If you’re looking to make an impact on the planet, one of the easiest ways is to become a conscious shopper – specifically, shopping with sustainable clothing brands.
We use our power to vote every single day by what we purchase. What we choose to wear directly correlates to the health of our planet – and ultimately, correlates to our physical health! From the chemicals used to grow conventional cotton (toxic pesticides, fertilizers, or GMOs that are all proven to harm the environment and farmers), to the carbon footprint of shipping and transportation of raw materials, we can make a positive impact by choosing to shop from brands that leave a smaller footprint on the earth.
And while there’s no such thing as 100% “eco-friendly clothing,” we’re all about supporting brands that are conscious of the environmental impact they make in the sales and production cycle.
I’ve done my research (aka, a lot of shopping) on the brands curating organic and sustainable clothing collections and compiled a list of my go-to favorites. Here’s a few of our top brands for sustainable and ethically-produced organic clothing that you can feel good treatin’ yourself on. Treat yourself and feel good about it.
ARQ
Pretty sure I’ve been swapping between my two wide-strap bras since I ordered them. They first started out as a children’s line, and since then has evolved into a beautiful selection of functional, organic cotton base-layers for both children and women alike. Not only are their basics comfy and flattering, you can feel good about wearing them too. ARQ’s products are manufactured in the US, GOTS certified, and the dye process they go through is either GOTS or BlueSign certified.
Not-so-fun fact: almost all synthetic activewear is made from plastic. Girlfriend Collective is becoming one of the more popular brands that has sustainability at the top of their priorities.
They’re one of the few activewear lines that uses recycled water bottles to make the fibers in their activewear line and they’re also pretty damn transparent about their sustainability efforts. Their Taiwan facility specializes in eco-friendly and high-quality textiles and is SA8000 certified (guaranteed fair wages, safe and healthy conditions, and zero forced or child labor.)
Reformation
My hands-down, go-to brand when I’m looking for a new outfit. Reformation is known for their effortlessly-chic jumpsuits and clothing. What makes them noteworthy is that they’ve been 100% carbon-neutral since 2015 and is currently working on getting their seal of approval with Climate Neutral. Reformation composts their organic wastes and donates textile scraps whenever possible (they even recycles over 75% of their waste.) They also use safe dyeing practices and Bluesign facilities to monitor air + water emissions and worker safety.
Rothy’s
What I love about Rothy’s: 1. the patterns, 2. the comfort and styles, and 3. they’re machine washable. Rothy’s uses plastic water bottles (over 30 million, to be exact) to transform them into stylish flats. And better yet, they own and operate their factory that’s strives for a zero waste standard wish sustainable, responsible manufacturing. Also, they just launched their new handbags that are equally as sustainable.
MATE THE LABEL
My go-to for matching sweat sets. Based out of LA, Mate prides themselves in being “v localized” – meaning their production circle is within ten miles, to be exact. They opt for local fulfillment, which means their products aren’t flying all around the globe and racking up a massive carbon footprint. Mate’s clothing articles are cut, sewn, dyed, packaged and shipped in compostable materials. Side note, they have some of the cutest graphic tee’s around.
Organic Basics
Based out of Denmark, Organic Basics provides high-quality underwear, tees and activewear that stay good for years to come (I’m wearing both their basic tee and underwear as I type this!) The company only uses fabrics that care for the environment and only partner with factories that care about their impact.
Pact Apparel
If you’re looking to purchase a few good quality, everyday pieces (think tee’s, soft joggers) look no further. Pact Apparel has been known for a while for their “guilt-free” fashion – organic cotton, Fair Trade Factory Certified, zero harmful chemicals, and processes that use significantly less water than conventional cotton manufacturing. Pact also offers ways to recycle or reuse your old clothing, towels and linens, which helps shoppers consume consciously. Not only are the tee’s super soft, they’re actually better for the environment and good for the people who played a part in making it.
337 Brand
Another awesome brand I stumbled across on IG. 337 Brand is a causal clothing company based and manufactured out of NYC. Their selection of tees, embroidered crop tops (my fav), dresses and basics are made from natural and recycled fibers with a low environmental impact. 337 Brand utilizes local supply chains which reduces shipping emissions and supports American businesses.
From their website: “Kindness Is Sexy™ — the core of our brand and words to live by. We are redefining what it means to be sexy through selfless acts and care for the planet, animals and each other.”
What are your favorite, sustainable clothing brands?
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