Sustainable fashion refers to fashion that has been designed, made, and distributed in a way that is environmentally friendly or conscious. It can include sourcing of materials, fair worker treatment, as well as social welfare. It should also include the way products or materials can be returned to nature after use or during production.
We have listed the Top 10 Sustainable Fashion Brands you need to know about in 2022. Keep reading to find out which brands are tackling the environmental impacts of the fashion industry, what they make, and what we mean by sustainable.
The Top Sustainable Fashion Brands to Try 2022:
1. BITE
BITE is a high end sustainable women’s fashion brand, and the name means ‘By Independent Thinkers for Environmental Progress’. They were founded in 2016 by a collective of creative minds based between Stockholm, Sweden and London. They use their collective experience and resources to redefine the way clothes are made and worn.
Each piece is thoughtfully designed and stubbornly sustainable. They are hand crafted and tailored to ensure a perfect fit, and designed to stand the test of time. BITE research their materials to ensure they have the finest quality of natural, organic fibres and low-impact fabrics. 95% of the luxury eco-friendly materials in their collections are organic, recycled or low-impact.
“Quality and durability are key if we are to reduce our impact on the planet's resources.” - BITE
Currently on their sixth collection, BITE make women’s wear in a mixture of styles. With tailored pieces to flowing, loose fabrics, there’s something for everyone. The earth-toned colours and simply elegant lines make each piece timeless and perfect for any occasion.
2. Bogdar
Bogdar was founded in Bulgaria in 2015, by Pavel and Teodora Lozanov. Pavel’s family has been in the fashion industry for his whole life, and in partnership with his wife, Bogdar make clothes for the passionate and confident woman. In Bulgarian, Bogdar means “a gift from God”.
Bogdar make no compromises in their craft and their care for their pieces. They combine modern style with sustainable practices to offer unique pieces produced in eco-conscious ways. They use recycled materials, faux leather, organic silk, and more to ensure their clothes make as little impact as possible. As well as a conscious business model, sense of social responsibility, and robust environmental initiatives.
“It’s not about selling a beautiful piece, it’s about self-expression and empowerment. Our clothes enable women to be the best versions of themselves.” - Bogdar
Currently running their Spring Summer 2021 collection, Bogdar make exciting clothes full of colour, with interesting shapes, reminiscent of the emerging style of the New East. The eye-catching collection is colourful, bright, and youthful with timeless pieces made for any occasion. Dress up or down, vegan leather or recycled fibers, either way, you know you’re supporting a brand that cares.
3. Ecoalf
Born in 2009, Ecoalf is a sustainable fashion brand founded by Javier Goyeneche and named after a combination of his son’s names. Javier wanted to create a truly sustainable brand that takes responsibility for the planet. Ecoalf use only recycled materials, such as synthetic nylon and polyester that are recycled and able to be further recycled. They also use low impact fibers such as tencel and linen. Their organic cotton is in line with the Global Recycling Standard (GRS) and 99.96% of their SS2021 collection is made from vegan clothing.
Ecoalf care about having a traceable supply chain, and supporting their suppliers. They have a People First initiative which seeks to maintain strong supplier relationships, making sure they stay in line with their Sustainable Commitment, and build their staff through recruiting and training. As a Certified B-Corp, Ecoalf balance profit with purpose, and have committed to be Net Zero by 2030.
“Our goal is not to be the biggest company in the world but the best for the world.” - Ecoalf
With Ecoalf you can shop Men’s, Women’s, and Kids' clothes. They have clothes in sizes XS to XL perfect for dressing up or down. From more flowing neutral-toned linen pieces to brighter-coloured jackets. They even have a yoga collection featuring textured leggings and sports bras made from recycled polyamide, perfect for a planet conscious fitness fanatic.
4. Gaâla
Combining classic French style and the finest Belarusian craftsmanship, Gaâla, founded by husband and wife Kelly de Gaalon and Alexander Zhalezka, creates pieces that transcend time and trends.
Gaâla mindfully crafts their designs using production leftovers, deadstock fabrics, and other low-impact, natural materials. Each piece is created in a small-scale workshop with a safe, ethical work environment and above average wages. You can meet their Team on their website, where you can hear from each member, from their tailors to their sample cutter.
“Create for the needs of today while enabling the needs of future generations” - Gaâla mantra and firm belief.
Gaâla create timeless dresses and jumpsuits that never need replacing. Classic designs built with you in mind. Currently running their Spring Collection, they hope you’ll bring something of your own into each piece you wear.
5. Happy Earth Apparel
As a certified B-Corp, Happy Earth Apparel help you decide ways to give back when you purchase. B-Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
Happy Earth are dedicated to creating the most sustainable apparel through highly selective material choices, reducing plastic waste, and committing to giving back to protect the planet. Happy Earth is committed to donating a minimum of 1% of our revenue to charitable organizations through our Tree Planting, Preventing Emissions, and Removing Trash projects.
