So here’s the deal: We’re all spending Earth Day a little differently this year, but that doesn’t mean sustainability should take a backseat. If anything, all our time inside has shown us just how important it is to make choices that are kinder on Mother Earth. From ditching plastic bags to embracing sustainable beauty routines, and switching over to reusable products, there are so many ways you can do your part—and shopping sustainable fashion brands is one of them.
Below, you’ll find a list of brands and retailers who are committed to bringing you conscious fashion. Some of them, like Veja and Everlane, already have sustainability and transparency baked into their supply chains. Others, like Madewell and Verishop, are renewing their commitments for Earth Day’s 50th anniversary this year. And then there are brands like & Other Stories that have created limited-edition, ethically-made capsule collections. Here are 30 sustainable and stylish brands worth shopping.
Free People
Through its Care FP Program, the brand launched its online Sustainable Shop, carrying hundreds of clean beauty products and sustainably-designed or sourced clothes—think denim coveralls, recycled cotton sweaters, handmade bags, and the very cozy hoodie pictured below.
Everlane
Everlane has been a proponent of transparency and sustainability since Day One—whether through its “Pay What You Choose” sales or its super-soft “ReCashmere” collection (a blend of 60% recycled cashmere and 40% merino wool). The chocolate colored T-shirt below was just released for Earth Day and is “organic every step of the way, from seed to shirt,” according to the site.
Verishop
From now through Earth Day 2021, whenever you buy something from Verishop’s Responsible Shop, the online retailer will plant one tree for every order through the non-profit global reforestation organization, OneTreePlanted. And to kick it off on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Verishop is planting 50,000 trees to celebrate the launch of this initiative. In our cart? This striped dress from Norr (pictured below).
Madewell
The beloved denim brand is working hard on improving its carbon footprint and one of its goals is to have 90% of its denim Fair Trade Certified by 2025. The brand is also taking steps to only use sustainable materials in its future collections—and right now, about 60% of its spring collection is made from responsibly-sourced materials, like the colorblock dress below.
Ganni
The trendy Scandinavian brand doesn’t want you to call it a “sustainable brand.” Instead, the brand says it’s “committed to making better choices every day across the business to minimise our social and environmental impact.” And its April 2020 sustainability report lists 44 goals it hopes to achieve in the next three years.
Naadam
This direct-to-consumer brand works directly with herders in the Mongolian desert to source some of the fairest cashmere in the world, all the while cutting out the middleman and delivering higher quality products at a lower cost. Need an example? Check out this best-selling $75 unisex sweater.
Naked Cashmere
If you’re looking for luxe loungewear in sustainble, traceable cashmere, Naked Cashmere is a reliable source. For Earth Day this year, the brand is advancing sustainability efforts with its first-ever recycled collection: Cashmere Reborn. The collection (offered in rose, navy, and bone) includes seven lightweight cashmere pullovers, dusters, dresses, and tanks made from post-consumer yarn that has been sorted by fiber length, shredded, and re-spun back into 100% cashmere yarn.
Girlfriend Collective
Using recycled plastic bottles, Girlfriend Collective designs affordable, size-inclusive leggings, sports bras, and bike shorts that come in an Instagram-friendly palette of neutrals like sand, sage, and trail (a burnt orange). The black legging (pictured above) is still its best-seller though.
Outerknown
The California lifestyle brand Outerknown was already committed to sustainability when it was founded in 2015 by creative director John Moore and 11-time World Champion surfer Kelly Slater, but earlier this month, the brand committed to achieving full circularity by 2030. It aims to design timeless wardrobe staples that help eliminate waste and pollution and empower the people who produce the clothing.
& Other Stories
For Earth Day, & Other Stories launched a 10-piece collection of baby doll dresses and smocked tops made of sustainably sourced materials such as Tencel Lyocell, EcoVero, and organic cotton. The puff sleeve top pictured above is one of our favorites from the capsule.
Faithfull the Brand
You’ve definitely seen Faithfull the Brand’s vintage-inspired dresses, tops, and wrap skirts on your feed at some point, but what you probably didn’t realize is, according to the brand, everything is made by local artisans in ethical factories in Bali. The breezy, summer-ready pieces can easily take you from breakfast on the balcony to a virtual date night.
Gap
From fabric to wash to trims, Gap says its Bettermade Denim Capsule is entirely devoted to sustainability. The collection launched on April 15 and consists of bottoms and jackets for men, women, kids, and babies.
Reformation
From carbon offsets through its Climate Credits to its online partnership with the clothing recycling company thredUp, there are so many ways shopping at Reformation is good for you and the planet. Plus, it’s floral dresses and smocked tops are a fashion favorite.
Nisolo
This direct-to-consumer leather goods brand is committed to producing ethically-made shoes and accessories—all while creating healthy working environment for its employees. The brand says it manufactures the majority of its products in a factory they own and operate in Trujillo, Peru and the rest with a partner factory in León, Mexico.
