Best Sustainable Clothing Brands
Fast fashion is one of the biggest issues in the push toward a more sustainable life. If you want to make a better choice with what you wear, consider one of these best sustainable clothing brands.
What Is Sustainable Clothing?
Fast fashion is typically cheaply made, depletes the planet’s resources, and is created by workers in deplorable and unsafe working conditions.
On the other hand, ethical and sustainable fashion takes a look at the entire lifecycle of the product to make it as safe and eco-friendly as possible. Sustainable clothing brands try to address the six main issues that fast fashion brands ignore.
- Waste: Sustainable clothing brands attempt to reduce as much waste as possible during production and after the clothing has run its course. This includes using recycled materials in the clothing and repairing clothing instead of throwing it away.
- Water usage: The demand for freshwater for drinking, farming, and manufacturing is surpassing the amount of water we have available. Sustainable clothing brands look at their supply chain to see where they can cut back on their water usage.
- Working conditions: Many fast fashion brands have dreadfully terrible working conditions in their factories. Some even use slave labor to make their clothing as cheaply as possible. Sustainable clothing brands follow fair labor and ethical production practices to protect workers.
- Hazardous chemicals: Many of the chemical dyes and finishes in fast fashion are dangerous for the workers. They can also pollute the water supply and make it unsafe for the entire community to consume. Sustainable clothing brands look for alternatives to these chemicals, such as natural dyes.
- Agriculture: Even though cotton is a natural fiber, it’s often requires a significant amount of pesticide to grow, which is harmful to wildlife and the people working on the farm. Sustainable clothing brands tend to use organic cotton, linen, and other fibers to protect the environment and farmers. They also look for ways to use less water than conventional growing methods.
- Short lifecycle: One reason we call it fast fashion is because it’s here today and gone tomorrow. The biggest goal in sustainable fashion is to encourage people to buy less and make the clothing last longer. That’s why they create simple and classic styles you can wear again and again for years to come.
Ethical and Sustainable Clothing Brands
Now that you know why you should switch from fast fashion to sustainable clothing brands, it’s time to discover some of your best options. The following list of the best sustainable and ethical clothing brands offers something for everyone in the family and for every budget.
1. ABLE
ABLE is a sustainable clothing brand based in Nashville, Tennessee. The company creates a variety of beautiful women’s apparel, accessories, and shoes that will become staples of your wardrobe. Their leather bags are some of their most popular items.
Related: Where to Find the Most Affordable and Comfortable Eco-Friendly Jeans
Most of the items that ABLE sells are made by women around the world who are paid fairly for their work. They believe that employing and empowering women can help end the poverty cycle.
In the name transparency, the company publishes it wages online to hold itself accountable to its goals.
2. Beya Made
If you have kids, you know they can grow like weeds. This past fall, I bought my son a couple pairs of pants. They fit perfectly for about a month. Then he had a growth spurt. Seemingly overnight we had pants that no longer fit him.
Fortunately, that’s not a problem with Beya Made clothing. This is one of the best sustainable brands of children’s clothing because it’s designed to adjust as children grow. This means the clothing can fit 3x longer, which means you don’t need to buy new pieces every few months.
To help make sure these pieces last as long as possible, Beya Made also uses durable and stain-resistant fabrics. These fabrics come from other American manufacturers who milled more than they needed, which keeps the discarded remnants out of the landfill.
3. Tentree
If you’re shopping for sustainable women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, Tentree is an excellent option. This company is both ethical and sustainable.
They believe in fair and safe workplaces, and they’re a certified B-Corporation. In addition to taking care of people, they also believe in taking care of the planet. They use organic cotton, recycled materials, low-impact dyes, and eco-friendly packaging.
Through all of that, they’re able to keep their clothing prices affordable, so you can get plenty of sustainable essentials without breaking the bank.
