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Are you ready to quick fast fashion for good? We are here to help! Below are the best slow fashion brands with stylish and ethical clothing for minimalists and maximalists alike. Spoiler alert: yes, many trendy sustainable clothing brands offer colorful, statement styles that are anything but plain and boring.
This post is about the best slow-fashion brands with ethical clothing
By now, you probably have a pretty good idea of why sustainable fashion is so important. The slow fashion vs fast fashion debate is by no means a new one. With so many fast-fashion clothing hoarders turning into inspirational sustainable fashion activists with a mission to educate consumers on the tremendous impact of the industry, more and more people are turning towards ethical clothing options to fuel their wardrobe with long-lasting, utterly stylish, and super versatile options.
If you’ve already read the list of the 20+ fast fashion brands to avoid, then you are probably looking for affordable slow fashion brands that actually deserve your hard-earned money. You know, the ones that do not actively support modern-day slavery, environmental pollution, and overconsumption.
Nontheless, it’s a common misconception that finding a trendy sustainable clothing brand that’s not basic, plain, and uninspired is notoriously difficult. Because in reality, the most popular slow fashion brands are not only chock full of artful, intricate, and stylish clothing, but also ready to outfit us with truly timeless and durable staples beyond the ever-changing fads.
Below are the best slow fashion brands that will help you quit fast fashion all while keeping you modern, cool, and effortlessly stylish.
Slow Fashion vs. Fast Fashion
Slow fashion brands, as opposed to fast fashion, focus on the long-term view of each product. The end goal of ethical clothing is to last for as long as possible before they get recycled into new pieces or discarded sustainably.
Slow fashion brands monitor their entire supply chain to ensure that their workers are safe and get paid fair wages all while being respectful towards the environment. Instead of polyester and nylon, popular slow fashion brands use organic, renewable, and regenerated materials, ensuring that each piece of apparel is quality.
Lastly, the entire design process requires significantly more time which also means that sustainable fashion brands do not base their collection on ever-changing trends.
How can I replace my fast fashion?
The best way to slowly replace fast fashion is to find sustainable fashion brands that fit your own style and quality needs. Many affordable show fashion brands offer the same aesthetic as fast fashion without compromising on quality or ethics.
One of the most important thing to know in living a sustainable life is to use what you already have, and to never get rid of something just because it is fast fashion. Taking our old fast fashion purchases and tossing them away is never the answer. Use those pieces until their life is over, and then mend, repair, and upcycle as best as you can! Slowly fill holes in your closet with sustainable fashion options during your journey.
You can also opt for second-hand options to give used clothes a brand new life, or even organize a clothing swap with some of your friends. The key is to buy less and consider cost per wear.
Do you really need a certain piece of clothing? How much impact is it going to have on your pre-existing wardrobe? Will it be current 6 months from now? These are only some of the questions you can ask yourself before opting for a brand new piece of clothing
Is Zara fast fashion?
Zara is the reason why the term “fast fashion” even exists, so yes, it definitely is. The New York Times used the term “fast fashion” back in the 1990s to describe the brand’s mission “ take no more than 15 days for a garment to go from an idea to being sold on the racks.” A few years ago Zara used to employ Turkish sweatshops in Istanbul, where workers were forced to work without being paid.
However, the fast fashion brand also sources clothing from Brazilian factories as well where workers are engaging in modern slavery, working up to 16 hours a day. In fact, Zara’s owner, Inditex, has been accused multiple times of greenwashing, exploitation and environmental distraction.
Is H&M fast fashion?
Second only to Zara, H&M is another fast fashion retail with over three billion garment sales per year you should avoid. In fact, they were also involved in the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013 with a death toll of 1,134. Later on, H&M promised to start paying 850,000 workers a living wage by 2018- a promise that was never met. It’s safe to say that they and their disposable clothing certainly don’t worth your bucks.
This post is about affordable slow-fashion brands.
