Ranked: The fast fashion websites with the worst carbon footprints

We all know the production of fast fashion isn’t good for the planet, but it turns out even browsing on fashion websites is having an impact on the environment.

A few grams of carbon are released every time we go on the internet because of the energy required to power your phone or laptop. Carbon is also released when connecting to wireless networks. And the more damaging part to the environment are the data centres and servers that keep the internet going.

Obviously one person going on a website won’t make much difference, but if you add up everyone who goes on a webpage a day, then you’ve got a lot of carbon emissions.

Energy comparison site USwitch has calculated the amount of carbon emitted every time a fashion website is opened and there was a rather drastic variety between the sites. The types of images and size of fonts can all make a contribution to how much carbon is emitted.

These are the fashion websites with the biggest and smallest carbon foot prints, ranked from best to worst:

H&M

 

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 0.29g

The website giving off the least carbon per visit is H&M. The company is actually pretty good with its commitment to the environment and scored highly on the Fashion Transparency Index.

The index was created to show how transparent fast fashion companies are about how their clothes are made.

Adidas

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 0.37g

Does anyone actually buy their Adidas stuff from the actual website and not ASOS? If you do go onto their actual site then you’ll be pleased to know going on the site releases less than 0.5g of carbon each time.

Zara

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 0.67g

Zara is one of the biggest fast fashion retailers with new stuff being uploaded to the site every week. Even if you’re not buying from Zara you’ve definitely been on the website to check out the bizarre images of a model sat on the hob.

The good thing is looking up their odd model shots gives off less than a gram of carbon each time.

Primark

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 0.79g

You can’t actually buy anything on Primark’s website, so it almost seems like a waste of a click and 0.79g of carbon just to browse their latest cringe Harry Potter collection.

New Look

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 1.99g

And now we’re starting to hit the brands with over a gram of carbon per visit. Everytime you go onto New Look nearly two grams of carbon are emitted. But no one really shops in New Look so the planet is probably fine.

PrettyLittleThing

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 2.47g

Is anyone surprised PrettyLittleThing is quite far down the list? With nearly two and half grams of carbon emitted anytime you go on site you might want to think twice before stocking up on crop tops.

Shein

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 2.88g

Shein is big on TikTok and also big on the emissions every time you go on site. Nearly three grams of carbon are emitted when you go and browse the cute two piece you saw on TikTok.

Uniqlo

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 5.22g

Kinda surprised Uniqlo is this far down but here you go. Uniqlo is one of the worst emitters of carbon just from one click of the homepage.

Nasty Gal

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 5.67g

PrettyLittleThing’s sister company Nasty Gal is also on this list and even higher up with over five grams of carbon being released every time the site is opened.

Victoria’s Secret

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Amount of carbon per website visit: 6.64g

And the prize for the fashion company giving off the most carbon emissions per website visit is Victoria’s Secret with 6.64g being emitted.

Seeing as no one can afford Victoria’s Secret anyway it hopefully won’t damage the planet too much.

See the full list of fashion websites here:

Featured image credit before edits: Sean Sinclair on Unsplash  

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