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May 7, 20205 min read

Sustainable Brands You Can Trust (By Category)

places to shop that you can feel good about

 
 

When talking about pollution, most people think of the plastic in the ocean and fossil fuels in the air. While both of these are extreme contributors to our planets environmental crisis, fast fashion is often a polluter that is overlooked and ignored. According to The New York Times an estimated 85 percent of textile in the United States will see itself in landfills or incinerated. These textiles do not decay. Textiles are also used to create the fossil fuels that are polluting our air. I know, yikes! This is why shopping sustainably can have such a huge impact on our environment.


You might be asking - what is ethical/sustainable fashion?

Sustainable fashion considers the full lifecycle of the clothing. They take into account all aspects of the product including its design, sourcing, and production process. It also bears in mind everything that is affected by the product, anywhere from the environment to the workers. In short, sustainable fashion is clothing made in the most ethical way possible.


I've scoured the web to compose a list of sustainable and ethical brands that may be worth looking at the next time you're on the market for a new piece for your closet.

 

Basics:



Dorsu prides itself in being completely transparent. They make their clothes in small batches to avoid overproduction and use revenants from Cambodias garment industry to create their products.

My Top Picks are the boatneck long sleeve and the singlet dress.



Organic Basics put sustainable thinking at the center of it all. Everything they design is meant to last, so it may be a good idea to invest on their basics to build a long lasting wardrobe.

My Top Picks are the silvertech active leggings and the tercel lite bralette.



Everlane prides themselves in making exceptional quality clothing in ethical factories with radical transparency. Their clothing is also super affordable while still competing with the highest quality brands.

 

Trendy:



A small female founded and focused brand that creates tasteful and stylish pieces made to never go out of style. Some styles are a little pricy, but the quality is impeccable and American made. If your interested in an item, you might wanna jump on it quick. Their collections don't last long and sell out quick!

My Top Picks are the michelle skirt and the april jacket.



A small brand based in Canada, Uncle X Studios is definitely on the pricey side. Their goal is to create everyday pieces for the modern human that will last decades. They make clothing that is transeasonal, meaning you can wear their pieces anytime of the year. They stress sustainability creating their products out of ethical fabrics with trackable carbon footprints. I would say if your looking to splurge on modern pieces you can really invest in, this brand is perfect!

My Top Picks are the tunic 001 and the cropped tank 001.



A little on the expensive side, but their pieces are exquisitely made. Their jeans are iconic and well loved by costumers. I would definitely recommend checking them out in store. They give their customers such a modern and fun experience that not many other brands have thought of.

My Top Picks are the cynthia high relaxed jean and the gellar top.

 

Active/Loungewear:



An activewear brand that believes in ethical manufacturing and recycled materials. They are also super affordable with leggings that only cost $68! I've heard that they're just as comfortable as the $90 Lululemon leggings too. This brand also has the best sets so you can always look coordinated.

My Top Picks are the compressive high rise leggings and the paloma bra.



Want to let the world know your clothing conscious? Just wear it on your wardrobe. Pangaia marks all their pieces with the words "this (insert item) is made from a recycled and organic cotton mix." Their products are definitely pricy but it might be worth it to invest in loungewear you can have forever.

 

Denim:



I've listed both of these brands once again because although they have a wide variety of basics and trendy pieces, their ever expanding denim collection is impeccable. Their costumers continue to worship their jeans making them best sellers at both of these brands.

My Top Picks are once again the cynthia high relaxed jean and the 90s cheeky straight jean.



These jeans are definitely more pricy, but well worth the investment. Nudie jeans is driven by a love for dry denim: raw, natural, untreated denim that will reveal more about itself with age (just like you). Their unique approach to denim has caught the eye of many consumers.



Warf and Weft is not only sustainable but offers sizes 00-24. They are a family company that has been in the denim industry for over three decades! A pair of their classic jeans takes 1,500 gallons of water to make and 98% of water used is treated and recycled.

 

Shoes:



With a play on the Converse style show, Etiko is the leading Australian brand for eco-friendly products. Their shoes are 100% vegan and made from fair trade organic materials.



Rothy's has a wide variety of sustainable shoes from flats to sandals to loafers and even Mary Janes. Their shoes are knit with 100% recycled material. Their signature thread is made from single use water bottles (45+ million and counting!)

My Top Picks are the the chealsea and the sneaker.

 

Accessories:



Founded by a woman of color from Nigeria, Kintu ia a handbag brand that is designed in New York and ethically made in Italy. Their products are 100% natural vegetable tanned leather sourced from the best European tanneries. Their products are pricy and definitely something to invest in if you're looking for a long term bag.

My Top Pick is the tote.


Soko is a woman-led ethical jewelry brand. These a variety of materials to create their products such as brass, gold plated, ceramic beads, wood, silver, and ethical reclaimed horn and bone.

My Top Picks are the capsule collar necklace and the mini bold hoop earrings.


 

Some brands that claim to be sustainable:

These brands say that they are sustainable, but don't explicitly say how. Not challenging their credibility, they are just very vague. I did not include them in this list because I can not explain why you are being ethical when shopping at these places. However, I thought some of these might be good to look further into.


  • H&M - good to hear, they have great sweaters and layering pieces for good prices


  • & Other Stories - UK brand, they have really great stuff, a little pricy though.


  • Cuyana - has a large selection of bags and good quality basics


 

Brands to stay away from when trying to shop sustainably:

Forever 21, Zara (Ill admit, this one hurts a lot), Boohoo, Uniqlo


Honestly, I get that it is really hard to shop sustainably ALL THE TIME. Were all guilty of browsing many of these stores, but just making one sustainable purchase, makes a huge difference. I also understand that sustainable pieces can be much more expensive than other clothes. If you are not able to purchase sustainable items, there are other options. You can go thrift shopping, or look for second hand pieces on sites like Depop and Poshmark. Thrifting and secondhand shopping is really the only "true" way we can be sustainable.


If you know any more brands that are sustainable/ ethical, feel free to contact us! We love learning about new places to shop consciously.


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