The fashion industry is one of the world's biggest polluters. To help reduce the waste in our planet, people are now getting conscious of what to wear. We are not just talking about brands and quantity, people are now shifting to sustainable and ethical products. As the demand grows, more and more sustainable and ethical brands are now on the rise.
WHAT MAKES A PRODUCT SUSTAINABLE AND ETHICAL?
Previously we made our own criteria on how to determine whether the products are 100% sustainable and ethical, you may check here in our first article TOP 10 WOMEN FOUNDED SUSTAINABLE FASHION BRANDSOur own criteria are:
- Environmental impact of the entire product life cycle (1pt)
- The impact of their products on animals (1pt)
- Using eco-materials in their production (1pt)
- Eco certificates (1pt)
- Fair treatment of people (1pt)
- Transparency of information on their website (2pt)
When you’re looking at a business and production from the lens of sustainability, you need to factor in all the criteria above. You cannot single out one of them. It just doesn’t work. That’s why it’s not easy to “get it right” when it comes to sustainable production. We carefully research to over 100 online stores across Europe to gather the best sustainable and ethical brands. We used our own ECO METRICS (the ones above) to determine their ratings. For each criterion, we give 1 point except for the last criteria. For transparency, we give 2 points. It is important for the public to know if the brand is truly sustainable by disclosing proper information on their website. If they can’t back their claims truly on their website, we consider their claims not reliable enough.
EUROPE ON SUSTAINABILITY
If you are in the UK or Europe, this is now your great opportunity to check out brands that promote sustainable and ethical fashion products in your community. Not only that you are buying a great product, but you are also supporting your local sellers especially during this time of the pandemic.We checked on over 100 online shops in Europe and the UK and compiled the top 10 eco-friendly and conscious online shops.
TOP 10 SUSTAINABLE FASHION BRAND IN EUROPE
1. MUDJEANS
- Website: https://mudjeans.eu
- Price: $$$
- Location: Netherlands
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 7 out of 7
- What's unique about them: One of the pioneers making high-quality jeans in a circular and sustainable fashion.
Mudjeans are a game-changer in the denim world with their denim innovation. They use a combination of GOTS certified organic cotton and post-consumer recycled cotton. They use only low impact non-toxic dyes in all its products and eco-friendly materials. They try to limit the number of chemicals, water, and wastewater used in production as much as possible.Not only that they also pioneered a "Lease a Jeans" program, that allows you to lease a pair of jeans for a monthly fee. When the jeans are worn out, or if you feel like a change after 12 months, you can send in your jeans and switch to a new pair. Then they recycle the old pairs into new items.
2. AEQEUM
- Website: https://aequem.com
- Price: $$-$$$
- Location: UK
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 7 out of 7
- What's unique about them: The first e-commerce platform to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Well known to be on their top when it comes to sustainability fashion products. They are passionate to create great fashion wear made from organic cotton, upcycled, and recycled materials. To make their mission stronger, they initiated this 2020 a tree-planting program for every purchase. This is to aid the growing number of unprecedented levels of forest and bush fires globally.
3. RAPANUI CLOTHING
- Website: https://rapanuiclothing.com
- Price: $$-$$$
- Location: UK
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 7 out of 7
- What's unique about them: Teamed up with BBC on creating an eco-friendly design for young people
A British company redesigning T-Shirts from the ground up. All materials are made from recycled and organic materials made possible through their renewable energy technology. The team is also teamed with BBC to create designs suitable for young people, making the old boring T-Shirt to a new trend.
3. NINETY PERCENT
- Website: https://ninetypercent.com
- Price: $$-$$$
- Location: UK
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 5 out of 7
- What's unique about them: The brand donates 90% of distributed profits between charitable causes and to their manufacturer.
Ninety Percent as a way to put the planet first in fashion. By focusing on sustainability and empowerment throughout its supply and production, the brand delivers next-level basics that transcend seasons and trends, while also being made to last. Organic cotton dresses, jersey tops, and soft sweats are meticulously cut and carefully crafted with strong attention to detail.
4. THINKING MU
- Website: https://thinkingmu.com/en/
- Price: $$-$$$
- Location: UK
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 6 out of 7
- What's unique about them: Offers on-trend pieces that will still be stylish long after the season is over made from trash and upcycled materials.
