10 Affordable Sustainable Clothing Brands For Women
image from Frank & Oak
The list is finally here! I've been asked the question 'Are there any affordable sustainable brands?' more times than I can count, so I thought this list would be quite useful. Now, when I say 'affordable' I don't mean Forever 21 prices. I don't purchase often, so $35-$200 every blue moon is doable. This, to me, is as affordable a RESPONSIBLE product can be. If you are paying $10 for a shirt, someone is being taken advantage of. To me, a sustainable purchase is one you are going to carry around the rest of your life, and pass down to your children - hey, I love wearing my mom's clothes from the 80s. I want my garment to last more than 7, 10, 30 wears, and I want it to be made responsibly. By the way, did you know fast fashion companies purposely make garments to be worn roughly 7 times? Don't let them fool you...most mall stores don't want your garment to last, either. They are selling you trends, and too many to keep up within a year. I want my clothing to come from a brand who has a distinct personality and leaves trends on the waste side - a brand who pays attention to their carbon footprint, and treats their employees with respect. I love fashion and the art of constructing a garment, and our passion & support for the art doesn't have to stop because the industry has gone sour. We need to come together and support the brands who are allowing us to express ourselves through clothing in the most sustainable way possible. We don't need fashion to live, but it sure does make our life, our culture and our story much more colorful. So here is to supporting an art form, and to the wonderful makers allowing this to be responsibly possible...
337 Brand
This brand is an eco-friendly leisurewear line made to make you feel at ease, always.
It is inspired by nature, comfort and kindness. 337 Brand introduces effortless-style clothing with a hint of edge.
They started with a few basics, but their range has grown to include many different dresses, tees & bottoms.
There are no seasonal collections so everything is meant to be worn again and again without the worry of trends.
ABLE
I have a pair of their jeans and a denim jacket, and they are amazing!
This brand has a lot of great sales (sign up for their newsletter to know when they are happening), but even their full mark up prices aren’t bad. They really do make a wonderful product, so the $130 towards jeans is totally worth it.
ABLE believes in order to end poverty we must provide jobs for those lacking opportunity, particularly for women.
Boodywear
I’m usually not a big fan of showcasing bamboo fabric on my blog. It’s known to have a harsh textile process, but some brands use closed-loop systems and zero-waste initiatives like Boody so I’m behind this!!
Honestly, bamboo feels amazing on, and I don’t want to give it up completely. This brand looks wonderfully comfortable, and I hear so many greats things about them, I had to include it!
Girlfriend
This brand is one of the best when it comes to size inclusivity.
Girlfriend goes up to a size 6X, and has so many different colors and styles to choose from. Their color ranges are amazing, and they are quick to sell out.
They use a lot of different fabrics, but all are made from post-consumer waste.
Their facility in Taiwan specializes in eco-friendly and high-quality textile, and their ethical cut-and-sew SA8000 certified factory is in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Knickey
Knickey’s super soft undies are made out of 95% GOTS certified organic cotton in a Fair Trade certified factory in India, without any harsh chemicals at all. You can find out more about their entire supply chain, including the farmers where the cotton comes from and where the yarn is spun right on their website. Even their packaging is made from FSC-certified and recycled content, with low impact inks.
I love wearing my Knickey’s - very comfy!
pact
Probably one of the most affordable organic brands, Pact has you covered on any basic piece you can think of. I love their lace undies and bras, and Travis has a few of their tees. Everything washes well, and stays nice & soft. I’m constantly looking at this brand online to see what new basics they come out with!
use code SustainablyChic20 for 20% off
tentree
So far, Tentree has planted over 43 MILLION trees! Their “earth-first” apparel is made ethically out of eco-conscious fabrics like organic cotton, recycled polyester, TENCEL, and hemp. Not only that, but they try to make their clothing as accessible as possible when it comes to sizing and pricing. In addition to apparel and accessories, you can also buy carbon offsets for your own personal lifestyle right on their site!
thought
Thought carries a variety of clothing, from dresses you can wear to the office to loungewear and comfy socks if you’re chilling (or working) at home.
They use mostly eco-conscious materials like organic cotton and use zero plastic in their packaging.
Thought does carry some products made from more conventional materials (as of right now!), so just be sure to check before buying!
WAMA UNDERWEAR
You may have seen WAMA a few times on this blog the last couple years.
They are known for their hemp undies, but just came out with two styles of bras - a triangle and a racerback (pictured). Their styles are very comfortable, and are actually good for your health. Hemp makes the perfect fiber for underwear!
I think hemp is such an amazing fiber, and I actually just wrote a post about the cost of hemp and how supporting brands like this can help make it more accessible in the future!
Warp & Weft
If you are looking for affordable denim, this is exactly the brand you need to check out.
They have tons of different styles, and having a pair for myself, I can say they are great!
Their family-run eco-friendly mill is one of the world’s largest textile manufacturers, which means they can create high quality denim that’s good for you, the planet and your wallet!
