Sweaty Betty

How ethical is Sweaty Betty?

Sweaty Betty is an Activewear brand owned by Wolverine World Wide Inc. which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Activewear Ratings Table.

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

We would have extra confidence in Sweaty Betty 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 Sweaty Betty do?

Sweaty Betty is an Activewear and lifestyle brand for women. It was founded in 1998 by Tamara and Simon Hill-Norton with a boutique in Notting Hill. In 2021 Sweaty Betty had grown to over 50 stores worldwide and was bought by American apparel manufacturer Wolverine Worldwide.

In which areas does Sweaty Betty perform poorly?

Despite Sweaty Betty’s progress, there is still room for improvement. Sweaty Betty was marked down under our criteria for Organic as it does not have certification for its cotton.

Sweaty Betty gets a middle score for Animal Welfare, as it sells products made from wool which it states is yak wool sourced from “a social enterprise with a transparent supply chain” but does not clearly state that mulesing does not occur.

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

Past Criticisms of Sweaty Betty’s record

Sweaty Betty 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. Therefore it receives a middle rating for Human Rights.

In which areas does Sweaty Betty score well for its ethics?

Sweaty Betty scores well for its robust Code of Conduct which follows international conventions. Sweaty Betty has published a recent Impact Report containing clear targets for carbon emissions, plastic usage and more, plus evidence of its progress regarding 100% renewable energy. This clear and detailed evidence of commitment to sustainability means that it is awarded a top rating for our Environmental Report criteria.

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

How can Sweaty Betty improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Sweaty Betty 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, Sweaty Betty has some issues to resolve, including its lack of organic certification or guarantee of ethical wool. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Sweaty Betty 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.