The Best & Most Popular Slow-Fashion Brands With Ethical Clothing
When it comes to the best slow-fashion brands for previous fast fashion addicts, Pact proudly sits at the top of the list. From affordable sustainable basics like GOTS-certified organic cotton tees and trend-driven tank tops to ridiculously stylish eco-friendly maternity clothing and comfy underwear, there are so many different categories to choose from. Plus, unlike the devastating working condition in the fast fashion industry, Pact’s ethical clothing Fair Trade Certified factories with the motto Earth’s Favorite Clothing. Additionally, instead of huge plastic bags wrapped in even more plastic, the sustainable brand uses100% post-consumer recycled paperboard to ship the goodies to your doorstep.
Size Range: XS -XL
Price: Starts at $15
Ethics: Organic Cotton, Fair Trade Certified Factories, Sustainably And Ethically Made
Location/Shipping: USA, worldwide shipping available
Discount: SKL15 to get 15% off for first-time customers – Full priced items only and cannot be used with other offers
Shop Pact Here
Fast fashion brands are loved by petite gals just because they can finally find something that actually fits. Well, there are many slow fashion brands like Reformation that offer Petite Clothing For Women With Style Under 5’3″ including figure-hugging sustainable jeans and special occasion dresses. This ethical fashion brand creates the collections in small batches in its own factory in Los Angeles – so no slavery is involved. They predominantly use low-impact materials, rescued deadstock fabrics, repurposed vintage clothing, and recycled plastic bottles. However, you can also find regular sizes as well as plus sizes with a detailed environmental impact report that covers their entire internal lifecycle tool through RefScale – fast fashion brand could never!!
Sizes: XL-3XL , Petite: 0P-12P
Price Range: Starts at 36€
Ethics: OEKO-TEX and Bluesign Certified Organic And Recycled Fabrics, Fair Wages, Fla Certified Factories, Eco-Friendly Production, Climate Neutral, Donations
Location: USA
Shop Reformation Here
Do you know what’s lacking in the fast fashion industry other than values? Size inclusivity! So if you are sick and tired of trying to squeeze yourself into a supposed size 3XL, the Girlfriend Collective is the brand for you! On their virtual shelves, you can find everything from plus size petite clothing and sustainable plus size swimwear to affordable sustainable bras, GOTS certified organic cotton sweatpants, and, of course, wear-me-everywhere ethical dresses. Everything is ethically made from recycled materials in fair trade certified factories. The best part? To keep your staples away from landfills, the brand offers you a great way to recycle your worn-to-death pieces with ReGirlfriend. This way, they will turn it into a new Girlfriend, and send you store credit as a thank you for your eco-consciousness.
Size: XXS – 6XL
Price Range: Starts at $28
Ethics: Premium Sustainable & Recycled Materials, Sa8000 Fair Trade Certified, Size Inclusivity, Recycling Program
Location: USA
Shop Girlfriend Collective Here
Oh, finally, a brand with standards. All jokes aside, Universal Standard is one of the best slow fashion brands that truly cares about the right fit! There is “one size fits all” when it comes to women’s bodies, and thus, the brand offers a “See It In Your Size” option which allows customers to have more than just one frame of reference. You can find a slew of sustainable women’s workwear clothing as well as denim, basics, and quality eco-friendly leggings with modern designs and so much more! Additionally, if you want to save some bucks, take a look at their you “Scene-Stealers under $50” – just trust me!
Size Range: Fully Size Inclusive
Price: Starts at $18
Ethics: Premium materials, Fair Trade Certified, upcycling/recycling, charity
Location/Shipping: Sold from the United States, worldwide shipping available
Shop Universal Standard Here
For Tamga Designs, being one of the best slow fashion brands wasn’t enough. They constantly try to offer that coveted whimsical look we all adore so much without forgoing their ethics and sustainability pledge. Mostly, they use fabrics like Tencel and Lenzing Ecovero (a fabric made from renewable and sustainably managed wood pulp) as well as low-impact dyes. But unlike most popular slow fashion brands, Tamga Designs does not have a minimal aesthetic. On the contrary, it’s all about bohemian prints and loose silhouettes, multi-printed resort-wear style clothing and of course, statement basics.
