These ethical clothing brands for women are making clothes that are high quality, sustainably made, and helping people live better lives.
For most of my life I didn’t give a thought to how my favorite clothing brands were treating their workers and the environment. I thought there was no way of really knowing how ethically they ran their businesses (if I thought about it at all). Maybe that kind of information wasn’t really available when I was younger – but now it is! And there are a lot of up and coming ethical clothing brands who are transparent about their practices, as well.
A lot of big name clothing brands do not treat their workers (especially factory workers) fairly. Additionally, they are creating insane amounts of waste and pollution. Read all about the impact of the fashion industry on workers and the environment, and what ethical clothing brands are doing differently in my post, Beginner’s Guide to Ethical Fashion.
Thankfully, there is an abundance of ethical clothing brands who are being transparent with their practices! These ethical clothing brands are enforcing high standards of rights for their workers and factories, and limiting their negative environmental impact.
After doing lots of research, I have curated this list of my favorite sustainable and ethical clothing brands for women’s apparel.
Also check out my list of 16 ethical clothing brands for men!
Something to keep in mind: in combatting fast fashion, we need to view clothing items as investments. Investing in classic, quality pieces means paying a little more for something that will last.
Sustainable and Ethical Clothing Brands for Women
Everlane
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Everlane maintains personal relationships with factory owners to ensure the factories’ integrity.
Price Range | $$
Fun Fact | Their website has a profile for each of their factories, which include photos, a backstory, and information about the owner.
Product Range | Women’s and men’s apparel, shoes, bags, and accessories.
The Summer House
Based In | India
Ethics Highlights | All clothing is made in their own production studio, from fabrics sourced without abusing the earth. The Summer House gives all employees fair wages and career advancement opportunities.
Price Range | $$
Fun Fact | The Summer House also sells a select line of homewares made by craftsmen across India.
Product Range | Women’s apparel and home goods.
Thought Clothing
Based In | UK
Ethics Highlights | All clothing is made with sustainable fabrics, while aiming to minimize environmental impact.
Price Range | $$
Fun Fact | They sell lots and lots of patterned socks.
Product Range | Men’s and women’s apparel.
Lazybones Australia
Shipping From | Australia
Ethics Highlights | Lazybones works with a certified fair trade factory in India. They use organic and eco fabrics as often as possible, also recycling fabrics when possible.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | Lazybones sells amazing gifts!
Product Range | Women’s apparel, jewelry, bags, bedding, ceramics, baby items, and gifts.
Amour Vert
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Amour Vert garments are made to be long-lasting, with minimal waste produced and a low impact on the environment.
Price Range | $$$-$$$$
Fun Fact | The name, Amour Vert, means Green Love in French.
Product Range | Women’s apparel, baby apparel and products, shoes, jewelry, gifts, homewares.
Kestan
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Kestan is committed to 100% fair standards for laborers, developing relationships with suppliers through frequent visits.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | Many garments are made from organic cotton.
Product Range | Women’s apparel and jewelry.
People Tree
Based In | UK
Ethics Highlights | People Tree is committed to total fair trade practices, sustainability and organic fabrics.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | Their product pages link to profiles of where the product was made with photos, videos, and description of the impact being made.
Product Range | Women’s apparel and jewelry.
Reformation
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Reformation is committed to reducing carbon emissions and waste production, while paying employees well and investing in them.
Price Range | $$$-$$$$
Fun Fact | Their sustainable LA factory is available for tours the first Friday of every month.
Product Range | Women’s apparel, swimwear, and formal dresses.
Remedy Road
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Remedy Road employs artisans in extreme poverty.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | 10% of all proceeds go to nonprofits working with their artisans.
Product Range | Women’s apparel, swimwear, footwear, bags, jewelry, gifts, and homewares
Alternative Apparel
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | More than 80% of their materials used are sustainably sourced. Alternative Apparel ensures fair and safe workplace conditions for all workers in all countries.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | Free shipping and returns is available on all orders in the USA.
Product Range | Men’s and women’s apparel, bags, jewelry, and home goods.
Bead & Reel
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Bead & Reel is committed to keeping all practices free of exploitation of people, animals, and the earth.
Price Range | $$$
Fun Fact | A portion of each sale goes to a cause around the world with their Charity of the Month program.
Product Range | Women’s apparel, formal dresses, jewelry, shoes, and bags.
Elegantees
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Elegantees employs individuals who have come out of sex trafficking in Nepal to reduce poverty and hinder the cycle.
Price Range | $$
Fun Fact | Elegantees has photos on the site of their “sewing team” in Nepal.
Product Range | Women’s apparel.