Related: Make Your Sustainable Wardrobe Complete With the Best Eco-Friendly Underwear
While all of these initiatives are great, what really makes Tentree one of the best sustainable clothing brands is the fact that it’s actively working to protect our world by planting 10 trees for every item purchased.
Every piece of clothing comes with a unique tag that has a tree code specific to your 10 trees. After you register your tree code, you can see where your trees are planted and track their growth.
This is an amazing way to give back while still enjoying comfortable and stylish clothing!
Related: The Best Affordable and Sustainable Maternity Clothes
4. Cariloha
Cariloha combines the spirit of aloha with the style of the Caribbean for unbelievably comfortable clothing that you’ll want to wear again and wear. The company offers stylish clothes made of viscose from bamboo, which is one of the most eco-friendly resources on the planet.
Related: Cotton vs. Microfiber: Which Is More Eco-Friendly?
To make sure the entire manufacturing process is gentle on the planet from start to finish, the bamboo is grown on a sustainably run farm, harvested and processed safely, and produced in Fair Trade factories.
The men’s and women’s clothing from Cariloha not only looks amazing, but it also feels incredible. You’ll love the super comfortable tops, bottoms, socks, underwear, and sleepwear.
5. United By Blue
Another great option for sustainable outdoor wear is United By Blue. This Pennsylvania-based company offers an outstanding selection of men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel, accessories, outdoor gear, and even some of the best sustainable swimwear.
Related: The Best Reef-Safe Natural Sunscreen
Plus, the company focuses on more than just selling sustainable and ethical clothing. For every product sold, the company also removes one pound of trash from our oceans and waterways.
You can find United by Blue clothing at EarthHero. If you decide to shop with this top zero waste online store, be sure to use the code EARTHFRIENDLY to take 10% off your order!
6. Thought Clothing
Thought Clothing makes timeless and sustainable pieces that are actually affordable. The company uses organic cotton and other natural and sustainable materials to create its clothing.
It has also developed a strong relationship with its suppliers and factories to make sure that every person who touches the clothing is treated respectfully with safe working conditions and fair wages.
7. Soul Flower
Soul Flower is one of my favorite sustainable clothing brands when I need a soft and comfortable T-shirt. I have several designs from this company, and they’ve all held up well over the years.
Not only is the clothing cute and comfortable, but I feel good knowing I’m supporting a company that follows the same green practices that are important to me.
The company uses organic cotton, low-impact dyes, recycles everything it can, and ships its products using eco-friendly materials. The company also produces a lot of clothing and accessories in the United States. Plus, items that are imported are Fair Trade Certified and ethically made.
8. Toad&Co
You’ll find plenty of stylish and sustainable clothing options for men and women when you shop at Toad&Co. The company uses a variety of sustainable fabrics to create its comfortable pieces, such as organic cotton, hemp, and Tencel.
The clothing collections include shirts, pants, shorts, dresses, skirts, jackets, accessories, and more — everything you need to put together a complete wardrobe!
In addition to creating sustainable clothing, Toad&Co also follows a variety of eco-friendly practices. The company is part of 1% for the Planet. They’re also participating in an innovative to reduce packaging waste by shipping with reusable packages.
If you want to participate, simply select “Reusable Shipper” at checkout and your clothes will arrive in a reusable package that you can return so the company can use it again and again. Of course, if you don’t want to participate (or they don’t have any reusable packages available at the moment) then your clothes will arrive in a cardboard box that you can compost or recycle.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Composting
9. Reformation
If you think shopping for sustainable clothing means you’re stuck buying boring clothing, think again. Reformation makes on-trend pieces that you’ll love wearing year after year.
Even better, the California-based company creates its clothing and accessories using sustainable and upcycled materials in a fair wage environment.
10. Organic Basics
Do you need basics like underwear, bras, socks, and tees? Then Organic Basics has you covered. This sustainable clothing brand uses a variety of sustainable and ethical practices to make sure the company is as low impact as possible.
