From Standouts to Strugglers: What the 2026 Ethical Fashion Guide Reveals

When you pick up a new piece of clothing, there’s a lot you can see: the colour, the fabric, the price and the brand name.

But what about everything you can’t see?

Who made it? What were their working conditions like? Does the brand know where its clothes are made? How were the materials sourced?

Baptist World Aid researches hundreds of fashion companies for the Ethical Fashion Guide, looking at the policies and practices of brands so consumers can make informed decisions.

The 11th edition of the Guide is now available, assessing over 500 fashion brands. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the brands that stood out in this year’s research, and what their results tell us about progress in the fashion industry.

Mighty Good Basics – 94/100

Mighty Good Basics is once again the leading performer in this year’s Ethical Fashion Guide, scoring 94/100. They are the only assessed company that could provide evidence of thorough tracing across its whole supply chain.

Patagonia – 70/100

Patagonia continues to be a consistent high performer in the Ethical Fashion Guide, scoring 70/100. Their continued performance highlights the importance of ongoing commitment to transparency and responsible practices.

Assembly Label – 63/100

Assembly Label has made a strong first appearance in the Ethical Fashion Guide as the highest scoring new brand with 63/100. As a first-time participant in our research, their engagement provides consumers with greater visibility into the company’s practices.

Lorna Jane – 53/100

Lorna Jane was one of the most improved companies in the 2024 Guide and has continued to be amongst the most improved this year, scoring 53/100. Their continued progress demonstrates how ongoing engagement with the research can contribute to steady improvements for workers and the environment over time.

What about companies with limited transparency?

This year, four companies received no credit: White Fox Boutique, Windsor Smith, Ghanda and Temu. Other companies appear as 0 in the Guide, scored between 0-0.5 and rounded down for publication.

A low result doesn’t necessarily mean a company is doing nothing to protect workers or the planet. It does, however, mean there is no information available.

This lack of transparency matters. When companies don’t share information about their supply chains, policies or how they’re addressing exploitation risks, it’s hard for consumers to make informed choices.

What does the Ethical Fashion Guide assess and why?

The Ethical Fashion Guide and Report examines how fashion companies are working to protect workers and reduce environmental harm across their supply chains. The assessment looks at policies and governance, supply chain tracing and risk, supplier relationships and human rights monitoring, worker empowerment, and environmental sustainability.

The clothes we buy are connected to some of the most pressing issues we face, such as modern slavery, child labour, climate change, and environmental degradation. Millions of people work across the global fashion supply chain, and many of them are subjected to low wages, unsafe conditions, forced labour and limited ability to speak up for their rights. The fashion industry also has a significant impact on our planet, from the amount of natural resources used to make clothing to the waste and pollution generated by overproduction.

The Guide helps bring together information about what brands are doing across their supply chains, allowing you to look beyond the clothes on the rack and consider the people and planet behind them.

How can you use the Guide when you shop?

The most ethical wardrobe is the wardrobe you already have. Every garment you choose to reuse, repair or buy second-hand helps keep clothing in use for longer. And when you do buy new, using the Guide can help you make a more informed choice about the brand you support. Here’s how you can use the guide:

• Take it shopping with you. Before you buy something new, look up the brand and see how it performs.
• Make a shortlist. If you're looking for a particular item, compare a few brands and consider which ones demonstrate stronger practices and transparency.
• Shop within your budget. Ethical choices don't have to mean buying the most expensive option. Use the Guide to see which brands within your budget demonstrate stronger commitments to the people who make their clothes.
• Advocate for change. The fashion industry is complex, and consumers can't solve its problems alone. The responsibility for protecting workers ultimately sits with the industry, and the governments that regulate it. Brands have a responsibility to understand and address the impacts of their supply chains, while governments have a role to play in creating and enforcing strong laws that protect workers.

As consumers and citizens, we can raise our voice to create change.

Our choices don't stop at the checkout. We can ask questions, start conversations, and speak up about the changes we want to see.

If you care about the impact of the fashion industry on workers and the planet, use the Speak Out Tool on a brand’s Ethical Fashion Guide profile to call on them to make the changes you want to see.

Read the 11th Edition Ethical Fashion Guide today and discover how your favourite brands measure up.