Sustainability has become a trending theme for fashion brands that want to attract environmentally-conscious millennial shoppers. According to Business of Fashion, 66% of millennials are willing to spend more on sustainable brands.
From footwear to handbag brands, these retailers are changing the planet and the way you shop.
Tentree
Founded by Kalen Emsley and David Luba in 2012, Tentree offers easy-to-wear dresses and sweatpants and joggers, for both the lounge lizards and outdoor enthusiasts. The brand’s latest release is a four-in-one eco-friendly backpack made from sustainably sourced materials including recycled polyester, BLOOM algae, and post-industrial waste. In addition to making sure its products are sustainable, Tentree also plants ten trees for every item purchased. To date, they’ve planted more than 29 million trees around the world.
Outerknown
World Surf League Champion Kelly Slater and designer John Moore founded Outerknown in 2014. It’s rooted in creating pieces with long-lasting materials while providing fair wages to factory workers. Outerknown first launched with a sustainable menswear line, but the company officially made the jump into womenswear last month. The range offers a variety of tees, tanks, dresses, and pants made from fibres that are 100% organic, recycled, and/or regenerated.
Taylor and Thomas
After noticing a gap in the sustainable luxury space, Jessica Taylor Mead and Elizabeth Thomas James launched their eponymous shoe label in 2018. The first collection, a curated mix of flats and booties, is inspired by the ’60s and ’70s. The shoes are all crafted by hand in an ethical family-run factory in Italy. Meanwhile, the insoles are made from castor beans and recycled rubber from a factory in Japan, while the lining is made from renewable corn.
Indigo Swim
Philippa Brenninkmeyer founded trendy swimwear brand Indigo Swim with the mission to create swimsuits that would give back to the world—instead of polluting it. Every piece from Indigo Swim is made with 100% regenerated nylon and ECONYL yarn (old fishing nets and ocean waste). It’s packaging, from drawstring bags to boxes, hangtags, and thank you cards, are also all eco-friendly. On top of that, the brand gives back to beach cleanups in Indonesia and California.
Matt and Nat
Montreal handbag label Matt and Nat was founded in 1995 and from the start, was committed to not using leather or any other animal-based materials in their designs. Over the years, the brand’s experimented with numerous recycled materials, like cardboard and rubber, and since 2007, has used only recycled plastic bottles to line its bags.
H&M Conscious
H&M lovers will be happy to know the fast-fashion retailer offers a seasonal environmentally-friendly clothing line called “H&M Conscious.” The clothing of the collection is made from organic cotton and recycled polyester, but at that same affordable price, you’ve come to know and love.
