Looking for some great ethical fashion brands on a budget? Keep reading to find the best affordable ethical clothing, and learn everything you need to know about ethical fashion.
Let’s start off by discussing the difference between ethical fashion and sustainable fashion. They do often go hand in hand, but not always. A brand can be sustainable but not ethical and vice versa.
What is ETHICAL FASHION?
What do we mean when we use the term ‘ethical’? And what has it got to do with fashion? Ethics refers to the moral principles that govern behaviour. It’s the idea of what is right and what is wrong. In regard to fashion, we’re talking about the morals behind manufacturing. A brand considered ethical focuses on the entire manufacturing process. From sourcing, through production, all the way to distribution.
Ethical fashion brands commit to fair and equal treatment of everyone who takes part in the creation of garments. This is the ethical mindset they all share. ‘Treatment’ refers to various contributing factors. These include providing a living wage to all and creating a safe non-abusive environment. Especially regarding those who take part in the production. Ethical fashion refrains from using unethical labour such as slave, forced, and child. It can also refer to practices that are vegan and cruelty-free. Which means the process does no harm to animals.
Now, let’s find out what is SUSTAINABLE FASHION
Sustainability is the ability to maintain at a certain level. If the amount you eat is relative to the amount you burn, then your weight is sustainable. So when we’re talking about fashion, sustainable means using resources that can easily be used again and again, at a rate that matches the level of production.
Fashion is the second biggest polluting industry in the world. (Yes, that shocked me when I found that out). So sustainable brands aim to reduce the impact they make on the planet by cutting down on waste and polluting methods of production.
The danger of the fast-fashion business model is that it produces more than necessary and at a faster rate than we or the planet can keep up with. So this method leaves tonnes of waste and destroyed parts of the world.
To prevent this, sustainable brands focus on creating quality over quantity. They produce long-lasting garments using renewable and recycled materials with methods that reduce waste. This is known as Slow Fashion.
So when it comes down to Ethical Fashion vs Sustainable Fashion, sustainable is more focused on the environmental impact of production, while ethical is geared towards worker well-being. I hope that clears that up for you, a bit.
Ethical Fashion vs Sustainable Fashion
To summarize: Ethical fashion takes the whole production line and supply chain into account, making sure everything is done in an ethical, non-harmful way. Whereas sustainable fashion focuses more on the environmental aspect of garment production. Maintainable resourcing and production is at the centre of sustainable fashion.
Before moving to the ethical companies list below, please don’t forget this:
When it comes to buying new clothes, you need to be mindful about how much new stuff you ACTUALLY need. Because even if you choose to purchase ONLY from the ethical brands listed here, buying clothing that you’ll only wear once and never again, so you can keep purchasing newer and newer garments, kind of defeats the purpose of sustainable shopping.
If you’re looking to build a socially responsible closet, creating an all-year capsule wardrobe is a good start. In this post you can find all the must-have basics you need. This video guide might also be very helpful for you. But for now, here are some examples of ethical clothing brands.
The Best Affordable Ethical Fashion Brands in 2021:
1. PEOPLE TREE
Starting off with People Tree – an ethical and sustainable fashion brand offering stylish, versatile and affordable designs. The company makes all of its garments to the highest ethical and environmental standards. They use eco-friendly materials and low-impact non-toxic dyes. In fact, People Tree was the first fashion company that received the World Fair Trade Organization label. This is achieved when the brand is in compliance with the principles of fair trade, fair wages, good working conditions, transparency, gender equality, and environmental best practices. They are not using fur, leather, down and animal hair, and they source their wool from non-mulesed sheep, which means that the animal is not harmed during the removal of wool. How is that for a fair ethical brand?!
2. BOYISH
If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’m a big fan of Boyish. Their jeans are one of a kind – so soft and comfortable!! Boyish is an ethical and sustainable women’s denim line focused on quality, fit and authentic washes. What’s interesting about the company is that when creating their collections, they utilize men’s fabrics and fits tailored for a woman’s body. The brand’s inspiration comes from the stylish women who describe their style as “boyish”. Now that’s cool!
