So you want to buy from more sustainable clothing companies, but don’t know where to look, or how to recognise the truly sustainable from greenwashing ones? You’re in the right place! This blog post breaks down how to find sustainable and ethical clothing brands to help you become a more conscious consumer.
Why You Should Buy From Sustainable Clothing Brands
The rise of fast fashion has transformed the way we consume clothing, making it cheaper and more accessible than ever. But behind the low price tags are high environmental and social impacts.
The fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions, producing more pollution than international flights and maritime shipping combined.1 At the same time, those low fast fashion price tags are only possible because of the unethical labour practices in this industry, with some garment workers earning wages far below the poverty line.2 This blog breaks down the full impact of fast fashion on people and the environment, if you want to learn more.
With the rise of demand for sustainable clothing, more and more brands are marketing themselves as sustainable and ethical. Unfortunately, for many brands this is just another marketing technique, and more than 60% of fashion companies have been found to exaggerate our outright lie about environmental and social claims – also known as greenwashing.3
If you’re reading this, you’re likely aware of these issues and want to make more sustainable choices in your wardrobe. But with so many brands making sustainability claims, how do you determine which ones are genuine, without getting completely overwhelmed? This guide will give you some simple tips to help you identify truly sustainable and clothing brands.
What Makes a Clothing Brand Sustainable and Ethical?
Sustainability is the intersection between meeting business goals while protecting the environment and treating people ethically. Environmental and ethical impacts are part of the same goal, and they are not separate issues but very much interlinked. Even so, while these two aspects are closely connected, there are different things to look at when evaluating a brand.
The environmental side of sustainability in fashion refers to minimising negative environmental impacts, from the materials used to the production processes and waste management. This includes reducing carbon emissions, conserving water, minimising chemical use, and ensuring products are designed for longevity and recyclability.
The ethical or social side of sustainability focuses on the fair treatment of workers, ensuring they receive living wages and work in safe conditions. Again, these issues are interlinked – for example, organic farming of cotton means no toxic chemicals are used, which is better for the environment but also prevents pesticide poisoning of the farmers and garment workers.
The top 7 ways to Identify Genuinely Sustainable Clothing Brands
So how do you go about actually figuring out if a clothing brand is ethical and sustainable? This checklist can help you get started:
1. Public Sustainability Information
Evaluate the brand’s mission statement, sustainability reports, and the information available on their website. Is sustainability a core part of their mission and values, or is it only found on a token “sustainability” page? Do they publish annual sustainability reports with robust data and ambitious plans, or is it just a fancy marketing report?
Truly sustainable brands acknowledge both their achievements and the challenges they face. A strong sustainability approach is holistic, addressing materials, production processes, and labour conditions. If a brand’s sustainability communication is surface level, highlighting only a few good aspects and ignoring the rest, it’s a red flag.
2. Materials transparency
Materials used in clothing are a key indicator of a brand’s commitment to sustainability, because because they directly affect the garment’s environmental impact throughout its lifecycle—from resource extraction and production to use and disposal.
Conventional cotton, for example, requires a lot of water and pesticides, while synthetic fabrics like polyester are made from fossil fuels and contribute to microplastic pollution. Sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, linen, hemp, and Tencel have a much lower environmental footprint. Fabric choice also impacts quality, and a higher quality garment will last you much longer than a cheap polyester one.
At minimum, a clothing brand should have a clear breakdown of all materials used in a garment on their website and clothing labels. Be cautious of garments labelled as a “blend” of sustainable materials; usually the majority of the blend is an unsustainable synthetic fabric. Always read the clothing label first, and avoid garments with less than 60% sustainable fabrics.
3. Production methods
The way a garment is produced has as much impact on its sustainability as the fabric itself. Ethical brands are transparent about their manufacturing processes, providing at least some information about the factories they work with, including their locations and the standards upheld there. This includes ensuring that workers are paid living wages, operate in safe conditions, and are treated with dignity throughout the supply chain.
Beyond labour practices, sustainable production also involves reducing environmental harm. Low-impact manufacturing techniques, such as waterless dyeing, digital printing, and closed-loop systems that reuse water and chemicals, are important for reducing pollution and resource use. Some brands also invest in local production to reduce transport emissions or use renewable energy in their facilities.
4. Quality and durability
Quality and durability are the key aspect that sets sustainable clothes apart from fast fashion. Fast fashion is designed to be disposable, encouraging endless consumption, but truly sustainable brands focus on well-made, timeless designs that will last for years. Investing in fewer, higher-quality pieces benefits the environment and is more cost-effective in the long run.
To determine quality, take a close look at the materials used (synthetic materials, especially polyester, are often both unsustainable and low quality), how well the garment is put together, and how sturdy it feels. Once you start paying attention to it, you will start noticing the difference between a high- and low-quality garment easily.
5. Packaging
The packaging of clothing, especially when ordered online, is one of the most visible areas where fashion brands can make sustainable choices. Avoiding plastic, using biodegradable alternatives, and minimising packaging possible are important ways in which fashion brands limit their negative environmental impact.