Sizes: XS – 2XL
Price: Starts at $89 CAD
Ethics: Safe & Fair labor, 1% for the Planet, Plastic-Free Packaging, Sustainable Fabrics
Location: Canada
Shop Tamga Designs Here
Sustainably and ethically made in Los Angeles, California, Mate The Label’s collections are not only one of the best fast fashion alternatives on the market, but also a fantastic destination for Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives. Instead of polyester and nylon, the brand uses non-toxic, natural, and Organic materials like organic cotton jersey, tencel and linen. So their lightweight, breathable, silky, and ethical clothing is not only durable (which is something we can’t say for the fast fashion industry) but also earth-friendly due to the low-impact fibers. Quick hint: you know those linen long sleeve jumpsuits that are currently circulating our ig feeds? They’ve got them!
Size: XS-3XL
Price Range: Starts at $48
Ethics: Sustainable Materials, Made In Los Angeles, Remate Circularity Program, Plastic-Free
Location: USA
Shop Mate the Label Here
Here is another addition to your list of best slow fashion brands that thrive on helping folks build the most sustainable capsule wardrobes possible. Vetta Capsule offers pre-made mini 5-piece collections of items from which you can create a month’s worth of outfits. The clothing is created in a family-run factory in NYC using Tencel, linen, organic cotton, modal and recycled poly. Of course, there are many more options available for you to buy separately. Transformable tank tops with removable sleeves, sophisticated blazers, two piece sets, and utterly soft sweaters are only a few ideas.
Size: XS – XL
Price Range: Starts at $39
Ethics: Made in the US, Sustainable And Organic Materials, Fair Labor, Solar Energy
Location: Sold from the United States
Shop Vetta Capsule Here
Tonle is a beloved slow fashion brand that focuses on creating clothing made of remnants and offcuts discarded by large manufacturers. In fact, it’s the world’s first zero-waste fashion brand to do such thing, especially in ethical Cambodian workshops where workers are paid fairly. With so many different prints, textiles and refreshingly unique patterns with vivid colors, it’s no wonder why they are so successful! They also offer sustainable jewelry as well as amazing home decor goods that are very giftable!
Size Range: XS to 3XL
Price: Starts at $48
Ethics: Fair labor, recycled materials, zero waste policy
Location/Shipping: Canada, worldwide shipping available
Shop Tonle Here
Instead of exploiting their workers to gain even more profit, Able actively supports workers’ rights, protection, and fair wages.
Also, they are on an on-going mission to empower women by creating create sustainable opportunities with diversity and inclusion in mind. What’s even more impressive?
If your ABLE product experiences any problems at all, the brand will gladly repair or replace it, and if your size changes, you can also swap the item that doesn’t fit anymore with your current size. Unappareled transparency and lifetime guarantee, sounds good?
Sizes: XXS-3XL
Price: Starts at $40+
Ethics: Natural And Recycled Materials, Responsible Sourcing, Female Empowerment, Size Inclusivity
Location/Shipping: USA, ships to Canada
Shop Able Here
A few favorites from Able:
Granted, at SKL we have an affinity for Sustainable Affordable Linen Dresses, but that’s not the only reason why LA Relaxed holds a special place in our hearts – and wardrobes. The slow-fashion brand has an extended range of wide of sustainable workout leggings and basics crafted ethically in LA. The Woman-owned brand also works with BLUESIGN- certified local dye houses which means that they use eco-friendly alternatives to the fast-fashion industry’s chemical-packed dyes. They also have tops, bottoms, and sweaters crafted from organic cotton, Tenel, and linen based on their limited run model in an effort to decrease waste and best utilize our raw materials
Sizes: XS – 2XL
Price: Starts at $35
Ethics: Made in LA, Woman Owned Business, Ethical, Small Batch Production, GOTS Certified, Fair Trade
Locations: Sold From U.S., Ships Worldwide
Shop LA Relaxed Here
Here is another addition to the best slow fashion brands UK folks swear by. People Tree carries the Fair Trade certification, which means that their entire supply chain is as ethical as it can get! The brand employs skilled Bangladeshis with exceptional designing abilities who are also well-versed in hand embroidery, hand dyeing techniques, and hand knitting to further reduce their carbon footprint as no machinery is used. Take notes, fast fashion!
