Conscious, sustainable, and ethical fashion is having a moment, and for a good reason, too! We, the consumers, are finally starting to think a little harder about our purchases and put more care into thinking about how they came to live in our closets. With a ton of non-conscious brands saturating the market, it can be really difficult to identify the brands that you can feel good about supporting.
Thankfully, our contributor, Chelsea Jackson of Hazel + Scout, rounded up eight brands you can shop guilt-free! Keep scrolling for eight of our favorite conscious fashion destinations and a few pieces we’re loving right now.
Reformation
If you haven’t heard of Reformation yet, chances are you haven’t been busy perusing fashion blogs and scrolling through Instagram like a fiend (we even touted them as one of the 6 Brands French “It-Girls” Love). The on-trend retailer is my personal favorite place to find unique, colorful pieces that add a little fun to my wardrobe. Reformation makes its pieces from super sustainable materials, rescued deadstock fabrics, and repurposed vintage clothing, which is a huge step for a super popular brand that’s constantly churning out the season’s newest “it” pieces. Its motto? “Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We’re #2!”
Everlane
Everlane is another big contender in the quest to end fast fashion. With a focus on “radical transparency,” the brand partners with the best, ethical factories around the world, sources only the finest materials, and shares everything (down to the true cost of every product it makes) with the consumer. The basics-heavy line boasts a fabulous collection of denim, cotton wardrobe staples, and my favorite pair of pants (so good, I have them in three colors!). They also just dropped an underwear collection that we’re super excited about! Bonus: it has a men’s collection, so your beau can feel good about his closet, too!
Dôen
Oh Dôen, how I love thee. If there’s one brand that tops my list of loves lately, it’s this one! With a nod to classic California style, an amazing color palette, and nostalgic shapes, Dôen continues to wow me with each new release. Even better? The collective of California creative women uses domestic production whenever possible, carefully selects overseas manufacturers, and is committed to supporting women in the workplace by decreasing the gender gap at every point in the supply chain. It’s beauty you can feel good about supporting!
Cuyana
A longtime Glitter Guide favorite, Cuyana is THE place for fewer, better pieces. Starting out as a leather goods brand, Cuyana set out on a mission to create timeless collections for the modern woman through carefully selected fabrics, precise silhouettes, and attention to detail, and we’ve gotta say, the brand has hit it out of the park again and again with some of our favorite handbags, travel accessories and (now with the addition of clothes) looks. As part of its mission to empower women, Cuyana began the Lean Closet movement, which was created to give victims of abuse a fresh start. By selecting Lean Closet at checkout, the brand will send you a linen bag to fill with the things that are no longer of use to you. Simply mail the bag back to them (with the included shipping label), and for every donation you make, you will receive a $10 credit toward your next Cuyana purchase.
Mara Hoffman
It’s pretty rare that big-name designers make steps toward being sustainable (after all, fashion has been about luxury and exclusivity for such a long time), but the times, they are changing. Mara Hoffman founded her label in 2000, and 15 years later, has recommitted the brand to implementing more sustainable and responsible practices. The RTW fashion house (with things we actually want to wear!) aims to manufacture its clothes with great care, reduce its impact, generate awareness, and be held accountable. Go, Mara!
H&M Conscious
Fast fashion is pretty hard to resist, we admit it. It’s accessible, affordable and there are usually new things to shop so. Darn. often. The bad thing about fast fashion is that most retailers don’t support sustainability or good working conditions. Enter: H&M’s “Conscious” line, the more sustainable offshoot of the well-known store. H&M says, “Our size, scale, and influence mean we have both a responsibility to do the right thing and an opportunity to create real, lasting change,” and that’s something we can get behind!
Nisolo
Nisolo, a brand I learned about while living close to the city of Nashville, has a very admirable mission: to push the fashion industry in a more sustainable direction, where success is based on more than just offering the cheapest price. It follows a direction that not only values exceptional design but the producer and the planet just as much as the end consumer. The shoe designers boast a huge range you can feel good about wearing without sacrificing style!
Christy Dawn
Christy Dawn is another California-inspired fashion brand that knows good dresses. The up-and-coming label uses only “deadstock” (the residual fabrics leftover from major fashion houses) fabric to craft the perfect, flowy sundresses for your wardrobe. Instead of ending up in a landfill, these fabrics are repurposed for their collection and end up in your closet instead of contributing to the major environmental problem created by the fashion industry. Note: this is one mailing list you want to sign up for! Once deadstock fabric is gone, that’s it, and Christy Dawn is notorious for selling out in minutes.
Don’t forget to update your work looks with these six trends. Also, if you need to get out of a denim rut, we’ve got the answers!