5 Eco-Friendly Brands Trailblazing the Future of Fashion
In an attempt to battle the lethal grapple that fast fashion holds on our planet, clothing brands have stepped up to the climate change challenge to serve sustainable realness. Fast fashion is the mass production of inexpensive clothing by trend-based retailers. While we too love a cheap and trendy find, the not-so-trusty fast fashion business model relies on quick production and consumption, treading an unsustainable suture and growing contributor to global warming. It’s unethical, it’s harmful, and it’s not doing amazing, sweetie.
Despite the industry’s role in global warming, both consumers and companies have been spearheading new efforts to ensure the survival of our Earth and our closets. Below, we’ve compiled a list of our go-to green retailers, each of which prioritize the sustainable, yet stylish, production of clothes. From recycling materials for a snow-proof jacket to slowing the manufacturing process to craft a beautiful blouse, be sure to check out these eco-friendly brands that are trailblazing the future of fashion.
ODDLi
The magic behind ODDLi began in a Stanford dining hall when the two founders, Ellie and Jensen, met on their second day of school. Throughout their university career, the two ambitious women studied the negative effects of fast fashion and constructed a plan to revolutionize the fashion industry. In 2020, the duo launched ODDLi, which specializes in the use of deadstock, leftover material from fast fashion brands, to create vibrant pieces with colourful patchwork designs. It’s not “odd,” it’s recycled! Their most beloved piece, the bucket hat, comes in a variety of colors and hand-cut materials. These hats are not only made from repurposed materials, but they are guaranteed to add life to any outfit or conceal any bad hair day. Just as abandoned clothes and styles have found a home in ODDLi’s products, you’re sure to find your next perfectly patchy outfit on their website. Follow @oddliclothing on Instagram to watch the Stanford duo change the world one revamped piece of fabric at a time.
“Hang tight with us, there is so, so much more unused material left to reimagine.” - ODDLi
Amour Vert
French for “green love,” Amour Vert embodies what it means to love fashion and the planet we create it on. Based in San Francisco, California, the company’s classic and contemporary pieces are made out of ethical materials, like hemp and organic cotton. In taking the green road less traveled by other companies, Amour Vert partners with mills to produce fabrics that are sustainably long-lasting and abundantly soft. Additionally, 97% of Amour Vert’s clothes are made in small batches. As juxtaposed with the quick, mass production of fast fashion, the production of small batches combats the monstrous quantity of clothes entering markets and factories. Checkout their latest fall collection for some sustainable staples-- fleece skirts for a distant night out, warm sweaters for that one chilly day in Gainesville and elegant dresses for a Zoom date. As if we needed more green to love, Amour Vert also plants a tree for every t-shirt purchased. Once you’ve tended to your closet and Earth in buying from their website, allez regardez leur Instagram @amourvert. That’s French for “go follow their Instagram!”
“We’ve planted 321,443 trees in North America since we first opened our doors.” - Amour Vert
Kotn
Do you know where your clothes come from? This brand sure does. This Canadian company’s plan to save the environment entails keeping a close, green eye on the production process. Kotn safely and conscientiously takes its fabrics from their farms to their factories through direct trade, whereby the farmers and the company exchange products one-on-one. Through their farm-to-store approach, Kotn has made it their personal mission to supervise every step of the process behind making their clothes before they reach their stores in Montreal and Toronto. Kotn’s products are made of ultra-soft, Egyptian cotton, and the quality of their clothes is sure to make any environmentalist beam. This Egyptian cotton is grown in the Nile Delta, a place where there is also half a million children without access to education. To combat this, every Kotn purchase contributes to building local schools, as the company is working to create a “safe, convenient, quality education” for every child, particularly girls, in their farming communities. @Kotn’s mission not only values the quality of our clothes, but the quality of our education, equality and Earth.
“We believe that traceability – the knowledge of where a product came from, who made it, how, and when – shouldn’t be a luxury, but a standard.” - Kotn
Petite Studio
Although the name indicates something small, the impact of Petite Studio is monumental. On average, twenty hours are invested into the production of a single garment at Petite Studio, as compared to the four hours at a standard fast fashion factory (and the amount of time we studied for our last exam). Although their pieces take longer to make, they are sure to last a lifetime and drop a jaw or two. Petite Studio’s clothing consists of small pieces that make big statements: oatmeal-colored blazers with shoulder pads, blue plaid wool coats, lavender sweaters. Regardless of their size, these creations bear eye-catching designs with an elegant refinery. Located in New York City, employees might work 40 hours, but they also reap a handful of benefits, such as hour-long lunch breaks, health care and guaranteed vacation time. Additionally, and this is where we get both envious and more enthusiastic about the brand, Petite Studio employees are required to take 30-minute nap breaks with every shift. Now that’s a dream job! For more on this slow-fashion showstopper, follow @petitestudionyc, and be sure to join us in applying for a job.
“We aim to waste as little material as possible, and repurpose it whenever we can, creating scrunchies, scarves and other accessories from fabric scraps that would otherwise be discarded.” - Petite Studio
Patagonia
The increased awareness of eco-friendly clothing has inspired a surge in the production of sustainable clothes and, at the forefront of retailers and mountain landscapes, we have Patagonia. The Californian company was one of the first to implement using recycled materials into their production process, in which 68% of their line is crafted with recycled materials. @Patagonia is also involved in an abundance of programs to hold their holistic approach accountable. For example, bluesign System helps approve the sustainability and safety of Patagonia’s products, and, if you’ve ever worn one of their t-shirts, you know why they’ve passed the test. Their beanies, jackets and even sleeping bags are perfect for any type of activity on your nature-prone mind: whether it be snowing or surfing, hiking or mountain climbing, Patagonia has repurposed the perfect piece for you. If you’re not one who casually climbs Mount Everest or desperately needs another anorak jacket, you can still go green and get involved with Patagonia’s grassroots campaign and activism page.
“We aim to waste as little material as possible, and repurpose it whenever we can, creating scrunchies, scarves and other accessories from fabric scraps that would otherwise be discarded.” - Petite Studio
As college students are readying to transition into the real world, we hold the power and wardrobes to be the leaders of the sustainability movement. What we wear makes more than a statement— it makes an impact. Therefore, we need to start building our closets - and mindsets - through a sustainable lens where we primarily indulge in thrifting, upcycling and shopping green. From production to consumption, greener generations can change the future of our planet, even if it’s by one t-shirt at a time.
Strike Out,
Writer: Ghaya Abubakar
Editor: Hannah Shelton
Gainesville