Affordable ethical fashion brands

If you ever wondered about affordable ethical fashion brands… Well, you are in the right place! Changing fashion consumption habits into a more sustainable and responsible way might be a bit difficult if we find it expensive. But there are affordable brands with a great message and mission. So keep reading to discover them!

What means ethical fashion?

First of all, it’s important to introduce, for the ones that don’t know, the meaning of ethical fashion. And it englobes clothes design, production, and distribution based on reducing harm to people, animals, and the planet. It creates a better future for everyone and benefits workers along the supply chain. In fact, ethical fashion is worried about social impact and the ethics of a brand.

“Ethical fashion is the recognition that there are human beings behind the clothes that we wear.” 

Elizabeth Joy

Why shop ethical fashion brands?

We are buying more clothes than ever. Now we consume about 80 billion new garments every year. In particular, this is 400% more than the amount it was consumed 20 years ago. And this is due to the fast-fashion established system. Fast fashion is the mass production of cheap and disposable clothing. It uses trends replication and low-quality materials in order to bring affordable and trendy styles to the public. Indeed the United Nations established fashion as an environmental and social emergency.

Then, it is important to start changing our fashion consumption to a more responsible and conscious one. For example, if you have a capsule wardrobe or purchase clothes in second-hand or vintage clothing stores, and why not buy from ethical fashion brands? There are many ways and steps to follow that will make a difference.

If you want to know more about the main problem of the fashion industry, I recommend you to read some of my posts:

Fast fashion facts that make you rethink your habits

Fast fashion pros and cons

Fast Fashion vs Slow Fashion

Affordable ethical fashion brands

Why affordable? Well, one of the excuses I have heard the most is that people prefer to buy new clothing (not vintage) but ethical brands are far away more expensive. The thing is that you are paying the real cost of a garment. Because it was made of good quality materials, so it’s going to last longer… Because they pay their workers a fair salary, things that don’t happen in fast fashion, for example.

But there are some ethical brands that have affordable prices and here they are:

Everlane

They partner with ethical factories around the world and source the finest materials. Their main objective is that their consumers can wear their pieces for decades. So they design and produce timeless garments made to last. On their website, they share their costs vs the prices of their products. And this is a transparent signal that not all ethical brands do.

Eco Vibe Style

Eco Vibe Style began in 2010 as an apparel boutique but has evolved to become a lifestyle brand with a focus on plant pottery, home decor, candles, accessories, etc. They partner with brands and products that are ethically produced, made from sustainable materials, or are promoting a sustainable lifestyle. Furthermore, they donate 1% of all their online sales for The Planet non-profit organizations to ensure give back to environmental causes.

Able

Able is an ethical fashion brand that employs and empowers women as a solution to end poverty. They use all-natural fibers in their materials and in their website has a sustainability page where explains everything about shipping, packaging, jewelry, leather, shoes, and apparel. Then they have transparent communication and this is very important to give credibility to a brand.

Happy Earth

Happy Earth is a social enterprise that built every aspect of the company around protecting the planet, from the manufacture of the products to their overall impact. Besides, with every product purchased, they give back to combating climate change, planting trees, or cleaning up trash.

Passion Lilie

Passion Lilie is fair trade and sustainable clothing brand that features classic, streamlined silhouettes in hand-woven fabrics. Sustainability is at the core of every aspect of their business and each item is ethically handmade in small batches by craftspeople dedicated to preserving heritage techniques.

Tentree

Tentree has already planted 66,855,424 trees. They make Earth-First essentials using sustainable and comfortable materials in the world. And every time an item is purchased, they plant 10 trees. Furthermore, they are always looking at innovative ways to make apparel with the smallest footprint and create more circular supply chains. For example, a Tentree sweatshirt uses proximately 75% less water to make than other sweatshirts.

Girlfriend Collective

Girlfriend Collective clothes are comfy and basic. They turn old plastic bottles, fishing nets, and other waste into bras, leggings, and shorts. There’s a Q&A page where their sustainability plan and manufacturing process are explained. For example, how do they dye clothing; where they source all their water bottles to recycle; where do they manufacture products; etc. At the moment, they have recycled 10,430,247 plastic bottles, have saved 19,869,825 gallons of water, and have prevented 10,127,816 lbs of CO2.

Last thoughts

So here were some of my favorite affordable ethical fashion brands. As you can see, all of them have different styles, prices, and missions. But one thing in common: they do their best to leave a green footprint in the environment and collaborate in different ways for a better world. So I encourage you to take a look at them. It’s key to know some other brands that are not famous but, in the end, you are helping them too to have a better planet. So, what are you waiting for?

Thanks for reading! If you liked this post then I recommend you to read Greenwashing: what means and how to spot it. And for more content, you can follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest!