Sustainability is one of the leading trends in fashion today. Women are becoming more conscious of the clothes they buy and how they’re made. Shopping from sustainable fashion brands becomes a priority.

In the past couple of years, I’ve been more careful in selecting pieces to build my wardrobe. I perform extensive research before buying anything from a fashion brand. I spend hours researching what the brand is doing (or not doing) to embrace sustainability. It’s my priority to shop from ethical fashion brands that contribute to a cleaner planet.

What is sustainable fashion?

Sustainable fashion centers around clothing, shoes, and accessories that are ethically made. This includes practicing more sustainable patterns of consumption and use. In contrast, “fast fashion,” is cheap clothing made to meet the demands of trending styles.

The global fashion industry accounts for 2% of global gross domestic product (GDP). Second to oil, it’s also one of the biggest polluters in the world. Fast fashion is the biggest culprit of this pollution. According to The Trust Cost, every year, consumers globally buy around 80 billion new pieces of clothing. This is a 400% increase from two decades ago.

How can we help reduce the negative impact that fast fashion has on the environment? It all comes down to making better choices when it comes to our purchasing decisions. Invest in purchasing clothing from ethical and sustainable fashion brands.

Below, I’m sharing my favorite sustainable fashion brands to shop in 2021.

1. Sézane

Sézane is a Parisian, digital fashion firm created by Morgane Sezalory in 2013. Sezalory created Sézane with a desire to offer all women luxury quality at a fair and accessible price. Sézane offers pieces that any woman can choose in her daily life.

Sustainability is a goal that Sézane is deeply committed to. Sézane has surpassed more than 13,000 recycled pieces. 85% of materials used are eco-friendly. This includes all denim and leisurewear lines. Sézane has 3 certifications (GOTS, Oeko-Tex, FC) with more than half of their pieces certified. 

Every single piece created undergoes mechanical stress testing to ensure its longevity. Sézane follows a lean production model with responsible stock volumes. This allows for no overproduction and minimizes waste.

2. Jenni Kayne

Jenni Kayne is the ultimate California lifestyle brand. This brand has become a cult favorite in the past couple of years. From chic basics to functional house décor, this brand inspires women to live well every day. 

Jenni Kayne commits to implementing practices that will help ensure a healthy planet. Jenni Kayne designs pieces with care and with the best materials. This is to ensure you build your wardrobe of classic, quality pieces that are long-lasting. My favorite collection from Jenni Kayne includes recycled and chic knits. This entire collection is composed of 100% recycled polyamide and eco-friendly homewares. 

Sustainable efforts include building and maintaining relationships with fair factories globally. If this wasn’t enough, Jenni Kayne also makes it a mission to empower communities of women. Currently, they partner with a women’s cooperative in Peru for textiles. Jenni Kayne produces locally when they can. This includes making their own candles, basic knits, and ceramics in Los Angeles.

3. Amour Vert

San Francisco-based fashion brand, Amour Vert creates sustainable, classic staples. Amour Vert meaning “Green Love” in French describes what this brand stands for—great fashion and social responsibility.

Amour Vert’s sustainable practices touch all aspects of their business operations. This includes the full cycle of the garment, treatment of their workers, and how it gets to the consumer. Amour Vert focuses on making limited quantities. The goals are to stop excess waste and ensure high production standards. Amour Vert creates 97% of their products in California, a few miles away from the San Francisco office. Amour Vert uses compostable protective bags to store and ship their garments. They make all packaging from recycled materials and use soy-based inks only.

Amour Vert collaborates with American Forests to help plant new trees. For every tee you buy, Amour Vert will plant a tree. What’s not to love about Amour Vert?

Looking for more ways to help the environment? Visit 5 Clean Beauty Products That Transformed My Skin. I share my favorite clean beauty products that don’t include ingredients that harm human health or the environment.

What are your favorite sustainable fashion brands to shop from the list above? I’d love to know! Let me know in the comments below.