Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor is owned by KnitWell Group.

Our “Planet” rating evaluates brands based on the environmental policies in their supply chains, from carbon emissions and wastewater to business models and product circularity. Here we rate Ann Taylor “Very Poor”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It uses few lower-impact materials.
• It follows an unsustainable fast fashion model with quickly changing trends and regular new styles.
• There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals in manufacturing.
• There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce its climate impacts.

Workers’ rights are central to our “People” rating, which assess brands’ policies and practices on everything from child labour to living wages and gender equality. Here we rate Ann Taylor “Very Poor”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It claims it has a Code of Conduct but does not publicly disclose it.
• There’s no evidence it provides financial security to its suppliers, which can result in poor working conditions and wages.
• There’s no evidence it implements practices to support diversity and inclusion in its direct operations or supply chain.
• It partly traces its supply chain including all of the final production stage.
• There’s no evidence it ensures workers are paid living wages in its supply chain.
• During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not disclose adequate policies or safeguards to protect workers in its supply chain from the virus.

Brands’ animal welfare policies and, where applicable, how well they trace their animal-derived products are the focus of our “Animals” rating. Here we rate Ann Taylor “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• There’s no evidence it has an animal welfare policy.
• It appears to use leather, wool, shearling, exotic animal hair, and silk.
• It doesn’t appear to use down, fur, angora, or exotic animal skin.
• There’s no evidence it traces any animal-derived materials to the first production stage.

Based on all publicly available information we’ve reviewed, we rate Ann Taylor “We Avoid” overall.