Consumers are becoming more mindful of the environmental and social impacts of the clothing they buy. That’s why we want to recommend the 8 best sustainable fashion brands that are good for the environment, ethical, and stylish.
Why Is Sustainable Fashion Important?
We have shared the basics about fast and sustainable fashion in the previous blog if you want to dig deeper.
To be specific, sustainable fashion is the movement that aims to diminish the negative impacts of the fashion industry on the environment, the workers, and the consumers. This term contains various aspects, such as:
- Ethical and fair-trade fashion: It means the products are made with respect for human rights and labor standards, ensuring fair wages, safe working conditions, and no exploitation or discrimination for the workers in the production process.
- Eco-friendly or ‘green’ fashion: These brands produce clothing with minimal or no environmental harm. They use natural or organic materials, renewable or recycled resources, and energy-efficient processes.
- Vegan and cruelty-free fashion: The companies avoid animal-derived materials or products, such as leather, fur, wool, silk, or feathers, without animal testing or harm.
- Slow fashion: Companies following this concept focus on creating high-quality clothing – creative, durable, and timeless over trendy.
- Upcycled fashion: This idea indicates clothing made with discarded or unwanted materials or products that are transformed into new and valuable items.
- Thrifting, swapping, sharing, and renting fashion: They are alternative modes of acquiring clothing that extend the life cycle of garments and reduce waste generation.
Sustainable fashion is vital when the fast fashion industry is one of the most harmful and exploitative industries. According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the fashion companies are responsible for the following:
- 10% of worldwide carbon emissions, more than all international flights and marine shipping combined.
- 20% of global wastewater due to textiles’ dyeing and finishing processes.
- 85% of textiles going to landfills or incineration yearly, equal to one garbage truck full of clothes every second.
- The depletion of natural resources, such as water, cotton, oil, and minerals, at an alarming rate.
- The exposure of workers and consumers to hazardous chemicals that can cause health issues and environmental damage.
- The violation of human rights, includes child labor, forced labor, low wages, long hours, unsafe conditions, and gender discrimination.
By choosing sustainable and ethical clothing brands, you can help reduce these influences and support a more positive change in fast fashion.
Best Sustainable Fashion Brands
If you’re looking for some fantastic sustainable clothing brands that offer chic, eco-friendly clothes for your wardrobe, here are some of our favorites:
MUD Jeans
MUD Jeans is a Dutch denim brand that follows a circular production model. They use organic cotton and recycled denim to make their jeans, designed to last and be repaired. In fact, their latest numbers show that they’ve saved 72% of water and 41% of CO2 emissions compared to regular jeans.
More than making jeans, MUD Jeans also takes back old ones, even from other brands, to recycle them. That means they’re closing the loop and ensuring consumers can use their products repeatedly.
Also, the brand cares about the people who make their jeans. They keep their supply chain short and create a good working environment for everyone.
But here’s the best part: MUD Jeans offers a unique service called Lease A Jeans. In this section, customers can rent a pair of jeans at a discounted price and return them for a new item after a year.
When you return your jeans, they are either refurbished or recycled into new jeans. For its environmental and social standards, MUD Jeans has also received certifications from various organizations, including the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the Fair Wear Foundation, and the Nordic Swan Ecolabel.
Ninety Percent
What is sustainable fashion? Ninety Percent is the perfect example of this question. This company is a London-based brand that offers contemporary and versatile clothing for women.
Nine Percent only uses natural, organic, and recycled materials, such as organic cotton, Tencel, linen, and recycled polyester, to make its clothes. The production process proves that these products adhere to high standards of quality and safety.
Moreover, this sustainable brand donates 90% of its profits to charitable causes, including education, women’s rights, animal welfare, and environmental protection. As an eco-conscious shopper, you can choose which cause you want to support when you buy from Ninety Percent.
So, it’s time to join the movement for a better world with Ninety Percent. Remember that your choice matters!
House of Marici
House of Marici is a unique accessories brand that cares deeply about our environment. It was launched on World Earth Day in 2020 and is based in London. The brand believes in positive change and aims to make a difference.
Marici’s commitment to preserving the environment and traditional craftsmanship is one thing that sets it apart. They create their designs using discarded plants and by-products from other industries. This process gives a second life to materials that might otherwise go to waste.
Their unique creations are made with love and care by skilled artisans in Florence, Italy, using traditional techniques. Each handbag comes in limited quantities, making it a part of the slow fashion movement.
