We all love clean, sustainable brands and more consumers are now focusing on ethical fashion. However, it’s difficult to justify buying eco-friendly products considering the hefty price tag that comes along with it. Unfortunately, many people (including myself) turn to fast fashion brands for their retail therapy. These clothes usually wear out after a few spins in the laundry, but we’re also well aware that the cost of quality pieces can be high.

Still, we must ask ourselves: where are the clothes that we wear coming from? What conditions are they being made in? Who’s making them for us and are they being paid adequately? We’re all slowly realizing fast fashion brands may come at a low price but also come at another cost – the cost of humanity.

Recently, we’ve been made aware of the struggles of Bangladeshi garment workers who labor away tirelessly for 12 hours a day for a meagre wage of less than $90 a month. For most households, that’s the only income they make. Many fashion brands have cancelled their orders and many now refuse to pay their workers any sort of pandemic assistance or even what they previously owe them. The workers are convinced they’ll die of hunger before they die of COVID-19. Fair wages are a basic human being right and no one should be denied that.

Along with being a hazard to many workers, these brands are also unethically produced. They use many non-renewable sources that will one day become largely scarce for the generations following us. Sustainable brands develop their products responsibly using renewable resources and leaving as little of ecological footprints as possible. They truly care about their employees, consumers and the world.

So in order to make a conscious effort towards sustainable living, I’ve curated a list of the most affordable ethical brands. They’ll make you feel amazing both inside and out without putting a dent in your wallet. Check them out below!

• Allbirds – An amazing footwear brand that prides itself on sustainability through its revolutionary merino wool fabric. Simple, comfortable and super reasonable. Some of the comfiest shoes on the market right now with lots of options for both men and women.
  
• Pact – A versatile brand with sustainable fashion for women, men, and kids as well as bed & bath products. They only believe in using organic cotton and want to make it as affordable as possible for everyday use. Currently, you can get 20% off your first order and they accept returns for up to 60 days to ensure you love whatever you purchase from them.
  
• Tentree – This brand is one of my personal favorites simply because of how dedicated they are to their cause. Tentree creates fashion-forward clothing for men, women and kids as well as accessories. Everything is made from sustainable materials and inclusive to different body types. Best part about them? They plant ten trees for every item sold and have planted almost 44 million trees so far! Such an amazing way to support the environment.
  
• Girlfriend Collective – An activewear brand that believes in ethical manufacturing and recycled materials. They’re inclusive to all body types with sizes running from XXS to 6XL. They also produce all their bras and leggings from recycled and used water bottles instead of unused ones which is what most brands use to produce synthetic fabric (such as nylon & polyester). Girlfriend Collective is super transparent about their process and what they do to remain a great, ethical brand. Check out their website for more details.
  

• Alternative Apparel – Simple, comfortable and sustainable. This brand uses recycled organic cotton to create their clothing. Their super soft fabric is made for women, men and children and they have great, casual options for daily wear.
• Lucy & Yak – I’ve been obsessed with this brand as of lately. Their story is incredible and they’ve been making such a great social and environmental impact. Their workers all earn a living wage whether they’re in the UK or in North India, where their factory resides. They use soft, organic fabrics to create their signature dungarees and clothes. I’ve linked their denim dress (made out of organic cotton denim) below and it’s on sale right now! Fun fact: The tailors add a number they’ve been assigned to every article of their clothing and if you go on their site, you’ll see a picture of who tailored your exact item.
• We Are We Wear – A swimwear brand that provides sizes from XS to 3XL. They believe in comfortable swimwear that makes women feel confident and challenges the unrealistic expectations of society. Their Eco-Edit collection is made from unwanted waste materials such as fishnets, plastics and fabric scraps. They also have a collaboration with Urban Outfitters right now.
• 31 Bits – A versatile women’s jewelry brand which gives the opportunity to artisans around the world to create unique pieces that women like us would buy. Some of my favorites include: these dancing bead hoops, the heart signet ring and this minimalistic evil eye bracelet. Also check out their Ayesha Curry collection. I adore the love necklace linked below!

Any fun, affordable and sustainable fashion finds I’m missing out on? Let me know in the comments below or message me on Insta – @sassysherni. Your messages are my fave.


xo,
S