Sustainable streetwear brands, fueled by a commitment to rigorous sustainability practices, are experiencing rapid growth. However, this burgeoning market is not without its challenges. While aspiring founders are initially brimming with enthusiasm, the realities of costing and pricing often become a stumbling block as they move forward. In fact, as a tech pack designer, I’ve witnessed this firsthand: a staggering 90% of brands who meticulously prepare design and tech packs ultimately resort to producing garments with conventional fabrics. Brands restrained from moving ahead with sustainable materials due to their high cost and the fear that these garments won’t sell. Unfortunately, the scarcity and expense of sustainable raw materials pose a significant hurdle for independent designer brands, making it difficult to maintain affordability while scaling up production volume. These limitations and other challenges create a significant roadblock for the continued success of sustainable streetwear brands.
What is a Sustainable Clothing?
Brands and Designers design, produce, and customers use sustainable clothing to minimize environmental impact and create a clean, pollution-free society. It’s about making good clothes for you, the workers, and the planet. The focus is on giving Mother Earth the least stress.
What Qualifies as a Sustainable Streetwear Brand?
The majority of industrial production leads to some level of pollution and exploitation. Sustainable streetwear brands must follow specific guidelines that make them not just commercial but responsible brands that care about everybody and the environment. A sustainable clothing brand must adhere to specific vital principles and policies. Below are some of the essential tenets of sustainable Apparel.
Usage of Environmentally Friendly Materials
Sustainable clothing designers use materials with a lower environmental impact, such as biodegradable materials like organic cotton, hemp, linen, etc. Those that are not can be recycled repeatedly, like recycled polyester. Those materials use less water and energy to grow and process. Moreover, they can often be biodegradable or recycled at the end of their lifespan. In this case, we are using the same material again and again. And those that perish return to nature with minimal harm to Mother Earth.
Ethical Labor Practices
The fashion industry widely practices unethical labor worldwide, and people consistently hold Asian and African countries accountable for these practices. However, some European countries are also involved in unethical labor practices. The Italian leather industry is one example. Moreover, more prominent brands outsource their production without checking the ethical labor practices of their vendors and swiftly blame the vendors. One of the basic principles of sustainable streetwear brand building is having an ethical labor practice across the supply chain. Sustainable clothing is made by workers who are paid fair wages and work in safe conditions. This means avoiding sweatshops and ensuring workers have fundamental rights such as freedom of association and collective bargaining.
Reduced Waste
Waste reduction is one of the critical features of sustainable streetwear brands. The optimization of materials and production process should start in the design phase. The tech pack designer and the pattern master are responsible for developing unique style ideas. Styles that optimize fabric usage by creating garment styles and patterns that minimize leftover scraps. Also, come up with styles that have multiple usages. Styles can be worn in various ways to encourage versatility and reduce the need for excessive wardrobe pieces. Sustainable apparel production aims to reduce waste throughout the supply chain. Utilizing recycled materials, minimizing waste during production, and creating durable clothing are essential for sustainable fashion. The goal is to design versatile fashion styles that are both functional and long-lasting.
Slow Fashion
Unlike Couture Apparel, which changes in the blink of an eye, sustainable Apparel’s trend moves at an ultra-slow speed. The idea is to make people understand that you must stick to the same trend and style for a more extended period and yet look good. It’s about buying less you care to wear for a long time rather than cheap disposable clothing. Sustainable Apparel is a growing movement, and more and more brands are committed to making eco-friendly and ethical clothing. When you shop for sustainable Apparel, you can look for certifications such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and Fairtrade to help you make informed choices.
Conflict of Interest between Sustainable Clothing Movement and Corporate Business
The sustainable clothing movement and corporate business interests can often clash due to fundamentally different priorities. Anything that reduces customers’ consumption rate is unsuitable for businesses and corporate lobbyists. The big companies make their money through volume, and the sustainable clothing movement restricts their agenda. So, corporates and profit-making fashion brands and production units do not support the idea of sustainable fashion practices. There is a constant tussle going on between activists and the corporate lobby.
We should focus on their core goals and priorities to understand the conflict of interest between corporations and the sustainable clothing movement. A corporate business prioritizes revenue and profit through high volume and cost efficiency. They follow fast-fashion trends with lower-priced disposable and trend-driven clothing to achieve this. Moreover, they focus on short production cycles to meet quickly changing consumer demand.
Conversely, sustainable clothing minimizes environmental impact by reducing resource use, pollution, and waste. It also promotes ethical labor practices by ensuring fair wages and good working conditions. Sustainable clothing emphasizes longer-lasting, higher-quality garments, and slower fashion cycles.
Only some brands dare to practice sustainable clothing, yet they do great business and branding worldwide. Some of the best sustainable clothing brands are listed below. As a blogger and technical fashion designer, I conduct research for my readers, which has nothing to do with brand promotion. Brands do not pay me anything for promotion or endorsement. Based on my perception and experience with their quality products, I provide my opinion and recommendations.
Patagonia
The brand Patagonia is at the top of my list. Patagonia is known for its outdoor clothing and gear. It is committed to sustainability and ethical manufacturing practices, using recycled materials and supporting environmental initiatives.
Reformation
Reformation is a women’s clothing brand that focuses on sustainable fashion. It uses eco-friendly materials and practices in its production processes. Its unique design has the potential to be on trend for quite a long time.
Eileen Fisher
Eileen Fisher is the oldest sustainable clothing brand I know of. This brand emphasizes sustainability and social responsibility. Its designs use organic fibers and recycled materials.
Outerknown
Established by professional surfer Kelly Slater, Outerknown is a sustainable clothing brand focusing on ethical production and environmentally friendly materials.
Alternative Apparel
Alternative Apparel offers a range of comfortable, casual clothing made from eco-friendly materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester.
United By Blue
United By Blue is a sustainable outdoor brand that removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways for every product sold.
Amour Vert
Amour Vert is a sustainable fashion brand that creates clothing using eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, TENCEL™, and modal.
Pact
Pact is a sustainable clothing brand that offers affordable, organic cotton basics for men, women, and children.
ABLE
ABLE is a lifestyle brand focused on ending generational poverty by providing economic opportunities for women. They offer a range of clothing and accessories.
Nau
Nau is a sustainable clothing brand that creates stylish and functional outdoor Apparel using environmentally friendly materials and production methods.