69 Sustainable Clothing Brands That Are Anything But Boring
The green and sustainable clothing, shoe, and underwear brands to shop from now
There was a time when 'sustainable clothing' would conjure images of unflattering and suspiciously scratchy styles. Thankfully, there are now a number of brands (and vintage shops) challenging that view.
When it comes to online shopping, there are tips we can take on board when trying to make our wardrobes more planet-friendly, whether it's organising clothes swaps with friends or investing in timeless, transitional pieces.
When you want to invest in new pieces, there are many brands taking steps to minimise the industry's carbon footprint and implement ethical practices too – all without ever compromising on style.
Some achieve a more sustainable status through the fabrics they use, opting for recycled materials or natural fabrics that biodegrade at the end of their life cycle. Others work on slowing down and reducing their production, for example making pieces to order or in very small batches. Either way, how much you love and wear the items is the true way to ensure any pieces of clothing are truly sustainable.
Here are 69 sustainable brands to consider investing in. So, happy shopping, and when or if you're ever done, be sure to put them up for resale - we've put together a guide to the best resale sites here.
Tekla
While you might know Tekla for their perfect striped bedding and towels, it's their sleepwear that has us truly enamoured.
They don't call themselves a sustainable brand as: 'bringing new products into the world is fundamentally at odds with the definition of sustainability', but Tekla has just received B Corp status and is in the process of becoming GOTS certified as well as reducing their emissions by 45% by 2025. Not bad.
Hunza G
Hunza G's iconic (and heritage) crinkle fabric means their swimwear works over a range of sizing, not just meaning one piece should see a wearer through many stages of life, but avoiding a huge amount of waste (including returns). The British-designed brand is also a carbon-neutral company as of 2020 when they began off-setting.
By Pariah
Crafted from 100% recycled gold or sterling silver, untreated and conflict-flee natural gemstones and diamonds, and now some lab-grown diamonds too, you can buy celebrity-favourite By Pariah jewellery safe in the knowledge they are trying their best.
DL1961
On average, it takes 1,500 gallons of water to produce one pair of jeans – but New York denim brand DL1961 is on a mission to change this for good. Using 'waterless' technology, the brand manages to produce its premium, stylish denim using just 10 gallons, of which 98% is then recycled. Even better, its denim is all made by recycling yarns which would otherwise end up in landfill, using solar power and resource-efficient technologies.
Bamford
Bamford was founded on the belief that we should be more mindful of our connection to the earth, so it follows that the brand places sustainability and ethical practices at its heart – including producing its own merino wool at Daylesford and investing in keeping traditional crafts alive.
94% of Bamford's collections are made using natural, renewable and biodegradable fibres from the soil, produced responsibly (think certified dyestuffs and water recycling systems) and crafted by regional artisans. And that's before we've even touched on how beautiful the pieces are to look at and wear.
VEJA
Meghan Markle's favourite trainer brand has been changing the sneaker game since 2005.
'[Veja] produce environmentally friendly sneakers made with raw materials sourced from organic farming and ecological agriculture, without chemicals or polluting processes,' the brand told ELLE UK.
'For example, VEJA use organic, agroecological and fair-trade cotton to make the sneakers canvas, rubber grown in the Amazon rainforest for the soles and recycled plastic bottles to create a mesh.'
That just makes us love their new collections with Marni, Sea Shepher and Mansur Gavriel even more.
Conner Ives
Part of Net-A-Porter's Vanguard and Net Sustain initiatives, Connor Ives is the Central Saint Martins student taking upcycling (of vintage and deadstock materials) to high fashion.
Pangaia
For the past year, Selfridges has been using its Corner Shop concept to showcase and promote the most cutting-edge sustainable brands as part of its Project Earth initiative – and the latest to join the ranks is none other than Pangaia.
The colourful loungewear brand is one of the most impressive around when it comes to pioneering science, developing materials such as FLWRDWN™ (a down alternative to feathers created from wildflowers) and C-FIBER™ (a water-saving and biodegradable material developed from eucalyptus pulp and seaweed) to avoid unnecessary landfill waste and reduce environmental impact.
'Our material philosophy for the company is ‘'high-tech naturalism’',' explains Chief Innovation Officer Dr Amanda Parkes. 'This means taking where nature and agricultural waste are abundant, and using technology, biotech and nanotech processes to augment and facilitate a different function.'
