Written By Justin Martin

With Sustainability Month coming to a close, it is important that we highlight businesses that go above and beyond to ensure that their apparel is produced ethically from start to finish. Although we all know how tempting it is to buy a quick $15 pair of jeans from Shein that will start coming undone at the seams after their third wash, investing in durable, high quality clothing that is made to last doesn’t only have a positive impact on the environment; it looks great too.

Milo + Nicki

As a company dedicated to cultivating a positive relationship between fashion and environmental sustainability, Milo + Nicki definitely set the standard with their emphasis on creating environmentally friendly products. They use a medium proportion of eco-friendly materials including Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) cotton, meaning that their cotton is at least 95% organic, was not exposed to toxic chemicals during the textile process, and was did not use unethical work practices that pose a risk to workers like sand-blasting. They also manufacture locally to reduce their carbon footprint and use eco-friendly materials to limit the amount of chemicals, water, and wastewater used in production. Milo + Nicki are dedicated to transparency, as their whole supply chain is traceable, including the final and second stages of production. They ensure that the workers in their supply chain are paid a living wage, which is unfortunately something rarely seen in the fashion industry, even from large fashion corporations. The steps that Milo + Nicki have taken to ensure their products are produced sustainably and ethically should be the gold standard for fashion companies all over the world moving forward.

Label by Three

Label by Three is a company founded by three by three sisters and women of color who believe in slow fashion, inclusivity, and ethical clothing production. All of their products are handmade by women in Arizona who are paid a living wage, and their clothes are made using only deadstock (unused manufactured fabric) and locally made materials. All of their packaging and shipping materials are made from recycled or upcycled materials, straying from the traditional plastic packaging and shipping materials that have a profoundly negative impact on the environment.

Two Days Off

Two Days Off is a LA based line of clothing for those who value function, form, quality material, and ethical practices. They use a high proportion of eco-friendly materials, including recycled materials. They use a limited production run to minimize textile waste, they manufacture locally to reduce their carbon footprint, and they also use a limited amount of wastewater in production. Their in-house manufacturing is ran by a small in-house team that is paid a living wage, and they trace their entire supply chain to ensure transparency for consumers. They also avoid using fur, leather, wool, exotic animal skin or hair, or angora, opting for recycled silk and other more sustainable products instead. Two Days Off uses deadstock, fabric that has already been manufactured but was unused, meaning they are not adding to the existing textile manufacturing demand, and they use natural fiber textiles, such as linen, cotton, and hemp, to ensure that their clothes are recyclable and biodegradable once the garment reaches the end of its life. Two Days Off is yet another example of a small brand doing what large corporations are failing to do: creating high quality, ethically sourced clothing with minimal environmental impact.

While it is no secret that shopping ethically and sustainably comes at a higher price tag, it is imperative that we veer away from buying dozens of low quality products from fast fashion conglomerates every time we go shopping and focus more on buying fewer, high quality pieces that are produced in an ethical, eco-friendly manner. While not everyone has the resources to do so yet, the increased public consciousness about the importance of sustainability and the increasing number of sustainable fashion brands that we are seeing come into the mainstream inspires me to believe that one day, there will be affordable, environmentally friendly clothing available to everyone.

Highlighting Sustainable Fashion

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