Honestly this was a hard blog post to write because now I JUST WANT TO GO SHOPPING! Seriously though all of these sustainable fashion brands are AMAZING and they are so worth the investment because you are also saving the environment! My new motto is to shop smarter and buy a few things that I absolutely love instead of many things that aren’t even that great.
We’ve all been there… we fill our carts with 10 items and the total is…. ONLY $100! It’s such a good deal! But the package comes and after trying everything on only 2 are worth keeping? Seriously everything else looks horrible in person, the fabric sucks, the fit is all wrong, and you end up returning more than half and feeling super disappointed with your still lacking wardrobe.
Then there is that one item in your closet that is a staple in your wardrobe and you end up wearing multiple times a week because its just awesome! Think about those items that you wear almost every week. How much did you spend on them? Maybe $100? Or even $200? It felt crazy at the time to spend so much on just one thing… but if you do the math and break down the cost per wear of the item you’d probably be at $1-$5 per wear by now! That’s so worth the $100! And that item you bought for just $10 seemed like a good idea at the time, but you’ve maybe worn it once and now it’s just wasting space in your closet!
It is time to say NO MORE to this cycle of buying cheap and returning less than quality clothing from cheap brands…. not only are these brands not helping your closet, they are harming the environment! Cheap and fast fashion are inherently bad for the earth and we need to show fashion companies that we demand quality over quantity. Our purchasing behaviors can seriously impact the shift to better practices in the fashion industry!
Think about high ticket items as a real investment THAT WILL PAY OFF in wears! And that’s what sustainable fashion is all about. It’s about spending a little more on something that is good for the environment and that you will keep and love for a long time to come. And trust me these brands I’m about to show you are WELL WORTH the investment! Read on for my top 6 Sustainable Fashion Brands that I know you’ll absolutely LOVE!
1. Everlane
Company Motto: We believe we can all make a difference. Our way: Exceptional Quality. Ethical Factories. Radical Transparency
Style: Everyday basics
Well known for: sustainable denim, shoes, and cashmere sweaters.
My favorite part about Everlane is their radical transparency mission. Of course they can’t be perfect but it feels so good to know that they are sharing every step of the process so I can really see how my clothes are being made. They even share WHAT THE CLOTHES COST TO MAKE and why they set their prices. This is huge because most fashion companies would never share their mark-ups and give away their margins. It makes me want to buy from them that much more!
Prices range from $40 for a tee to $100 for a sweater and ONLY $68 for DENIM! Count me in!
And their feature on each factory they work with is revolutionary. Everlane is changing the face of fashion for the better and setting standards that every company should be held to! Transparency is step one in educating consumers and creating demand for the right things.
Company Motto: We believe good things come to those who don’t waste. We believe health and wellness come in many shapes and sizes, and that representation matters.
Style: Athlesiure
Well known for: their leggings made from RECYCLED WATER BOTTLES in incredible colors
My favorite part about the Girlfriend Collective is their efforts to make every step of the process as sustainable as possible. They share exactly where they source their recycled water bottles, how they are processed and spun into fibers, and even about their clean dye process. THIS IS HUGE for the fashion industry because dying fabric is one of the biggest sources of pollution. Girlfriend Collective not only treats their water after the dying process and sends it back out cleaner then it came in, they also use the extracted “mud” with the dyes and send this to a paving company to create stones for sidewalks! HOW COOL! They even have a legging made from recycled fishing nets from the ocean!! I could go on and on but this company is seriously DOING THINGS for the sustainability in fashion.
Prices range from $38 for a sports bra to only $78 FOR LEGGINGS! That’s cheaper than most athleisure companies out there AND THEY ARE SUSTAINABLE!
I am loving their new t-shirts for Breast Cancer Research Center where 100% of the profits go to research. With 0% waste! Girlfriend Collective is putting in the time and doing the research to create more sustainable textiles in amazing colors for all sizes. Hopefully more companies will follow suit.
