Fashion Brands Who Care About the Planet
- Nichole Pareti
- Apr 15, 2022
- 5 min read
"With the planet's population soaring and the environment getting torn to shreds, I think we all have an obligation to look at what we are doing and ask ourselves, how can I be doing this more sustainably?" - Christy Dawn.
It's no secret the effect the fashion industry has on the planet. Between the carbon emissions, toxic waste production, and the fact that a high majority of clothing is made from plastic, the industry is clearly not sustainable. As consumers, it is essential that we demand better, become more intentional, and stop supporting fast fashion brands and their harmful practices.
Many innovative souls have been working tirelessly to change the way fashion functions. From working with natural and eco-friendly materials to limiting production and collection releases, select brands are going above and beyond to redefine the modern fashion industry.
They are prime representatives of what it means to both love fashion and care deeply about the environment. Their collections are beautiful, their practices ethical, and their production sustainable. When needing to shop for your sustainable wardrobe, please consider these companies first.
Eco-Friendly Fashion Brands
Whimsy and Row
Whimsy and Row is an LA-based sustainable fashion brand that has been around since 2014. Their mission is to "provide ease and elegance for the modern, sustainable woman." Their limited collections suit a range of styles and are consistently flirty, fun, and chic. Whimsy and Row uses a combination of locally sourced, up-cycled, and low-impact materials, in addition to synthetic eco-friendly fabrics like Tencel, Lenzing Modal, and Cupro. They are carbon-neutral, zero-waste, produce locally in LA, and use recycled materials for their shipping.
"I always thought of fashion as an expression of yourself, your identity. How I dress or present myself means something, it's a reflection of who I am and my ethos."
-Rachel Temko, Founder of Whimsy and Row
Organic Basics
Organic Basics is a danish company whose core mission is sustainability. They offer everything from socks and underwear to activewear and dresses, all in a variety of eco-fabrics. Organic Basics only uses natural, renewable, recycled, biodegradable, low-impact textiles and partners with an impressive selection of well-certified and transparent factories. They are a Certified B Corporation, 1 % For the Planet, and care deeply about education and inclusion. (Check out their Body-Friendly Manifesto and impressive A-Z Guide To The Fashion Industry.) Their style reads classic minimalist and seems the ideal place to stock up on wardrobe essentials.
“The fashion industry is a dirty bastard. So we put sustainable thinking at the center of everything - that means we only choose fabrics that care for our environment and we only ever partner with factories that care about their impact, too. When we say sustainability is our core mission we don’t mean that sustainability is nice to have - we mean that it’s the only way we act.”
VETTA
VETTA is every minimalist's dream brand. Their entire ethos halos utility capsule wardrobes. Their mission is to help you create a more thoughtful wardrobe by offering collections of five versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched to create endless outfits. (Note, the option to shop individual items is there as well!) The clothes are made entirely of sustainable fabrics from Fair Trade and responsible/ethical factories, and their shipping materials are made from recycled materials.
“I think the idea of a lean or curated wardrobe will be around for a while. The excess to fast fashion has had dire consequences on people and the environment, and shoppers still don’t feel satisfied with closets filled with cheap clothes that quickly go out of style.”
-Cara Bartlett of VETTA.
Two Days Off
Two Days Off is an independent woman-owned lifestyle brand that produces ethically made-to-order and small-batch collections from Los Angeles, California. Gina Stovall, the founder of Two Days Off, has a history of working for the public and NGO sectors fighting climate change. Naturally, the company was formed committed to climate action. Two Days Off is one of a few fashion brands donning the label Climate Neutral Certified and is committed to transforming the fashion industry. Their elegant clothing is made primarily from natural fiber textiles (linen, cotton, wool, and hemp) and LA sourced deadstock, is ethically cut and sewn in LA, and is shipped plastic-free.
“For us, ease is not only about how you feel in our clothes. It is also the ease of mind that the garment on your back has not come at the cost of someone else’s welfare, whether that be directly from our production practices or indirectly by our environmental impact.”
Everlane
Everlane has come leaps and bounds since its inception, and their affordable pricing makes sustainability accessible in a time when we need it most. Everlane's mission is radical transparency in its pricing, detailing the costs behind every aspect of production. Their clothing range covers everything from timeless basics to shoes, outerwear, and bags. Their goal is an ethical supply chain that creates high-quality, low-impact, long-lasting products. Everlane boasts ethical factories, is committed to cutting carbon emissions alongside the Paris Agreement regulations, has eliminated plastic from their supply chain, and is moving all of their cotton to certified organic by 2023. While Everlane is not perfect, they are a great example of a large name brand doing the work to comply with sustainability initiatives.
“We carefully consider our materials and work with our production partners to reduce waste, chemicals, and plastics that endanger our planet’s ecosystems and negatively impact local communities.”
Christy Dawn
Christy Dawn is an LA-based sustainable clothing brand that is toeing the line into becoming a regenerative fashion revolutionary. Everything they do is with Mother Earth in mind. They've recently started a farm-to-closet initiative that serves as a model for community-supported land regeneration. The idea is that you invest in a plot of land which covers the farmer's salaries, herbal pest repellents, seeds, natural fertilizers, and all other farm expenses. The land is then tended to using healing practices that increase biodiversity, sequester carbon, and regenerate the ecosystem. After the harvest, you earn store credit as per the yields and then get to don the dress that you helped grow. Their various collections offer both dreamy and practical styles, and are made from deadstock, organic cotton, and alpaca.
“A dress can only be considered beautiful if the process used to produce it preserves the integrity and beauty of the Earth and her people. When deciding what to wear, we have an obligation to consider how it’s made and the impact of that process.”
Remember!
Shopping secondhand or vintage is truly the most sustainable form of shopping for new garments. Understandably, that is not always going to work out, so knowing about brands like these is vital. Keep fashion alive in the ways it matters most! Shop secondhand and shop from the brands that are taking care of our planet!
This blog post contains affiliate links. At RITUAL OASIS, I only align with brands and companies I believe in and support. By supporting them, you are supporting me, as I may earn a small commission if you use the links to make a purchase.
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