25 Inspirational Ethical Fashion Brands You Should Know About

Ethical fashion brands that put the welfare of animals, people, and the planet first are needed now more than ever. As fast fashion poisons workers, water resources, and “nearly three-fifths of all clothing produced ends up in incinerators or landfills within years of being made”, we need creative change-makers who can realise durable clothing, reuse materials, and repair, repurpose, and reduce the waste produced. 

Slow, ethical, and sustainable fashion can provide fair employment, changing the fashion industry into a role model for other industries negatively impacting the environment, such as animal agriculture. 

Current fast fashion industry stats paint a grim picture:

• The average person will consume as much as 11.4 kilos of clothes per annum
• Roughly 300 million cotton producers live in poverty
• The average creation of one kilo of fabric generates 23 kilos of greenhouse gases
• About 2,720 litres of water are required to produce just one cotton T-shirt – the equivalent of what an average person drinks over three years

You can make a difference by buying from ethical fashion brands (when you really have to), but remember that the most sustainable clothes are the ones you already own. 

Along with the 25 inspiring ethical clothing brands, this article includes options for where to buy secondhand clothes, where to rent clothes, and where to repair beloved clothing items to prolong their usefulness. Reducing and reusing should take priority, with buying something new being the last resort.

Sustainable Fabrics A-Z: Which Materials Are Ethical?

Sustainability Certifications: Which Can You Trust?

Sustainable Clothing Brands in Europe

Made & More, Belgium

For: Men and women’s clothes
Location: Belgium
Prices: ££ – £££
Free delivery: Over €150
Certifications: None

Made & More, a sustainable Belgian fashion brand, promotes local production; fair wages; a lifetime guarantee for products; transparency in its production process; and uses zero-waste reusable packaging (RePack). The company has factories in the UK, Italy, Belgium, France, Spain, and Portugal, and values minimalism, creating “timeless designs”, and repairing damaged items under their lifetime guarantee. Alongside traditional materials such as organic cotton, linen, and wool, they also use plant-based textiles modal and lyocell (with a 99% recycled non-toxic solvent).

Organic Basics, Denmark

For: Men and women’s underwear
Location: Online only
Prices: ££ – £££ 
Free delivery: Over £70
Certifications: B Corp, GOTS, GRS 

Denmark-based B Corp-certified sustainable underwear company Organic Basics has factories in Turkey, Portugal, Austria, Italy, and Scotland. The company is very transparent about how its factories are run, and publishes a yearly environmental impact report. Organic Basics’ products use GOTS-certified organic cotton; GRS-certified Italian recycled nylon; Tencel lyocell; recycled wool; natural silver; antimicrobial fabric treatment Polygiene; GRS-certified recycled cashmere; and a knitting technique that prolongs the product’s life and reduces waste during production.

The company states, “We only ever use Class A and B fibers and as we go [on] we’ll only ever look for the most responsible fabric material and technology available. That means natural, renewable, recycled, biodegradable and/or low-impact textiles only.”

Lanius, Germany

For: Women’s clothes
Location: Europe
Prices: £££ 
Free delivery: Over £70
Certifications: GOTS, PETA-Approved Vegan

Founded in 1999 by Claudia Lanius with the intention to make fashion more sustainable and waste-free, the company uses GOTS-certified fabrics that are 100% free from animal products. Lanius also runs a foundation programme in India, the bioRe® Foundation; for each charity shirt purchased, €3 goes towards a school project for farmers’ children. The company also promote plastic-free packing and how to correctly care for its clothing.

Kuyichi, Netherlands

For: Men and women’s jeans and T-shirts
Location: The UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany
Prices: ££ – £££
Free delivery: Over €100
Certifications: EIM Scores, GOTS, PETA-Approved Vegan

Kuyichi says, “Buy something because you love it, not because it’s cheap”. We agree, because shopping is not always guilt-free. The brand’s promise is to keep its supply chain transparent and its production environment-friendly, and uses 100% organic cotton; recycled cotton; polyester made from recycled plastic bottles; post-consumer recycled denim (PCRD); plus linen and Tencel fabrics. They also have a policy of no seasonal collections, and no sales.

Mud Jeans, Netherlands

For: Men and women’s jeans and shorts
Location: Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan
Prices: ££ – £££
Free delivery: For the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and France
Certifications: B Corp, GOTS, PETA-Approved Vegan, GRS, Ecocert

Founded in 2013 by Bert van Son, a fashion industry veteran, Mud Jeans is a transparent company with one large factory in Tunisia. The company is especially interested in promoting fair working conditions for its workers, as well as a sustainable production process. 