Company Motto: Making better things in a better way
Style: Shoes
Well known for: their sustainable sneakers made from wool and tree fibers that are INSANELY COMFY
My favorite part about AllBirds is their simple business model of taking away all the bells and whistles from the competitive sneaker industry and focusing on simplicity of design, insane comfort and sourcing from nature! They want to combat the Nikes and Adidas of the world and show them that shoes can be made sustainably and simply!
Their sneakers are just $95! Beat that NIKE!
AllBirds admits that they can’t be perfect and they still have emissions from their sheep belching in the fields to gas from all the airplanes in their shipping. They do their best to minimize any impacts and whatever they can’t get rid of they just OFFSET! This means they take their profits and put them towards planting new trees or protecting the rainforest to help offset their bad to the environment with some good! I love this initiative that seriously EVERY FASHION company could adopt!
Company Motto: Offering women a clean product that is just as beautiful as it is sustainable.
Style: Casual lifestyle clothing
Well known for: their trendy graphic tees and everyday basics
I love Mate the Label for their insanely cute graphic tees that are the softest and best tees I’ve ever owned. Seriously I have 3 and I want my collection to keep growing! They are sassy and a total girl boss brand that’s sustainable to boot! You’ll be obsessed.
Prices range from $52-$68 for tees, and their pants and sweaters come in at $108-$120
Mate The Label is THE WHOLE PACKAGE! They use organic cotton and the cleanest materials for their fabrics, they produce everything in LA within 10 miles of their headquarters to decrease shipping emissions, and they ask customers to return their products instead of throwing them away so they can be recycled into new products! I wish every company was as dedicated AND as cute as Mate the Label!
Company Motto: We believe in doing things the right way- simple as that. No cutting corners, no hidden agenda.
Style: Bohemian timeless classics
Well known for: their flowy floral dresses
I love Christy Dawn because they have made sustainability fashionable! It is like the Free People of sustainable fashion and their designs and fabrics are to die for! These are the dresses you’ll want to live in – timeless, versatile pieces that you’ll reach for day after day.
Prices range from $88 for tops, $198 for pants and $248-$328 for dresses
Christy Dawn is not the most affordable sustainable fashion brand and they know it. But they want you to see the VALUE in one of their pieces. Every piece is sourced from deadstock fabrics in LA which means they are using fabrics that otherwise would have been thrown in the landfill. THRIFTING at its best! And all production is made in LA by the best seamstresses who are paid fair wages and treated like family! So even if the price may seem a little high think about all that goes into a dress and realize that a little extra money is worth the quality and fair wage.
Company Motto: Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We’re #2.
Style: Vintage inspired everyday fashion
Well known for: their bright colors and vintage dresses
I love Reformation because they completely revolutionized the world of fashion and didn’t follow any of the “normal” rules. They source deadstock fabric, design to their own cycle and don’t try to hit seasons or trends 6 months away. They have their own factory and produce right here in LA, and they track every impact and tell their customers the exact sustainability rating for each garment.
Prices range from $38-$128 for tops, pants $98-$178 and dresses $148-$278
Reformation is so much more than a one stop shop for Sustainable fashion. They have launched eco-friendly denim, lingerie, shoes and swim lines, in addition to its bridal and petite collections. Their brick and mortar stores are also a cause for interest and landed them seed funding for their new ideas about retail. Instead of having racks filled with every size they keep their stores looking like a sales room with one of each style. If you want to try something on you use the touch screens on the wall to fill your dressing room and when you show up your dressing room is filled with all of your favorite styles. It is a digital experience similar to shopping online and draws customers to the store just to experience it. It’s not an overwhelming shopping experience like it can be at the mall these days, and they see this as the future of retail shopping.
I hope this has sparked your interest in a new sustainable brand and will help you think twice about where you are spending your money and how you want to fill your closet. Look for the companies who are transparent, caring and working towards doing better for our planet!
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