The fashion industry has evolved tremendously in the past decade, driven by increasing consumer awareness aware that fashion is damaging the environment. After the devastation wrecked by the global pandemic, the businesses perceived to thrive in 2023 and beyond are those focusing on sustainability.

Celebrate Earth month by supporting sustainable fashion and beauty brands

What does sustainable fashion actually mean? Per Vogue, “it’s an umbrella term for clothes that are created and consumed in a way that can be, quite literally, sustained, while protecting both the environment and those producing garments. That’s why cutting CO2 emissions, addressing overproduction, reducing pollution and waste, supporting biodiversity, and ensuring that garment workers are paid a fair wage and have safe working conditions, are all crucial to the sustainability matrix.”

Whether one prefers to renew the wardrobe often or more sporadically, ‘Green and Clean’ and ‘Fair and Ethical’ are important choices when purchasing apparel and beauty products. Buying products that are manufactured in an ethically conscious manner is something we all should aspire towards as much as possible, although it may entail a somewhat higher price tag. It’s a win: win. Sustainable brands focus on using quality materials that are kind to the environment. By investing in sustainable brands, you are choosing to reduce the amount of waste created by fast fashion. Going green and choosing sustainable fashion is not an easy or an inexpensive decision. The lure of the easy and cheap is hard to ignore, especially when you are strapped for cash but if you have an inherent desire to protect the environment, we recommend starting with small changes to your wardrobe – perhaps by celebrating Earth Month by supporting sustainable and ethical fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands? From their eco-friendly materials to practices for ethical manufacturing, these companies continue to embrace and support our planet. Check out some of our favourite eco-aware brands -:

Luxeire: Luxeire’s mission is to provide women with sustainable, sophisticated wardrobe essentials that are of exceptional quality, comfortable and easy to care. The idea for Luxeire was born from founder Gina Kuyers’ frustration with the discomfort and high maintenance of luxury clothing. With a 20-year career and PhD in school psychology, Gina spent decades applying research to real-world problem solving, and applied these skills to designing and producing a line of elevated wardrobe staples made from luxurious, eco-friendly technical fabrics.

Marcella NYC: Marcella NYC is a sustainable fashion brand founded by Siyana Huszar and offers wardrobe staples from bodysuits, tops, dresses and coats to shoes, bags and more. Their just-in-time production practices help the brand to stay on top of trends without creating waste, while using fully sustainable materials. With their vertical integration, the brand focuses on fair wages and compensation for all workers starting with their production teams.

ETICA: LA based sustainable brand, ÉTICA, is rooted in the ideals of fair labor practices and environmentally conscious manufacturing. It offers premium fabrics, vintage inspired washes and refined fits. The brand also supports ‘One Tree Planted’, a nonprofit organization focused on global reforestation; for every purchase made on eticadenim.com a tree is planted.

Image Source: official website of Etica

French Lime: Founded by Denise Saad, French Lime is a sustainable athleisure brand designed with bold, eccentric prints and are made using quick dry eco-friendly fabric that will not lose its shape or vibrancy.

Kinflyte: Sustainably made for every body type! Offering sizes in XXS-6XL, and A-K Cup, the brand prides itself on creating sustainable, inclusive apparel. The technology in the patented Posture System is in the unique design, patterning, and detailed 3D construction, working in concert to cue a women’s body into better alignment.

Kindly: Kindly, the planet-friendly, Walmart-exclusive intimates brand, offers affordable, inclusive, and sustainable intimates. All products are made from 75 per cent recycled materials. The brand partnered with Walmart to unveil the first-ever plant-based bra cup made from sugarcane, and a collection of intimates sourced from recycled materials.

LA RELAXED: This female-founded eco-friendly brand is making clothes in a more responsible way, all under one roof, in Los Angeles. It takes less than a hundred steps to complete a garment, dramatically reducing their carbon footprint. The collections are made in limited runs, using natural fibers and deadstock fabrics, resulting in beautiful pieces designed to be worn across seasons.

LILYSILK: An RTW, sleepwear and home brand that aspires to inspire people to live a more sustainable lifestyle, the brand mission is that zero waste can make a difference to people and the planet. The brand also aspires to be recognized as the best silk brand, globally, and uses the finest Grade 6A silk from China.

Losan: Made in Los Angeles, Losano creates everyday effortless essentials that are good for people and the planet. The brand offers outstanding quality garments designed to be worn over and over again and is committed to a sustainable future and to improving the social, economic and environmental well-being of our communities.

