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Girl twirling in the forest

Did you know it takes 2,000 gallons of water to make a pair of jeans? That’s so crazy, right? Fast fashion is the second-largest consumer of water in the world. Additionally, fast fashion contributes to many environmental, social, and safety issues worldwide. According to Earth.org, 85% of garments go into landfills each year! Not to mention the way fast fashion often uses child labor in production. Knowing this, I think we can all agree that fast fashion is awful, and we should all work to support sustainable fashion brands.

What is Sustainable Fashion?

Before we take a look at these eco-friendly clothing companies, I think it is essential to explain what sustainable fashion brands are. I believe for a fashion brand to be sustainable it needs to use ethically grown and sourced high-quality fabrics, provide living wages for all employees, have safe work environments, represent people of color, and have size inclusivity.

You may ask why I chose size inclusivity as a measure of sustainability. Many “so-called” sustainable fashion brands only go up to size L or XL, which targets just a select few. Since the average size of a woman in the U.S. is a size 16, with some sources saying it can even be an 18, these brands’ sizing just doesn’t cut it. 

With that out of the way, let’s dive in.

1. Tonle’

This brand easily takes the number one spot on the list. Tonle’ is an amazing company with a 98 rating from remakeworld.com. Everything from fair wages, excellent working conditions, sustainable fabrics, low water and energy consumption, BIPOC representation, gender neutrality, and inclusive sizes, this brand has it all! 

I would say out of all the sustainable fashion brands I chose, this one is the most environmentally conscious and genuinely dedicated to ethical fashion.

They also have a really awesome program that allows consumers to trade in clothes they don’t really wear anymore instead of throwing them away.

What a cool idea to get a new outfit and to keep more fabrics out of landfills. Plus, they have really cute stuff! That’s just the icing on top of this green cake.

Model in a jumpsuit from sustainable fashion brand Tonle
Image courtesy of Tonle

2. Eileen Fisher

This sustainable fashion brand goes the extra mile to make sure that the fibers chosen for their clothing come from ethical sources. This is especially the case when it comes to wool production.

Eileen Fisher chooses farmers that are committed to regenerative and ethical farming practices. Regenerative farming actually helps the soil to grow even stronger and richer over time.

They also harvest wool in a way that doesn’t cause any harm to the sheep, unlike many factory farms. Knowing that purchasing from this brand is directly supporting these amazing eco-friendly practices is a wonderful feeling.

Another thing I love about this brand is that they help people create their own capsule wardrobes using their clothing. What a great way to support eco minimalism! 

Image courtesy of Eileen Fisher

3. Veja

Looking for sustainably-produced sneakers? Look no further! Veja is a wonderful sustainable fashion brand with a remakeworld.com score of 56. Veja uses organic sustainably-grown and sourced cotton. Additionally, they pay their workers a fair wage in high-standard Brazillian factories instead of producing their goods in Chinese factories where the workers are often treated unfairly.

This brand really impressed me with its transparency. They go into detail about the processes they use to ensure their shoes do not have any toxic chemicals. They have all their test results listed on their website as well. This brand is also a B-rated corporation so you know you can trust that they are going about things the right way. All in all, it’s hard to go wrong purchasing sneakers from Veja.

Photo of white sneakers with yellow accents in a box.
Image courtesy of Veja

4. Reformation

I really love the way Reformation has taken the initiative to have a local factory where they can monitor the working conditions of their employees and they make sure to pay them a living wage. Since they don’t produce clothing overseas there is a bigger price tag than some of the other brands.

However, I think it is really important to do our best to support businesses that are doing more work locally. It really helps to build the American economy in a more eco-friendly and ethical way. It also limits the carbon emissions from having to ship items internationally. That’s huge!

As if that wasn’t enough, I love the variety of styles this sustainable fashion brand has to offer. There is something for everyone.

Model posing in green dress courtesy of reformation.
Image courtesy of Reformation

5. Organic Basics

Organic Basics is fantastic in regards to size inclusion, comfortability, and ethical practices. When looking for lingerie, it can be a real struggle to find anything that isn’t made of rayon, nylon, or acrylic. These are all horrible for the earth and contribute to loads of toxic waste festering in our landfills every year. This company solves that problem.

All of their lingerie is from organic cotton, recycled nylon,  Tencel ™  Lyocell, recycled cashmere, recycled wool, Silver Tech ™, and Polygiene ®. I also love the design of their bras. It is comfortable and practical to wear while still being sexy.

