We’re all aware of the problems that climate change poses to our world, with a big contributor being the emission of greenhouse gases. What you may not know is that the fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters. An estimated 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from textile production alone. Luckily, there are a lot of amazing brands that do not contribute to this massive pollution and strive for a more sustainable future for fashion. So we’ve listed four fantastic brands here for anyone looking to build themselves a more sustainable wardrobe.

Rapanui Clothing

Made in a modern factory on the Isle of Wight, Rapanui Clothing is a very forward-thinking sustainable clothing brand. To avoid wastage even further Rapanui produces their t-shirts in real-time once an item is purchased, which means they never have the issue of producing more than they sell. Once the t-shirts are worn out by customers, they have the option to send them back to Rapanui so that the fabric can be used to make a new t-shirt. Rapanui is thereby creating a circular supply chain and countering the huge amount of waste produced by the fashion industry. With clothes for both men and women available in their online shop, it’s definitely one to check out.

Goat Organic Apparel

This Amsterdam-based clothing brand’s motto is “sustainability is not sustainable if it’s not accessible”. Goat Organic Apparel strives to fill the gap in the market for simple basic clothing that’s both sustainably made and still affordable. All their clothing is unisex. Transparency and honesty are important to the brand and they are upfront about where they produce their clothing, as well as what their t-shirts and hoodies are made of.

Shipping prices might be a bit on the high side with them being based in the Netherlands, but at the very least it is worth checking out their shop on your next trip to Amsterdam!

ArmedAngels

Based in Germany, ArmedAngels is a brand that continuously looks at ways to decrease its own carbon footprint. They aim to set an example for other companies by reducing their pollution through taking fewer business trips by plane and incorporating renewable energies in their headquarters. ArmedAngels’s emission decrease is not the only sustainable process of their clothing production, they also aim to fight ‘textile slavery’.

How and by whom a garment is made is just as much of an influence on the sustainability of a brand as with what materials the clothing is made. ArmedAngels aims to empower textile workers by donating to charities such as the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF). Although the shipping costs are again a bit high because the brand is based in Germany, it is very much worth looking into as they have a great collection of both men’s and women’s clothing.

Kuyichi

Dutch sustainable fashion brand Kuyichi was founded in 2001 after the founders took a trip to Peru. They were shocked by the pollution and poverty rampant in the cotton industry there and determined to change this, Kuyichi started to collaborate with the local Peruvian farmers to ensure that the farmers were being fairly rewarded for their work as well as that the cotton they produced was made fairly and organically. In addition to this, Kuyichi also works hard to combat the huge amount of waste that fast fashion brings with it by making its clothing timeless and unaffected by current fashion trends. Although based in the Netherlands, their women’s and men’s clothing can be ordered from the UK.

Small steps that can lead to big changes…

Climate change is a big issue and can only truly be combatted when the big and powerful on this planet help too. However, big changes always start with small steps, and investing your money into a sustainable fashion brand might be a good small step. Putting money into brands that care about our planet and its people, is the key to a sustainable wardrobe and progress in the industry.

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