Londre Bodywear: Londre Bodywear is a sustainable fashion label offering flattering swimwear made from recycled plastic bottles and butter-soft loungewear made from sustainably harvested wood pulp. The brand was founded by Ainsley Rose and Hannah Todd on a beach in Mexico with the goal to empower and educate women on both environmental issues and social change. Ranging from versatile swim pieces to beachy loungewear, all pieces are available on LondreBodywear.com ranging from sizes XS – 5XL.

Nudies and Nubies Essentials: Nikki Chu, a celebrity interior designer and entrepreneur, created Nudies for women who are always on the go, love to travel, and do it with style. The designs have a gentle effect on the environment and are made with biodegradable 100 per cent cotton fabric and low impact dyes. The brand can be found on Nudies.shop, Amazon.com and Target.com.

Nudies Bikini

Tiare Hawaii: Tiare Hawaii is a global beachwear brand founded in Hawaii back in 2009 by Jane Hoskins. All pieces are handmade in Bali using traditional dyeing techniques that have been used for centuries. The brand will donate 30 per cent of sales from their Naturals Collection starting April 21st through April 23rd to ‘One Tree Planted’. With Mother Earth in mind, Tiare Hawaii worked to find sustainable materials to create ‘Naturals’, their first eco-friendly product offering. Using fibers created from Banana, Bamboo, Eucalyptus, Pineapple, and Mulberry Bark Silk, they found the softness they sought along with water-saving, renewable resources, made with ancient techniques. The brand can be found at tiarehawaii.com and select retailers such as Bloomingdale’s, Everything But Water, Zappos, Revolve, and Amazon.

Merry People: Australia-based Merry People is a unisex, vegan gumboots brand that looks cool enough to wear anywhere!! Its quality vegan rain boots are waterproof and made with natural rubber lined with four- millimetre neoprene, which adds warmth and comfort to the shoe. Unlike other rain-boots, Merry People boots hug the foot a little more, and lines the footbed, giving the shoe a snug, comfortable fit. Their best-selling Bobbi boots blend fashion and function and are perfect for all-day wear. Merry People is available on their official website and on Madewell Marketplace and is affiliated with Impact Radius.

Idyl: Loved by celebs like Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria, Mila Kunis, Vanessa Hudgens and many more, Idyl is an ethical lab-grown jewelry brand fueled by transparency. The brand’s signature modular design allows customers to mix and match styles over time to grow a collection. In addition to transparent pricing, the Belgium- based brand donates a portion of all profits year-round to Global Fund for Women, a global champion for the human rights of women and girls. Sustainable and kind to the planet, Idyl believes diamonds should be accessible to all and shouldn’t burn a hole in your wallet!!

State Cashmere: Founded in 2017, the New York-based label touted as Amazon’s best-selling cashmere brand is committed to ethical sourcing and production of its products, working directly with shepherds from inner Mongolia. The brand ensures ethical practices across all phases of the production process committing to sustainability and transparency; proudly being fair-trade and cruelty-free. Using pure Grade A cashmere and offering the fairest prices without compromising the wages and livelihoods of their shepherds, State Cashmere works to raise the circular economy and sustainability initiatives in the cashmere industry.

Image Source: official website of State Cashmere

M.Gemi: Each week M.Gemi releases new, limited-edition designs. By effectively speeding up the supply chain and building small batches of inventory rapidly, they have created limited surplus inventory, allowing them to keep products out of landfills and in your closet… at an accessible price point.

Kinder Beauty: Founded by vegans and actresses, Daniella Monet and Evanna Lynch, Kinder Beauty is the first-ever hundred per cent vegan, cruelty free beauty subscription box. Each box contains five vegan, cruelty-free products delivered to your door, each month. The brand also recently launched KND by Kinder Beauty Box, a quarterly lifestyle box that contains seven products each month. All products are available exclusively at KinderBeauty.com.

NTRL by Sabs: Created by celebrity hairstylist Sabrina Rowe, the line includes traditional shampoos and conditioners which are rich in botanical ingredients like Shea butter, Matricaria, Coconut and Avocado oil. NTRL by Sabs is proud to use botanically-based formulas, made with love.

Nip+Fab: Nip+Fab is committed to accessible, effective science-backed skincare and has been awarded the status of being a Carbon Neutral business. The brand invests in emission reduction projects around the world; these projects generate carbon offsets from activities such as renewable energy, biogas, and reforestation. Their best-selling pads have been switched to a biodegradable substrate to ensure Nip + Fab is not adding to landfill waste with their highest volume product. The brand has also pledged to have recyclable packaging by end-2023.