Are knock-off fashion ‘dupes’ unethical? We ask an expert
by Coco Khan from on (#5ZF15)
Tansy Hoskins, author of a book on the impact of fast fashion, says the true cost of knock-off clothes is being paid by garment workers
Browse the makeup sections of Aldi, Lidl, Primark and many more, and it won't be long before you come across dupes". Immensely popular with generation Z, these are near duplicates" of luxury items created by budget brands. Copyright issues aside, how ethical are they? I spoke to Tansy Hoskins, whose books dissect the impact of fast fashion.
I'll never forget being a teenager and discovering my Reeboks were actually knock-off Reeborks". The shame! Aren't dupes fakes by another name?
I'd say dupes are a close relative of fakes but, crucially, they're within the legal boundaries.