How to Shop More Sustainable and Ethical Fashion

Top is from Everlane and Joggers are from Mate The Label. (And yes I know my mirror is dirty.)

In celebration of Earth day, I wanted to talk about how I shop more sustainable and ethically made clothing. Last year I watched a documentary called "The True Cost" and it showcased how fast fashion industries have been depleting the earth's resources and have used slave labor to cut costs on the end consumer. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend checking it out because it has opened my eyes and has inspired my way of living. Since the beginning of 2019, I have made a conscious effort to try and shop more slow fashion, which is the process and resources required to make sustainable and ethically made clothing. I wanted to do my part and help out the planet by being more mindful of where I am shopping and not to impulse buy. 

Sustainable clothing is durable and suitable for many seasons and they're often made from eco-friendly fabrics which include recycled or reused material. Sustainable companies also pay their workers a fair wage and provide decent working conditions. From what I have researched, the greenest fabrics consist of renewable fibers which are easy to grow and produce. They would use limited water, energy, and are recyclable. Generally I keep an eye out for these type of fabrics whenever I shop.

  • Linen
  • Bamboo
  • Hemp
  • Lyocell 
  • Organic Wool 
  • Organic Cotton
  • Silk 
  • Wool
Here are a few of my favorite brands to shop from

  • Mate The Label - They are based in Los Angeles and I love their vintage inspired graphics but what I love most is their cozy joggers. I recently bought The Tyler Thermal Jogger in Bone / The Tyler Thermal Jogger in Terracotta and they are so comfy! (FYI, I bought these when they were having a sale!) Their linen line just dropped so you already know I’ll be adding a few pieces to my wish-list. 
  • Dazey LA - They are also based in Los Angeles and made to order in LA. Dani, the owner of the brand is not only such a sweetheart but her passion in slow fashion, her work ethic, and empowering women of all shapes and sizes is admirable. Her shop includes not only her girl power designs but also other fellow female owned small businesses as well. She was the one who introduced Slow Fashion to me and inspired me to watch “The True Cost”. If you follow Dazey LA on social media platforms, Dani brings up a lot of interesting topics to discuss from slow fashion, embracing our bodies, mental health awareness, and so many more pressing issues. 
  • Wholesome Culture - Although not all their pieces are completely sustainable, they have been working their ways towards it. Their brand inspires a cruelty-free lifestyle and I love how when you make a purchase, they give back a part of their profits towards animal rescues and environmental organizations. These were a few of  my favorites: Help More Bees, Plant More Trees, Clean The Seas Shirt in Gold (There's an organic version of this now) / Peace Starts With Empathy in White and Black /  To All The Animals I Haven't Adopted Yet I'm Comin' For Y'all in Light Gray 
  • KOTN - (Pronounced Cotton) is a Canadian Based company who works directly with Egyptian cotton farmers to source materials for their clothing. Not only does this benefits us as a buyer but the farmer is also able to get paid fairly for all their hard work. Their simplistic styles are similar to that of Everlane which makes layering and pairing clothing easily. There's something for both men and women. I am currently waiting to purchase a few basics from them but practically everything in my size (small) is sold out. 
  • Lastly, it's not a brand but more of shopping vintage / second hand shops. I find etsy to have a ton of goodies as well as local shops plus it makes it even more fun to shop because you never know what you'll find. It's an adventure every time even if you end up buying something or nothing at all.  

On top of fashion, there has been other ways I have been trying to live more sustainable and you can too. For the past six years, I have been eating less meat (thanks to Adam, he's vegetarian so a lot of dishes we eat or make are plant based), bringing our own reusable shopping bags to shop, showering together, using stainless steel straws, not going out for boba drinks (which was kind of hard for me because I love milk tea) and instead making it at home because the amount of plastic we use every day is ridiculous and I want to do less with it. Here are a few of my favorite eco-friendly products that has helped me with building a more sustainable lifestyle. 

What ways are you living a more sustainable life? I would love to hear! Happy Earth Day and I hope you all have a wonderful week. 

XOXO
Anny


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