It's Emma Watson's favourite sustainable fashion platform - why you need to have Good On You on your radar

I know I'm not the only one who's Googled whether a clothing or beauty brand is actually sustainable before. It's a minefield, right? With so much greenwashing, it's often hard to tell the genuinely innovative and game-changing brands from the ones that could perhaps be doing more.

I stumbled across the site Good On You a few years back now, when I'd first joined Marie Claire UK as their Senior Sustainability Editor, and it immediately caught my interest. Essentially a ratings platform, it's used by millions of shoppers all over the world, with fans including actress Emma Watson.

Speaking about the site, Watson shared: "Fashion helps shape our identities. What we wear signifies who we are and what we stand for. I support Good On You because I need to know that my clothes do not harm our precious planet or its people."

"Good On You is my benchmark for sustainable fashion. This means that when I'm given a platform to speak about my choice of outfit, I will have a meaningful story to tell. And it's powerful."

"We have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy.”

While it's clearly a trusted, credible and respected resource, it's also brilliantly simple to use. All you have to do is type in the name of the brand you're curious to learn more about, and it'll pull up a scorecard, rating each brand out of five and detailing what they're doing well and what they could improve on with regard to their sustainability credentials.

The aim of the site is really simple - ultimately, co-founders Sandra Capponi and Gordon Renouf want to empower shoppers to shop according to the issues that they care about the most.

And they certainly have, for me, at least. Keen to learn more about the sustainable ratings site? We've got you covered. We caught up with Good On You co-founder and Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards judge Capponi for your need-to-knows. Keep scrolling.

Good On You is your one-stop-shop for discovering how sustainable brands really are - and Emma Watson is a fan

What is Good On You?

"Good On You is a sustainability ratings platform for fashion and beauty that helps shoppers make more informed choices on the things they care about," shares Capponi.

And so far, they've rated over 6,000 retail brands on how well they address supply chain key issues impacting people and the planet, from climate change to living wages and animal welfare. Pretty impressive, right? "Transparency is at the heart of our approach because we believe brands should be accountable for their practices, and consumers have the right to know," the co-founder continues.

When was Good On You launched and what was the inspiration behind the platform?

Capponi shares that she and her co-founder started Good On You back in 2015 after they began to notice more and more people like themselves. "They wanted to buy more sustainably but didn’t know how," she explains. "The information shoppers needed wasn't easy to find, and when it was, it was often too complex to make sense of."

On a personal level, she's always loved fashion, too, which is why she wanted to ensure customers knew what was going on behind the scenes at some of the biggest brands. "I knew that I couldn't ignore workers being mistreated and massive amounts of waste harming the environment."

That's where the idea for Goon On You was formed. "Working in business gave me hope that there was a way through this," she continues. "By putting clear, accessible sustainability information in the hands of consumers and other key decision-makers, we can all help make fashion better."

How does Good On You work?

Love the idea of the site but not entirely sure you understand how it works? "At Good On You, we rate brands using a simple five-point system, analysing over 1,000 data points on key issues like climate impact, worker rights, and animal welfare," explains Capponi. In short, they do the hard work so retailers and shoppers can easily understand how a brand measures up.

"By making this information easy to access, we help people make more informed choices and give businesses the insights they need to do better," she goes on. "The more we hold brands accountable, the more we push the industry toward a more sustainable future. That’s our big goal."

Who is Good On You helpful for?

In a nutshell - anyone, even those who don't identify as having an interest in more sustainable fashion or beauty products. The site is so well designed and the sustainability so clearly communicated that it's hard not to come away from a scroll without having learnt something. As Capponi puts it, "Good On You is helpful for a wide range of people, from everyday shoppers to large retailers and brands. Shoppers can access thousands of brand ratings for free through our web directory and mobile app, so they can make better choices."

Fun fact, too - Good On You also partners with leading retailers and platforms like Westfield, The Outnet, and Klarna to help them assess and improve their brand portfolios and create more engaging shopping experiences. "Our Good Measures platform is designed specifically for brands to give them the tools they need to better understand and improve their sustainability impacts," she explains.

And they're going from strength to strength. "In the past year, we've expanded beyond fashion into beauty, rating over 300 beauty brands to support our newest retail partners," she highlights. "We’re laying the foundation for expanding into other sectors like electronics and homewares so that we can be a valuable resource for even more people looking to shop more sustainably."

Bottom line?

We all have a duty to do better, when it comes to shopping sustainably and making more ethical life choices. And Good On You is a simple tool that promises to help you just do that.

Capponi's parting words? "Good On You data on thousands of brands tells us that under 10% achieve our top scores across all areas - people, planet, and animals - and most of them are small, independent labels. If we want fashion to continue pushing boundaries and embracing diversity, we need to create space for these brands to thrive. And with the right support, big brands will have no choice but to step up."

"It might feel like sustainability is slipping down the priority list for both people and businesses. But in uncertain times, many of us are looking for ways to take action," she concludes. "Making more sustainable shopping choices is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to be part of the solution. Every choice sends a signal, supports better practices, and helps shape a more positive future."

Now, question - will you give Good On You a go next time you're thinking about buying something new?