Boyish produce all of their jeans with sustainable fabrics through a completely eco-friendly and cruelty-free process. Their entire product range is vegan and for every pair of jeans sold, Boyish plants a tree.
3. MIGHTY GOOD BASICS
Mighty Good Basics is another wonderful brand definitely worth checking out! This is an Australian fair-trade label for ethically produced organic underwear at incredibly affordable prices! The company’s core values are transparency and supreme respect for people and the planet. For this reason, they partner with the world’s best ethical factories and source the finest GOTS-certified organic cotton for their pieces. Mighty Good Basics’s entire range is vegan.
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4. THE M|N|ML
I recently discovered The MNML and I love their beautiful classy timeless collections. The M|N|ML is an Australian ethical clothing brand, redefining basics for contemporary women. The label uses sustainably sourced materials such as GOTS certified organic cotton to minimize the amount of chemicals used and water wasted in production. Their mission is to inspire positive change while reducing the impact of the fashion industry. The brand’s motto is “Fashion does good and feels good.”
5. KUYICHI
Kuyichi is another great vegan, timeless, ethical brand who offers organic and sustainable wardrobe essentials. All of Kuyichi products are made from organic and recycled materials by people who are treated and paid fairly. The brand encourages consumers to reduce their climate impact by using their products. Their mission is to create a system that makes life fun and enjoyable for everyone in the chain. Goals!!
6. SEVENTY + MOCHI
Seventy + Mochi uses ethical production methods and recycled materials to create seasonless denim that’s lasts. They are a vegan brand that is committed to never using products derived from animals. The label produces all of their collections in limited quantities at their own facilities, and sells directly to the customers to ensure minimal impact on the planet as well as full transparency. They are dedicated to leading the way for women and marginalized communities by providing opportunities that are unbiased, collaborating with female entrepreneurs and social enterprises to help support one and other in the pursuit of fairer business.
7. KINGS OF INDIGO
Next on the list is Kings of Indigo. The brand positions itself as a pioneer in the sustainable fashion world. They are using planet-friendly materials, sustainable production methods, and fair employment practises. The company has been PETA (vegan) approved in 2020! Yay! Also, can we talk about this beautiful ecru jacket?! It will be such a great addition to my minimalist wardrobe!
8. ETIKO
If you’re looking for affordable ethical clothing and footwear that is also vegan, Etiko is the place for you! The brand’s mission is to make your journey into ethical fashion as seamless as possible. The Australian company uses eco-friendly materials, and it recycles some of its offcuts to minimise textile waste. Etiko pays premiums to all of their employees to ensure they get proper living wages and transparency is everything to them. Take a look at their website, they even offer kids apparel!
9. ALL SISTERS
Enough with the fashion brands, let’s finish off this list with some insanely good swimwear! All Sisters is a responsible swim apparel label creating beautiful eco-friendly and sustainable pieces that you will just fall in love with. The brand uses the highest quality of recycled fabrics to design its high-end eco swimsuits. The brand was created from a love of the ocean, water sports, and the powerful bond between all women and mother earth. The company traces all of its supply chain and their whole range is free from animal materials. I’m obsessed with this high mock-neck swimsuit!! Isn’t it gorgeous?!
Hopefully now you have a better understanding of what ethical clothing is and why is ethical fashion important, especially during the times of today. This era marks the start of a fashion revolution, and you can be a part of it. By getting on board with ethical fashion companies and brands who are on a path to making this world a better, fairer place, and making sure we look good doing it.
Did you like this ethical fashion guide? Here are some other wonderful ethical fashion brands on a budget that I already wrote about in my 11 Sustainable Fashion Brands That Won’t Break Your Bank post.
This post was all about the best ethical fashion brands for the best prices.
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Other Posts You May Like:
- THE ONLY MINIMALIST CLOTHING BRANDS YOU WILL EVER NEED
- 11 SUSTAINABLE FASHION BRANDS THAT WON’T BREAK YOUR BANK
- WHAT IS MINIMALIST FASHION AND HOW TO CURATE A MINIMALIST WARDROBE
Ethical Fashion Q&A:
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