ASKET
Stockholm-based ASKET is all about 'the pursuit of less' with its a single, permanent collection of timeless clothes which are designed to last – think the perfect capsule wardrobe of perfect tees, jeans and sweaters. The brand has a zero-waste policy, uses natural materials and takes its responsibility within the fashion industry seriously, providing full transparency on cost, impact, origins and supply chain of each garment.
We-AR4
We-AR4 co-founders Anna Bakst and Michele Rutigliano launched the brand in New York in 2021 with the aim to 'redefine responsible fashion'. The company repurposes luxury deadstock and upcycled materials sourced from European mills to create sleek, stylist and climate-positive clothing shoppers will want and keep forever.
Deiji Studios
This chic Aussie brand produces the most spoiling loungewear and linen bedding, and its many fans go to sleep even more peacefully knowing Deiji Studios is leading the way in sustainable and ethical practices too.
Collections are designed using natural and sustainable fibres which are 100% biodegradable, and the brand offsets its entire carbon usage, donates 1% of its annual revenue to non-profits, uses excess textiles to clothe those in need and recycles scrap fabric too. Now that's how it's done.
Dora Larsen
Since second-hand underwear is a total no-go for most of us, sustainable underwear might seem out of reach. Thankfully, Dora Larsen uses largely recycled or natural and organic raw materials and commits one per cent of their annual turnover to environmental charities.
FRAME
To combat denim's (and stretch denim in particular) unsustainable status, FRAME denim has created a '(Bio)degradable' line that's designed to breakdown easily – no metal rivets or polyester threads here. The line is still only 63 per cent sustainable in fabric and wash, and 17 per cent degradable at a style level though, so this isn't an excuse to treat them as disposable.
And never one to rest on its laurels, the brand has just launched its latest innovation: the Pure collection, featuring washes that use virtually no water in their production – a whopping 98% less than traditional denim, in fact, making them some of the most sustainable in the business.
Bogdar
Partywear is back in a big way, and family-run Bulgarian brand Bogdar is leading the charge with its sustainably-crafted collections that were made for going out-out. The majority of pieces are produced using organic, sustainable or recycled fabrics; there's even a dress that is fully compostable. But beyond fabrication, the brand holds at its core the importance of transparency, particularly in terms of its makers – and so, customers are shown a headshot and bio of exactly who produced each piece on the brand's website. Genius.
Stella McCartney
A trailblazer in bringing eco-friendly and vegan materials to the high fashion market, Stella McCartney is both cruelty-free and highly transparent - you can read their green commitments as well as sustainable timeline here.
Sustainable dressing has never been easier with McCartney either, since they create everything from underwear and sportswear to work-ready handbags and going out out dresses.
Sommer Swim
Much loved by everyone from Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid to Miley Cyrus, Sommer Swim is at the forefront of sustainable swimwear. By adopting a 'made to order' business model, only ever producing in small batches and eliminating water from its production processes altogether, Sommer Swim is able to minimise waste and focus instead on high quality, desirable designs. Always looking to take things to the next level, the brand is working on converting to 100% biodegradable packaging, testing out plastic-free hygiene liners and has just released pieces made from 100% regenerated fabric.
Scout
All of Scout's pieces ooze that effortless Cali style we've been longing for – and even better, they're all made from deadstock fabrics. Produced in small batches in the USA, the brand cleverly repurposes high-quality textiles that would otherwise go to waste, turning them into super-cool separates including their already-cult matching waistcoats and skirts.
Del Moment
Fully designed and manufactured in Australia, all of Del Moment's clothes are made from sustainable and responsibly sourced materials which use organic dyes. The business itself is carbon-neutral, while every detail down to the care label is chosen for the lowest possible environmental impact.
E.L.V. Denim
Using post-consumer denim waste to create their reworked jeans, E.L.V. Denim, produced in East London, is completely zero waste. The brand repurposes already-made denim, using only seven litres of water per pair as opposed to the usual 10,000 litres needed to produce them from scratch.
If Only If
Small batches, natural fabrics and seasonless designs are the sustainable cornerstones of If Only If's collection of romantic nightdresses. Available in an extended size range and for children too.
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