Kourtney Kardashian has launched her second clothing collection with online clothing retailer Boohoo, and fans are not happy with her approach to the ‘sustainable’ fashion line.
The 46-piece collection dropped on September 27, 2023, with each of the pieces being available in sizes AU 6-24 and priced between $15-$65.
While some have praised Kourtney’s size inclusivity and incorporation of recycled fibres, fans have accused the reality TV star of “greenwashing” her latest launch to appear more sustainable – given that Boohoo has repeatedly been called out for poor production conditions.
Throughout Kourtney’s collection, Boohoo has touted the use of REEL cotton; standing for Responsible, Environment, Enhanced Livelihoods.
Speaking on the initiative, Boohoo states that “[REEL] means, in partnership with CottonConnect, we’re training the cotton farmers in more sustainable production techniques, and we’ll be measuring the environmental and social impact.”
Despite Boohoo’s assertion, the company’s material goals fact sheet outlines that Boohoo’s more sustainable products will be tagged as “ready for the future” across their website, however, the threshold for sustainability will be “used on any garment that is made of more than 20% of our slated ‘better materials’.”
“We are starting with a lower threshold so we can support all our suppliers in driving improvements, including both those who are new to sustainable materials, and those who are experienced in this area,” Boohoo stated.
While Boohoo has addressed the topic of sustainability, fans are concerned that the retailer’s lack of transparency in relation to their supply chain and product has not indicated a true step towards becoming a more sustainable fast-fashion brand.
Kardashian’s recent collection comes one year after the reality TV star announced that she would be the new “sustainability ambassador” for Boohoo.
The collaboration encompassed two separate projects; the launch of a new ‘sustainable’ capsule, and a four-part investigation fronted by Kourtney exploring Boohoo’s “journey, from designing the Boohoo range to speaking to industry experts.”
Fans were quick to slam Kourtney following the announcement of her first collaboration; pointing out the hypocrisy of a sustainability role in a brand that has been called out numerous times for not paying workers a fair wage.
The brand was investigated for modern slavery breaches in 2020, when reports revealed workers were paid as little as £3.50 an hour.
Others also pointed out that Boohoo as a brand is inherently unethical due to its ‘fast-fashion’ mentality and millions of items produced – many of which end up in landfill.
Boohoo has also faced criticism for not adequately addressing the topic of sustainability beyond production, with the brand admitting their sustainability markers are “limited to garment composition and does not apply to a product’s full life cycle.”
“When Boohoo first approached me with this idea that was all about sustainability and style, I was concerned about the effects of the fast fashion industry on our planet,” Kourtney explained via The Industry.
“Boohoo responded with excitement and a desire to incorporate more sustainable practices into our line. It’s been an enlightening experience speaking directly with industry experts.”
Kourtney also admitted that Boohoo still has “lots of work to be done and improvements to be made,” but explained that she believes “any progress we can make when it comes to sustainability is a step in the right direction and will open up the conversation for future advancements.”
Despite Kourtney’s statement, many fans were not impressed with her collaboration, accusing both her and Boohoo of “greenwashing” – an environmentally-focused PR stunt that doesn’t actually include any genuine action.
“Are we being punked?” one fan asked, whilst another explained that “positive change would be to stop overproducing poor quality clothes made by underpaid workers.”
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Fair fashion campaigner Venetia La Manna took to Instagram to share their perspective following Kourtney’s first collaboration, writing, “We have reached peak fashion greenwashing. Private-jetting @kourtneykardash has been announced as the ‘sustainability ambassador’ for fossil fuel fast fashion brand @boohoo.”
“Kardashian Barker – who was publicly outed for overusing water in a drought – is to host a series of interviews with ‘sustainability experts to discuss the ‘challenges’ and ‘opportunities’ that the fashion industry faces.
“There was the ‘opportunity’ for this celebrity worth $65 million to turn down this contract and instead give a platform to what truly sustainable and ethical fashion looks like (spoiler alert: not boohoo).”
Many others echoed similar concerns – asking if Kourtney, who was called out by The Los Angeles Times last month for overusing water during southern California’s worst drought on record is the right person to front a sustainability campaign.
Sister Kim also shared her thoughts on global warming in an interview with Interview Magazine, in September 2022, in which she was asked if she felt like she was doing “anything to combat and prevent that.”
“I believe in climate change, and I believe that anything can help. But I also believe in being realistic and I think sometimes there’s so much to worry about on this planet, and it can be really scary to live your life with anxiety,” she explained.
“I have super climate change-involved friends, and I love learning from them. I do what I can, but you have to pick and choose what really works for you in your life.”
However, she also added that “no one’s going to be 100 per cent perfect.”
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