Ocean Trash, Hemp Shirts: These Are the Best Sustainable Clothing Brands

Since 2000, clothing production has doubled globally, thanks to fast fashion behemoths like Shein and Amazon Haul, and the average person buys 60% more clothing—but keeps the items for half as long. These modern textiles are also increasingly made of toxic chemicals and microplastics, which leach into water systems and beyond. By shopping for the best sustainable clothing brands, you can help alleviate these problems. 

The sheer volume of and demand for production contributes to global carbon emissions, water waste, and major labor issues, including wage theft and unsafe working conditions, largely for women aged 18-24 in countries like Indonesia and Bangladesh. 

Piles of textiles in landfills, toxic chemicals in synthetic fibers, and labor abuse? There cannot be compromising on these issues. 

Instead, businesses and consumers alike must make a commitment to supporting the sustainable fashion industry. One easy way to do that: filling your closet with apparel from certified small businesses like the apparel members of the Green Business Network. 

Here Are 21 of the Best Sustainable Clothing Brands 

Amren Tulano 

A “brand of the 21st century,” Amren Tulano specializes in apparel utilizing eco-fabrics and prioritizing zero waste whenever possible. Found in 2011 by Amy Tung and Karen Elano, every piece of unique clothing is handmade in Los Angeles. They want to show the world that sustainability does not need to come at the cost of design with products like the Blossom Petal Cascade Dress ($200), made of upcycled materials, or the Rosewater Tulle Reverie Dress ($300). 

Audrey Acosta Designs 

If you find yourself in Northern California, be sure to check out if there’s an Audrey Acosta pop-up happening. From anywhere, you can find the business’ unique, comfortable, and quality clothing at the online retailer Namaste Aloha, like the Aventurine Straight-Legged Pants ($79), designed after the lucky crystal, and made of upcycled, remnant designer fabric that artisans in India cut and make. 

CastleWare Baby 

Sustainable fabric needs to be for everyone. That’s where CastleWare Baby comes in, producing organic cotton baby clothing, like the Rib Knit Footie ($55) in lilac or the Fleece Receiving Blanket ($50) in moss green. CastleWare is a “now-grandmother” owned small business that makes its gentle and organic clothing locally in Los Angeles and Detroit. 

Come from the Heart 

The clothing business from Come from the Heart, aptly named Renew Tees, is a T-shirt company selling tops that “prevent up to 6 recycled plastic bottles from going into the ocean.” The shirts are made from: recycled polyester, made from plastic bottles and turning into polyester yarn; organic cotton grown in the U.S.; and TENCEL™ Modal, a viscose made from beech trees in European forests that are part of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes. 

Dash Hemp 

Richard Dash has been making upscale hemp clothing in Santa Cruz, CA since 1997. Hemp is a healthier and more sustainable crop, and in these products, biodegradable and non-toxic. The newest product is the Novelty Print Camp Shirt, like this avocado one for $95, made of hemp and tencel. 

Decent Exposures 

Every age deserves healthy clothing, and every type of clothing should be healthy. Since 1986, Pat Marcus and her seamstress sister have been creating comfortable, healthy, and safe bras. Less than a decade later, they expanded to underwear, activewear, baby items, and accessories. So, for those lazy, don’t-leave-your-couch days, you need the organic cotton leggings/sweatpants and mock turtleneck, made to order in a variety of colors. 

Econscious 

Everyone needs good basics in their wardrobe. Econscious is your one-stop shop for basics. The business partners with global manufacturers who share its values, including organic agricultural practices and ethical supply chains. They have everything from zip-up hoodies to tote bags and baseball caps; all made from organic materials. 

Faerie’s Dance 

Polos. Skirts. Cardigans. Crew socks. Bracelets. Scarves. You can put together an entire sustainable outfit at Faerie’s Dance, a “shopping experience” with ethically sourced products, not only for environmentally safe fabrics, but from manufacturers that provide safe working conditions and livable wages. 

Fair Indigo 

“Small family businesses are increasingly rare in apparel making, but wife and husband team Elsa and Javier stand apart as an exception,” Green Business Network member Fair Indigo states.  

From Peru, they run their own small batch sewing workshop in Lima, growing Pima cotton at their two organic farms. Supporting Peruvian farmers, the business sells swaths of organic cotton clothing that is good for people and the planet, like this Organic Cotton Sleeveless Sweater Shell ($75.90). 

