Well, you know what they say. One man’s trash is another man’s.. fashion. These ethical fashion brands took this literally.
Some of them make clothes out of the trash we throw away (yes, really), some upcycle old garments before sending them to a new home, and some others take the leftover fabrics (deadstock) that fast fashion leaves behind and give them a new lease on life. They are all contributing to a healthier environment. Because there is no Planet B.
Did you know that the fast fashion industry is an important contributor to climate change? It is responsible for 4-8% of the global carbon emissions! Using clothes made out of recycled materials helps reduce this impact tremendously. Not to mention all the textile and plastic waste you will be saving from the landfills...
Before we dive in be sure to bookmark our App featuring thousands of products from recycled materials.
Girlfriend Collective
From: Washington, USA
Products: Activewear, Leggings, T-shirts, Maternity Styles
Materials: Recycled Polyester and Nylon, Cupro
Certified: OEKO-TEX Standard 100, SA8000 Certified Factory
With a motto that trash looks better on you than it does on the planet, this size-inclusive brand recycles old plastic bottles and fishing nets to make their clothes. They use eco-friendly dyes. Even the residual dye mud is donated to be recycled into pavements! They close the loop through their ReGirlfriend program, where they take back your old pieces and recycle them into new ones to be enjoyed again. Soft, stretchy, and comfortable, their clothes come in a wide variety of colors for you to choose from!
Ecoalf
From: Spain
Products: Adult and Kids Apparel, Winterwear, Shoes, Accessories
Materials: Recycled Materials
Certified: GRS
Using a wide variety of recycled materials, Ecoalf creates products with the aim of using the least amount of resources possible. They turn discarded waste into chic clothes with simple and elegant designs that will turn heads. A unique thing about them is that they use post-consumer coffee grounds to give their products a natural and sustainable finish. The grounds are converted into pellets that are mixed with recycled fabrics. The technical yarn that results has properties such as fast-drying, UV protection, and odor control. Cool, right? Now you can have your coffee and wear it, too!
prAna
From: California, USA
Products: Adult Apparel, Adventure Gear, Activewear
Materials: Recycled Materials
Certified: Fair Trade
This brand is breathing life back into discarded waste by recycling them into garments. They have a wide collection of products for all your needs, right from the basics to swimsuits to activewear. They have a range of adventure gear - clothes that are sturdy, comfortable, and stylish, and built to brave the elements. Whether you want to hike in the mountains or go biking, these clothes will keep you company. They also come in many colors for you to choose from. prAna is also practicing circularity by being a founding partner of The Renewal Workshop where they upcycle/recycle discarded apparel.
Fanfare
From: UK
Products: Women’s Apparel
Materials: Recycled / Upcycled Materials
Fanfare is a label that is tackling the fashion industry’s waste problem with its circularity. Their clothes have innovative designs, with many of them being hand-painted by artists. If you love standing out from the crowd and making an artsy statement with your clothes, this might be a great brand for you to shop from. Their recycled jeans with patchwork and embroidered designs are an eye-catcher. In true circular fashion, they have a take-back program where you can send them your old clothes. They will repurpose them, and find them a new home, rather than letting them end up in a landfill. You can also send them any old pair of jeans, and they will upcycle them with cool designs for you!
Pantee
From: UK
Products: Underwear
Materials: Deadstock
Sustainable underwear that softly hugs your skin? Yes, please! As the name suggests, Pantee makes really comfortable bras and briefs out of deadstock t-shirts destined for the landfill. They select cotton t-shirts that are lightweight, soft, and have a good amount of stretch. Their bras are double-layered and underwire-free, making you feel cozy. After all, a perfect day starts with good underwear, right?
Doodlage
From: India
Products: Adult Apparel, Swimwear, Activewear, Accessories
Materials: Upcycled Factory Waste, Recycled Materials
Doodlage believes that waste is a design flaw, and handcrafts each of their pieces into unique clothes that are simply amazing to look at. They either upcycle fabrics discarded from factories or use recycled yarns made from post-consumer waste. Even the waste they produce is turned into accessories, making their design process zero-waste. Since they use factory waste, many of their clothes feature a patchwork design. A great brand if you like your clothes to look ‘fun’ and aren’t afraid of trying new designs.
MUD Jeans
From: Europe
Products: Jeans
Materials: Recycled and Organic Cotton
Certified: GOTS, PETA Vegan
Not only does this brand want you to enjoy your jeans, they want you to enjoy the planet, too. This is why they have made circularity their core mission. Apart from using recycled materials to make their jeans, they also have a take-back program where they collect old jeans from any brand and upcycle them. They are doing jeans differently by being the world’s first circular denim brand, and are pioneering the "lease a jean" program. When you want a change, you can swap your leased jeans for another one! Their entire process is also CO2 neutral. These are jeans that look good on you and the planet!
Bastet Noir
From: North Macedonia
Products: Women’s Apparel
Materials: Deadstock
This bespoke zero-waste fashion label is making strides both in the world of sustainability and women empowerment. Made from discarded fabrics, each piece is custom-tailored to fit you because they know that each body is different. Their garments are manufactured and designed locally by single mothers. Their clothes are sinfully soft, and tell tales of elegance and luxury. This brand also has a collection of bridal and bridesmaid dresses, so that your big day can be as sustainable as you. In their clothes, you will feel bold enough to take over the world!
Liz Alig
From: USA
Products: Women’s Apparel
Materials: Recycled Materials, Deadstock
Liz Alig sources handwoven, natural, or recycled textiles from garments headed to the landfills, and converts them into clothes that are simple, breezy, and lightweight. They like natural textiles that are made using traditional handwoven techniques. Apart from keeping ancient textile production techniques alive, they also seek to lift up the women from developing countries who make their clothes. All of their clothes are ethically handcrafted in small Fair Trade workshops. They even have dresses made from recycled flour sacks! Talk about minimizing waste!
