One of the greatest threats to fashion is the overwhelming presence of fast fashion. Concerned only with turning a quick profit, fast fashion is the primary culprit of the clothing industry’s ecological, environmental, and humanitarian issues. Over the past decade, these grievances have come to the forefront of public consciousness, with consumers turning towards ethical and sustainable fashion. Although many brands have risen to fill this role, several brands stand out as particularly committed.
Patagonia
A well-known name in the industry, Patagonia is an established fashion brand known for their quality products and unique approach to sustainable fashion. Patagonia began pursuing sustainable fashion from their conception, always at the forefront of the industry. They are a Certified B Corp, as well as fair trade certified. They also use organic cotton and other recycled materials.
Boden
A UK based company, Boden is known for their versatile clothing selections and durable products. They focus on holding the supply chain accountable and are committed to sustainable practices at every stage of manufacturing. Not only do they source their raw materials responsibly, but they are also fair trade certified.
Olivia Rose the Label
Olivia Rose began by making each garment from hand, using the measurements of individual clients. This allowed her to reduce material wastage, provide a more customized product, and keep her roots in the community. She sources all of her materials locally, and although she does not personally create each garment now, Olivia Rose the Label still offers a robust selection of made-to-measure clothing.
Brøgger
Each clothing brand on this list takes a different route to achieve the same goal. At Brøgger, they believe the key to sustainability is longevity. This is why they develop long lasting, durable, and versatile clothing. Brøgger also focuses much of their efforts on sustainable production, using green practices wherever applicable.
Omnes
One of the greatest barriers to sustainable fashion is its price point, as most sustainable fashion brands are simply not affordable to those on a budget. This is where Omnes comes in, with budget friendly sustainable and ethical clothing options. Omnes uses a wide range of recycled materials and seeks to provide timeless, long-lasting fashion choices.
Damson Madder
With an emphasis on transparency and excellent customer communication, Damson Madder informs their customers about green practices, while offering a great selection of sustainable clothing. They use all recycled polyester, natural dyes, and organic cotton, in addition to other eco-friendly practices.
United By Blue
A brand that is unafraid of action, United By Blue has perhaps one of the boldest initiatives in the sustainable fashion industry. For each purchase, the company removes one pound of trash from the world’s oceans. They are also Certified B Corp, as well as use recycled and organic materials.
The brands mentioned on this list are some of the best in the international fashion industry for their sustainable and ethical practices. Those interested in getting into the industry, or simply those who would like to support sustainable and ethical fashion, should check out these exciting companies.