In a capitalist system with many companies viving for your attention, it can be difficult to choose which ones are right for you. Being an educated consumer can help you understand the clothing industry better and makes it easier to filter through which companies are sustainable and ethical.
Educated consumers are customers that can make informed and opinionated decisions about services and products. However, in this day in age, being an educated consumer doesn’t just mean price comparison. Being an educated consumer also means being aware of where your products come from, whether the materials are environmentally friendly and if the labor was ethically sourced.
Searching for companies that are sustainable and ethical can be a tedious process for most consumers. Here are companies that are sustainable and ethical while also being wallet-friendly.
For those who prefer to shop second hand, there are plenty of online thrifting sites that make it possible for consumers to purchase affordable and unique items.
“I believe that sustainable fashion is the only sure future of fashion as a whole. […] I know that it’s not as accessible to shop sustainably, so one way that’s both affordable and the most sustainable; is thrifting! Any sustainable fashion lover will tell you that it’s the most gratifying thing to find a new home for something that was once unwanted. And, you can always sell pieces that you no longer love on apps like Depop! Y’know make some money to use it on new, “old” clothes? Always a win,” said Youtuber Diana Chamomile.
Depop is my personal favorite. They help connect users to sellers from around the world. Their app can be found on the app store and Google Play. Thredup is another second-hand shop that works like your local consignment store. Sellers send the company their clothes and Thredup inspects, photographs and lists the items. Of course, there are local charities that have mountains of used clothes for customers to choose from.
If you’re someone who prefers to shop for new clothes but still want to lessen your carbon footprint, there are a number of sustainable and ethical clothing companies that do just that. However, if your budget doesn’t fit Reformation clothing prices there are other inexpensive alternatives.
Eileen Fisher is a clothing company that focuses on transparent pricing and they have a program that allows customers to return their used clothing. The company then resells the clothing at a lower price.
Everlane is another clothing company that focuses on providing ethical and sustainable clothing to its customers. Like Eileen Fisher, Everlane also has transparent pricing. This company goes one step further to inform their customers about where and who produced their goods. They call this #knowyourfactories and doing this ensures that the labor sourced for the product is ethical, and the workers are paid a livable wage.
There are numerous websites and companies that are dedicated to helping customers understand the products they purchase and their impact on the earth. The Global Organic Textile Standard is a website and green initiative that focuses on developing, promoting, verifying and implementing the Global Organic Textile Standard.
“This standard stipulates requirements throughout the supply chain for both ecology and labor conditions in textile and apparel manufacturing using organically produced raw materials,” reads their Our Vision, Our Mission portion of the website.
Their website also has a useful search bar that allows anyone to search for their favorite companies and see if they are as sustainable as they claim!
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