Many fashion enthusiasts are already against buying fast fashion brands. Similarly, most of us are aware of the problematic business practices that raise human rights and environmental concerns all over the world. As a result of the public backlash surrounding these issues, many popular brands have launched “eco-friendly” lines that tend to be greenwashed.
It’s important to look for these three things when searching for a new outfit:
- Transparency
Make sure you can easily find all the information you need about the clothing lines methods and materials, and look for concrete evidence to support their claims; The brand should have all this information available on their website and even within the individual product descriptions.
- Worker protection
Who’s in charge of making the clothes? What conditions are they working in? What kind of pay rate and benefits are they given? Is the brand willing to go the extra mile to ensure their workers have fair pay, equality, and safety?
- Environmental impact
What information can you find about the companies fabrics, water, and energy consumption? Do the clothes have carbon footprint tags like these Allbirds? Does the brand donate some of their profits to charity?
There are some amazing intersectional environmentalist clothing brands out there, and they’re becoming more common and affordable as we move into a more conscious time. If you’re looking for a quick fix, however, thrift and second-hand stores are always a good option. Also, try to go through your own closet and look for items you can re-style or even donate before buying new.
Here are 5 great sustainable clothing brands in case you’re looking for something special:
- YJack
YJack is a new sustainably-minded fashion brand committed to creating high-quality products made from the finest fabrics, without compromising on value. The brand’s proprietary fabric, EXFINA cotton, is exclusive to YJack. Made 100% from this unique fabric, YJack’s Spring Summer 2020 Collection of eco-friendly tees elevate the fashion staple and are affordably priced.
- Miik
Proud Canadian brand, Miik’s clothes are extremely comfortable without compromising on style. From formal workwear to soft summer dresses, you can find a great variety of items. Additionally, all their clothes are made with eco-friendly fabrics. Their ethical manufacturing involves custom milling and dyeing of fabrics to later cut and sew for the perfect look, right here in Toronto.
- Encircled
This brand’s story is definitely as unique as their garments. Encircled started out making lightweight clothes designed for traveling, which can be styled in many different ways to reduce the amount you need. Now an everyday clothing brand where all their clothes are not only local, sustainable, and of the highest quality, but also incredibly versatile.
- Franc
Franc values transparency and traceability as much as their eco-conscious customers. On their website, you can easily find information ranging from the materials they use and their factory’s locations to their stance on racial justice and climate activism. Another interesting fact is their shipping- by offsetting the carbon emissions from your orders they reduce a significant amount of your own carbon footprint!
- Kotn
Kotn is the farm-to-table of clothing. They place a special emphasis on their cotton farming, which is sustainably and carefully grown in Egypt- you can find more about it on their website. All their clothes are produced with as little water as possible and they constantly repurpose their factories’ materials to reduce waste to a minimum. Experts in making clothes through sustainable practices with the softest cotton you can imagine, what more could you want?
