10 Affordable, Sustainable and Ethical Clothing Brands
Jan 22, 2020
In an Environmental Science context, “to be sustainable is to not cause harm to the environment or to deplete natural resources and thereby support long-term ecological balance.”
And according to bizfluent.com, to be ethical is to “conform to accepted moral standards.”
And, though it may seem like a pointless question to ask, why is it important that we pay attention to a company’s sustainability and ethical standards when we shop?
Well. It’s important to value sustainability because we are inhabitants of this planet and therefore it is our responsibility to take care of it.
Disclaimer: This is not a political statement. I am simply saying that we need to take care of what we have been given. Also - let me just go on the record to say that I came up with Greta’s name from my beloved Jetta that I had in college.
And, we are also people so it’s important to make sure we are all fairly treated and represented no matter where we are and what we do.
It’s no secret that the fashion industry is responsible for so much of the disarray that our planet is experiencing both when it comes to the environment and the treatment of its workers world-wide.
The good news is with growing awareness and a resulting push to do better, so many clothing companies have been truly stepping up in efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and to overall improve the living conditions of millions worldwide.
In conducting my research, I discovered that the list of said clothing companies is much longer than I expected, which was wonderful and encouraging.
To start, here are 10 sustainable and ethical clothing brands that stood out to me.
Instead of summarizing each company with my own words, I’ve included verbiage found on each brand’s website to help you get a true picture of what they are all about.
Pact
“WHAT’S GUILT-FREE FASHION? EASY: ORGANIC COTTON, FAIR TRADE FACTORY CERTIFIED, ZERO HARMFUL CHEMICALS, AND PROCESSES THAT USE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS WATER THAN CONVENTIONAL COTTON. PLUS, WE OFFER WAYS TO RECYCLE OR REUSE YOUR OLD CLOTHING, TOWELS AND LINENS, WHICH FREES YOU TO CONSUME CONSCIOUSLY. THAT’S GUILT-FREE. WE’RE WORKING TO CHANGE FAST FASHION INTO ETHICAL FASHION, AND LIKE ALL BIG CHANGES, #EASYDOESIT. JOIN US ON OUR MISSION TO OFFER CONSCIOUS COMFORT AND SUSTAINABLE FASHION FOR ALL.” - WEARPACT.COM
Sweater Sweatshirt - Jade
Photo from Pact
Style Saint
“WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION DESIGNER LABEL, A COMPANY DRIVEN BY OUR BELIEF THAT MAKING PRODUCTS THAT MATTER AND PIECES THAT LAST. BY FOCUSING ON QUALITY OVER QUANTITY - AND DESIGNING TIMELESS COLLECTIONS THAT ARE MEANT TO BE WORN YEAR-ROUND - WE STAND FIRM IN OUR BELIEF THAT FASHION SHOULD BE NEITHER FAST NOR DISPOSABLE.” - STYLESAINT.COM
Bella Button Down - Cobalt Silk
Photo from Style Saint
Thought Clothing
“CREATING THOUGHTFUL CLOTHING ALONE ISN’T ENOUGH. WE VALUE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND WANT TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT EVERYTHING WE TOUCH. THAT MEANS WE WORK ETHICALLY. FORM THE FABRICS WE USE, TO HOW WE DESIGN AND MAKE AND DELIVER OUR GARMENTS. WE THINK ABOUT EVERY IMPACT OUR BUSINESS HAS. AND IT’S WITH THE GREATER AIM OF MINIMISING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT.” - WEARETHOUGHT.COM
Brunhild Bamboo Fleece Top