Organic Basics is one of the sustainable fashion brands on ENTITY Mag's list.
Image courtesy of Organic Basics

6. Girlfriend Collective

If you are looking for sustainable activewear then Girlfriend Collective has got your back. Out of all the sustainable fashion brands on this list, this one is sure to wow you with its recycling initiatives. They use recycled water bottles, fishing nets, and fabric scraps to make their clothing. How cool is that?

This brand also has something called the ReGirlfriend program where you can ship back your old Girlfriend clothing to be recycled into something new. Not only that, you get a $15 store credit for doing so. Who doesn’t want to get paid to recycle?

Two models posing in GirlfriendCollective activewear holding flowers.
Image courtesy of Girlfriend Collective

7.   Christy Dawn

This brand shows a lot of support for regenerative agricultural practices which we love to see. Additionally, they use primarily “deadstock” fabrics which are scrap fabrics left behind from different manufacturers. However, some of their other fabrics include organic cotton, alpaca, and regenerative cotton.

Something that is really unique about this company is that they have a program where you can grow your own dress by investing in regenerative farming. They detail week by week each step that goes into growing the fiber for your dress.

What a cool way to connect with where our clothing comes from!

Model outside wearing blue dress from Christy Dawn, holding a basket and sniffing a flower.
Image courtesy of Christy Dawn

8. Everlane 

I was impressed with this brand’s transparency. Everlane is working on becoming more sustainable than they already are and are honest about its journey.

Right now, the company has improved by making sure 97% of the clothing that is made from polyester and nylon comes from recycled materials. For their footwear, they use 45% recycled materials. In the same vein, all of their shipping bags are made from 100% recycled plastic.

That is definitely a step in the right direction. In addition to using recycled materials, they use 100% organic cotton and clean denim. Not to mention, the brand is transparent about the working conditions of its laborers.

As far as style, this brand has amazing variety all on one site. That makes the shopping experience really convenient, and they have awesome plus-size options. 

Image courtesy of Everlane.
Image Courtesy of Everlane

9. Athleta

I love Athleta for its size inclusivity, the fact that it is a B-certified corporation, and its variety of options for everyday clothing. Also, the price point is a lot more attainable for the average American as opposed to some of the other sustainable brands out there. It is important to have options for every price point and Athleta definitely fits the bill.

Because its parent company is GAP, this brand has the ability to have a larger reach. That is really important when considering the global impact.

I also believe it is important to support big brands who make the switch to more sustainable options because then only more will follow. Remember, we vote with our dollars.

Model posing in floral dress from Athleta.
Courtesy of Athleta

10. Ace & Jig

What an adorable brand! If you love colorful clothes with unique patterns and want the comfort of knowing their dyes and fabrics were processed ethically, then Ace & Jig is the brand for you. I especially love the jumpsuits on this site. They are quirky, bright, and wearable for every day. They also have a take-back program that allows you to ship back old clothes you purchased from them and get a $20 store credit to purchase a new item. The old item gets recycled into something new. Furthermore, they are a small business located in the U.SA. I’m here for it!

Sustainable fashion brand Ace & Jig models wearing colorful dresses.
Courtesy of Ace & Jig

What to Watch Out for When Shopping for Sustainable Fashion Brands.

Greenwashing

A common problem that newbies to ethical fashion face is something called greenwashing. This is a tool some big companies use to act like they are being sustainable in order to benefit from consumers who are looking to purchase more eco-friendly items, but actually, they are not. Some examples of brands that have been called out for greenwashing are Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo. Basically, they took the same clothes and put an eco-friendly label on them, and called it a day. Not cool!

This is why it is very important to check for a brand’s transparency before purchasing.

A good rule of thumb is if it’s not easy to find out about their practices, then it is most likely not sustainable. Pretty much every sustainable brand will show its practices and values on its website. If they don’t, it’s a red flag!

True sustainable fashion brands list their practices.
Gif courtesy of Giphy



What is a B-Certified Corporation and Why Does it Matter?

For a company to obtain a B-certification they have to go through a detailed and rigorous certification process that assesses the business’s social and environmental impact, the safety of its working conditions for employees, the transparency of its practices, and requires that they be held legally accountable by stakeholders.

Companies that choose to obtain this certification are brands that are really committed to sustainability on multiple levels within the corporation. If a brand has this certification you can feel safe purchasing from them and know that its products were ethically produced. 

ENTITY Mag shares sustainable fashion brands.
Courtesy of Noah Buscher/Unsplash

Now it’s up to you to get out there and shop sustainably. Hopefully, these tips and this list of brands will help you to vote with your wallet when shopping for that next cute outfit. Let’s save the planet in style!

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