Elk
brand rating & evaluation
overall rating:
Conscious
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (Avoid) to 5 (Top Choice). See How We Rate
The Shifting Gaia rating evaluates brands based on sustainable practices, ingredients and materials, and social responsibility, among others. Below are a few factors influencing this brand's score:
certifications:
learn more about these certifications*
overview
sustainability
non-toxic
social responsibility
6 out of 10
5.5 out of 10
7 out of 10
about
Elk is an Australian fashion brand that emphasises ethical production and transparency.
highlights
Highly-transparent
Some use of organic and recycled materials
Recycled packaging
sustainability
score:
6 out of 10
details:
Packaging
All Elk packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable. Their 2025 packaging commitments include the phasing out of all single use plastic packaging. 100% of virgin paper fibres is FSC certified and 60% of all paper fibre content is recycled (PCR). Even with these commitments, the brand lacks comprehensive sustainable packaging solutions and has yet to fully move away from plastic.
Material Sustainability
Elk outlines a hierarchy of preferred materials, placing certified and more sustainable options like RWS wool and FSC certified viscose at the top. However, their product material descriptions often fail to specify whether these certifications apply to specific garments, making it difficult to verify overall material sustainability. The lack of consistency raises concerns about how rigorously this hierarchy is applied in practice. Their transparency report claims increasingly higher incorporation of preferred materials.
Synthetic fibers like recycled nylon and polyester appear throughout their collections. While recycled synthetics are arguably better than virgin petroleum-derived fibres, they are still problematic due to microplastic shedding and challenges in end of life recycling.
Elk still uses conventional cotton, viscose, and nylon in many pieces, which undermines the sustainability hierarchy they claim to promote.
Energy Use and Footprint
Elk has worked to reduce process emissions in manufacturing. Suppliers and partners are publicly available, but other specifics of their reduction strategies are not. The brand measures and takes measures to reduce their overall emissions.
Waste Management
Elk minimizes their textile waste by reusing offcuts instead of discarding excess fabric.
Business Model
The brand offers a mostly evergreen selection with limited product churn or trend based marketing.
non-toxic
score:
5.5 out of 10
details:
Elk does not offer much information on toxicity or chemical safety in materials. While they avoid some of the worst offenders like PVC, there’s little information regarding other chemicals like azo dyes of PFAS, which are common in textile manufacturing. Their frequent use of synthetic materials also raises concern.
social responsibility
score:
7 out of 10
details:
Elk publishes a list of all tier-one suppliers and factories, including names and locations, which is commendable. They also outline a Code of Conduct and commit to only working with partners who pay a living wage and adhere to ethical labor practices. The brand’s facilities undergo regular audits and are reported through the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) Best Practice Guidance.
Elk does not consistently verify the sourcing of animal derived materials and fibres, and it is difficult to fully evaluate the brand’s animal welfare profile.
The brand contributes actively to environmental causes and is a member of 1% for the planet.