The company says that, over the last three years, it has:

• Saved 300 million litres of water
• Avoided 700,000 kilos of CO₂
• Saved 12,000 jeans from landfill and incineration.

It also aims to sell 100%-recycled denim in future, by establishing a circular production scheme. For this reason, its “lease a jeans” system allows customers to rent out jeans for a monthly fee: “When the jeans are worn out, or if you feel like a change after 12 months, you can send in your jeans and switch to a new pair. We then recycle the old pairs into new items. After a year of lease, you can swap to a new pair of jeans, only paying the monthly fee of €7.50.”

The company also offers a free repair service in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

Ecoalf, Spain

For: Men, women, and children’s clothes
Location: Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and Portugal
Prices: £££ 
Free delivery: Yes
Certifications: B Corp

Ecoalf is a loving present from a father to his son. Founder Javier Goyeneche says, “The concept of the brand came after the birth of my son, Alfredo (the company is named after him) when I was reflecting upon the world we would leave to the next generation and my frustration with the excessive use of the world’s natural resources.”

Ecoalf prides itself on using recycled, low impact, and cruelty-free/animal-free materials, including nylon recycled from waste like fishing nets; recycled cotton (saving 2,500 litres of water per T-shirt); recycled wool; and even recycled used tyres (made into flip-flops!). 

Ecoalf has also founded the Ecoalf Foundation, which has so far “collected 500 tons of trash from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea”. Talk about positive impact!

Dedicated, Sweden

For: Men, women, and children’s clothes
Location: Thailand, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Russia, Switzerland, South Korea, Norway, and Haiti
Prices: ££
Free delivery: Over £70
Certifications: GOTS, Fairtrade, GRS 

Dedicated, a young, fashionable brand based in Sweden, works with GOTS- and Fairtrade-certified cotton, GRS recycled polyester, and Tencel natural-fibre fabrics. Swimwear, jackets, and beanies are made entirely from recycled plastic bottles; infrequently-used garments that don’t often need washingdon’t spread large amounts of microplastics.

Thought, UK

For: Men and women’s clothes
Location: Online only 
Prices: £ – ££ 
Free delivery: Over £60 for the UK  
Certifications: PETA-Approved Vegan

Having started off using hemp only, sourced in China, today this brand also sources natural fabrics and recycled fabrics, including organic cotton, bamboo, polyester from plastic bottles, rayon, wool, and Tencel fabrics. Thought believes in clothes to fall in love with, and which are timeless enough to wear for as long as possible. Once it is overworn, Thought suggests repairing or passing clothing on; the company therefore works with Traid to develop repairing skills, and donates resaleable clothes to the charity. 

Komodo, UK

For: Men and women’s clothes
Location: the UK, Indonesia, Nepal 
Prices: £ – ££
Free delivery: Over £100
Certifications: 1% for the Planet, GOTS

“The Original Ethical Brand Since ’88”, Komodo use “eco-fabrics” such as organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, rayon, Tencel, organic linen, and wool. The company has a transparent factory code of conduct, with production taking place in Kathmandu, Bali, India, and China. Komodo also supports charity projects such as the Sunrise Orphanage in Kathmandu and the Sumatran Orangutan Society. 

Rapanui Clothing, UK

For: Men and women’s clothes
Location: Online only
Prices: £ – ££
Free delivery: Over £100
Certifications: GOTS

Rapanui is a transparent and sustainable fashion brand based on the Isle of Wight, founded by two brothers and focused on a circular supply chain. By developing a platform called Teemill, Rapanui products can be returned when they are worn out to be remade. Products are made from natural materials in a renewable-energy-powered factory, while packaging is plastic-free, and a system is in place to purify wastewater from dyeing clothing. “About 95% of the water is recirculated and recovered,” and is “clean enough to drink”.

Sustainable Clothing Brands in Australia and New Zealand

Eternal Creation, Australia

For: Men, women, children, and babies’ clothes
Location: Online only
Prices: ££ 
Free delivery: No
Certifications: Fair Trade India, Fair Traders of Australia

Founded by Australian designer Frances Carrington in 1999, Eternal Creation is proud to be a registered member of the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand, and owns a fair trade-certified tailoring centre in Dharamshala, India. Most of its clothes are 100% cotton, and its supply chain is transparent. 