However, be careful about using packaging as the sole indicator of a sustainable brand. Packaging is only a small part of a clothing brand’s impact, but because it’s the most visible and easily changed aspect, it’s prone to greenwashing. Many big brands highlight their “sustainable” packaging to distract from their lack of sustainability in more critical areas. A sustainable clothing brand should have sustainable packaging, but sustainable packaging alone does not make a brand sustainable.
6. End of life
A sustainable clothing company doesn’t relieve itself of environmental and social responsibilities after the garment has been sold. Truly sustainable brands consider the entire lifecycle of their garments, including what happens after they’ve been sold. Rather than viewing clothing as disposable, these brands take steps to reduce waste and keep garments in circulation for as long as possible.
Sustainable brands design products with end-of-life in mind, using mono-materials (instead of blends of several fabrics) or recyclable fabrics that make it easier to close the loop. They offer in-house repair services or provide resources to help customers fix items themselves. Some brands have take-back schemes, allowing worn-out clothes to be returned for recycling or responsible disposal (though some of these schemes are prone to greenwashing).
7. Price
Lastly, though this may not be what you want to hear, price is an important identifier of sustainable clothing. While sustainability doesn’t always mean expensive, extremely low prices are only possible through exploitative labour practices or the use of low-quality, environmentally harmful materials. Ethical production requires fair wages, sustainable sourcing, and responsible manufacturing—all of which come at a cost.
If a brand is selling £10 T-shirts while claiming to be ethical, it’s worth questioning how that’s possible. It’s better for people, the planet, and your wallet to buy a few more expensive, high-quality, and sustainable garments each year than to shop for cheap fast fashion every month.
How to Spot Greenwashing
As more brands embrace sustainability as a selling point, greenwashing has become increasingly common. This is the practice of misleading or downright lying to the public about a brand’s sustainability efforts, making it more difficult for consumers to make informed choices.
Transparency is key to identifying greenwashing, because lack of transparency is a major red flag. Ethical brands openly share information about their supply chains, factory conditions, and sustainability targets. If a brand’s website provides little to no information about where and how its clothes are made, its sustainability claims are likely exaggerated.
Truly sustainable brands provide detailed reports with annual data, independent audits, and both positive and negative aspects of their sustainability progress. Smaller brands may not have the budget for formal impact reports but often share their stories and practices in a more authentic, informal way.
One of the biggest warning signs for greenwashing is the use of vague or unsubstantiated claims. Terms like “eco-friendly,” “green,” or “conscious” mean little unless backed by concrete information. Some of the biggest fast fashion brands have been called out for launching so-called “sustainable” collections that make up only a fraction of their overall production while continuing to operate unsustainably on a large scale.4
How to Research and Verify Sustainability Claims
If a brand’s marketing sounds promising, it’s worth taking the extra step to verify its claims. Start by checking impact reports that outline measurable goals and progress.
One of the best ways to verify sustainability claims is by looking for independent third-party certifications, such as:
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): Ensures textiles are made from organic fibres and produced under strict environmental and social criteria.
- Fairtrade: Guarantees fair wages and ethical working conditions.
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100: Certifies that textiles are free from harmful chemicals.
- B Corp: Evaluates a company’s overall environmental and social impact to very high standards.
Although certifications aren’t the only way to determine a brand’s commitment to sustainability, they provide a level of accountability that vague marketing claims cannot, because they are require following strict standards and undergoing regular, independent audits.
Customer reviews and investigative reports can also provide insight into a brand’s real practices. If a company has been accused of greenwashing, worker exploitation, or environmental harm, watchdog organisations and independent journalists often report on it.5
Researching every brand can be time-consuming, but fortunately there are platforms that do the work for you and assess brands on the sustainability claims they make publicly available. For example:
- Good On You: Rates thousands of fashion brands on their impact on people, the planet, and animals.
- Fashion Transparency Index: Published by Fashion Revolution, it ranks 250 of the world’s largest fashion brands and retailers based on their public disclosure of human rights and environmental policies.
- Remake: Offers an Accountability Report that scores fashion brands on traceability, wages, wellbeing, commercial practices, raw materials, and environmental justice.
Final Thoughts
Navigating the world of sustainable fashion can be challenging, but by being informed and sceptical of vague claims, you can make better choices. The key is to look beyond marketing buzzwords and assess brands based on what information they make easily available (or not). Independent verification, such as certifications and third-party ratings, can help separate genuinely ethical brands from those engaging in greenwashing.
But remember, sustainable fashion isn’t just about which brands you buy from—it’s about changing the way you consume clothing. Buying less and repairing what you already own are some of the most impactful ways to reduce waste and support a more ethical fashion industry.
Buying sustainable clothing is not more expensive than buying fast fashion once you realise you only have to buy a few new garments a year and only when your old clothes are worn out, rather then buying cheap clothes from every sale every season. Check our our blog post about slow fashion to learn more!
Making conscious choices, even in small steps, can collectively drive a shift towards a more responsible and sustainable future for fashion.
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