According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) it takes 3,781 litres of water to make one pair of jeans, equivalent to driving 111km in terms of carbon emissions. In total, global apparel and footwear industries account for 8 percent of the world´s greenhouse gas emissions. All this for a something we treat as disposable. The average garment is only worn 10 times before it’s gotten rid of, with one garbage truck of textiles ending up in a landfill or incinerated every second. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Some clothing brands focus on long lasting, sustainable pieces designed to stay out of the landfill. We’ve gathered a list of sustainable and certified B clothing brands to add to your forever wardrobe.
1. Tentree
- From: British Columbia, Canada
- Values: Organic, Recycled, Giving Back
- Certifications: Certified B, Climate Neutral
- B Impact Score: 124.6
- Website: https://www.tentree.ca/
Based in British Columbia, Canada, Tentree is a sustainable clothing brand that plants ten trees for every item sold. To date, they’ve planted over 85 million trees and have a goal to plant 1 billion trees by 2030. 98% of their products are eco-friendly, made in fair, safe working conditions, and constructed using sustainably sourced and recycled materials. Tentree is a Certified B Corporation and was awarded Best For the World in Community in 2022. The Canadian clothing brand also carries the Climate Neutral certification with their focus on circular processes and waste reduction. Extending the offsetting love, Tentree lets customers buy offsetting one offs or subscriptions plans too.
2. Dhana
- From: California, United States
- Values: Circular Fashion, Zero-Waste, Recycled
- Certifications: Certified B, Fair Trade
- B Impact Score: 124.1
- Website: https://www.dhana.com/
Based in California, United States, with production in Ohio, Dhana focuses on circular fashion by up-cycling existing materials and designing all their pieces for recyclability. The sustainable clothing brand encourages their customers to be responsible with their clothes by re-using, recycling, reselling, and returning clothes to them when they’re done with them. Dhana uses a zero-waste approach to clothing production and recycles returned clothing into new pieces.
3. Kotn
- From: Ontario, Canada
- Values: Organic, Giving Back
- Certifications: Certified B
- B Impact Score: 121.3
- Website: https://kotn.com/
Based in Ontario, Canada, Kotn focuses on long-lasting, timeless pieces that support a sustainable supply chain from farm to hanger. Kotn works directly with cotton farmers in Egypt using a guaranteed pricing model to ensure fair payment practices. A portion of each Kotn order goes towards building primary schools in the Nile Delta and Faiyum, Egypt. To date, they’ve funded 15 schools and built 10.
4. Looptworks
- From: Oregon, United States
- Values: Circular Fashion, Zero-Waste, Carbon Neutral, Recycled, Water Conservation, Giving Back
- Certifications: Certified B, 1% for the Planet
- B Impact Score: 111.5
- Website:https://www.looptworks.com/
Founded in 2009 and based in Oregon, United States, Looptworks [pronounced looped wurks], focuses on circular fashion by transforming excess textile waste. The brand produces high quality, upcycled products from diverted excess materials or downcycles them into home insulation or energy. Looptworks partners with the Loopt Foundation which focuses on eliminating global textile waste through partnership, innovation, certification, and education. Last year they diverted over 500,000 pounds of textile waste from landfills and launched two international education programs on sustainability.
5. Cotopaxi
- From: Utah, United States
- Values: Recycled, Giving Back
- Certifications: Certified B, Climate Neutral, Fair Trade, GOTS, 1% for the Planet
- B Impact Score: 93.6
- Website: https://www.cotopaxi.com/
Based in Utah, United States, Cotopaxi is both B Corp and Climate Neutral certified. They focus on innovative outdoor products donating at least 1% of their revenue to organisations helping to alleviate poverty. The Cotopaxi Foundation, where their 1% goes, supports nonprofits, including the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and United to Beat Malaria. Cotopaxi sources sustainable materials with the goal of using recycled, repurposed, or responsibly sourced materials in all their products by 2025.
6. United By Blue
- From: Pennsylvania, United States
- Values: Water Conservation, Giving Back
- Certifications: Certified B, Climate Neutral
- B Impact Score: 84.1
- Website: https://unitedbyblue.com/
Next on our list of sustainable clothing brands is United By Blue. Founded in 2010 and based in Pennsylvania, United States, United By Blue focuses on long lasting pieces that make an impact to the planet. Committed to ocean conservation, for every product purchased, United by Blue removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways. To date, they’ve removed over 4.1 million pounds of trash.
7. Frank and Oak
- From: Quebec, Canada
- Values: Recycled, Organic
- Certifications: Certified B
- B Impact Score: 81.7
- Website: https://www.frankandoak.com/
Founded in 2012 and based in Quebec, Canada, Frank and Oak focuses on thoughtfully-designed, sustainable pieces made from eco-friendly materials and processes. 78% of their products either contain certified low-impact, cruelty-free, organic, biodegradable, or recycled fibre and 100% of their wool products are either recycled or cruelty-free. Their Circular denim™ line is made from denim that was destined for the landfill but was redirected and remade into a new pair of jeans.
8. Sozy
- From: California, United States
- Values: One Tree Planted, Giving Back,
- Certifications: Certified B, 1% for the Planet,
- B Impact Score: 80.8
- Website: https://livesozy.com/
Based in California, United States, Sozy is a female founded clothing brand that focuses on quality pieces that support women in need. Sozy donates 10% of profits to supporting survivors of sexual violence and an additional 10% to other charitable and environmental initiatives. To date, they’ve donated over $140,000 to charitable initiatives and planted over 70,000 trees.
For more information on sustainable fashion, read “Which Fabrics are Sustainable?“.
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