Fossil

Jul 06, 2022

Fossil is an American retailer founded in 1984 in Richardson, Texas, by entrepreneur Tom Kartsotis. The multinational retail company creates luxury watches and accessories for women and men.

Fossil also makes smartwatches, bags, eyewear, wallets, and jewelry. It owns other brands like Misfit, WSI, Zodiac Watches, Relic, Michele Watch, and Skagen Denmark.

Fossil operates more than 400 company-owned retail locations and has 7,500 employees in stores, factories, logistics, brands, and subsidiaries across 140 countries where it does business.

Fossil aims to be a purpose-driven leader and create the biggest impact on people, the planet, and communities. It aspires to design the most sustainable watches and accessories.

Fossil aims to drive industry-wide change by creating more sustainable products and transitioning to a circular business model. It gives 1% of online sales to its foundation, which empowers youth worldwide.

The fashion retailer offers a sustainable collection made from recycled materials called Fossil Pro-Planet. It combines the power of innovation with timeless design.

Panaprium is independent and reader supported. If you buy something through our link, we may earn a commission. If you can, please support us on a monthly basis. It takes less than a minute to set up, and you will be making a big impact every single month. Thank you!

Sustainability Rating: 4/10

Rating FAQ

Category: Accessories, bags, jewelry

For: Women, men

Type: N/a

Style: Chic

Quality: Medium

Price: $$

Sizes: N/a

Fabrics: Cotton, jute, acetate, polyester, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic, polyurethane, rubber, leather, silk

100% Organic: No

100% Vegan: No

Ethical & Fair: No

Recycling: Yes

Producing countries: Cambodia, China, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Vietnam

Certifications: FSC, LWG

Sustainability Practices

Fossil takes wide-ranging measures to address complex challenges and protect the world's natural resources. It explores more sustainable ways to make long-lasting products while keeping future generations in mind.

Fossil only uses a tiny proportion of natural materials but experiments with more and more plant-based and renewable alternatives like cactus and apple skin.

It also uses recycled materials such as recycled polyester and regenerated nylon. But only very few of its collections are dedicated to sustainable fashion.

Most of its fabrics are natural without relevant certifications, such as regular cotton or synthetic petroleum-based fibers such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, and more.

Fossil publishes a list of its manufacturers and processing facilities on its corporate website, Fossilgroup.com. It has committed to human rights and standards of ethics within its entire supply chain.

The 2021 Fashion Transparency Index gave Fossil a score of only 13% based on how much the group discloses about its social and environmental policies, practices, and impacts.

Fossil manufactures its products in many East Asian countries where human rights and labor law violations still happen daily.

The American retailer doesn't show any labor certification standard that ensures good working conditions, decent living wages, health, safety, and other human rights for workers in its supply chain.

Fossil has a code of conduct that applies to all its suppliers and subcontractors based on the regulations set by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Fossil assesses compliance with its Code of Conduct with informal visits or third-party audits to monitor and fix issues and educate its partners. It continually improves conditions within its supply chain.

Fossil doesn't use exotic animal skin, hair, fur, or angora. But it uses leather and silk to manufacture many of its products.

These animal-derived materials are cruel and unethical. They also harm the environment by producing greenhouse gases and waste. More sustainable alternatives exist.

Sustainability Goals

Fossil has committed to designing and producing 100% of its products to meet its pro-planet criteria by 2025. It means that its products will be made of more than 50% recycled content.

Fossil is currently developing a product take-back program to collect watches that are no longer wanted. It aims to lead in circular business model approaches.

Fossil will transition to 100% circular primary packaging by 2025. It also has projects underway to make its secondary and tertiary packaging across its supply chain recyclable and reusable.

Buy Here

Discover Fossil's sustainable collections at Fossil.com.

Reviews And Experiences With Fossil

Have you had (good) experiences with shopping at or the products of Fossil? Then leave us your rating below.

What We're Up Against

Multinational corporations overproducing cheap products in the poorest countries.
Huge factories with sweatshop-like conditions underpaying workers.
Media conglomerates promoting unethical, unsustainable products.
Bad actors encouraging overconsumption through oblivious behavior.
- - - -
Thankfully, we've got our supporters, including you.
Panaprium is funded by readers like you who want to join us in our mission to make the world entirely sustainable.

If you can, please support us on a monthly basis. It takes less than a minute to set up, and you will be making a big impact every single month. Thank you.