Top 10 sustainable & ethical fashion brands for women

How to do something good in style. If you wear these brands, you do not only look stylish and elegant but also protect the environment as well as act socially

Sustainable women's fashion
Gabriela Hearst Spring Summer 2020 copyright by Gabriela Hearst

Author: Julia Schindler

Sustainable and ethical fashion for women is currently more in demand than ever. Nevertheless, the search for stylish, modern and responsibly made clothing proves to be a real challenge. This is not least due to the fact that terms such as sustainable and ethical fashion are often used synonymously and the term sustainability in the context of fashion industry often with shapeless clothing from scratchy material is associated.

Nowadays one thing in particular is out of fashion: irresponsible consumption. That is why more and more sustainable and ethical collections are being produced that qualitatively are of high quality and expand your wardrobe in a stylish and timeless way.

Related topics: Top 10 brands for ethical men's clothing

Sustainable & ethical fashion - Here's what it actually means

Sustainable men's clothing

  • As little environmental impact as possible during production processes
  • Responsible use of natural resources
  • Reduction in the use of chemicals, CO02 emissions and production waste
  • Recycling
  • transparency
  • Responsibility to the environment

Ethical men's clothing

  • Responsible use of natural resources
  • Philanthropic leitmotif
  • Guarantee of fair & decent working conditions
  • Zero tolerance for child labor
  • Responsibility towards the environment and people

You have the choice

If you choose sustainable and ethical fashion, you are not only acting environmentally conscious, but also socially. By sticking to this knowledge, you can design your next shopping trip with a clear conscience. To help you get started, we offer you our top 10 brands for sustainable and ethical women's fashion.

BRAND GUIDE

These are our top 10 favorite brands for sustainable & ethical fashion for women

  1. Gabriela Hearst
  2. Julia Leifert
  3. Eileen Fisher
  4. AMUR
  5. bottletop
  6. BITE studios
  7. J brand jeans
  8. Reformation
  9. Sézane
  10. People Tree

1. Gabriella Hearst

With her passion for quality, Gabriela Hearst, who has been awarded the International Woolmark Prize, can win over stars like Emma Watson. Sustainability and tradition are more important to the designer than fast-moving trends. That's why she invests a lot of time in working out and refining details. In her homeland, Uruguay, she produces luxurious garments and limits their number to guarantee quality and sustainability. In addition, Gabriela Hearst is a true visionary. In 2017, she designed a special silver fabric that shields cell phone radiation from the woman's reproductive organs and in 2019 she staged the first carbon-neutral fashion show. Most recently, she created a collection, the proceeds of which were partly donated to "Save the Children", in cooperation with Mytheresa.

Brand Origin: USA
Key facts: compostable packaging, health-protecting materials, philanthropic leitmotif, recycling
Shops: Online shop - delivers to Germany, also available from Mytheresa, for example
Style: high quality, timeless, elegant - luxurious and flowing silhouettes

Gabriella Hearst

Copyright by Gabriela Hearst

2. Julia Leifert

High quality products at the interface of ethics and aesthetics - that's what Julia Leifert, winner of the New Faces Award Style, stands for. For the designer, environmental awareness and luxury fashion form a holistic unit. She creates awareness in the fashion industry through fair and regional production, animal and resource protection and traditional craftsmanship. Their clear designs are characterized by durability and combinability, instead of following short-lived trends. 80-90% of the materials are organic and GOTS certified, while the remaining 10% are recycled to minimize waste and emissions. These materials are processed in local and women-run factories. Julia Leifert won the Fashion Council Germany Sustainability Award in 2018 and redefines the term luxury.

Brand Origin: Germany
Key facts: Slow fashion, PETA & GOTS certified, regional production, social commitment, recycling, zero waste
Shops: online shop
Style: straightforward, high-quality, modern - confident and timeless looks

Copyright by Julia Leifert

3. Eileen fisher

Eileen Fisher is one of the leading brands for sustainable and ethical fashion for women. The collections are made from 100% organic wool and linen, whereby no harmful chemicals are used in textile dyeing. In addition, as little waste as possible is produced and great attention is paid to reducing CO2 emissions with a view to the company's future goals. To ensure compliance with ethical principles, Eileen Fisher strictly overlooks the supply chain to guarantee fair working conditions and is Fairtrade certified.

Brand Origin: USA
Key facts: Fairtrade certificate, transparent supply chain, reduction of CO2, sustainable use of natural materials
Shops: online shop - delivers to Germany
Style: Elegant, simple - timeless designs in muted colors that can be optimally combined with different styles

sustainable fashion

Copyright by Eileen Fischer

4. AMUR

AMUR proves that stylish collections do not necessarily entail environmental costs. Accordingly, the label is committed to the responsible use of resources and only uses certified sustainable materials. During production, strict attention is paid to the consumption of water and energy, and waste is minimized as well as recycled. AMUR also supports artisans in emerging countries. Luxury means conscientiousness.