This local brand in Spain is also making a great impact when it comes to sustainable fashion by converting trash to new fashion pieces. This is the fashion brand for non-conformists and passionate people who believe that life deserves to be enjoyed and, above all, respected. They created a new way of understanding sustainable clothing. The aim is to help it the only way they know how: by filling it with creativity, colors, patterns, positive messages, and sustainable fabrics that contribute to a better world. The result is stylish and affordable pieces made with vegan, clean, circular, and local values and with great transparency.
5. MONSOON
- Website: https://www.monsoonlondon.com/row/
- Price: $$-$$$
- Location: UK
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 5 out of 7
- What's unique about them: Great collection of ethically made outfits specially made for occasions like weddings.
Based out of the UK, the company sells all kinds of apparel that are made sustainably and ethically. For the modern bride, it offers everything from wedding dresses to shoes. Also the founder member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI). They have been at the forefront of driving sustainable improvements in working conditions and livelihoods wherever we do business
6. JUNGLE FOLK
- Website: https://www.junglefolk.com
- Price: $$-$$$
- Location: Switzerland
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 5 out of 7
- What's unique about them: Swiss clothing brand that has a very artisan and sustainable character, With a minimalist and timeless look and soft fabrics and exquisite quality.
Jungle Folk enables the sustainable development of artisans. Increases their incomes and improves their skills. They work directly with each artisan, the main protagonists of each collection’s development process. Also, they only work with certified organic or recycled materials that last and have a positive environmental footprint. Jungle Folk only uses sustainable and certified materials such as organic cotton, linen, silk, and wool for the clothing and recycled and natural materials for accessories.
7. MAYAMIKO
- Website: https://www.mayamiko.com
- Price: $$-$$$
- Location: London
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 7 out of 7
- What's unique about them: Colourful artisan statement pieces & accessories that are sophisticated and ethically made.
Mayamiko empowers disadvantaged artisans and tailors with the skills, training, and education required to support themselves. The company also locally sources its materials from fabric markets, uses a zero-waste policy for the production, and operates out of a solar-powered workshop. Its business model provides jobs that lead to the creation of incredibly high-quality clothing you’ll love to wear.
8. BEEN LONDON
- Website: https://been.london
- Price: $$-$$$
- Location: London
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 6 out of 7
- What's unique about them: Quality bags and accessories carefully handcrafted from sustainable fabrics.
BEEN London creates beautiful everyday accessories from materials that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Their bags are designed to minimize cutting floor waste and handmade in London from recycled leather. Proudly made and crafted using recycled materials. The linings and zippers are made from recycled plastic bottles, and the packaging is made from recycled and recyclable paper. The finished product is delivered by Camden Society, a London-based social enterprise that trains people with learning disabilities and handles logistics.
9. NOMAD
- Website: https://www.nomadsclothing.com
- Price: $-$$
- Location: London
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 6 out of 7
- What’s unique about them: Stylish, sustainable, and contemporary clothing that celebrates traditional skills.
Inspired by Indian culture, Nomads creates clothing that is soft, flattering, comfortable, and feminine. They create original prints that showcase textile techniques (such as woodblock printing, textured handloom, and exquisite tie-dye) and use natural fibers as Viscose and Lyocell made from sustainable wood pulp. With fair trade values and ethical fashion guidelines, Nomads delivers great traditional artisan designs.
10. LIVING CRAFTS
- Website: https://www.livingcrafts.de/en
- Price: $-$$
- Location: Germany
- Ships to: Worldwide
- Rating: 6 out of 7
- What’s unique about them: An organic textile company from Germany that creates its products from certified organic cotton, organic Merino wool, organic wool, and mulberry silk blend, and organic cotton and bamboo blend.
German brand Living Crafts has been proudly producing high-quality natural textiles under environmentally friendly and socio-economically fair conditions for over 30 years. One of the founding companies that practice sustainable materials through organic cotton. They are also a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, who support members to take step-by-step improvements that lead to real and sustainable solutions. Our planet doesn’t have to suffer for us to look good in our everyday wear. Instead, let’s help support our local communities and our environment by shifting to sustainable and ethical brands. We can do better. Look great and feel good while taking care of our planet. Want more of our sustainable brand list or have a suggestion? Feel free to send us a message at contact@bonanza.design. Stay tuned for more articles about sustainable living.