Fashion label Dissh has gained global recognition and captivated the hearts of fashionistas nationwide and beyond. Coming from the heart of Australia, it curates easy-breezy feminine silhouettes that effortlessly induce relaxed vibes. But while it brags about conducting business responsibly, it doesn’t share deets about its supply chain or plans towards sustainability. Does that mean Dissh is the next fast fashion brand?
Let’s find out if Dissh is truly making any efforts to be ethical and sustainable. Or is it just playing the greenwashing game?
Is Dissh Fast Fashion?
No, Dissh is not a fast fashion brand. Its collections come in classic styles and are mostly made up of eco-friendly materials that are long-lasting. Meaning, you can wear them over and over again rather than discarding them after 2-3 wears. By blending low-impact materials with chic and contemporary styles, its collections arrive with the seasons but are crafted to stay seasonless.
Unlike typical fast fashion retailers, Dissh doesn’t focus on creating tons of trendy garments inspired by the latest fashion fad. Instead, it executes limited quantity production and prioritizes slow fashion, superior-quality garments, designed with longevity in mind. Plus, its merchandise falls between a mid-range price point. So, it’s a bit inaccessible for budget-friendly shoppers who favour cheap-priced trendy clothing.
Is Dissh Ethical?
No, Dissh falls short of being labelled as a 100% ethical brand. That’s because Dissh doesn’t share details about its manufacturing units or production processes.
Labor Practices
Dissh doesn’t provide sufficient information to evaluate its labor practices. It lacks a Suppliers’ Code of Conduct that addresses labor rights issues such as fair pay, hygienic working conditions, no harassment, no discrimination, no forced labor, etc. Plus, there are no particular guidelines about how it selects its manufacturers.
While Dissh has guaranteed to only do business with ethical factories, without concrete proof, it’s hard to believe. Undoubtedly, it needs to be more transparent to avoid being identified as a brand that uses sweatshops. The lack of Fair Trade certification for its factories further adds concerns about workers’ rights protection.
On a positive note, Dissh has introduced Paid Parental Leave programs for its employees. It has also launched coaching sessions for new mommies to support them through their motherhood journey. With over 90% of its team consisting of women, it’s great to see how this female-led brand is making headway towards equal opportunity for women in the workplace.
However, things will only get better if Dissh comes up with evidence that every person involved in its supply chain is treated fairly.
Sourcing Practices
Dissh sources its products from China. And that’s the only information available on its website regarding its supply chain. It neither publishes the list of manufacturers for public scrutiny nor mentions regularly auditing these factories.
It is to be noted that, China is one of the most notorious countries that disregard labor rights every waking day. Therefore, it is crucial for brands, outsourcing production to China to carefully inspect, audit and maintain transparency regarding these facilities. Maintaining such clarity with consumers builds trust as it confirms ethical production standards are observed. So, Dissh should really buckle up on this aspect.
On the brighter side, Dissh strongly advocates for women’s empowerment. Not only does it focus on employing females to manage its in-house operations, but it has also partnered with conscious initiatives such as ‘Suited To Success‘ and ‘The Encoreship.’ These programs provide life-changing placement opportunities for women who are re-entering the workforce scenario after an extended period of absence.
Child Labor
Dissh has not been involved in any cases of child labor to date. However, its entire product portfolio is manufactured in Chinese factories. The company maintains silence over elaborate information regarding concerns around factory conditions, minimum age limit, working hours and decent living wages. So, it is quite difficult to determine if these facilities are employing underage workers.
Sadly, child labor is prevalent in fast fashion, even though it’s against the law. And Dissh is risking its own image by not declaring its stand towards this issue. The fashion label really needs to understand the gravity of this matter and conduct regular factory audits to prevent such incidents.
Overall Rating: 1
Is Dissh Cruelty Free?
Dissh doesn’t have any formal animal welfare policies. Upon careful scrutiny of its offerings, we found that most of its garments are made from animal-friendly materials. But a few of its products are made from merino wool and silk. While Dissh mentions sourcing these animal-derived textiles ethically, there is no evidence for it. Because none of the materials are certified.
Overall Rating: 2.5
Is Dissh Sustainable?
Dissh has made commendable efforts towards sustainability. But it still has a considerable amount of work to do to become entirely planet-friendly. The favorable thing is the majority of its new product lineup is created using natural fibres, such as 100% linen, cupro, Tencel lyocell, and more.
In fact, it has an entire ‘Linen Edit’ that consists of beautiful, breathable garments designed to be transeasonal. These eco-friendly materials have a lower environmental footprint and are known for being lightweight and durable, meaning you can wear them time and time again. The label also educates its consumers on ‘Fabric Care,’ to prolong the life of the garments.
