With increasing media attention on companies that are producing merchandise in an unethical manner more and more consumers are looking for brands that adhere to higher manufacturing standards.

For example, in the clothing manufacturing process several issues exist that are a cause for a concern. These issues include excess water usage, use of hazardous chemicals and unfair wages. To go a little bit further, the Ethical Fashion Forum provides a number of practices that brands can undertake to be more ethical:

defend fair wages, working conditions and workers’ rights, and support sustainable livelihoods
address toxic pesticide and chemical use, use and/or develop eco- friendly fabrics and components
minimize water use
recycle and address energy efficiency and waste
develop or promote sustainability standards for fashion
counter fast, cheap fashion and damaging patterns of fashion consumption
provide resources, training and/or awareness raising initiatives
protect animal rights

If you are shopping and want to focus on ethical clothing brands here are 15 brands that employ ethical practices when manufacturing or distributing their clothes:

1. Everlane

Everlane produces high-quality clothing items at an affordable price. Radical transparency is a key part of its sustainable manufacturing process. Everlane partners with ethical factories around the world and shares those stories with customers. Its clothing is designed to last and is not focused on trendy items but classics that can be worn for many seasons.

You can see how much the materials, hardware, labour, transportation and duties for Everlane’s merchandise costs on its website. Everlane also shows the difference in the markup for its products vs. a traditional retailer on its website.

Shop Everlane here.

2. Reformation

Manufactured in Los Angeles, Reformation is one of the pioneers in the sustainable fashion industry. Reformation plans to recycle 100,000 garments this year, and you can even tour its LA factory to see how it uses discarded and leftover fabrics in its products. Even when you are browsing clothes to try on in store, smart displays will show you the clothing’s “RefScore”. This is a measure of the selected clothing’s water usage, waste generation, and amount of carbon emissions that were generated in the manufacturing process of the piece.

Reformation proves that you can still be trendy while wearing timeless styles and saving the Earth at the same time!

Shop Reformation here.

3. Frank and Oak

Frank and Oak is a Canadian-designed minimalist fashion brand that uses sustainable fabrics. By increasing the usage of recycled materials, leading to reduced waste in landfills, it wants to minimize any negative impact on the environment. In 2019, roughly 50% of its products will be made with the goal of increasing the use of recycled materials. Frank and Oak believes in promoting socially responsible economic development.

Shop Frank and Oak here.

4. Encircled

Encircled designs clothes for everyday wear. With women wearing only approximately 50% of the clothing in their closet, there is room for more versatile pieces. Believing that sustainability represents a seasonless design that can be worn throughout time the company designs its merchandise with the following question in mind: “what need does this fulfill within your wardrobe?” to ensure that each piece will last!

Shop Encircled here.

5. Franc

Frustrated with current fashion industry practices and wanting to be a part of the change, Franc was created. Designed and ethically made in Canada, Franc sells quality made basics that are timeless. Franc is for anyone who is annoyed with fast fashion and want to enjoy a conscious wardrobe.

Shop Franc here.

6. Levi’s

One pair of jeans takes about 2,000 gallons of water to be made. As a large contributor to water usage, Levi’s focuses on removing water wherever possible to reduce its consumption. Its new collection “Water<Less” aims to use 96% less water during the jean production process.

Shop Levi’s here.

7. Patagonia

With the goal of ensuring that its manufacturing process is under safe, fair, legal and humane working conditions, Patagonia sells products that meets those characteristics, and the brand is fair trade certified. Patagonia also takes actions to make their standards known and is known as the activist organization in this area.

Shop Patagonia here.

8. thredUP

thredUP is the world’s largest online second-hand shopping platform and purchasing used clothing is more sustainable than buying new clothing. Instead of going to you local thrift store thredUP makes it easy to buy used clothing online.

Shop thredUP here.

9. Pact

Stylish, comfortable and sustainable – if those are factors that contribute to your shopping decisions then Pact is for you! Pact designs and sells certified organic & fair-trade items. Their mission is to change fast fashion into ethical fashion – offering conscious comfort and sustainable fashion for all.

Shop Pact here.

10. Eileen Fisher

Eileen Fisher is a Benefit Corporation, meaning that it has a legal commitment towards making a positive social and environmental impact. Its vision is for sustainability to be universal for all. Eileen Fisher aspires to design clothes that last since clothing is a lifetime commitment. The brand also buys back their gently worn clothing from customers.

Shop Eileen Fisher here.

11. People Tree

People Tree was founded in 1991 in the United Kingdom, making it another pioneer in the sustainable fashion industry. People Tree focuses on good wages and working conditions for its employees in the manufacturing process. It chooses materials like organic cotton, Tencel lyocell and low impact dyes for the production process. It has a fair-trade certification.

Shop People Tree here.

12. Athleta

Athleta is an athletic clothing brand that makes their items with 60% sustainable materials. It belongs to Benefit Corporation which ensures that it uses its business as a force for the good. Along with sustainability, Athleta empowers girls and women through P.A.C.E. and Fair Trade. In 2020, Athlete wants to make merchandise from 80% sustainable materials.

Shop Athleta here.

13. preloved

“Saving the planet one sweater at a time” is the mission of preloved. Through their design approach, the organization recycles and brings new life into your old sweater. Its sweaters are made of a mix of recycled material and deadstock fabrics that would have normally ended up in a landfill. Starting in 1995 in Canada, preloved has reclaimed over one million sweaters that would have ended up as waste in landfills.

Shop preloved here.

14. Outland

Outland is an Australian-based brand that creates eco-conscious items while fighting human trafficking. It started a denim project called Outland Denim to help victims who have escaped from human trafficking or sexual exploitation. Through this project, Outland helps victims with their career development through training and employment. Along with that, all denim is made with organic cotton and dyed with organic vegetable dyes.

Shop Outland here.

Additional Sources

https://www.thredup.com/reformation?referral_code=reformation_cleanout_bags&utm_campaign=reformation_cleanout_bags&utm_medium=reformation_partnership&utm_source=partner

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/clothing/g27154605/sustainable-fashion-clothing/

https://www.canadianliving.com/style/fashion/article/five-sustainable-fashion-brands-you-should-know-about

https://www.terumah.ca/where-canadians-can-buy-ethical-sustainable-fashion-online/

https://wearpact.com/about

14 Ethical Clothing Brands You Should Buy Today