Muji

Sep 01, 2022

Muji is a Japanese fashion retailer founded in 1980 in Tokyo, registered as Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. The multinational clothing-retail company creates minimalist fashion for women and men.

Muji makes timeless, versatile, durable clothing, accessories, underwear, beauty, office, and school supplies. It's known for its distinctive design and no-brand strategy applied to a collection of more than 7,000 no-frills quality products.

Muji focuses on the concept of simplicity and follows sustainability guidelines. It tries to restrict the use of substances that significantly impact people or the environment.

Muji values the beauty of living in elegant simplicity and aims to create a sense of satisfaction in its customers. It has commitment to elegant simplicity and conscientious 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: 3/10

Rating FAQ

Category: Clothing, accessories, bags

For: Women, men

Type: Basics, denim, knitwear, underwear, loungewear, outerwear, nightwear

Style: Classic

Quality: Medium

Prices: $$

Sizes: XS-XL, 2-12 (US), 4-14 (UK), 34-42 (EU), 4-14 (AU)

Fabrics: Cotton, linen, hemp, lyocell, modal, polyester, nylon, spandex, polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic, leather, wool, silk, down

100% Organic: No

100% Vegan: No

Ethical & Fair: No

Recycling: No

Producing countries: not transparent enough

Certifications: no certification

Sustainability Practices

Muji takes wide-ranging measures to reduce its consumption of water, energy, and other resources, avoid waste, and combat climate change.

It strives to reduce the negative impact on the global environment throughout the entire life-cycle of all products, services, and activities. However, the majority of its business remains detrimental to the planet.

Muji only uses a tiny proportion of organic materials, such as organic cotton and hemp. Most of its fabrics are natural without relevant certifications, such as regular cotton or linen or synthetic petroleum-based fibers like polyester, nylon, acrylic, and more.

Muji also uses a small proportion of semi-synthetic fibers or regenerated cellulosic fabrics such as lyocell and modal.

Muji doesn't publish a list of all its manufacturers and processing facilities on its corporate website. It doesn't disclose how it chooses its network of suppliers.

Muji used to produce cotton under disastrous conditions in Xinjiang, where workers were forced to work without being paid. Modern slavery cases involving Muji in Xinjiang farms were previously reported.

Muji cares more about its suppliers now with consideration for human rights, compliance with labor-related laws, and improvement in the working environment.

The 2021 Fashion Transparency Index gave Muji a score of only 22% based on how much the group discloses about its social and environmental policies, practices, and impacts.

Muji manufactures its clothes in many East Asian countries, where human rights and labor law violations happen everyday.

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

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

Muji assesses compliance with its Code of Conduct by informal visits or third-party audits with or without notice. It works with international and local unions and NGOs to improve the working conditions in its factories.

Muji doesn't use exotic animal skin, hair, fur, or angora. But it uses leather, wool, silk, and down feathers to manufacture many of its clothing pieces.

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

Muji doesn't have clear sustainability goals, science-based targets, or timelines to improve in the future.

Buy Here

Discover Muji's sustainable collections at Muji.com.

Reviews And Experiences With Muji

Have you had (good) experiences with shopping at or the products of Muji? 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.