Every piece from House of Marici tells a story of protecting our planet, embracing traditional craftsmanship, and making mindful choices. It’s about wearing something beautiful with a deeper meaning and a connection to the environment.
Whimsy & Row
Whimsy & Row is a bright name among affordable sustainable fashion brands. They avoid harming the planet while creating beautiful clothing by making limited quantities of each piece. That means each item they create is unique and doesn’t produce any waste. The brand manages how much it needs to make of each product by having a waitlist feature on its website.
What’s more? Whimsy & Row produces their clothing locally, which is good for the environment.
Furthermore, they want their pieces to be unique, and by making them nearby, they can visit the factories often to ensure the workers are treated well and paid fairly.
As of 2020, they have avoided 44,135 in carbon emissions. Whimsy & Row has partnered with Carbonfund.org to offset these numbers. By supporting the use of renewable energy and planting tree projects, Whimsy & Row focuses on making a difference in fashion.
If you’re an eco-conscious shopper who wants to look good and do good, Whimsy & Row is the way to go. Choose your favorite items and purchase to make a difference today!
Afends
Afends is another remarkable name among the list of best sustainable fashion brands. They started in 2006 by creating print band merchandise for punk and hardcore bands.
Over time, Afends infused the culture of surfing and skateboarding into the punk and hardcore movement of the 2000s. This unique blend shaped the Afends style that we see today.
What sets Afends apart is their strong dedication to the environment and society. They always focus on making a positive impact on people and the planet.
Beyond just words, Afends takes action. They are committed to supporting various causes that align with their values. Some notable projects they support include Plastic Free July, Afends for Equality, and the Hemp Revolution.
A.BCH
The following sustainable brand we want to introduce is A.BCH. The brand shared that it desires to shift towards a circular economy with a sustainable and responsible approach.
Circular design is at the core of A.BCH’s mission. It involves creating products and systems that follow three main principles: designing to minimize waste, saving materials and products in use, and regenerating natural systems.
Inspired by the work of Cradle2Cradle and The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, A.BCH has been perfecting its circular process since 2016. Here’s how they make a difference:
- Sustainable materials: They use 100% regenerative and biologically circular materials for all their clothing.
- Durable products: A.BCH focuses on creating products that last, can be repaired, and remanufactured to reduce waste.
- Reducing waste: They track, lessen, and eliminate material and energy waste at every stage, from industrial to post-consumer phases.
- Responsibility: The brand takes responsibility for the items they create, providing extended care and encouraging responsible disposal.
A.BCH wants its clothes to be affordable to everyone. The brand prices them reasonably and avoids the high markups of traditional retail. For these actions, A.BCH has proved that fashion can and should do better for the planet and people.
Kings of Indigo
Kings of Indigo, starting in Amsterdam in 2011, has been a pioneer in making fashion better for the environment for years. They’ve come up with great ideas to make clothes eco-friendly: From finding dyes that don’t pollute much to using recycled fabrics, the name “Kings of Indigo” has been at the forefront of sustainable fashion.
They even made biodegradable stretch denim, showing how devoted they are to making things sustainably. Kings of Indigo was the first to use blockchain technology to trace their denim, so buyers can know exactly where their clothes come from.
There are 5 essential rules they follow: use planet-friendly materials, reduce water waste, be conscious of transportation, manage waste, and ensure fair working conditions. These show how Kings of Indigo care about their consumers, society, and environment.
If you’re passionate about sustainability and fashion, join Kings of Indigo in their journey to make a positive impact.
Stella McCartney
The final name in our list of best sustainable fashion brands is Stella McCartney. McCartney is a renowned designer who has changed the traditional definition of eco-friendly fashion.
She emphasizes that being ‘eco’ doesn’t mean sacrificing luxury, beauty, or style in clothing. McCartney refuses to use leather or fur, but chooses organic fabrics and focuses on protecting our forests and environment.
Her brand, also named Stella McCartney, has set high standards for ethical and responsible practices in the fashion industry. They base their guidelines on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and industry best practices.
Stella McCartney believes that a successful business benefits not only the economy but also society and the environment. They achieve this by using innovative materials, promoting sustainable farming practices, and creating products designed to last.
Sounds good, right? Then, let’s take a step towards sustainable fashion with Stella McCartney today!
The Bottom Line
These 8 best sustainable fashion brands are how we can be stylish while protecting the environment. Each brand has a unique way of contributing to a more green fashion industry, so make your choice wisely and be a part of these journeys.