Brand Origin: USA
Key facts: natural textiles, certified wool & silk, minimization of water and energy consumption, recycling of production waste, philanthropic leitmotif
Shops: Online shop - delivers to Germany, for example also available from Revolve
Style: Feminine, colorful, elegant - flowing cuts with extraordinary & luxurious patterns

sustainable fashion

Copyright by AMUR

5. Bottletop

Bottletop's journey started in Kenya, where the founders designed their first handbag from bottle caps and leather trimmings. Through collaboration with Mulberry, whose founder is the father of co-founder Cameron Saul, the bags became international bestsellers. The proceeds were partly invested in local handicrafts and health education in Africa. From then on, the founders pursued their fascination for upcycled items and discovered the versatility of metal rings. These are sourced from Brazil, where they are processed by artisans who are paid 45% more than average. A chain mesh developed from the metal rings has meanwhile become the signature style of the company. To this end, Bottletop opened the first 2017D-printed store made of upcycled plastic on Regent Street in London in 3.

Brand Origin: UK
Key facts: reduction of deforestation, upcycling, local craftsmanship, plastic-free packaging
Shops: Online shop - delivers to Germany, store in London
Style: modern, urban, innovative - bags and other accessories in extraordinary designs

6. BITE Studios

BITE stands for By Independent Thinkers for Environmental Progress. Each garment is handmade with minimal environmental impact. Harmful chemicals are avoided and 95% of the materials used are organic or recycled and GOTS certified. To this end, the collections include a maximum of 20 pieces, some of which are further developments of the last collections, in order to encourage the sustainable use of clothing. In particular, the relationship between different collections encourages us to pass on parts of BITE Studios from generation to generation.

Brand Origin: Sweden
Key facts: slow fashion, organic & recycled materials, GOTS certificate
Shops: Online shop - delivers to Germany, for example also available from Net-a-Porter
Style: Minimalistic, elegant, timeless - stylish and high-quality looks in muted colors

slow fashion

Copyright by BITE Studio

8. Reformation

Reformation stands for transparency. The in-house “Refscale” indicates the environmental balance of a garment, which results from the emission of carbon dioxide, consumption of water and waste produced in the manufacture. In view of the environmental impact, consumers can decide whether they want to buy a piece or not. In addition, Reformation has been 2015% carbon neutral since 100, uses 100% wind power, recycles waste, offers its employees fair wages as well as health benefits, and primarily produces locally. With Reformation, typical LA vibes, of which stars like Emily Ratajkowski cannot get enough, can be captured responsibly in the wardrobe.

Brand Origin: USA
Key facts: Oeko-Tex Standard 100, 100% carbon-free, 100% wind power, transparent environmental balance, zero waste
Shops: Online shop - delivers to Germany, also available from Farfetch, for example
Style: Feminine, cool, confident - modern looks for everyday life and special occasions, also available in larger sizes

9. Sezane

By only selling online, Sézane does without middlemen. In this way, it ensures ethical working conditions and efficiently saves costs in order to sell high-quality goods at affordable prices. 2/3 of the production takes place in Europe and 1/3 in selected countries. The selection is based on available resources and craft artists as well as ethical working conditions and production capacities. The materials used are environmentally friendly, GOTS and FSC certified and the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 confirms the absence of chemical pollutants. Sézane also recycles water, packaging and clothing and founded the DEMAIN initiative in 2017, which gives disadvantaged children access to education and culture.

Brand Origin: France
Key facts: Oeko-Tex Standard 100, GOTS & FSC certificate, recycling systems, philanthropic leitmotif
Shops: online shop - delivers to Germany
Style: romantic, feminine, fine - partly in the direction of boho chic, including leather goods

10. People Tree

People Tree is one of the first sustainable fashion labels and is therefore seen as a pioneer in the fashion industry. For more than 10 years the company has been working with Fairtrade-certified artisans, so that products are not only handmade, but also traditionally made. They consist of organic cotton and other sustainable materials, whereby People Tree is the first GOTS-certified organization worldwide with a supply chain located entirely in developing countries. This is how sustainable and ethical fashion is produced while contributing to positive change in the fashion industry globally.

Brand Origin: UK
Key facts: Fairtrade organic cotton, Fairtrade production, biodegradable materials, transparent supply chain
Shops: online shop - delivers to Germany
Style: Casual, practical, feminine - classic cuts in colorful patterns that can be combined with different fashion styles

sustainable fashion

Copyright by People Tree

 

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