Is Doshi Ethical? A Closer Look at Its Sustainability and Labor Practices

Understanding the Ethical and Sustainable Practices of DOSHI

DOSHI presents itself as a premium vegan accessories brand, offering a range of products such as bags, wallets, and belts that feature an upscale and polished design. The brand promotes its commitment to high-quality vegan materials, ethical labor practices, and minimizing harm to animals. However, when examined through a comprehensive lens, the brand's sustainability and ethical claims reveal a more nuanced picture.

What Is DOSHI?

DOSHI is a U.S.-based company that aims to provide high-end, animal-free alternatives to traditional leather goods. Their product line includes briefcases, backpacks, belts, and wallets, designed for the modern professional who values style without contributing to animal cruelty. The brand emphasizes its use of vegan materials and has obtained PETA-Approved Vegan certification for all its products.

Despite these claims, the question remains: how does DOSHI fare in terms of broader sustainability and ethical labor standards?

Is DOSHI Fast Fashion?

No, DOSHI is not considered a fast fashion brand. Unlike many fast fashion companies, DOSHI does not engage in constant cycles of trend-driven designs or rapid product turnover. Instead, they offer a curated selection of vegan accessories that change infrequently, suggesting a slower, more deliberate approach to design.

DOSHI Brand Rating

The News Pulse evaluates brands across five key categories to determine their sustainability and ethical standing. Here’s how DOSHI performed:

Transparency

DOSHI provides minimal public information about its supply chain, manufacturing partners, or sustainability efforts. This lack of transparency makes it challenging for consumers to verify the brand's ethical claims, especially regarding factory conditions and sourcing practices.

Fair Labor

There is no verifiable information about how workers in DOSHI's supply chain are treated. No mention of living wages, union rights, or fair working conditions is provided. While the founder claims to visit factories directly, there are no factory names, third-party audits, or labor certifications available.

Sustainably Made

DOSHI uses recycled packaging and only vegan materials. However, the brand lacks broader initiatives around sustainable production, such as carbon footprint tracking, closed-loop systems, or supply chain emissions reductions. While their materials page highlights some thoughtful sourcing, it doesn't constitute a comprehensive sustainability strategy.

DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)

DOSHI earns some points here. Their leadership includes people of color, and the brand promotes inclusive values. However, they could improve by sharing workforce data and outlining actionable commitments to equity across all levels of the company.

Our Principles

While DOSHI did not violate The News Pulse’s core principles, they also didn’t clearly inspire or earn trust through transparent and progressive practices. No points were deducted, but the brand fails to inspire at this moment.

Overall Score: 14/100
Despite a strong vegan identity, DOSHI has a long way to go to become a fully ethical and sustainable brand. Transparency and labor justice must be core priorities for them to improve their score.

Why Trust Our Ratings?

At The News Pulse, our brand ratings are rooted in rigorous, criteria-based research. We evaluate companies across five key areas: Transparency, Fair Labor, Sustainability, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), and our own guiding principles. These categories are designed to reveal not just what a brand says—but what it actually does.

Each score is backed by publicly available data. If a brand doesn’t share verifiable information, we don’t assume the best—we assume the facts aren’t there for a reason. Our system ensures that feel-good marketing and vague promises aren’t enough to earn a high rating.

In DOSHI’s case, while their mission as a vegan accessories brand is admirable, the lack of transparency and measurable ethical practices means we can’t give them a passing grade. We hope they’ll take this as an opportunity to share more, do more, and build trust with conscious consumers.

Is DOSHI Sustainable?

DOSHI takes a few steps toward sustainability, including using PETA-Approved Vegan materials and recycled packaging. However, it lacks a comprehensive approach to sustainability. The brand does not share data on carbon emissions, water usage, or broader environmental impact.

While veganism can be a step toward sustainability, it’s not a stand-in for comprehensive environmental responsibility. DOSHI still has a long way to go.

What Materials Does DOSHI Use?

DOSHI uses 100% vegan materials, including microfiber leather alternatives, cork, and recycled polyester. These are animal-free, and many are more sustainable than traditional leather.

However, the brand does not disclose full details about sourcing, certifications, or lifecycle impacts. There’s no third-party certification like GRS or bluesign® to back up material claims.

Is DOSHI Carbon Neutral?

No, DOSHI is not carbon neutral. The company has not published any commitments or roadmaps for measuring, reducing, or offsetting its emissions.

Climate leadership requires transparency and action—two things DOSHI has yet to demonstrate in this area.

Does DOSHI Have a Clothing/Shoe Recycling Program?

No. DOSHI does not offer a recycling, repair, or take-back program. While they use recycled packaging, they lack a strategy to keep used products out of landfills.

A truly sustainable brand plans for a product’s end-of-life—and here, DOSHI is silent.

Is DOSHI Ethical?

DOSHI’s ethical stance centers on animal welfare, but there is no public information about its labor practices. Without proof of ethical sourcing, living wages, or factory transparency, the brand falls short on fair labor.

Ethical fashion must also center the rights of workers—something DOSHI has yet to show it prioritizes.

Where Are DOSHI’s Products Made?

DOSHI does not disclose where its products are made, or by whom. This absence of information makes it impossible to evaluate factory conditions or ethical sourcing.

Transparency here would help back up their ethical claims.

Is DOSHI Vegan and Cruelty-Free?

Yes. DOSHI is 100% vegan and PETA-Approved. None of their products use animal-derived materials.

This is one area where the brand clearly delivers on its promise.

Ethical Alternatives to DOSHI

If you like DOSHI’s clean, minimalist aesthetic but want to support brands with stronger transparency, labor practices, and environmental commitment, these Eco-Stylist–certified alternatives are the real deal:

1. EcoPersona – While not a fully vegan brand, EcoPersona’s bags are 100% vegan and crafted using Piñatex® (pineapple leaf fiber). They prioritize 100% traceability for their pineapple products, fair labor conditions in Latin America, carbon-offset shipping, and organic or recycled fabrics. A strong pick for responsibly-made, cruelty-free accessories.
2. Up-Fuse – A fully vegan, Egyptian women-led brand transforming plastic waste into vibrant, one-of-a-kind bags. Up-Fuse pays living wages, maintains complete material transparency, offers free repairs, and tracks its environmental impact—including water and carbon data. Their commitment to upcycling and empowerment makes them a gold-standard brand.
3. 8000Kicks – Focused on hemp-based, fully vegan footwear and accessories, 8000Kicks blends sustainability with tech innovation. They use plant-based, biodegradable, and recycled materials, and emphasize minimal environmental impact in both product and packaging.

Final Takeaway

For shoppers looking to align ethics, aesthetics, and environmental responsibility, these brands are credible, stylish alternatives to DOSHI. They prove you don’t have to sacrifice values for good design.