Sustainable Fashion: Shop Eco-Friendly, Conscious Clothes

As a commerce editor, shopping is my passion. My first recollection of sustainable fashion was when H&M launched the Conscious Collection in 2010. To be honest, I didn’t really think anything of it at the time. I didn’t start buying exclusively from the Conscious line, which toted items made from at least 50% recycled materials. Until recently, I hadn’t given sustainable clothing much thought at all.

Learn more about what it means to have a sustainable closet and choose sustainable clothing and where to shop for these kinds of styles! 

What is sustainable fashion?

If you’re like me, you have a very basic understanding of what makes clothing sustainable. Brands like Carve Designs lay out exactly what they mean by “we’re a sustainable brand” on their website. For the sake of this example, 95% of the clothing you’ll find at Carve Designs is made from recycled, upcycled, and organic materials. 

But what exactly does that mean? Well, for Carve Designs, their swim fabric is made from recycled plastic bottles that help reduce our reliance on petroleum. This practice also helps cut back on air and water pollution! Other garments are made with coconut balsa, discarded coconut husks paired with recycled plastic that produce a lightweight fabric. 

How to start a sustainable wardrobe

Ready to transform your wardrobe into a more sustainable one? If you’re thinking that’s a mountainous feat, that’s because it is — one you shouldn’t tackle all at once. Instead, take things one step at a time.

Step 1: Start Small

First and foremost, don’t expect to be perfect right away. You can’t wake up and create an entirely sustainable closet. After all, tossing everything you have isn’t a very sustainable choice, nor is donating it (necessarily, which is what I’ve typically done with unwanted clothes).

Instead, pick one impact area regarding sustainability and educating yourself on it. For instance, focus on the materials your clothing is made of and start making sustainable choices that way. Or look for brands that prioritize workers’ rights and start making sustainable choices based on those qualities. You can even focus on the environmental impacts the textiles you wear have and start opting for organic cotton instead of traditional cotton.

There are so many ways to start building a sustainable catalog of clothing. Instead of diving in head first, find a sustainable piece of clothing that excites you. From there, explore that brand a bit more — are there other pieces that speak to your fashion sense? What retailers are offering these brands? Do they have more sustainable brands that interest you?

Once that first domino falls, making sustainable choices becomes like a new, better habit.

Step 2: Shop Your Closet

Another easy step you can take to start creating a sustainable closet is to go through what you already own.

Yes, that means pulling everything out of your drawers and closets and trying it all on. Put back what you love and find sustainable ways to donate the clothing you don’t want.

Companies like The RealReal and ThreadUP will buy clothing from you in most cases. You can also find ways to donate your gently used clothing locally because that’s usually the more sustainable way to go.

Step 3: Buy What You Need (Sustainably)

Once you’ve taken an inventory of what you own, make a note of what you want and/or need. Then, start the search for that item with a focus on the sustainable area of your choice! Keep reading to discover some of our favorite brands.  

Step 4: Give Yourself Grace

Remember that creating a fully-sustainable closet won’t happen over night. It’s important to give yourself grace. Have patience and know that even one small step can make a positive impact!

Sustainable Fashion Brands: Where to find sustainable clothing online

Here are a few other sustainable retailers offering fashion for women:

Cozy Earth

Cozy Earth’s products are made with ethical manufacturing practices, and they are free of harsh chemicals, toxins, and dyes.

XCVI

A slow fashion brand that follows ethical business practices and makes choices with low environmental impact whenever possible. They do not use any dyes with toxic chemicals and banned metals to protect the environment as well as their customers. All their pieces are created with durable, high-quality fabrics to last through multiple wears and washes, thus cutting down on the clothing sitting in landfills. They’ve also partnered with ThredUp to incentivize customers to give their gently-used garments new homes and upgrade to comfortable clothing that lasts.

JAYEBIRD

This brand uses fabrics are all eco-certified and they also ensure that their manufacturing processes minimize waste, water, and energy use to reduce their environmental footprint.

Sierra Madre

This brand’s pieces are made with sustainable materials, WRAP certified and recyclable eco-friendly packaging.

Levitate

This company uses sustainable materials in their apparel, shortens their supply chains and donates 1% of proceeds through the Levitate Foundation, which supports the outdoor community.

tasc

The family-owned brand manufactures clothing from renewable sources, avoiding harmful chemicals. This is exemplified in the creation of the BamCo® fabric.

Minor History

This company stands out among other leather accessories brands due to its plastic-free approach to design. Using only full grain leather that maintains its structure and beauty, the brand eliminates the need for plastic linings or fillers. Minor History also boasts a Lifetime Guarantee and solid brass hardware that complements its leather and gets better with age. Because the brand avoids plastic liners, fillers and coatings, its leather looks as finished and performs as beautifully on the outside as it does on the inside.

Ten Thousand Villages

Ten Thousand Villages has been around for more than 75 years (founded in 1946) – it’s the first fair-trade marketplace, making it easy to find affordable, ethically-made goods created by people paid a living wage.

Mar Soreli

Each pair of Mar Soreli shoes gives new life to materials that would have otherwise been discarded. The soles of all Mar Soreli shoes are made from recycled bicycle tires, offering better support for the body than other flats. They are 100% traditionally handcrafted Italian shoes that allow mom to experience a piece of history with every luxurious step.

Free Country

Free Country’s Eco-Conscious FreeCycle collection utilizes REPREVE – the leading, most trusted, branded performance fiber made from recycled materials – to take the plastic out of the landfills and turn it into high quality fills and fabrics.

WUESTE

Wueste is a Los Angeles-based sustainable fashion brand redefining eco-friendly luxury with thoughtfully crafted, biodegradable garments that prioritize style and environmental stewardship. The brand uses plant-based materials like natural flax linen, EcoVero™, and natural rubber eco-elastic to create 100% plastic-free pieces. Designed and made in small batches in California, the brand champions minimal environmental impact and supports ethical practices by collaborating with local partners paid above minimum wage.

Hanes

HanesBrands (parent company of Hanes) is committed to creating a more comfortable world for every body by focusing on People, Planet and Product.

Nisolo

Nisolo is an ethical footwear and accessories brand that believes their products should not only look good, but also enhance the lives of the people who made them, give back more to the planet than they take away, and make life a little more enjoyable. Nisolo’s is one of the top-rated footwear and accessory brands among all Certified B Corporations. Every purchase enables a 100% living wage to the people who make Nisolo products.

Miakoda

Passionate about zero waste initiatives, Miakoda is always looking for ways to repurpose its clothing production scraps, from scrunchies to undies and beyond. The brand also has a Pre-Loved site for reselling Miakoda pieces.

Adore Me

This certified B Corp offers affordable, size-inclusive products, from bras and lingerie to swimwear, sleepwear, and loungewear in sizes up to 4X. The brand uses recycled materials, minimizes water usage with digital printing, and prioritizes sustainable fabrics across all collections.

To learn more about sustainability, keep reading!

5 Sustainable Brands For More Conscious Consumption

7 Tips For Sustainable Gardening