35 Fair Trade & Ethical Clothing Brands Betting Against Fast Fashion
Ethical Fashion Brands
It’s been over three years since the Rana Plaza tragedy killed over 1,100 garment workers in Bangladesh and wounded over 2,200 more. The incident left consumers all over the world questioning who made the clothes we wear everyday and what kind of conditions those workers live and work in.
As consumers, we are beginning to realize our responsibility to be conscious about our purchases and to recognize the power of our vocalized objections to make a positive difference for the people that are making the clothes we wear everyday.
Thankfully, there are an increasing number of non-fast fashion brands specifically dedicated to ethical practices throughout their production processes. The companies we have listed below are some of the favorite ethical alternatives to fast fashion companies. Each non-fast fashion brand has made it a central part of their mission to produce in an ethical way that considers both people and the planet.
Krochet Kids makes it to the top of this list for their affordable, on-trend clothing, and for the incredible impact they have on the communities where their artisans live and work. The non-profit social impact brand empowers their artisans in Uganda and Peru not only through fair wages, but also through education and mentoring programs. Krochet Kids has developed an extensive monitoring and evaluation system that measures a series of empowerment indicators every month, ensuring that every person in their program is impacted for good.
Everlane is all about transparency. They spend months finding the best factories around the world—the very same ones that produce our favorite designer labels, and then they build strong personal relationships with factory owners to ensure their factory's integrity and to maintain ethical production practices at every step of the process.They believe customers have the right to know what their products cost to make and where they were made. They reveal their true costs and share the factory and production stories behind each piece of clothing. Their minimal, modern aesthetic makes them a personal favorite!
People Tree is recognized by customers and the fashion industry as a pioneer in Fair Trade and environmentally sustainable fashion. For over twenty years, People Tree has partnered with Fair Trade artisans and farmers in the developing world to produce a collection of ethical and eco fashion.
Nisolo collaborates with local artisans in Peru from the design to the handmade production of their leather shoes, chukka boots, bags, jewelry and accessories. Nisolo provides fair wages and full-time employment to their artisans and each shoe has heart put into it from every person who works at Nisolo. We love their gorgeously-designed, well made shoes and their fast, free shipping both ways.
Patagonia was one of the earliest defenders of environmental ethics in the activewear fashion industry, and one of the first adopters of using recycled materials and switching to organic cotton. Patagonia is expanding its commitment to labor ethics as well by working with Fair Trade Certified factories in India, Sri Lanka, and Los Angeles. This short film by Patagonia shows the positive personal impact fair trade factories have around the world.
It’s rare to find fashion brands that are both ethical and sustainable, but Alternative Apparel ranks well for both these categories. Alternative respects and values the rights of workers in all countries and believe in the right to fair and safe workplace conditions. Their factories operate in accordance with the Fair Labor Association Workplace Code of Conduct and they make over 70% of their garments with sustainable materials and processes. Alternative is a certified Green Business in LA. We love their LA modern and casual basics for both men and women.
Fair Trade Winds carries some of the best Fair Trade fashion brands committed to creating clothing in an ethical manner. Each piece of their collection represents the hard work of talented women working in cooperatives where they are becoming empowered and improving the livelihood of their families and communities. Fair Trade Winds is a family owned business with seven brick and mortar locations around the country in addition to their online shop.
mini mioche was founded in 2008 by Alyssa Kerbel after the birth of her daughter. At that time, Alyssa found it very difficult to find great, simple ethically-made basics especially in neutral colours. Drawing upon her decade long experience in the fashion industry, she set about creating her own collection of infant and kids' fashion basics. mini mioche makes organic children's clothing with eco-friendly materials and low impact dyes. Their simple basics designed in neutral colors are leaving the planet a bit better for our little ones.
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Read the all list on TheGoodTrade.com
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