Ink Forest 

Do you want a T-shirt with your favorite Real Housewife tagline but can’t find a sustainable one? Don’t worry, woman-owned Ink Forest is an eco-friendly screen-printing business, utilizing water-based ink, locally sourced, soybean-based solvents, and clothing from ethical suppliers making “organic, Fair Labor, Fair Trade, and made-in-America, sweatshop-free apparel.” 

Kasper Organics 

This organic clothing company, based out of Los Angeles, has been around since 1997. Its origins stem from wanting to no longer have clothing made from cotton grown with pesticides and herbicides. You can find all your basics here, like the Organic Crepe Mesh Poncho ($27.95). 

Live Life Every Day 

Feel good and spread good with organic cotton apparel boasting inspirational messaging, like “Happiness Is Free” or “Do What You Gotta Do.” Jason Rivera founded Live Life Every Day in 2010 and ensures every tee is printed on premium Bamboo and GOTS Certified Organic Cotton materials. 

Lucky Sheep 

Just because you’re in the great outdoors doesn’t mean you need to skimp on the quality. In fact, it may mean you definitely need quality, so check out Lucky Sheep’s Merino products like the Bandana ($29) and Scarf ($63), or the Beeswaxed Canvas Rain Parka ($525) that is entirely non-toxic and made without any synthetic materials. They even have a beeswax bar made of natural and non-toxic ingredients to re-wax for years to come. 

Maggie’s Organics 

Don’t forget the socks! Maggie’s Organics has everything—print footies, crew socks, cozy wool socks, compression socks, and beyond, all made of—you guessed it—organic materials. Plus, the small business also sells apparel of all kinds, including leggings and underwear. 

OOLOOP 

Swimming suits from recycled fishing nets. You read that right. OOLOOP makes truly upcycled clothing, using materials like ocean trash and organic cotton denim. And it looks good—just check out the Recycled Ocean Trash Trench in Sky Grey ($198) or the Deadwood River Cactus Vegan Biker Jacket ($715) made of organic cactus! 

Park + Coop 

“We take old stuff and turn it into something useful.” This is the simple but powerful mission of Park + Coop, which results in cool products like this upcycled denim apron ($120) and utility sleeve ($34). 

Stay Vocal 

Make a statement with upcycled, one-of-a-kind T-shirts, featuring the phrase “Reuse! Because You Can’t Recycle the Planet” on various tops ($28 - $33). 

Sympatico Clothing 

All the clothing at Sympatico is made from hemp and Tencel fabrics, with dyes that have no heavy metals and processed in small batches to use less water. The Swallowtail Top ($116) is made of a lightweight hemp/Tencel blend and produced in the U.S. 

Texture Clothing 

Operating out of the Pacific Northwest, Texture Clothing is a small business focused on slow fashion. It provides all types of clothing, handmade with organic fabrics like hemp and cotton, and additionally crafting accessories out of fabric scraps. Check out the Fitted Mini ($128), with an invisible zippered pocket for anything from your lip balm to your passport while traveling. 

SERRV 

Strike a pose in the unique and ethically made pieces from SERRV, the small business working with artisans around the world, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Haiti, and beyond. You can find stunning products like the Blue Starbust Kimono (on sale for $43). 

Betty Belts 

Based out of the coastal town of Venture, CA, Betty Belts provides sea-inspired accessories and other sustainable clothing like corduroy hats ($34) and organic sweatpants and tank tops. 

Plus, Fabric to Make Your Own Green Apparel 

Ecobutterfly Organics 

For your next craft project, whether it’s a shawl or a blanket or even home decor like some fabric coasters, work with sustainable fabrics. Ecobutterfly has everything from yarn to embroidery thread and accessories like beads and markers. 

Organic Cotton Plus 

Make your own organic cotton clothing, thanks to a 5th generation and Texas-based small business. But cotton isn’t all Organic Cotton Plus offers, despite its name. Seamstresses and other designers can find eco-friendly woven fabrics like muslin and canvas, knits like jersey, hemp, bamboo, wool, and more. The fabrics come in solid colors, patterns, and fun prints like these from beloved children’s story “Goodnight, Moon.” 

All products in this article are from certified Green Business Network members, making your journey to buy sustainably easy.