Last week SZA announced an anti-plastic streetwear label, and we're pretty pumped about it. Not only do the designs look rad, the singer also confirmed that 100% of the proceeds will go to sustainability efforts.
But SZA isn't the only one getting on the environmental bandwagon. The fashion industry is currently under major scrutiny, given some brands' approach to waste (I’m looking at you, Burberry) and use of non-sustainable materials and processes. If you’re looking to make your wardrobe more sustainable, get around some of the brands below.
Olderbrother
Portland brand Olderbrother are all about 'progressive production'. That means ethical clothing for men and women with a minimal environmental footprint. Every piece is dyed with natural dyes and produced with carefully sourced materials. They also have a 'Hand Me Down' series: re-dyes and recycled old garments, styled to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces (with a conscience). Even Gisele Bündchen wears them…
Parley For The Ocean
Parley for the Oceans addresses major threats to our oceans—you know, the big blue wet things that keeps our planet working. Parley is a fashion collab that brings together creators, thinkers and leaders, and they’ve worked on some pretty sweet projects. They're streetwear range with Adidas was freaking amazing. Recently they've started the Clean Waves project—sunnies made from reclaimed ocean plastic, with 100% of proceeds going towards keeping our oceans clean.
Nudie Denim
Ethical denim brand Nudie have been in the game a while. These guys manufacture all of their products with 100% organic cotton, using 91% less water in the process. They also recycle and resell second-hand jeans, and will repair your damaged denim, minimising your impact on the environment. They pay everyone in their supply chain a living wage and perform unannounced checks on their factories and suppliers to make sure everyone is keeping up standards. As far as transparency goes, they’re pretty spot on—they even publish annual reports online for everyone to see.
Outerknown
Outerknown essentially turns surf culture’s love of the ocean into a sustainable brand. It was started by 11-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater, and only uses production methods that have been independently verified as sustainable. We’re talking, 100% cotton T-shirts, fair-trade suppliers, and turning reclaimed fishing nets into nylon board shorts. The styles are pretty sweet, too.
Reformation
Reformation has been around for a while, and they’re our go-to for beautifully designed, sustainably made pieces. Not only do they invest in green building infrastructure to minimize waste, water, and energy, they also invest in the people who make these practices possible, giving on-the-job training and great opportunities for growth. These guys also send out a quarterly sustainability report, so their progress can be tracked. Oh and every item comes with a RefScale, which tracks the environmental footprint by adding up the pounds of carbon dioxide emitted, gallons of water used, and pounds of waste generated during production. Neat.
Image credit: Parley