In a world full of ever-growing fast fashion brands, it might seem difficult to shop sustainably. After all, it’s not easy for companies with large followings to churn out hundreds of garments in a way that won’t harm the Earth, take advantage of workers trying to make an honest living, and feel guilt-free in their manufacturing choices for their and their consumers’ sakes. Luckily for you, we’ve hand-picked some of our favorite sustainable, natural brands that truly put thought into the work they’re doing and the products they promote. These brands either offer livable wages to their workers (which should be indisputable for every company), 100% organic cotton, plant-based materials, donations to clean causes, or (most likely) all of the above. Read along to get to know some of these god-send brands and perhaps, shop a few of their staple pieces. We’ve listed some of the brands’ to-die-for basics and additionally, other more unique styles and fits!
Sustainable, natural clothing companies mainly aim to reduce their environmental impact and hope to promote ethical practices toward their manufacturing methods, wages, and treatment of workers. Having efficient and environmentally friendly practices help reduce carbon emissions, remove the possibility of exponentially more pollution than non-ethical brands, and open up the possibility of recycling clothes that consumers no longer find use in. Materials like organic cotton, which is sourced ethically, is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or genetically modified organisms. Not only is this amazing for the environment, but it promotes a clean ecosystem for organisms that live within the cotton farms. Many brands tend to keep their cotton growth to one country, reducing carbon emissions that would have skyrocketed if they were transporting mass amounts of materials to other countries for manufacturing.
The difficulty that comes with shopping sustainably is unfortunately, higher production costs, which is a big frowny face for consumers who cannot or do not want to increase their clothing expenses. This is why brands like Shein and Temu make such large profits; they employ workers who are willing to accept unlivable wages to produce pollutant-ridden materials containing plastics and other harmful materials, all the while burning immense amounts of energy through their unethical factory standards.
With the emergence of more clean, natural brands, a major benefit is consumer awareness. Though many consumers will always choose the cheaper, quicker product, a good amount of consumers will also flip the script they abided by and make the move over to sustainable fashion. With increased awareness, more and more consumers educate others as they have been educated — and this will never be a bad thing. Self awareness is the next step to fostering a cleaner, safer environment for the future of the world. One more thing: some clean brands also donate a certain percentage of their proceeds to causes that are determined to make a greener impact on the world. Some causes we found to be a great place to start learning more are Textile Exchange, Fashion Revolution, and the Clean Clothes Campaign. Now, let’s take a look at some of the brands that are the crusaders for fashion sustainability recently.
MATE the Label is a clean fashion company that offers minimalist basics in mostly organic cotton or other recycled materials. The brand was founded in 2013 and is manufactured in Los Angeles. From what I can tell by their products, they give off a “less is more” vibe that promotes timelessness rather than fast fashion trends that usually end up in a landfill two years after purchasing. I’m digging MATE because the higher price reflects the time, effort, and high-quality feel of all of their garments.
PACT utilizes organic cotton primarily as well, along with other recycled fabrics including recycled polyester (key word is recycled). They are Fair Trade Certified, which means they aim to promote conscious consumption and work around business models that are likely to protect the environment more than non-Fair Trade Certified companies. They even use recycled plastics to ship your products! They offer lots of loungewear, intimates, and beachy options.
Outerknown is definitely going for that surfer vibe, all the while staying true to ethical practices concerning manufacturing and consumption. They offer outwear, men’s and women’s clothing, swimwear, and accessories. So, basically all that you need for the rest of your life. One particular initiative that I love is their “Our Oceans” commitment, where they use recycled ocean plastics to make some of their products. It’s like a double win. You don’t see many brands using 100% organic cotton for denim nowadays. I love!
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Not only does the brand commit to using organic cotton and other eco-friendly recycled materials to create their garments, but they also promote other brands that do the same. They also market their products from a wellness perspective, emphasizing that clean products are not only good for the environment, but they are great for you as well. I added an adorable deodorant to the list that is free of all the bad stuff you’d find on the shelves at your local pharmacy.
The people at Yes Friends are completely transparent with their pricing and source materials, which we can’t get enough of. It was mentioned before that often, cleaner fashion brands have to price their products according to the cost of production — which can get tremendously high when you’re ethically manufacturing garments. Yes Friends is one of the most affordable, smaller brands on this list. I wanted to give a nod to the folks at this company because even though they’re relatively new, they’re building a brand that is not only eco-conscious, but consumer-conscious as well. Sometimes, consumers really need to look at a reasonable price tag to be convinced.
Using un-dyed organic cotton, Harvest & Mill’s commitment to green fashion and quality pieces has wowed me like never before. From socks to tops, they only use 100% certified organic cotton. Though using recycled materials is a big clean YES, organic cotton has a feel to the skin that is reflected in their price point. If you’re looking to invest in some clean, timeless pieces that you’ll get immense wear out of, I can’t recommend Harvest & Mill enough.
Happy Earth, to me, is reminiscent of timeless-yet-young aesthetics mixed in with some athleisure. They offer basic styles that would live cozily in any closet. Specifically, the eclipse cardigan you can find below, has a beautiful fit and look to it; and if you purchase it, they’ll plant a tree. The same goes for every purchase made on the website! Tell me that isn’t so clean.
Cozy Earth not only focuses on clothing, but also on quality organic bedding. More of a loungewear brand, their mission includes using bamboo, water-saving techniques of manufacturing to prevent over-consumption, and a commitment to quality products that will last longer than those you might find on Amazon. The cashmere cardigan linked below is so darling and I think I’d live in it if I could.
Based in Canada, KOTN utilizes Egyptian cotton to create products that are chic and green. They have direct trade relationships with cotton farmers, which promotes a farm-to-table manner of production that is not seen with many other brands. They offer clothing, bedding, and bathroom essentials like towels. They also have taken part in initiatives that helped build schools in the Nile Delta region. Take a look at their about us page to learn more.
Planting ten trees for every item sold, this brand has planted over 90 million trees as of 2024 (they were founded in 2012.) They are transparent about their supply chains, use organic cotton and other recycled materials, and are certified Climate Neutral. This means that the brand is accountable for their greenhouse gas emissions. Certified companies annually measure "cradle-to-customer emissions", implement plans yo reduce gas emissions, and invest in carbon credits. Tentree, offering basics, outwear, and other accessories, aims to plant one billion trees by 2030. If you’d like to take part in the cause for a greener tomorrow, consider shopping some of their timeless styles — our Earth will get ten more trees and you’ll get a beautiful quality piece that’ll live in your closet for years to come.
