Seven Sustainable Fashion Brands You Need To Know
Sustainable fashion is rapidly becoming a common choice for many fashion consumers who chose to make informed decisions when purchasing items. There is a growing market of new and exciting brands taking major steps to minimise the industry’s carbon footprint, commit to social responsibility as well as implement ethical practices. And in addition some of the more established brands in the space are upping the ante yet again.
Presented here are seven of our favourite leading sustainable fashion brands that produce or stock high-quality and eco-friendly collections.
Veja
Established in 2004, Veja is the “eco-it” shoe brand of the moment after the Duchess of Sussex was spotted copping a pair. By combining a winning formula of simple, yet stylish designs, millennial marketing and a sustainable focus, the brand has tapped into today’s modern consumer. The plain white V-10 Low Top with coloured Vs are the next modern classics on every savvy sneakerhead’s wishlist.
Veja pay great attention to detail and uses sustainable sources when designing sneakers. Veja also partner with Atelier Sans Frontières, an organisation that helps people who have been incarcerated or are otherwise struggling to find work, to employ workers to prepare orders.
Brothers We Stand
Brothers We Stand focuses on creating a positive social and environmental impact through remaining dedicated to social responsibility and differentiating itself from mainstream fashion. Some of the brand’s sustainable solutions include t-shirts created in a wind-powered factory with a carbon footprint 90 per cent lower than conventional products and underwear manufactured in fair trade factories in India.
Founder of Brother We Stand, Jonathan Mitchell launched the brand after finding a small group of designers with a united ethical and sustainable vision. This compelled him to bring the designers together and manufacture products part of the BWS collections, brands are also expected to provide a full breakdown of their supply chains.
Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney has become a leading pioneer when it comes to luxury fashion and sustainability. The British designer has continuously showcased new ways to become sustainable, either through using eco friendly materials such as organic cotton, vegetarian leather of recycled nylon or practising social responsibility through reviewing it suppliers and manufacturer.
Most recently Stella McCartney has partnered with Italian manufacturer Candiani to create the world’s first biodegradable stretch denim, created using plant-based yarns. The development sees the brand continue its commitment to sustainable fabric innovation.
The COREVA Stretch Technology from Candiani used in the products is created using organic cotton wrapped around a natural rubber core, resulting in a fabric that is free from plastics and micro-plastics. By replacing the common synthetic and petrol-based elastomers with a new, custom-engineered component, Candiani has created an innovative biodegradable stretch denim fabric without compromising elasticity.
Sézane
French label Sézane, is a Parisian brand which aims to fuse French chic with eco-consciousness. Most recently, the brand has revamped its denim offer with a focus on sustainability and inclusive fit.
The new eco denim range, called Sézane (R)evolutions, has been designed for all bodies and shapes and features two new cuts: the Alvin, a belted high waist design and a new spin on the essence of the 70s, the Venice.
Sézane was established in 2013 by Morgane Sézalory and in the space of two years has become one the leading environmentally conscious French brands. The new eco-friendly jeans line will use 83% fewer chemicals and the cotton is 100% organic and GOTS certified.
In November 2019, the Parisian brand introduced a 100% environmental athleisure line and has introduced initiatives such as a store in Paris which sells lightly worn garments from prior collections.
Bite
Bite is the London-based and Stockholm-masterminded yet minimal label everyone is talking about. The brand rapidly became recognised after featuring in the Next Green Talents, a partnership between Vogue Italia and Yoox, first launched in 2011, which supports young designers who combine sustainability with their creative vision
Bite Studios places a large focus on the material revolution. The brand uses organic cottons and linens sourced from Europe, cruelty free ‘peace’ silk made in Hertforshire as well as naturally-dyed wools from Italy. The label also uses recycled PET buttons, and audit production in London and Portugal, where it controls the quality and wellbeing of craftsmen who makes the clothes and offers lifetime repairs on products.
This brand creates 20 fixed styles which change seasonally, basing their brand identity on timeless pieces which can be worn countless time, no matter what the trend. The brand’s aesthetic consists of classy and well-cut designs, mainly in palettes of cream, grey, and oatmeal, with a few bursts of deep orange and teal.
Paradise Row
Paradise Row has quickly become a favourite sustainable brand amongst London street style c. Hand crafted in East London, Paradise Row creates low carbon footprint designs which contribute to its local community of East London. Designs feature delicate embellishments including pearls and detailed carved boxing gloves in approval to Repton Boxing Club.
The brands cute and iconic ‘Empathy’ bags, which include facial expressions across them are becoming a must have in many wardrobes. Established two years ago in 2016, the East London based label has become a popular sustainable brand recognised for giving back to its local community.
NET SUSTAIN by Net-a-Porter
Net-a-Porter is rapidly becoming the forefront of luxury yet sustainable fashion with its Net Sustain edit. Net Sustain is Net-a-Porter’s very own curated platform, offering fashion consumers the choice to invest in exceptional fashion and beauty products that have been consciously crafted. Every product in the Net Sustain edit has been selected to ensure it meets at least one of Net-a-Porter’s eight key attributes. These attributes take into account human, animal and environmental welfare and align with the fashion and beauty industries’ internationally recognized best practices.
Net-a-Porter expanded its NET SUSTAIN platform, introducing more sustainable fashion brands and beauty for the very first time. From January 2020, 27 beauty brands will be added to the NET SUSTAIN platform, along with 45 additional fashion brands, bringing the total across beauty and fashion to 100.
Net-a-Porter’s current profile of brands include Tata Harper, Aesop, Dr Barbara Strum and Vintner’s Daughter, while new niche and up-and-coming beauty brands joining the NET SUSTAIN beauty offering will include the likes of Cosmydor, One Ocean Beauty, Sana Jardin and Seed to Skin.
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