“Our future depends on choosing ethical, renewable practices, and on putting the Earth first.” - Happy Earth
Choose from apparel, accessories, and blankets and be sure to find plant-based, responsibly sourced materials. Shop sustainable long sleeve, short sleeve t-shirts, tank tops, and leggings which all promote nature-based designs.
6. Kotn
Since slow fashion brand Kotn was founded in 2015, they’ve worked hard to ensure fair labour practices, create collaborative communities, and produce pieces that prosper for generations. They’ve been able to build 7 schools in rural areas in Egypt that previously had no access to education. They provide subsidies and resources to smallholder farms and impoverished communities. They advocate for environmental stewardship and are a Certified B-Corp.
”Our mission is to set the standard for conscious creation and consumption.” - Kotn
Kotn work with family-run farms in Portugal and Egypt to pick the best fibres and ensure direct-trade practices, above-fair pay, and safe working conditions. The name Kotn is a play on the word cotton, of which they only use organic cotton through the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), and is also the phonetic spelling of the Arabic word for cotton.
Kotn use their responsibly sourced cotton in womenswear and menswear as well as home furnishings. From comfortable clean-cut, loungewear, to casual wear, and carefully considered underwear, there’s something for everyone.
7. Lucy & Yak
Lucy and Yak was founded by a husband and wife that left their jobs in order to travel, and discovered they wanted to design clothes. Though their flagship store is in Brighton, they visited China, India, and Thailand to find small businesses to work with, and met Ismail in Rajasthan, India.
They have pledged to always pay their employees the ‘Living wage’, so that they are looked after whatever country they are in. Their cotton is traceable and you can see the transparency with their suppliers and warehouse in India on their website. They use plastic free packaging and support multiple initiatives working towards a healthier and happier planet.
“Our goal has always been to inspire a brighter, bolder tomorrow through creativity and positivity.” - Lucy and Yak.
Lucy and Yak are committed to size inclusivity and their clothes are bright and fun with an androgynous appeal. Known mostly for their bright unisex dungarees, they also have boiler suits, all kinds of statement casual clothing pieces, and even scrubs which they have been donating to NHS hospitals.
8. Navygrey
Navygrey started when Founder, Rachel, wanted a simple wool jumper like one her mother had. Unable to find one, she decided to make one. Navygrey’s small selection of classic knits are inspired by the past but reimagined for today.
Navygrey pay a premium in order to have traceable raw natural materials. They work with some of Europe's best-practice manufacturers to create a transparent and traceable supply chain. Their Devon-based distribution hub is solar panelled and they ship their jumpers in un-dyed 100% organic cotton drawstring bags.
“Every jumper tells a story.” - Navygrey
Choose from a selection of conscious and considered knit garments for a simple and cosy warmth. With contemporary shapes and timeless designs, Navygrey jumpers are individual statement pieces that feel both fresh and traditional at the same time. Choose a variety of colours, or stick to the Navy jumper that started it all.
9. People Tree
People Tree’s story started in 1991. Every product is made to the highest ethical and environmental standards from start to finish. Contemporary, versatile designs that feature playful, exclusive prints. Their clothes are made of organic cotton, TENCEL™ Lyocell, a sustainable cellulosic fibre made from wood pulp with high resource efficiency and low environmental impact, and responsible wool. People Tree products are made using traditional artisan skills.
“People Tree is an active member of many Fair Trade, social justice and environmental networks. We are WFTO Guaranteed Status and are GOTS certified. We are a licensee for the Fairtrade foundation.” - People Tree
People Tree are committed to a mindful approach to their clothes. By using skills such as hand weaving, hand knitting or hand embroidery, they can create employment in rural areas where work is often scarce. All their clothes are dyed using low impact dyes, free from harmful AZO chemicals, known for potentially causing cancer and having negative genetic impacts.
Their collections are bright and fun and come in simple but timeless shapes for classic, feminine outfits. From tailored jackets to floating dresses, there’s something sustainable for everyone.
10. Thought
Thought began with John and Rachel making simple designs out of kind fabrics, made to show off the beauty of the materials used. They started in pop-up shops on London’s famous Portobello Road and at Camden Lock market. They work with stockists that share their mission to live more thoughtfully.
“Who’d have thought that the tiny collection of shirts we first designed in Sydney would lead us here?” - Thought
Every step of the design process, from materials, to the creation of designs and prints, to the finished product is detailed and thoughtfully considered, whilst how the garments will be worn remains at the centre of the process. They use zero plastic packaging, vegan glue, and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton.
You can shop men’s clothing and women’s clothing, accessories, and gifts. They’ve also partnered with other brands to make conscious shopping easier for everyone. It’s important to Thought that the pieces in their collections are timeless, and made to a high standard so they can be worn for years.
Sustainable For The Future
Whether you’re looking to update your wardrobe or learn a little more about what brands can do to reduce their negative impacts, these brands have you covered when it comes to making a sustainable difference with your wardrobe. With The One Edit, we'll take care of finding alternatives to fast fashion, vegan skincare brands, or simply discovering the meaning of vegan vs plant based. No matter how you're trying to live more consciously, we'll be right here to support you.