Naz
From: Portugal
Materials: Deadstock, Recycled Materials
Naz, meaning pride in Urdu, is a brand that stays true to its name by taking pride in its sustainability. They believe in creating clothes that respect the culture, people, and the planet, which is why they source almost all of their fabrics locally. All their production units are located in Portugal as well. They use deadstock, recycled, and natural fabrics, because why create something new when you can reuse the old? Even their buttons and labels are eco-friendly. Their clothes are simple and come in pleasant colors. They use recycled wool in their products because one of their local factories is located in a part of Portugal that is known for its work with wool fabrics. To destroy this would be to destroy an ancient tradition, and put many people out of work. So they did the best thing they could- honoring tradition by combining it with sustainability.
Oh Seven Days
From: Turkey
Products: Women’s Apparel
Materials: Deadstock
Founded after stumbling across a district in Istanbul, Turkey selling offcut fabric rolls, this fashion label only uses deadstock fabric. Since Istanbul is one of the textile capitals of the world, this brand is able to convert the remnants of fast fashion into slow fashion. In order to leave a lesser carbon footprint, their entire production chain is local. Their clothing is elegant and multifunctional: whether you want to wear it on Monday morning for work, or on Saturday evening for a night out on the town.
Elle Evans
From: Australia
Products: Swimwear, Activewear
Materials: Recycled Nylon
Elle Evans creates swimwear and activewear out of plastic waste from the ocean, so that they can leave the seas a little healthier than they found it. To ensure that there is no surplus production, each piece is made-to-order, and they don’t start sewing till an order is placed. Any small scraps are saved and made into frills or straps. Even their carry bags are sewn in their studio out of deadstock fabrics! They are truly making waves in the sustainable fashion industry by reusing and minimizing waste. Their products come in cool colors and patterns, so you can feel good about yourself whether you are swimming or doing yoga. Here’s to hoping we can someday take a dip in a plastic-free ocean!
Similar Brands:
- Oy Surf [Europe]
Arielle
From: NYC, USA
Products: Women’s Apparel, Suits, Swimwear
Materials: Recycled Materials
Certified: Fair Trade, GOTS, RWS
Since clothing is a form of self-expression, Arielle believes that our clothes should be confident as well as sustainable. They use a wide variety of recycled and zero-waste materials. One of their favorite fabrics includes milk fabric, in which spoiled milk is spun into silky fibers. This process is entirely chemical-free and uses very little water. Since it is made from milk, it has anti-microbial and hypoallergenic properties. Who knew that you could literally wear milk? They are entirely plastic-free and embrace undyed goods or reclaimed dyes. Produced locally, they have clothing for every occasion!
Naja
From: California, USA
Products: Lingerie
Materials: Recycled/ Upcycled Materials, Deadstock
Sustainable lingerie? We can’t say no to that! Naja stands out with its innovative designs that are both stylish and comfortable. They use a digital printing technique and their wastewater is next to none! All their products are made by single mothers, and you can even meet the makers on the website. Their bras are soft, underwire-free, and have memory foam padding, making you appreciate the finer things in life.
Similar Brands:
- Anekdot [UK]
- Swedish Stockings [Europe]
Patagonia
From: California, USA
Products: Outdoor Apparel, Adventure Gear
Certified: Bluesign, Fair Trade
This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Patagonia, the outdoor clothing company that pioneered making fleece out of recycled plastics. Today, a large percentage of their products are made from recycled materials. Their product range is truly amazing. They sell everything from dresses to jackets, to fishing gear to backpacks, so you can find something for both your outdoor and indoor needs. With their Worn Wear, they urge you to trade in your old items instead of throwing them away, so that they may be enjoyed by someone else.
Wolven Threads
From: Los Angeles, USA
Products: Activewear, Swimwear
Materials: Recycled Polyester, Modal
Certified: OEKO-TEX, GRS
Wolven is making sustainability sexy with its creativity and diversity. They find inspiration for their patterns everywhere, from the wilderness to the henna (temporary hand art) used in South Asian families. Wolven is carbon neutral, and with every order, you save 1 pound of plastic trash from the ocean. This means every time you wear their products, you can feel secure with the knowledge that you contributed towards a healthier environment. They even have a Wolven Pre-Loved program, where you can buy or sell pre-loved garments, giving them a second chance to be loved.
Tonlé
From: San Francisco, USA
Products: Gender-neutral Apparel
Materials: Deadstock
Tonle is serving sustainability with a side of sassiness with their bold and colorful clothes. With a belief that every scrap of fabric has a purpose, this inclusive zero-waste brand uses deadstock fabrics to make beautiful gender-neutral clothes. The remaining scraps of fabrics left are recycled and used as office paper or made into hang tags. They also use the patchwork technique to give the design a new twist and make sure no fabric goes to waste. Tonle is also contributing to a circular fashion system with its open closet platform where you can buy and sell pre-loved pieces.
Anián
From: Canada
Products: Shirts, T-shirts, Socks, Hats
Materials: Salvaged Textiles
Anian is trying to change the sustainable fashion industry by using fabric that is salvaged from discarded clothing picked from landfills. They take these salvaged natural-fiber textiles and create fabrics that they use to make their garments. They sort the salvaged textile into colors, so they use no additional dyes to make their garments! The recycled wool that they use is softer than conventional wool and will make you feel warm and cozy. Their clothes give the past a new future and are classy, timeless, and elegant- to be enjoyed for generations to come.
From waste to fashion. What a journey, huh? Kudos to you for caring about the planet one garment at a time!