No doubt health, personally or for the planet, is top of mind these days. What’s a fashion lover to do?
Think about ways you can reduce, reuse, and recycle. After all, pollution by fast fashion is only second to oil. One garbage truck of clothes is either burned or sent to the landfill every second. Not to mention that fast fashion is a large reason why garment workers are systematically abused in corporations’ attempts to meet demand under any circumstances.
Luckily, several women-owned clothing brands are blazing new paths of sustainability for the eco-conscious consumer. If you’re ready to start reducing your environmental impact and support fair labor practices one outfit at a time — while still looking great— keep reading to learn more about these revolutionary brands.
Most Prominent Co.
Most Prominent Co. is a streetwear brand reimagined as something much bigger. Dedicated to fair trade and sustainability, this company focuses on creating narratives through their small-batch collections, tied to real-world community projects. For example, MPC’s First-Responder series is crafted from repurposed uniforms in collaboration with C. Moto Studio. Founder Avery Antonio stands behind the ethos of the brand, telling Fizzy Mag that “We use garments to foster a culture of social consciousness.” A portion of the profits from this collection goes to REMAKE World, a nonprofit that helps female garment workers around the globe. The brand is “based in Los Angeles, CA with roots from Japan and Peru.”
Made Trade
This woman-owned, family-run business is serious about ethics. Made Trade’s founder, Cayley Peter, calls the company “ethically elevated.” The shop delivers sustainable, responsibly sourced goods and products, so shoppers know the pieces derive from eco-friendly practices and creators receive fair wages. Products include clothing, furniture, shoes, accessories, and gifts. You can shop the site based on the label filters for each product, which include designations such as: “Women-Owned,” “Vegan,” “Made in the USA,” and, “POC-Owned.” Made Trade, headquartered in Portland, OR, helps put the power of choice back in your hands, so you can invest in brands and products that mirror your own personal values.
Summersalt
Reshma Chamberlin and Lori Coulter, the co-founders of Summersalt, believe in clothing manufactured from eco-friendly materials without the designer price tag that’s out of reach for many regular consumers. The company offers swimwear, intimates, pajamas, and intimates made from recycled materials and eco-friendly product packaging. This brand also offers inclusive sizing: straight, plus, and maternity sizes. The best part? Fit data accrued from more than 1.5 million measurements from 10,000 women inform their fit information. For shoppers, that means less guesswork when ordering online.
Sienna
The Portuguese label Sienna was born out of the founder’s childhood experience of being raised by two seamstresses. The brand originally started as a side hobby before making the transition to a fully-fledged company. Based on the belief of small production and slow fashion, this Portugal label offers a range of unique blouses, pants, dresses, and skirts.
Milo + Nicki
Company founder Nicki Patel teamed up with the company’s partial namesake, a happy yellow lab named Milo, 11 years ago. Patel was inspired to create positive change in the world after a rocky personal period, and the cruelty-free, ethically designed womenswear label, Milo + Nicki, emerged. Billed as a brand by women for women, Patel focuses on infusing her line with a message of empowerment. Designed to inspire women through a culture of transparency and celebration,the brand’s pieces boast flowing, simple designs crafted from bold, iridescent fabrics, and calming neutrals.
Birdsong
UK slow-fashion company, Birdsong, offers women t-shirts with popular protest slogans like, “Still I Rise,” dresses made to order, and a variety of handmade jewelry. The brand is a critical darling and recently appeared in Vogue for its fashionable take on eco-friendly. Founders Sophie Slate and Sarah Beckett started Birdsong in 2014, with the intention of founding a company with a conscience that avoids both sweatshops and photoshop. Buoyed by the belief that fashion has the ability to “lift up, inspire, and engage,” this brand offers impactful, revolutionary designs for every woman.
