally built for shops and offices but not factories. Upon discovering cracks in the building the day before the collapse, the lower floors with shops and a bank were evacuated however garment workers were ordered to return to work the following day, despite warnings the building should not be used however, the buildings owners ignored this.

The building collapsed during the morning rush hour. Since the building was designed for commercial use, the structure was not strong enough to bear the weight and vibration of heavy machinery. Following the collapse, many were left permanently disabled, and could not work again.

One of the factories located in the building was New Waves Bottom, a supplier working with Primark. Primark immediately dispatched their ethical trades team based in Bangladesh, to work with local partners to fund emergency food aid and provide financial support to workers and their families whether they worked for their supplier or not.