HoMie, Australia

For: Unisex and children’s clothes
Location: Australia
Prices: ££ 
Free delivery: Over $75
Certifications: Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA)

Founded in 2015, HoMie is not only a clothing brand but also a social project, helping the homeless and trying to “break down the stigma associated with homelessness”. HoMie runs two social impact programs: the HoMie Pathway Alliance, which provides retail training and education through paid internships for young people between 16 and 25, and VIP Shopping Days, which allow young people to shop complimentary HoMie clothes, beauty services, and lunch. The brand also promotes a transparent supply chain, local employment, and garments made from 100% cotton. 

Kowtow, New Zealand

For: Women’s clothes
Location: New Zealand
Prices: ££ – £££
Free delivery: Yes
Certifications: NPOP, GOTS, FSC, FLO

Kowtow is an elegant women’s clothing brand that works with sustainable fabrics that are organic, renewable, biodegradable, or regenerated. Applying ethical and sustainable production practices by making long-lasting clothes, the company ensures its workplaces are fair and safe, and that its supply chain is traceable. By providing  a repair service and take-back programme its fabrics can be reused, and only petroleum-free recyclable packaging is used.

Sustainable Clothing Brands in Canada and North America

Tentree, Canada

For: Men and women’s clothes and outerwear
Location: Online only
Prices: ££
Free delivery: No
Certifications: B Corp

As the name suggests, for every purchase this brand plants 10 trees in Madagascar, Indonesia, Canada, Senegal, or Nepal. By working with organisations such as One Tree Planted and Eden Reforestation, at the time of writing it has planted 35,316,240 trees. The company aims to plant one billion trees by 2030. As a certified B Corporation, using sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, Tencel, recycled polyester, and hemp, Tentree promises to care for its workforce, the environment, and communities around the world. 

Kotn, Canada

For: Men and women’s clothes 
Location: Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver
Prices: £ – ££
Free delivery: Over $75 for the US and Canada
Certifications: B Corp

A transparent and sustainable clothing company, Kotn works directly with cotton-farming families in Egypt, offering them fair payment; a factory outside Alexandria pays fair wages and contributes to the local economy. The company has also opened two schools so far, to help educate children in Egypt. 

Outdoor Voices, USA

For: Men and women’s activewear
Location: New York, California, Tennessee, Washington DC, Massachusetts, Texas, Ilinois
Prices: ££
Free delivery: Yes
Certifications: B Corp

Outdoor Voices “are on a mission to get the world moving”, with flexible activewear (leggings, sports bras, and shorts, etc) made from sustainable materials such as recycled polyester, ethically-sourced wool, recycled wool, cotton, and more. Alongside products designed to last, the company is trying to find ways to repurpose, repair, and recirculate its used products. It has also “launched partnerships with WWF, the Nature Conservancy, and [climate action streaming service] CHOOOSE to generate funds for and drive education around sustainability, conservation and carbon offsetting”. 

Brave GentleMan, USA

For: Men’s vegan clothes and shoes
Location: New York, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, and Sweden
Prices: £££ – ££££
Free delivery: No
Certifications: EU Ecolabel

The first vegan lifestyle menswear brand, Brave GentleMan was founded in 2010 by Joshua Katcher, who strictly believes that animals don’t belong in fashion’s production cycle. The company instead makes high-quality menswear from sustainable materials such as biodegradable PU (polyurethane polymer); recycled cotton, polyester, and 100% post-consumer, mechanically-recycled plastic bottles; and organic cotton, linen, and corozo (tagua nut). Buying from Brave GentleMan is not only an investment in your clothes but also the future of clothing.

Pact, USA

For: Men, women, children, and babies’ clothes
Location: Online only
Prices: ££
Free delivery: No
Certifications: N/A

Pact make comfortable and chic clothing, and believe fashion can be guilt-free with clothing made from organic cotton with sustainable practices and zero chemicals, in fair trade-certified factories. Since it also offers ways to recycle or reuse old clothing, towels, and linens, we believe this can be true. 

Patagonia, USA

For: Men and women’s outerwear
Location: Worldwide
Prices: ££
Free delivery: Over £90
Certifications: B Corp, 1% for the Planet, Fair Trade

Originally a clothing company for climbers, Patagonia is now popular around the world thanks to its early entry into the world of ethical fashion, establishing a model for other brands both within and outside of the fashion industry. As well as actively trying to reduce its environmental impact, alongside environmental activism, the brand promotes repairing, reusing, and recycling garments, and are aiming for use of 100% renewable and recycled raw materials.

