The sale of Everlane to fast-fashion giant Shein sent a jolt through the sustainable-fashion world, seeming to symbolise the collapse of a consumer-conscious ideal. But the brand's founder, Michael Preysman, is answering with a defiant second act: a new label called Still Radical.
The deal that shook sustainable fashion
Shein's acquisition of Everlane, confirmed in 2026, drew immediate backlash. For more than a decade, Everlane had built its identity on 'radical transparency', publishing factory details and pricing breakdowns that made it a poster child for ethical, accessible fashion. Its absorption by an ultra-fast-fashion company struck many advocates as a symbolic defeat, proof, they argued, of how difficult it is for values-driven brands to survive at scale.
Preysman's response
Preysman, who has said he learned of the finalised deal only 20 minutes before it closed and was not involved in negotiating it, moved quickly to distance himself. He published a note on a placeholder site, stillradical.com, its name a pointed nod to Everlane's trademarked tagline.
- A new venture built around sustainability and supply-chain integrity
- Structured deliberately without venture capital or private-equity backing
- A waitlist that has already drawn thousands of registrations
- An explicit continuation of the 'radical transparency' ethos
A different kind of business model
Perhaps the most telling detail of Still Radical is what it lacks: outside investors. By forgoing venture capital and private equity, Preysman appears to be addressing the very pressures that critics say pushed Everlane toward acquisition. Growth-at-all-costs funding often forces mission-driven brands into compromises or exits; building without it is a bet that a smaller, slower, self-directed company can hold its principles more firmly.
Why it resonates
The rapid waitlist sign-ups suggest a real appetite among consumers who felt betrayed by the Shein deal and are looking for somewhere to redirect their loyalty. Preysman's public dismay over the sale, expressed in interviews, has positioned Still Radical less as a startup and more as a cause, a chance to prove that the original ideals were sound even if the first company's ownership was not.
What it signals for the industry
The episode captures a defining tension in 2026 fashion. Sustainability remains a powerful consumer value, yet the economics of running an ethical brand at scale are unforgiving. Still Radical will test whether a founder, chastened by experience and freed from investor pressure, can build something more durable the second time around. For a movement badly in need of a hopeful story, its launch offers a glimmer of one, and thousands of people are already waiting to see if it delivers.