Top fashion magazine Marie Claire have scoured the eco fashion world and have found the ten chicest ethical fashion brands… Check out their selection below, some we´ve told you about before and there are some new one´s in there too, enjoy!
KUYICHI
Eco-fashion brand Kuyichi has adopted the mantra of ‘style conscious’, on which it expands, ‘We create style. We are conscious of how we create it.’ This innovative denim brand was founded in 2001 and created the first all-organic and Fairtrade jeans to hit the market. Since then their range has expanded, keeping the ethical principles intact alongside contemporary cuts and design.
PEOPLE TREE
The self-named ‘Fairtrade fashion pioneer,’ People Tree is one of the original ethical fashion labels and can boast impeccable eco-credentials. Covering all areas of the spectrum, the company aims to use only organic and Fairtrade cotton, uses strictly natural dyes, sources locally where possible and chooses recycled products over synthetics. Plus, their Fairtrade endeavours span 20 developing countries. If that’s not enough, then the fact that they create beautiful clothing is just an added bonus. Check out designer collaborations from Thakoon and Bora Aksu amongst the delectable range.
STELLA MCCARTNEY
One of the true pioneers of eco-chic, Stella McCartney proves that fashion can be fair, without sacrificing style. She has long been an advocate of alternatives to animal products, with all her accessories being strictly cruelty free. The eco philosophy doesn’t stop there, with McCartney launching an organic capsule collection this year.
KATHARINE E HAMNETT
Katharine Hamnett is a true ethical clothing innovator, and a tireless campaigner for the use of organic cotton. After visiting Mali with Oxfam in 2003, the designer saw first hand the devastating effects of the conventional cotton industry, and immediately vowed to help drive the demand for the organic alternative. Her iconic slogan tees are the produced to the highest environmentally friendly standards and are the height of eco-chic.
HOWIES
For Howies, taking an ethical philosophy isn’t just about using organic cotton (although they do this as well!); it’s about making products that will last. This is why the brand’s selection of organic basics are some of the best out there, and are a good place to start if you want to make your wardrobe more eco-friendly.
EDUN
Founded by Bono and wife Ali Hewson in spring 2005, EDUN is far from being a celebrity fashion label. Created to encourage Fairtrade practice, the label fosters sustainable employment schemes in developing countries around the world. The fact that the clothes are some of the most stylish in the eco-market is merely a bonus.
CIEL
When Sarah Ratty established eco-fashion label Ciel she wanted to create clothing that would offer an ethical and environmental choice to fashion conscious women. She certainly succeeded, and her covetable collection garners as much attention for its beautiful cuts and colours as it does its’ impeccable eco credentials.
BEYOND SKIN
Proving an ideal example of how far the ethical fashion industry has come in the past few years, Beyond Skin’s designs are as stylish as they are ethically sound. Handmade in a family run factory in England, the company has a cruelty free philosophy, in terms of not only animals, but humans and the environment as well.
ANNIE GREENABELLE
Available at Equa, one of our favourite eco-boutiques, Annie Greenabelle is one of those labels that instantly debunk notions that ethical fashion can’t be both green and stylish. Combining organically grown and recycled fabrics, her party dresses are a must for green goddesses.
AMANA
Amana was one of our favourite discoveries at last season’s London Fashion Week Estethica exhibition, an area dedicated to the best eco-clothing labels out there. Marrying beautiful design with ethical production, the entire collection is created by a fair trade co-operative of women artisans in Morocco. On top of this, organic silks and cottons alongside hemp mix fabrics ensure that the collection has minimal negative environmental impact.
The liveeco team
