With the growing worldwide calls for sustainability, fashion brands have started to take notice. From introducing recycled materials into their clothes to finding ways to waste less water in the dying and manufacturing process, sustainability in the fashion industry can take many forms. While often more expensive upfront, sustainable fashion is usually made to last, with better quality materials and designed for evergreen fashion, as opposed to micro seasons.
When you think of sustainable fashion, you might not think of luxury clothing, but these seven brands prove that luxury and sustainability can go hand-in-hand. With an array of styles to fit any closet, these brands epitomize sustainability and elegance so that you can find the perfect outfit without guilt.
1. Eileen Fisher
Since founding her fashion brand in 1984, Eileen Fisher has focused on simple, classic styles using sustainable, made-to-last designs. A visionary when it came to implementing recycling, sustainable practices, and circularity into her work, Eileen Fisher’s womenswear collection is both simple and timeless.
As a certified B Corp, Eileen Fisher has achieved a high level of environmental and social standards. The clothing is made from organic, natural materials and dyes and includes neutral sweaters, shirts, and pants that are great for dressing up or dressing down. Eileen Fisher is also a body-positive brand with sizes ranging from XXS to 3XL. It is one of the most affordable on the list, making it more accessible to everyday fashion lovers.
2. Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney is a UK-based designer that has been revolutionizing the fashion industry for almost thirty years. Known for her cruelty-free, vegan clothing options, Stella McCartney has become an icon in the sustainable fashion space. Utilizing a range of styles, Stella McCartney offers a wide variety of casual, business, and formal wear for men, women, and children.
Since day one, she has refrained from using animal products in her designs, but her commitment to sustainability doesn’t end there. Over the last decade, her brand has incorporated organic cotton into shirts and recycled plastic into eyewear, and ceased using virgin cashmere and mohair in their clothing. Additionally, her stores use solar power, recycled paper, and cardboard for shipping and are committed to going plastic-free.
Dedicated to the circulatory economy, Stella McCartney is aiming for even more sustainable action over the coming years by reviewing suppliers, giving back to environmental charities, and supporting the Ethical Trading Initiative.
3. Gabriela Hearst
One of the newest brands on this list, Gabriela Hearst was launched in 2015 but has embraced sustainability from the start. Originally from Uruguay, Gabriela works with women artisans to create some of her pieces through the nonprofit foundation Manos del Uruguay, providing social and economic stability to the artisan while using locally-sourced wool and fabrics. She also releases clothes and handbags in limited numbers to help ensure the company never overproduces products and therefore creates textile waste.
Gabriela Hearst envisions clothes that can be timelessly accessorized and held onto for a lifetime. The clothes are partially made using deadstock fabrics and without the use of plastics. Further, Gabriela knows that more work is needed, and in 2020 had the first-ever carbon-neutral runway show, proving her dedication to sustainability.
With clothes, handbags, and shoes for both men and women, these sophisticated pieces will bring an air of elegance into the everyday.
4. TOVE
Tove is a Danish-based fashion brand founded in 2019 that embraces a mindful approach to fashion to create elegant womenswear for the everyday and beyond.
Adopting a minimal fashion style, the clothes offer a refined, modern look to suit any woman. Each piece is designed with long-lasting quality in mind, made to look contemporary yet classic at the same time, with sustainability at the forefront of design and production.
Tove uses GOTS-certified organic cotton, natural fibers, and recycled materials to create pieces manufactured in an environmentally-friendly way from sources that meet high social and environmental standards. The products are designed to last a lifetime while being beautiful, timeless, and luxurious.
5. Roopa Pemmaraju
Roopa Pemmaraju’s clothes are designed in New York and handmade by artisan sewers in India, combining culture and traditions to create unique pieces for women. These flowy, feminine pieces are brightly colored and patterned to stand out in a crowd. They offer a wide selection of summer dresses, tops, bottoms, swimwear, and accessories. These pieces are made to last and designed to be shown off.
Roopa Pemmaraju believes in using handcrafted natural and recycled materials, following the brand values of embracing slow fashion. Each piece is made to minimize waste sustainably, crafted by workers that are paid fair wages. Hand embroidered and with a small, carefully-selected collection of clothes, Roope Pemmaraju embodies slow fashion and sustainability.
6. Fe Noel
Inspired by her Grenadian heritage, Brooklyn-based designer Felisha Noel designs eccentric, colorful, bold prints on a range of womenswear. With a collection that includes body suits, swimwear, and outerwear, these gorgeous pieces look striking and unique on the wearer.
All the pieces are made in her New York studio, keeping the work local and sustainable. Additionally, Fe Noel understands that the most sustainable clothes are the ones that fit, which is why they offer a unique made-to-fit line so that you can get tailor-made clothes for your specific body and measurements.
With economic and social sustainability at the forefront of Fe Noel’s brand values, Fe Noel also runs the Fe Noel Foundation, aimed at helping young girls learn how to start and run businesses.
7. Mara Hoffman
Known for her colorful designs, Mara Hoffman has been creating unique womenswear pieces since she founded her label in New York in 2000. From the beginning, Mara was concerned about mindful consumption habits and embracing sustainability.
Utilizing recycled plastic fabrics, such as Econyl and Repreve, her swimwear is a great guilt-free, sustainable option. She also embraces natural materials such as organic cotton, linen, or hemp and only uses dyes from suppliers that are Oeko-Tex 100 Standard, which means they use no toxic chemicals in the dying process.