Veja
You already know that Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton love Veja’s white tennis-style sneakers, but did you know the French fashion brand’s shoes are also great for the environment? Each of the materials, like the organic cotton and wild rubber it uses, can be traced right back to its source.
Cariuma
With its accessible price point and minimal aesthetic, Cariuma believes in creating eco-conscious footwear that stands the test of time. The brand works with ethical factories and clean tanneries, and sources only natural, premium materials like raw natural rubber and certified organic cotton. For Earth Month this year, Cariuma has also pledged to plant 10,000 trees—use the code OUREARTH at check out and they’ll plant 10 additional trees in your name.
Outdoor Voices
Whether you want to explore the outdoors on a solo hike or tune into a yoga class from your living room, Outdoor Voices is dedicated to making versatile athleisure wear (skorts, tops, workout dresses, and of course, leggings) by using sustainable materials like recycled wool, merino, and recycled PET.
Warp + Weft
This size-inclusive denim brand takes old jeans and recycles them into new collections. The sustainable manufacturing process starts from square one in its denim mills, where they use an in-house power plant for energy efficiency, and an in-house water treatment plant that helps to create denim with less than 10 gallons of water and 98% of it recycled. To make Earth Day a bit more special, the brand also plans to match donations for No Kid Hungry with each order to help provide meals to kids affected by COVID-19 school closures.
Farm Rio
The Brazilian-brand Farm Rio creates bright and boldly-patterned sweaters, boho dresses, and multicolored blouses that make you excited about wearing—and buying—them. With every purchase, the brand plants one tree in the Amazon through One Tree Planted, an organization dedicated to recovering endangered forest ecosystems.
Pact
If your wardrobe is need of new everyday basics like T-shirts, leggings, and underwear, look to Pact. The Colorado-based brand makes affordable essentials for men and women from organic cotton, which according to its site “uses 91% less water in production.”
Lacausa
The LA-based label with boho-chic vibes is committed to ethical manufacturing by cutting, sewing, and knitting its tees and sweatshirts in local factories. For Earth Day, Lacausa will also be donating 50% of proceeds to NRDC with the purchase of its Los Angeles printed graphic tees and sweatshirts.
Mara Hoffman
Since 2017, Mara Hoffman has been dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of her swim and resort wear. Her label’s colorful bikinis and one-pieces are made of recycled polyester and recycled nylon, and she prioritizes organic materials like hemp, organic cotton, and linen for her vacation-ready dresses, tops, and skirts.
Mlouye
Mlouye is passionate about the craftsmanship of its products, using locally sourced materials and hand=making all of its shoe and handbag styles in Milan, Italy. The brand recently launched a vegan leather collection of accessories.
Bembien
Brooklyn-based accessories brand Bembien‘s main sustainability efforts aim to protect the living conditions of Balinese artisans, who are fighting against plastic pollution of the island. This woven tote is made entirely from recycled plastic picked up on the beaches of Bali.
Levi’s
Denim production can be extremely wasteful and the heritage denim brand is doing its part to reduce its impact by 2025 by cutting 40% of carbon emissions across its entire supply chain.
DL1961
Whereas the average pair of jeans takes approximately 1500 gallons of water to produce, DL1961 says the average pair of its jeans uses less than 10 gallons. That’s no small feat. DL1961 is able to keep its carbon footprint at a minimum by controlling each aspect of the manufacturing process—from spinning the yarn and weaving the fabric to cutting and sewing the garment and washing the final product.
Wolf Circus
The jewelry brand Wolf Circus is doing its best to make the world a better place by repurposing recycled metals to make its production processes a little nicer on the planet. (Doesn’t hurt that its jewelry is also super cute.)
Mother of Pearl
The luxury womenswear label is dedicated to full supply chain transparency: It tags each garment with its sustainable attributes so you can learn where everything was sourced or produced. But it doesn’t sacrifice style—shop elegant suit separates, billowy dresses, and asymmetrical blouses in sustainable natural fibers like wool, cotton, silk, and Tencel. (Even Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan!)
Hanky Panky
Everyone’s owned a Hanky Panky thong at some point in their life—but what you probably didn’t know about the brand is that it’s championed sustainable, low impact practices since launching in 1977. In addition to using responsibly-produced fabrics and trims in all of its collections, Hanky Panky recently introduced eco-crochet, a new type of fabric and trim made with recycled synthetic fibers that’ll be used in its thongs, bodysuits, and bras.
Araks
If there’s no distinction in your top drawer between “everyday” and “occasion” lingerie, then you’ll love Araks’ barely-there undergarments. Think wire-free styles, pastel colors, elevated granny panties (definitely a thing), and lots of satin and mesh inserts made from organic-certified fabrics, repurposed swatches from previous collections, and recycled nylon for its swimwear.
