Since I graduated with my first degree (Fashion Marketing), I have wanted to launch a sustainable online department store with extreme transparency on the supply. I also wanted to ensure the customers had a way to gauge the carbon, water, and personal footprint of all the items in the shop. We know that customers have a desire to shop green, but they have a hard time actually finding the information they need to make confident decisions.
With transparency being one of the biggest global emerging fashion trends, very few brands actually give you concrete numbers on how their garments are better for the environment. And I’ve spent a lot of time searching for great brands that I would love to one day wholesale from. As I can’t at the moment, I thought I would share them with you directly.
Tamaga Designs
Canadian-owned with a flair for dramatic materials and colours. Very wearable designs. Part of 1% for the planet. Focusing on some of the most sustainable fabrics in the world, like Tencel and Lenzing (modal and ECOVERO), they say that their garments have saved 15,463kg of carbon emissions, 10,531 kWh of energy, and 264,954 litres of water over traditional fast fashion companies.
Nobody’s Child
This store just makes my lesbian heart pitter-patter. Made in the UK, these garments allow you to dress like the little cottage fairy you deserve to be. They also have killer jumpsuits and party wear that will make you the most stylish lady in the boardroom. They regularly have amazing sales and their garments are largely washing machine friendly.
Not Just Pretty
A Vancouver-based boutique with a great online store, this is a great eco-friendly clothing option for you other Canadians out there. Featuring 24 small, eco-friendly designs, including an in-hose line, this may be one of the best places to spend your money that will actually impact slow fashion. Expect well-crafted staples with interesting designs and pops of colours. They also sell accessories and beauty products.
Ethica
This store is a great place to check out emerging designers. They are based in the US, but their sellers and artisans are from around the world. They vet vendors based on how much of an effort they are making to implement fair employment practices, uses natural and organic fibres, and who make items by hand or in small batches and are conscious of their wastage. And they don’t only have clothes, they have a wide range of home products to shop for.
Softwear
These clothes live up to the brand name. Cozy, flattering, easy-care and durable, and they are tailored, making them great for work-from-home days. I vetted this company personally for sustainability impact when I was really taking a go at launching my store. They make their fabrics out of recycled materials, their factory is run on solar power in Brooklyn, and they recycle most if not all of their water. While that isn’t totally apparent on their website, their founder Sabrina is lovely, and their Instagram has lots of info.
Everlane
Probably the biggest company when it comes to sustainable clothing if you have never heard of Everlane you need to go scroll through ASAP. They break down the true cost of the garment for you, so you can see things like; where their factories are located, how much each garment cost to make, including hardware, who they hire and their commitments to diversity and fair wages, and their donations to specific non-profit campaigns.
They are transparent about their efforts from sourcing textiles to how it gets to you as the end consumer with zero garbage packaging. Everlane develops sustainable head offices and works to implement food programs for their factory workers and build the communities that work with them. If you’re looking for clean cuts and elegant colours, this is a great eco-friendly clothing store to start at.
Reformation
Clothes made by boss women for boss women. Launching their online store in 2013, they have since been featured in almost every major fashion magazine and got a ton of business press for their sustainability model and stunning styles. They do a bridal collection every year that is super accessible for cool brides-to-be. If you’re looking for the most flattering dress of your life, this is the place to find it.
Reformation now designs jeans, active, casual, swimwear, and shoes. Their dresses, pants, and sweaters are great as office wear or casual wear, and one of their more frequent fans is Emily Ratajowski. Every year they back up their claims with a comprehensive sustainability report, and they are on their way to being a climate-positive company by 2025. They even take into account the entire lifecycle of the garment when it comes to Reformation’s sustainability calculations.
Vitamin A
Part of 1% for the planet, this company started as swimwear made from recycled fabrics, and now makes loungewear as well. Each garment clearly displays what the company did to reduce its carbon footprint, allowing you to make stylish and low-impact decisions with clarity.
Their swimwear collections range in coverage, so there really is a flattering style for everyone here. Their love of subtle prints also is a lovely surprise every season. From their new loungewear collection, these recycled cashmere pants are high on my wishlist. Overall, they claim to have saved 3,207,620 litres of water, 352,225 kg of emissions, 1,112,603 kWh of energy over standard retail and diverted 36,360 kg of waste.
Organic Basics
Shorts in fun patterns that aren’t too short, an eye for colour, and stunning active wear make this brand successful. They have a range of sustainable principles, and you can see inside all their factories.
When shopping their garments, they also display the impact, and the development processes that were used to make this sustainable clothing. They are a certified B corp and part of 1% for the planet.
