lululemon

How ethical is lululemon?

lululemon is an Activewear brand owned by lululemon athletica inc. which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Activewear Ratings Table.

Although lululemon has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in lululemon if it submitted itself to apply for Ethical Accreditation, whereby The Good Shopping Guide would make further detailed assessment and recommendations for ethical improvement.

Find out more about the ethical issues facing the Activewear sector and see how other brands score in our Ethical Activewear Ratings Table.

What does lululemon do?

lululemon is a Canadian multinational Activewear brand. It was founded in 1998 and initially was a retailer of yoga wear, since extending its range to include lifestyle apparel, accessories and personal care products.

In which areas does lululemon perform poorly?

Despite lululemon’s progress, there is still room for improvement. lululemon was marked down under our criteria for Code of Conduct due to the lack of information for this. It also receives a low rating for Organic and Better Cotton Initiative as there is no certification present.

Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of lululemon’s record

lululemon has recently been criticised as one of the brands supplied by Sports City, the biggest employer in the Mactan Economic Zone (Philippines), which implemented a mass layoff of workers in 2022. It has also been implicated in criticisms of poor working conditions and wages for workers in its supply chain in both China and Bangladesh.

In which areas does lululemon score well for its ethics?

lululemon  scores well for its Environmental Report, as it has a recent Impact Report containing clear targets for carbon emissions, plus sustainable materials and packaging. It also has a robust Code of Conduct which follows international conventions, so lululemon has a high score for this criterion. Despite past criticism from PETA for its use of down, lululemon has clarified that it is certified by the Responsible Down Standard, so achieves a top rating for Animal Welfare.

We found no public record criticisms of lululemon relating to Nuclear or Fossil Fuels, so it scores well for these criteria.

How can lululemon improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that lululemon is awarded with on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Activewear Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, lululemon has some issues to resolve, including its lack of a Code of Conduct or organic certification. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give lululemon some guidance to improve on these areas.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands accredited by The Good Shopping Guide can display our ethical mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable brand.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to attain Ethical Accreditation, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.