Victoria Everleigh
Two years ago, I wrote about my favorite Fair Trade Certified clothing brands. So this list of my favorite ethical clothing brands is long overdue.
What’s the difference between Fair Trade and ethically made? I like to think of Fair Trade Certified as the gold standard in ethical and sustainable products, including “worker’s rights, fair labor practices, and responsible land management.”
Meanwhile, there’s no consensus on what “ethical clothing” means. A lot of brands can call themselves “ethically-made” or “sustainable” but for different reasons. Someone else explains this distinction better than I.
Regardless, ethically-made and Fair Trade clothes shopping means you care about how the environment and the people who make the clothes/shoes are treated.
Elegantees (Women)
Of all of the brands on this list, this is the one I own the most from. They employ sex trafficking survivors and those at risk to be trafficked.
Their founder is really inspiring and transparent about the challenges of running a business. She posts updates about their budget and their operations on the blog. I love how she explains her discernment process with God for difficult business decisions. I highly recommend signing up for their newsletter so you can get the Founder Friday emails.
All of that aside, the quality of the clothing is great, the styles are timeless, and they’re comfy to wear. My only wish? That they’d have a maternity line!
Isabella Oliver (Maternity)
During my first pregnancy, I had a wedding to go to and that’s how I found Isabella Oliver. It’s a UK brand, but I found the shipping to the US to be quick. Their clothes are beautiful, but definitely on the pricier side. If I had an unlimited clothing budget, I would probably buy a ton of their stuff, but I personally can’t justify the cost for myself when I will only wear these clothes for a short time in the grand scheme of my life.
That said, they have a pre-loved section on their site for pre-worn styles at a lower price, as well as a rental program.
Final tip…do some research on sizing if you live in the US.
Girlfriend Collective (Women + Maternity)
This is a good stop for basics, especially sports bras. One of my favorite items of clothing ever is their half-zip fleece in ice blue. It’s so comfy and made with recycled water bottles, how cool is that?! They have a program that also lets you recycle some of your old Girlfriend Collective clothes, too.
Amma’s Umma (Women)
This not a brand, but rather an online and in-person boutique that sells ethically-made clothing. Their inventory changes regularly.
Jessica Rey (Women + Maternity)
I found that their clothes run small. For example, when I was a size 2 (RIP those days) virtually everywhere else, their size Small shorts were too tight on me. I love their adorable, modest swimsuits. I wore one on my honeymoon!
The Root Collective (Shoes)
TRC sells ethically-made shoes crafted in Guatemala. I mentioned them in a podcast I recorded about financial independence. They’re very transparent about their production process, which I appreciate. I own a pair of their Thea flats. They’re easily one of my most worn pairs of shoes (going on 3 years now). But they’re also easily the most expensive pair of flats I’ve ever purchased. Quality + fair pay costs more, but you’ll see the difference and you’ll know the people creating your shoes are treated with dignity.
Get on their email list to be alerted to seconds sales. They also have a Pre-Loved section on their website.