Sizes: S-XL
Price: Starts at $38
Ethics: Sustainable Fabrics, Fairtrade Certified And GOTS And Flo -Certified, Peta-Approved, Donations
Location/Shipping: UK, worldwide shipping available
Shop People Tree UK Here
We definitely need more affordable slow fashion brands like Encircled to help us fuel our wardrobe with ethical clothing with minimum social and environmental impact. The female-founded business uses organic and regenerated fibers like Modal, Tencel Lyocell, Bamboo, and organic cotton to further reinforce their circular approach and create work and leisure-approved staples in small batches. Just like VETTA, this trendy sustainable clothing brand offers pre-curated capsule wardrobe suggestions called l“Kits”. These are basically assortments of jumpsuits, blazers, skirts, tops, bottoms, and dresses that can help you put together an array of different outfits with ease.
Size: XS-XXL
Price Range: Starts at $50
Ethics: Organic And Regenerated Materials, Oeko-Tex Standard 100® Certified, B-Certified Corporation, Female-Owned, Size Inclusive
Location/Shipping: Canada, worldwide shipping available
Shop Encircled Here
Sustainability is at the heart of Neu Nomads. Aside from being one of the best Best Tencel Clothing Brands, Neu Nomads also offers luxury casualwear, as well as women’s workwear, created ethically with energy and water-conserving methods. In fact, their factory is an official member of the Greenpeace DETOX campaign – how amazing is that? Their ethical clothing collections run the gamut from gorgeous dresses and tops to knitwear and accessories with an effortlessly-chic aesthetic that certainly doesn’t go unnoticed. As for their fabrics of choice, the list includes Organic Cotton Flannel, linen, Eco-Jersey, and of course, satin Tencel – some of the most sustainable fibers in the world.
Sizes: XS-3XL
Price Range: Starts at $79
Ethics: Sustainable Plant-Based Fabrics, Non-Toxic Dyes, Fair Trade, 100% Biodegradable Packaging
Location/Shipping: Sold from The United States, worldwide shipping
Shop Neu Nomads Here
Sustainable men’s clothing and stylish ethical fashion for women so that you and that special someone can quite fast fashion together? Yes, Colorful Standard can help you do just that. If you were obsessed with your previous bold and colorful purchases, then these Oeko-Tex® certified, and PETA-approved organic cotton and recycled merino wool alternatives will make you fall in love with sustainable fashion. Lovingly made in Portugal, each piece is created with minimum waste in mind. That’s why the brand uses eco garment dyeing techniques, and precise laser cutting that leaves no waste and recycles materials into new textiles. The result? Higher quality, longer life – which is exactly what the fast fashion industry tries to avoid.
Size: XS – XL
Price Range: Starts at $48
Ethics: Fair wages, Ethical, Sustainable, Organic, Oeko-Tex® certified
Location: Sold from the United States, international shipping
Shop Colorful Standard Here
Aside from specializing in fairytale-like sustainable wedding dresses, Christy Dawn is also one of the best ethical denim brands as well as a great destination for tops, bottoms, sweaters, outwear and footwear. Their distinctive clean, nostalgic aesthetic and earthy tones are only two of the reasons why it’s lauded as one of the best slow fashion brands of 2022. They use 4 conscious fabrics: Regenerated cotton, deadstock, organic cotton, and alpaca wool – all ethically sourced from reputable distributors. However, it’s their “farm to closet” program that really stands out. Each piece of this collection is made from organic cotton from their own 25 acres of land in Erode, India. So with every purchase, you help replenish even more soil and sequester even more carbon!