Additionally, Dissh has also launched its first-ever selection of swimwear crafted with certified recycled materials from REPREVE®. This batch of upcycled polyester and nylon are made from post-consumer plastic waste, which would otherwise pollute landfills and oceans.
Again, in terms of packaging, Dissh has phased out all single-use plastic wrappings for both online and in-store orders. Now, it uses recyclable POLLAST!CTM mailers which are made from 100% ocean-bound plastic. These mailers are sourced from Better Packaging— a carbon-neutral Certified B Corporation.
What’s more, the Queensland-based label has collaborated with Thread Together to sort out its textile waste. Through this initiative, it donates and redistributes out-of-season stock to those in need. This covers homeless and long-term unemployed women, indigenous communities, domestic violence survivors, refugees, and many more.
Now, these steps are definitely an impressive solution to operating more responsibly. But they are not enough to make Dissh end-to-end sustainable. The label doesn’t mention measures to reduce CO2 emissions, water consumption levels and overall environmental impact. There is also an absence of future sustainability plans surrounding these concerns. Plus, while it uses eco-friendly materials, it doesn’t trace their sources. So, there’s no guarantee that these textiles were sustainably produced.
In order to become Earth-friendly, Dissh needs to address every aspect of its social and environmental responsibility.
Overall Rating: 3.5
Some of the Best Sustainable Alternatives to Dissh
The fast fashion industry is a major polluter of the planet. Brands like Fashion Nova, Romwe, and Nasty Gal manufacture cheaply-made trend-oriented garments that are easily discarded after a few wears. And this ‘throwaway’ culture has resulted in overflowing landfills and oceans. The Earth is choking, and it’s time we make more informed clothing choices.
Opting for some of the best ethical clothing brands in Australia, like Flare Street, Pure Pod, Luna + Sun in addition to ABLE, can help you build a conscious wardrobe.
1. ABLE
ABLE is dressing up women from head to toe in outfits and accessories that boost the confidence of both the wearers and the makers. Designed with style, longevity, and functionality in mind, its collection has everything from dresses, jumpsuits, and jackets to bags, jewelry, shoes, and home goods. The brand uses eco-friendly materials, and its leather items deserve special attention for their premium quality. Don’t worry about the leather origins because they are sustainably sourced from Leather Working Groups. With the goal to empower women, over 90% of their employees are females working in different phases of the company.
2. Flare Street
Based in Melbourne, Flare Street captures the retro styles of the 60’s and 70’s to create its vintage-inspired sustainable collection. What’s unique about them is they only deal in pants. Or should we say, flared bottoms that will sway with every step you take! From vibrant colors to eye-popping prints, they have everything you can ask for in a pair of bell bottoms. The brand responsibly sources eco-friendly materials from local suppliers. Additionally, each piece is handmade in their homegrown factory under ethical production processes. It is a member of the Australian Fashion Council and guarantees that workers are paid above Australian living wages.
3. Pure Pod
Pure Pod is a slow-fashion Australian label that is established on the pillars of people, planet and passion. Its clothing is designed in thoughtful evergreen styles that you can wear repeatedly without getting bored. The label solely uses gentle-on-the-skin sustainable materials and forges a small-batch selection to cut production waste. Everything is manufactured in Fair Trade factories across Australia, India and Indonesia, where employees are entitled to decent living wages. It’s amazing to see how the brand strives to create a fair fashion industry with beautiful clothing that has a strong identity.
4. Kowtow
Kowtow creates clothing that not only makes you feel good but also nurtures a healthier planet and a fairer world. Its wide range of sustainable collections are literally the cornerstones of a timeless wardrobe. The label advocates for a traceable seed-to-garment production process, with its core mantra— “Less Waste, More Wear.” Therefore, it uses sustainable materials, including 100% certified cotton, surplus fabrics and low-impact dyes. Kowtow has a transparent supply chain, with products ethically produced in factories certified by the SA8000 organization. Plus, the B Corporation has eliminated plastic by incorporating fully recyclable packaging to further minimize its ecological footprint.
5. Luna + Sun
Originated in Brisbane, Luna + Sun creates beautiful and sustainable feminine fashion that can be worn for life. So whether you’re pregnant, a new mama, or simply plan to have kids in the near future, Luna + Sun has got your wardrobe sorted. Its pieces are designed to adapt to a woman’s ever-changing body, and they’re breastfeeding-friendly. The label stands by its values for transparency, ethical manufacturing, women empowerment, vegan, sustainability and circular fashion at its core. Its products are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified and made in its factory is accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia.