The only work with trusted factories that ensure the workplace is free of child labor and forced labor. They also only use natural, renewable, recycled, biodegradable, and low-impact textiles in their basics.
Even more amazing, the company has a low impact website that can actually make your entire shopping experience more sustainable!
Related: Discover Why Everyone Raves About Eco-Friendly TENCEL
11. Patagonia
Patagonia was one of the first brands to push for environmental and human ethics in the fashion industry. And the company is still going strong today.
If you’re looking for the best sustainable activewear or any type of outdoor clothing for men, women, and children, Patagonia is the place to shop. Not only does the company use sustainable materials whenever it can, but it also keep clothing out of the landfill by helping you repair your clothes and gear to make them last longer.
They will also buy and resell their own styles, which means you can get credit for bringing in your old Patagonia clothing and have the opportunity buy pre-owned items at a lower cost.
12. Pact
When you try on one of the super soft T-shirts, dresses, pants, or underwear made by Pact, you won’t want to wear anything else. Even better, the company works hard to make sure that everything from growing the organic cotton to the final sewing of the clothing is as clean and ethical as possible.
The company offers what they like to call “guilt-free” fashion. That means using organic cotton that requires less water than conventional cotton, not using harmful chemicals, practicing Fair Trade Factory Certified manufacturing, and offering ways to reuse or recycle what you buy.
13. SAOLA
When we’re putting together a sustainable wardrobe, we often think about the clothes we’re wearing. However, we don’t give much thought to the shoes we’re wearing. Fortunately, SAOLA makes it easy to get stylish, comfortable, and eco-friendly shoes for men and women.
Not only are these shoes unbelievably lightweight and comfy, but they’re also some of the most sustainable shoes you’ll ever wear. They’re made from a variety of sustainable materials, including organic cotton, algae, cork, and recycled plastic.
SAOLA is also committed to protecting the other animals that live on this planet. That’s why they’re part of 1% for the Planet and they donate to the Malua Wildlife Trust.
14. Carmen Sol
You might have worn jelly shoes when you were a little kid. Well, thanks to Carmen Sol, they’re now back. They’re also better than ever because they’re made from eco-friendly materials and they include stylish bags and accessories.
These beautiful and stylish shoes and bags are made from 100% recycled jelly material. Not only is this jelly material vegan and cruelty-free, but it’s also completely recyclable, which means styles can be reused to create new ones.
Best of all, the jelly material is easy to sanitize. All you have to do is use an alcohol-based sanitizer to wipe germs away!
15. Outdoor Voices
Activewear brands aren’t always known for their sustainability, but Outdoor Voices is changing that. This company uses recycled materials and ethical production practices to create clothes you can sweat in.
The company makes their clothing with longevity in mind, which means you can keep your favorite pieces in your closet and out of the landfill. They’re also committed to using packaging that’s both recycled and recyclable.
Related: The Best Natural Bug Spray for Summer Fun
16. People Tree
People Tree is a pioneer in the environmentally sustainable and Fair Trade fashion movement. For over 20 years, the company has worked with Fair Trade farmers and artisans around the world to develop a variety of ethically made clothing. Whether you’re shopping for clothes you can wear to work, yoga, or on casual days, you’re sure to find everything you need at People Tree.
You can feel better knowing your clothes are dyed using low-impact dyes and created using natural materials whenever possible to avoid plastics and other toxic substances.
Related: The Best Sustainable and Non-Toxic Yoga Mats
Ethical and Sustainable Clothing Brands
The next time you’re shopping for some new clothes, you can feel good knowing the pieces you’re buying aren’t harming the environment or the people who make them when you buy from these best ethical and sustainable clothing brands.
More Eco-Friendly Tips
Now that you know more about the best sustainable clothing brands, are you interested in other tips that can help you live a more eco-friendly life? Then be sure to check out a few of our other popular posts:
- Best Safety Razor for Beginners
- 9 Best Reusable Straws
- Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Common Household Products
- Best Eco-Friendly Toothbrush