Sizes: XS-2XL
Price: Starts at $48
Ethics: Sustainable And Upcycled Materials, Ethically Made In LA, Fair Labor
Location: USA
Shop Christy Dawn Here
Threads 4 Thought is a Fair Trade certified slow-fashion brand that specializes in comfy, super soft casualwear and long-lasting monochrome basics. Their most used materials are organic cotton, recycled polyester, and rayon but some of their sweatpants and hoodies are also enhanced with h odor-free, stain-resistant, sweat-proof, quick-drying, and nano-free technology. Also, the trendy sustainable clothing brand recycles 80% of its industrial wastewater while also using a revolutionary dye technology that eliminates all harmful chemicals.
Size: XS-3XL
Price Range: Starts at $28
Ethics: Sustainable Materials, Recycles Water, Innovative Dyeing Technology, Eco Packaging, Ethical Manufacturing,
Location: USA
Shop Threads 4 Thought Here
Quince won’t only help you quite fast fashion once and for all, but also give you an excuse to build a capsule wardrobe with ease. Just click on “capsules” and then pick the pre-curated collection of styles that fit your lifestyle’s needs. It’s that ease. Of course, along with their ah-mazing workwear clothes under the $50 mark that will make everyone at the office second guess their own sartorial decisions, they also offer ethical clothing from recycled polyester, organic cotton twill, and silk staples for all occasions. Think figure-enhancing trousers, cashmere v-neck sweaters ideal for layering, long-sleeve shirts, and so many more always-on-trend options.
Size: XS-XL
Price Range: Starts at $39
Ethics: Organic & Recycled Materials, OEKO-TEX Certified, Ethically made in BSCI-Certified Factories
Location/Shipping: USA
Shop Quince Here
Most people like fast fashion brands because of the convenient listings. In one place, you can shop for clothing, accessories, and home products-so why look elsewhere, right? Well KOTN does exactly that – but ethically. You can find everything from sustainable socks and underwear to modern clothing for men and women as well bedding and bathroom essentials like organic cotton sheets, ceramics, blankets ) and even a literary assemblage of arts, travel, and lessons. Plus, as A Certified B Corporation® voted Best for the World™, they use resource-efficient manufacturing protocols that limit waste and recycle water. Yes, we know. It can’t get better than that.
Size Range: XS – 3XL
Price: Starts at $35
Ethics: Sustainable fabrics, B corporation, non-toxic dyes, fair trade, charity donations
Location/Shipping: USA, worldwide shipping available
Shop KOTN Here
If you are on a quest to find the best sustainable brands owned by Black and Indigenous People of Colour to help you quite fast fashion, Two Days Off is here to do just that. From artistic plus size clothing and an array of basics, including tops, bottoms and outwear to accessories and even home & self-care products, the brand is a one-step-destination for all-things-sustainable. They offer ethically made-to-order clothing or products made in small batches in Los Angeles to control waste. Additionally, all deadstock fabrics are sourced from Los Angeles, California and their virgin linen textiles come straight from North America.
Size Range: From XS to 3X
Price: Starts at $48
Ethics: Sustainable materials, fair labor, safe dyes
Location/Shipping: Sold from the USA, worldwide shipping available
Shop Two Days Off Here
Kowtow is one of the best slow-fashion brands New Zealand has to offer! Their collections are crafted from the most eco-consious fabrics including organic renewable, biodegradable and regenerated fibers. Everything is done in-house – from the yarn to the weave, stitching, color, and prints. This way, they manage to monitor their environmental impact and limit the number of chemicals, water, and energy used during production. So If you are into minimalism, then you’ll most likely fall in love with their ethical clothing -especially their knitwear and coats.
