A majority of popular fashion brands today are classified as fast fashion, such as Fashion Nova or Shein. Fast fashion includes clothing that is mass produced at a very cheap cost, making it inexpensive to buy. Not only are these brands unethical in terms of working conditions, but they are also tremendously damaging to the environment. Many of these clothes end up in landfills because they are cheaply made, and the continuous production of these clothes cause water stress and air pollution.

Because of the many negative consequences of fast fashion, there are many ethical and sustainable brands that have recently been created to combat it. While these brands may be slightly more expensive than fast fashion brands, ultimately, they will save you money because they will last longer. More importantly, they will not have a negative impact on the planet. 

1. People Tree 

People Tree is an online retail brand that offers sustainable, trendy clothes. The clothes feature organic cotton and other materials that create an environmentally friendly, comfy feel. The collections of clothes are made from traditional artisan practices, such as hand weaving and hand block printing. Their clothes all have an indie and boho vibe. They offer a variety of products from dresses to handmade jewelry.

2. Everlane

Everlane specializes in men and women’s fashion, specifically denim. The brand is very transparent and is known to have both ethical factories and sustainable practices. The materials that go into each garment are designed to last, so customers get a lot of use out of each item they purchase. Their denim is unique and trendy. Sweaters are also a staple of Everlane, and each sweater is made ethically with the best materials in order to preserve their softness.

3. Outerknown 

Outerknown is most known for their comfy leisure wear. The brand features many sweatshirts, jumpers, and sweatpants for lounging around. Each collection has bright and unique colors. 90% of the fibers they source are organic and recycled, and 100% of their trunks are made with renewable fibers. This brand has a commitment to sustainability, comfort, and fashion.

4. Tentree

For every item purchased at Tentree, ten trees are planted. So far, the company has planted over 25 million trees. They also have packages that customers can buy that make up for certain behaviors like buying a coffee every day. This money then goes to plant more trees. The brand has apparel for women, men, and kids. Their t-shirts and hoodies are very stylish and feature logos that represent the brand’s motives, such as trees or the planet. Each purchase comes with both a trendy clothing item and a positive impact on the Earth.

5. Girlfriend Collective

Girlfriend Collective offers ethically made athleisure wear. Their sweat suits and other clothing items come in all sizes and are very inclusive to all potential customers. The company uses old recycled plastics and fishing nets as materials for their clothes. Their clothing manufacturing aims to decrease water usage and CO2 creation, while increasing the amount of water bottles that are recycled.

It is incredibly important that brands such as these are supported. In order to put fast fashion in the past, sustainable fashion needs to be promoted and purchased from. Sustainable fashion not only will last longer, but also comes with the benefit of helping the environment.