Global Prana, California, USA

For: Men and women’s activewear
Location: California, Colorado, and Oregon
Prices: ££
Free delivery: No
Certifications: Fair Trade Factory, RDS

Prana works directly with Fair Trade factories in India, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, using a transparent supply chain, sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, recycled wool, and responsible down (RDS-certified to protect birds from ill-treatment), with no toxic chemicals in the manufacturing process.

Fair Indigo, Wisconsin, USA

For: Men, women, and babies’ clothes
Location: Online only
Prices: ££
Free delivery: Yes
Certifications: GOTS, Green America

By working with eco-friendly dyes and only 100% organic cotton, US-based family business Fair Indigo makes minimalist, everyday clothing for women and men, as well as for babies. Affiliated non-profit organisation the Fair Indigo Foundation aims “to improve educational opportunities for children in the Peruvian communities” where its organic cotton is sourced.

Beyond Beanie, Bolivia

For: Beanies, bags, bracelets, and T-shirts
Location: Online only
Prices: ££
Free delivery: Yes
Certifications: GOTS, Green America

More than an ethical fashion brand, Beyond Beanie works with over twenty artisans in La Paz and Cochabamba to support vulnerable children in Bolivia. For every beanie sold, a child receives five meals, for every bracelet a child receives dental care, and for one bag, a child receives a set of school supplies. It’s an awesome cause with pretty cool headgear.

Sustainable Clothing Brands in Asia

Source Collections, Hong Kong, China

For: Men and women’s T-shirts and underwear
Location: Online only
Prices: ££
Free delivery: Above S$60
Certifications: WRAP, BSCI, FSC

Source Collections works with the manufacturing partner of renowned brand Stella McCartney’s: a factory in Dongguan, China that “provides free housing and meals for all 180 employees”. Source states, “We hope to do our part to minimize the impact of fashion on the environment where we can. We are committed to only use natural or renewable materials for our garments.”

Doodlage, New Delhi, India

For: Men and women’s clothing
Location: Online only
Prices: ££
Free delivery: Flat rate
Certifications: WRAP, BSCI, FSC

On a mission to reuse and repurpose fashion industry waste, Doodlage aim to become the first zero-waste fashion brand. In their “Eco Checklist”, the company says it intends to ultimately become a circular fashion label. Its clothes are made ethically by a fair trade factory in Bangalore, India.

Sustainable Clothing Brands in Africa

Mayamiko, Malawi

For: Women’s clothes
Location: Malawi
Prices: ££ 
Free delivery: Over £95  
Certifications: GOTS, Earth Positive, Fair Trade, One Tree Planted

Mayamiko is making a great impact in Malawi by working with a local co-operative of female traders to source colourful printed fabric. Currently a provisional member of the World Fair Trade Organisation, the company says that “[t]rading fair and being transparent is at the core of our approach to business”. They also promote slow fashion by making on-demand clothing, while a zero-waste policy means all scrap fabric is made into something new (parcel bags, doormats, or even reusable sanitary pads for young girls). Going even further is its solar-powered workshop outside of Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital. 

Renting Clothes and Buying Second Hand

Many industries have long ignored the realities of shrinking resources, pollution, and climate change; now it’s time to vote with our wallets by reducing, refusing, and reusing, rather than consuming. This is why we recommend you support the companies already making a positive impact by putting people and the planet before profit.

In order to do so, we recommend you buy from sustainable brands with ethical practices in place, which are transparent about the way they conduct business, with the factories they work with to how they source their fabrics.

Alternatively, reduce the carbon footprint of your wardrobe (and save money too) by shopping for secondhand clothes and renting outfits for specific events rather than buying new ones.

Useful apps for second hand clothes and renting

Depop allows users to open their own little shop for selling unused clothes. Clothes and accessories from many big brands can be bought at cheap prices, or declutter your wardrobe by selling your unused garments.

UK-based app (and website) Vinted lets you buy, swap, or sell unused clothes, and even extends to baby clothes.

Rent My Wardrobe is a great app for those who need glamourous clothes for a special occasion. 

The Mr. Collection is an app designed for men to buy secondhand clothes.

Do you have a favourite fashion brand which prides itself on its ethics? Have we missed them from this list? If so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments box below!

Featured photo by Andrej Lišakov on Unsplash