Photo from Thought Clothing
Girlfriend Collective
“WE BELIEVE GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO DON’T WASTE. WE BELIEVE IN ETHICAL MANUFACTURING AND RECYCLED MATERIALS. BECAUSE OLD WATER BOTTLES AND FISHING NETS LOOK BETTER ON YOU THAN THEY DO CLOGGING LANDFILLS AND POLLUTING OCEANS… WE BELIEVE IN BEING TRANSPARENT, TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE YOUR CLOTHES, AND NEVER PUTTING OUR BOTTOM LINE BEFORE WHAT’S BEST FOR THE PLANET.” - GIRLFRIEND.COM
Clay Hummingbird Half Zip Windbreaker
Photo from Girlfriend Collective
People Tree
“OUR PRODUCERS USE TRADITIONAL SKILLS AND COMBINE THEM WITH NEW INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TO SUPPORT AND GROW THEIR BUSINESSES. BY USING SKILLS SUCH AS HAND WEAVING, HAND KNITTING OR HAND EMBROIDERY WE CREATE EMPLOYMENT IN RURAL AREAS WHERE WORK IS OFTEN SCARE. ALL CLOTHES ARE DYED USING LOW IMPACT DYES, FREE FROM HARMFUL AZO CHEMICALS WHICH ARE FREQUENTLY USED IN CLOTHING MANUFACTURE. WE USE NATURAL MATERIALS WHERE POSSIBLE, AVOIDING PLASTIC AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES.” - PEOPLETREE.COM
V&A Bamboo Print Top
Image from People Tree
Eileen Fisher
“OUR VISION IS FOR AN INDUSTRY WHERE HUMAN RIGHTS AND SUSTAINABILITY ARE NOT THE EFFECTS OF A PARTICULAR INITIATIVE BUT THE CAUSE OF A BUSINESS WELL RUN. WHERE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES ARE NOT UNFORTUNATE OUTCOMES BUT REASONS TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.” - EILEENFISHER.COM
Tensel Jersey Asymmetrical Tunic - Black
Photo from Eileen Fisher
Vetta
“WE ARE DEDICATED TO BEING RESPONSIBLE IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR BUSINESS, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE LITTLE THINGS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE… IN ADDITION TO SUSTAINABLE FABRICS, MOST OF THE BUTTONS AND ELASTIC WE USE ARE MADE IN THE USA. WE UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY ASPECT OF OUR SUPPLY CHAIN HAS AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE + THE PLANET, AND WE STRIVE TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE WITH EACH NEW COLLECTION.” - VETTACAPSULE.COM
The Wrap Jumpsuit in Black Canvas
Photo from Vetta
Patagonia
“AT PATAGONIA, WE APPRECIATE THAT ALL LIFE ON EARTH IS UNDER THREAT OF EXTINCTION. WE AIM TO USE THE RESOURCES WE HAVE - OUR BUSINESS, OUR INVESTMENTS, OUR VOICE AND OUR IMAGINATIONS - TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.” - PATAGONIA.COM
Patagonia Woman’s Los Gatos 1/4-Zip Fleece in Light Balsamic
Image from Patagonia
ABLE
“ABEL IS AN ETHICAL FASHION BRAND THAT EMPLOYS WOMEN AS A SOLUTION TO END POVERTY. WE’RE DEEPLY DEVOTED TO QUALITY - BOTH IN THE PRODUCTS WE MAKE AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE WE AIM TO PROVIDE. WE INVEST IN, TRAIN, AND EDUCATE WOMEN SO THEY CAN EARN A LIVING, BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY, AND THRIVE.” - LIVEFASHIONABLE.COM
The Naibi Cropped Jacket
Image from Able
Everlane
“AT EVERLANE, WE WANT THE RIGHT CHOICE TO BE AS EASY AS PUTTING ON A GREAT T-SHIRT. THAT’S WHY WE PARTNER WITH THE BEST, ETHICAL FACTORIES AROUND THE WORLD. SOURCE ONLY THE FINEST MATERIALS. AND SHARE THOSE STORIES WITH YOU - DOWN TO THE TRUE COST OF EVERY PRODUCT WE MAKE. IT’S A NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS. WE CALL IT RADICAL TRANSPARENCY.” - EVERLANE.COM
