Now more than ever before, we have to change our natural habits to create a more environmentally friendly world. Most people don’t realize how much waste comes out of making one white tee. Slow fashion is a new movement that we should continually follow.  In comparison to fast fashion, slow fashion is defined as creating and buying garments for quality and longevity. 

Before diving into sustainable and ethical brands, it's important to note what makes a sustainable fashion brand. Life cycle, waste production, agriculture, chemicals, and water usage are all crucial components to keep in mind when deciding if a brand is actually sustainable. Before buying clothes, look into the brand’s ethics and sustainability goals on their website. Are they being transparent?  Here are some brands that fit the criteria for sustainability, so you don’t have to go looking.

For Everyday Outfits: 

Sézane - Sézane is one of my favorite ethical brands. This french brand has the coziest sweaters and most beautiful blouses. They have a very honest and detailed microsite containing their goals as a brand. They are also very transparent about where their suppliers and producers are in the world. You can look at a map listed on their website.  

For Working out and Athleisure: 

Girlfriend Collective - Girlfriend Collective runs a closed loop system. All of their clothes made of polyester are 100% recyclable - including zippers. They will even take back your old Girlfriend clothing in exchange for store credit. 

For Denim:

Ref jeans by Reformation - Ref jeans claim that its water consumption is 30% of that of a typical denim brand. Most of their fibers are natural, renewable, and recycled. You can even view Reformation’s sustainability framework for 2019-2023 on their website.

For Formal Celebrations, Events, and Trips: 

Rent the Runway - Rent the runway is not only sustainable, but also much more affordable than paying full price for expensive/luxury brands. You can either rent a piece one at a time or join a monthly membership. This resolves the issue of accumulating too much clothing and waste. Founders Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss first created Rent the Runway to solve the problem of buying a different dress for each event. 

For Anything! 

Thrifting - Thrifting is probably the most sustainable, affordable, and trendy option for purchasing clothing and accessories. Today there are tons of thrift shops plus apps like, Depop, Poshmark, and Grailed. Before buying your next garment, try looking on one of those apps to see if it’s there first!