There is no denying the fact that we are seeing an upward trend in conscious- consumerism. The popularity of Sustainable Fashion Brands is growing. Not only are we as consumers grabbing to the racks in search of quality garments additionally we want to be supporting people and the planet in the process. A label or brand name alone is not sufficient in terms of justifying their level of environmental responsibility. The research from a consumer perspective needs to be done and luckily those fashion companies who are in business for sustainability are transparent in their supply chain process.
Conscious consumers are aware of manipulative greenwashing tactics set out by large fashion companies aka. Fast Fashion in an attempt to continue high-profit margins while making it seem they are doing good for the planet. In reality, their practices by no means reach the level of sustainability needed to compensate for their carbon footprint.
But we’re not just talking about the planet. The garment workers and seamstresses are not being paid a living wage and the working conditions are horrendous, to say the least. Plus, the textile industry is one of the most environmentally destructive industries on earth! Is supporting this really worth keeping up with trends or simply clothing oneself?! It’s a rhetorical question.
The Rise in Sustainable Fashion
The terms Sustainable Fashion and Ethical Fashion are used interchangeably and as you might have guessed is the opposite of Fast Fashion. As mentioned in an earlier blog post, sustainable fashion supports people, planet and animals in its garment production. Slow Fashion focuses on the planet, Ethical Fashion on the workers, while Vegan Fashion excludes the use of any animal products (ie. leather, fur, feathers).
Fashion Brands Worth Supporting
ArmedAngels
This German brand focuses on denim and comfortable basics. Seeing as it takes a substantial amount of water to produce a single pair of jeans, it can be difficult to purchase a pair with peace of mind. Armedangels reduces this impact by implementing eco-friendly materials in its production thereby reducing their water usage. They also receive three stars for people, planet and animals. I own two pairs of their pants and wear them with comfort and style.
Studio Twist
My close friend Sophie began crocheting two years ago and from there, Studio Twist was born. All of her materials are ethically sourced and made from recycled t-shirts! This gives the product durability and ease. At the moment, her line includes bags, hats and scrunchies! Sophie creates all the pieces herself at home in a seaside, surf town in southern France.
*The bags in the above photo are by Studio Twist.
Womsh
This Italian label understands the notion behind supplier responsibility. Focusing on shoes, once you have lovingly outworn your sneakers you may send them back to Womsh where they repurpose them into play-ground flooring material, brilliant! Their line includes sustainably sourced leather AND vegan leather made from apples! I can vouch for the vegan sneakers, as I wore them almost daily for a few years.
Watt Handcrafted
I first came across this label in 2022 at a summer festival in Munich, Germany. It was a one-woman show, making all the jackets herself from recycled material such as old sofa fabric! My jacket is partially made from an old sofa and I love it very much. Flash forward to now and Watt has exponentially grown in popularity and production. The ethos has remained the same – create high-quality and stylish jackets from upcycled materials aka. no waste thereby lowering the environmental impact on our earth. Plus their jackets are as comfy as a sofa.
Youswim
The sweats of the swimwear world, no lie. Youswim creates a wide selection of bathing suits and bikinis in various colours with one simple tactic … they only make them in two sizes. That’s right, no matter your body size or shape Youswim will hug your body. The trick is in their flexible and durable elastic EU-sourced material made directly in the UK. In the hotter months, my go-to outfit is this bikini.
tentree
I will take any opportunity to put Canada on the map especially when it comes to sustainability initiatives! The ethos of tentrees is simple, they plant ten trees with every purchase. They also offer monthly subscriptions to offset your carbon footprint by planting trees. These guys have truly honed the symbiosis between fashion and the environment. Yay, Canada!!
Harvest & Mill
This fashion brand also satisfies the trio of people, the planet and animals. They are a vegan company sourcing a high range of eco-friendly fabrics. The entire supply chain from the organic cotton farmer to the heritage Mill creating the actual fabric, to the seamstresses is all based in the USA. Harvest & Mill is a true authentic from-the-ground fashion label.
Veja
If there is one sneaker that is dominating the sustainable shoe industry, it’s Veja. This French brand similar to Womsh offers a post-consumption recycling initiative for worn shoes to lower environmental waste. The word veja translates to look in Portuguese which correlates to their business philosophy of showing complete transparency in their supply- and production chain. Veja’s focus is on using organic materials while reducing emissions and providing their workers with a fair and ethical labour practice.
Torrain
Inspired by her travels in Cambodia, the founder of Torrain is creating an innovative fashion design through the upcycling of feed bags into tote bags, backpacks and wallets. Not only are the designs of these feed bags colourful they’re also light, durable and water-resistant. Torrain works closely with the workers in Cambodia keeping production local. Also, $1 from each product sold is donated to sustainable practices and communities around the globe.
Good For Sunday
Another sustainable Canadian brand! From treating their Toronto-based apparel workers with ethical labour standards to sourcing their animal-free materials like organic cotton, bamboo and hemp in lower-impact ways. Good For Sunday is offering style with sustainability. Their return policy is another way they are off-setting their carbon footprint. Instead of mailing your unwanted items back to Good For Sunday, they will connect you with a customer wanting that exact item. In this way they are eliminating unnecessary return transport, through their EcoDrop initiative.
According to their site, each year an estimated 16 million tonnes of CO2 is released through shipping returns alone, worldwide!
Happy Shopping!
Thanks for reading!
xo Missy
