There’s a new badge on the homepage at Princess Polly, and it’s not a discount code or another trending collab. The Aussie fashion giant has just become B Corp certified — an achievement usually reserved for companies touting ethical street cred, not those known for lightning-fast trend cycles.
So, is this proof that even fast fashion can turn over a new, greener leaf? Or does it say more about how easy it is for companies to dress up as “ethical” in 2025? Let’s break down how Princess Polly got its B Corp — and why not everyone’s cheering.
How do you get a B Corp certification?
Let’s start with what the B Corp label actually is. It isn’t something a company can just slap on its site after buying a recycling bin. Getting B Corp certified means jumping through some serious hoops — completing the B Impact Assessment, scoring over 80 points out of 200, and being picked over by the folks at B Lab to see if a company really walks the talk on social, environmental, and ethical standards.
Princess Polly, after two years of assessment and changes, scored 86.8 points—barely clearing the bar. Their best marks? Environmental management, like reducing waste and emissions. Their lowest? Just 3.8 in the “customers” section, which covers product quality and ethical marketing. In the world of B Corp, that’s enough for a certificate — at least until new, stricter rules come in 2028.
What did Princess Polly actually change?
The brand insists its B Corp journey is more than just a title. According to their statement: “We’re incredibly proud to be recognised as a business that meets high standards of social and environmental impact. This certification reflects our commitment to creating lasting positive change in the fashion industry, while continuing to make on-trend fashion accessible and sustainable.” There are several initiatives Princess Polly points to:
- About 30 per cent of new arrivals now use certified lower-impact materials, like recycled polyester and organic cotton.
- A strong push for ethical sourcing, formalised in their “5 A’s of Ethical Sourcing”.
- Policies for staff like paid family leave, flexibility, and return-to-work support.
- Cutting waste and working with suppliers to set environmental goals.
Co-founder Eirin Bryett described the milestone as “an incredible accomplishment, and it marks a significant step in our ongoing journey to embed sustainability and purpose into every part of our business”, per Business Wire.
Criticism against Princess Polly’s B Corp certification
But not everyone’s ready to pop the champagne. Sustainable fashion voices have pointed out that churning out new styles daily can never really be sustainable — no matter what the press release says.
“If it’s not about making and selling less, rather than fast trends and constant sales, they shouldn’t have any sustainability certificates at all,” said fashion writer Brett Staniland to Business Of Fashion, calling the move “damaging”.
The criticism? Giving fast fashion a golden sticker for sustainability might send the message it’s okay to buy and bin clothes, just as long as the tag says “certified”.
Even among sustainability scorecards, there’s confusion. For instance, Good On You, another sustainability watchdog, rates Princess Polly “not good enough” — worse than H&M or Zara, though slightly above Shein.
Their assessment: too little public evidence of meaningful change, and a penalty for the very business model that powers rapid trend cycles.
Meanwhile, the B Corp program itself is getting grilled. Cases like soap brand Dr. Bronner’s are ditching its own B Corp status this year with the claim, “The integrity of the B Corp Certification has become compromised and remaining certified now contradicts our mission,” and add fuel to the fire.
Consumers have also taken to social media to voice their confusion. Sustainability content creator and writer Maggie Zhou, posted a video about the topic on the matter.
“It’s wild that they are trying to convince us that fast fashion can be sustainable. These two things are polar opposites,” she said.
“Over production is one of the biggest issues in fashion right now. So how can Princess Polly release up to 150 new styles per week. How is that sustainable?”
Some social media users reject the criticism, with one commenter writing under the video, “Not saying it’s a perfect system but it also doesn’t feel right to shame an organisation trying to be more transparent because it discourages others from doing the same… it’s not reasonable to include pages of PDF docs there.”
Others were much more blunt: “How did this happen?? I’m truly shocked. And so disappointed this impacts the validity of brands that genuinely earned the certification.”
Another added, “I no longer trust B Corp certifications — feels misleading for consumers.”
Where does this leave us?
Princess Polly says it’ll keep pushing forward: “We remain committed to continuously improving and holding ourselves to high standards in everything we do.”
But we’re left with bigger questions. Is B Corp status a true guarantee of change, or just another way for brands to keep us shopping guilt-free? Can any company built on selling fast fashion at high speed truly be sustainable — or is it just another pretty sticker on the box? And as new rules loom, will certificates like this become the hard-earned badges they’re supposed to be, or fade into just another label for sale in an industry built on trends?
Maybe it’s time we asked not just which brands are changing, but what real change should look like — beyond the logos and the labels.
Lead image: Princess Polly / Instagram
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