Mayamiko
Based In | UK
Ethics Highlights | Mayamiko employs individuals formerly in poverty while maintaining high ethical standards for treatment of employees.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | All products are made in Malawi, bringing together African traditional styles with contemporary design.
Product Range | Women’s apparel and accessories.
Rakha
Based In | UK
Ethics Highlights | Rakha’s garments are made from biodegradable or recycled materials while reducing water and toxic waste.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | Rakha’s focus is on creating classic garments which will be wearable for generations to come.
Product Range | Women’s apparel.
Threads for Thought
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Eco-friendly fabrics are used with a commitment to socially responsible manufacturing.
Price Range | $$
Fun Fact | Threads for Thought started out as an eco-friendly graphic t-shirt brand.
Product Range | Women’s and men’s apparel.
Elle Evans
Based In | Australia
Ethics Highlights | Elle Evans is committed to using sustainable, recyclable fabrics, designing with longevity in mind.
Price Range | $$
Fun Fact | All activewear styles can also be worn in the water.
Product Range | Women’s, teens’, and kids’ activewear and swimwear.
Aoui Clothing
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Aoui sources recycled high quality fabrics and works with local manufacturers to be a part of each step of production personally.
Price Range | $$$-$$$$
Fun Fact | All Aoui clothing is made in Los Angeles, California.
Product Range | Women’s apparel.
Back Beat Rags
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | All products are sourced and made locally, in California, using recycled materials and fabrics with a low impact on the environment.
Price Range | $$
Fun Fact | Back Beat Rags began as a shop specializing in vintage tees.
Product Range | Women’s apparel.
All the Wild Roses
Based In | Australia
Ethics Highlights | All the Wild Roses employs seamstresses in underprivileged communities of Vietnam.
Price Range | $$$-$$$$
Fun Fact | All the Wild Roses uses proceeds to give small loans to businesswomen in underprivileged countries to break poverty cycles.
Product Range | Women’s apparel, jewelry, and bags.
Beaumont Organic
Based In | UK
Ethics Highlights | Beaumont Organic uses luxury organic, eco and fair trade fabrics, reducing waste. All factories are in the EU and have high standards for treatment of employees.
Price Range | $$$
Fun Fact | Most garments are made with organic cotton.
Product Range | Women’s apparel and bags.
FatFace
Based In | UK
Ethics Highlights | FatFace has high standards for protecting the environment, sourcing sustainable materials, and having a diverse yet equality-focused workplace.
Price Range | $$$
Fun Fact | The name was inspired by founders’ favorite ski run, “La Face,” in France.
Product Range | Men’s and women’s apparel, swimwear, bags, accessories, and footwear.
RIYKA
Based In | UK
Ethics Highlights | Riyka recycles all waste, creating garments for longevity, using organic, fair trade, and reclaimed materials, while giving all employees fair wages.
Price Range | $$$-$$$$
Fun Fact | Riyka was founded by a husband and wife, and was inspired by the ethnic diversity of East London.
Product Range | Women’s apparel.
ARMEDANGELS
Based In | Germany
Ethics Highlights | Only recycled and organic materials are used, while ensuring high standards of fairness are implemented for every individual involved in production.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | The site includes a blog called “Nothing to Hide” which includes all kinds of stories from the inside of their eco and fair fashion brand.
Product Range | Men’s and women’s apparel.
PACT Organic
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | PACT Organic is committed to using organic cotton and providing safe and fair working conditions for factory laborers.
Price Range | $$
Fun Fact | Much of their manufacturing is in India where they’re endeavoring to make positive impact.
Product Range | Men’s, women’s, and kids’ basics apparel.
EcoVibe Apparel
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | EcoVibe focuses on ethically produced, sustainable fabrics.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | EcoVibe donates 1% of all sales to 1% For The Planet, and they are powered off 100% renewable energy.
Product Range | Women’s apparel, bags, jewelry, and shoes.
Fair Trade Winds
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Fair Trade Winds uses fair trade products and practices while committed to not exploiting the planet for its materials.
Price Range | $$
Fun Fact | It’s a family business that started out selling fair trade goods at fairs, events, and churches.
Product Range | Men’s and women’s apparel, bags, jewelry, gifts, and home goods.
Patagonia
Based In | USA
Ethics Highlights | Patagonia ensures fair and safe labor conditions, while increasing fair trade practices, seeking to improve sustainability, and giving 1% of sales to environmental groups.
Price Range | $$-$$$
Fun Fact | Patagonia will buy back used gear for store credit, or repair any Patagonia items.
Product Range | Women’s and men’s active and outdoor apparel, swimwear, and gear.