Size: XXS-XL
Price Range: Starts at $139NZ
Ethics: Sustainable Materials, In-House Production, GOTS, OEKO-TEX, Fair Trade, FSC, SA8000 And Iso 14000 Certified, Eco Packaging
Location: New Zealand
Shop KOWTOW Here
Looking for affordable sustainable denim shorts, trousers, and other jean staples? Warp + Weft is the World’s cleanest vertically integrated denim company! While a typical pair of jeans takes 1500 gallons of water to produce, Warp + Weft’s size-inclusive ethical clothing requires less than ten. On top of that, they recycle and treat 98% of the water thanks to their in-house self-generating power plant. So rest assured that your new perfectly-fitted jeans are crafted from recycled and regenerative fibers, certified cotton, and safe dyes with the health of our planet in mind.
Size: Over 75 sizes, shapes and heights represented!
Price: Starts at $84
Ethics: Fully Transparent Family-Owned Company, Fair Trade, Sustainable Materials
Location: USA, ships worldwide
Shop Warp + Weft Here
Named one of the most affordable slow fashion brands, Turkish-based company, Oh Seven Days created ethical clothing from fast fashion’s leftovers! This way, they divert textile waste destined for landfills and give it a brand new life. We absolutely love their neutral aesthetic and clean lines, but they can also be considered a trendy sustainable clothing brand as well – everything looks so fresh, modern and photo-worthy!
Size Range: S-L
Price: Starts at $83
Ethics: Safe & fair labor standards, Upcycled headstock materials
Location/Shipping: Turkey, worldwide shipping available
Shop Oh Seven Days Here
Here’s one of the best slow fashion brands UK has to offer. As soon as summer rolls around, fast fashion retailers are flooded with cheaply-made, plastic swimsuits that simply won’t last! What’s the alternative? Boden’s recycled bathing suits are crafted in the UK from ECONYL® derived from fishing nets that were formerly dumped in the ocean. That’s not all! The brand also offers colorful, bold, and vibrant ethical clothing from utterly soft and durable materials. On top of that, you can take a look at their “Modern Slavery Statement”, a breakdown of fast-fashion supply chain, which is very eye-opening.
Size Range: XS–XL
Price: Starts at £22
Ethics: Recycled Materials, Members Of The Ethical Trading Initiative, Donations, Fair Wages
Location/Shipping: UK, worldwide shipping available
Shop Boden Here
Mud Jeans is one of the most popular slow fashion brands in Europe. They operate based on the principles of the circular economy and thus, every pair is crafted from 40% recycled material (aka discarded jeans) and 60% organic cotton. “We use 477 litres of water, compared to an industry standard of 7,000 litres,” they mention. You can opt for skinny, flare, straight and loose styles in a slew of different washes created through a laser technique that maskes them way more sustainable than regular, fast fashion jeans. What’s even more impressive? You don’t really have to buy your ethical clothing. Instead, you can pay a monthly fee of €9,95 and send your jeans back after use, they’ll recycle them.
Size: 25-33
Price: 119,95 euros
Ethics: Sustainable And Recycled Material, B-Certified, Circular Business Model, Leasing, Ethical Manufacturing
Location: Netherlands, worldwide shipping available
Shop Mud Jeans Here
Along with the Girlfriend Collection, Big Bud Press is one of the most popular slow fashion brands for plus-size, unisex ethical clothing that looks and feels amazing! Born in California, their range of vibrant, unapologetic colors and all-gender-inclusive patterns are made from 100% organic cotton. Also, the non-cotton fabrics they use are comprised of recycled yarns. So if you are in love with fast-fashion’s wild prints and statement hues, this sustainable brand is for you!
Size Range: XXS to 7XL
Price: Starts at $58
Ethics: Ethical And Local Manufacturing Practices, Natural & Sustainable Fabrics, Non-Toxic Dyes, Hand-Dyed
Location/Shipping: USA, limited international shipping
Shop Big Bud Press Here
This post is about the best slow-fashion brands with ethical clothing
With our fool-proof guide to the best slow fashion brands on the ethical clothing market, you’ll be able to successfully quit fast fashion once and for all! There are so many trendy sustainable clothing brand options out there to help you create a healthy, eco-consious rotation that will last you for years and years – that’s a promise!
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