Making sustainable choices as a consumer means you’re pushing industries to change their ways. Yet, environmental consciousness is also a privilege. When you’re on a budget, you may be thinking about how to stretch every dollar before considering sustainability.
Fortunately, there is a middle ground.
Sustainable and affordable clothing does exist. Granted, it will still be pricier than fast fashion and there are some good reasons why that is the case. But, it also lasts longer, so that’s a lower price-per-wear.
As more people turn to sustainable brands, producers can build better economies of scale and offer better prices. But be aware of greenwashing. Fast-fashion giants want to get in the game of sustainable fashion too. When they sell a small eco-friendly collection, it doesn’t mean their operations are sustainable or worth supporting.
This article will cover 27 inexpensive to moderately priced sustainable brands. These companies have you covered whether you’re looking for your next pair of yoga pants or a chic blouse. Use the table of contents to navigate to the brand you want to learn about:
- KOTN
- Pact
- Boody
- Knickey
- Girlfriend Collective
- Honest Basics
- Organic Basics
- Noctu
- Happy Earth
- tentree
- Quince
- Thought Clothing
- ABLE
- CHNGE
- éclipse
- Plant Faced Clothing
- Etiko
- Rapanui
- Warp + Weft
- Brava Fabrics
- Made Trade
- Tonlé
- prAna
- Tamga
- Amour Vert
- Known Supply
- Vetta
How to Shop Sustainable Fashion on a Budget
Let’s start with the elephant in the room. Being ‘on a budget’ means virtually nothing. It might be spending under $1000 or $100 per season. With the rise of sustainable fashion, we have more sustainable options than ever. And, the lower price tag doesn’t necessarily mean lower quality.
What We Mean by Inexpensive Sustainable Fashion
You’re working with a budget, and vague descriptions won’t cut it. For the sake of transparency, here’s what I consider to be affordable:
- Basics like tees and tanks under $30
- Every-day separates (blouse, pants, hoodie) under $100
- Sweaters under $150
- Jackets and coats under $200
The brands on our list fulfill these criteria. But, to make the reviews handier, we also added a price guide to the descriptions. Here’s what each dollar sign means:
- $ = most items < $30,
- $$ = most items <$100,
- $$$ = most items <$200
And, remember, you don’t have to change your entire wardrobe at once. You will build an eco-friendly, non-toxic closet over time by switching to sustainable brands.
Where do you start?
First, create a budget and a plan.
Think about your current lifestyle and be honest with yourself. How many different outfits do you need? How about the number of items?
You can create a capsule ready to mix and match if you plan a color palette and pick out staples. You won’t have to worry about the orphaned blouse that doesn’t go with anything, plus you’ll have much fewer “nothing to wear” moments.
With fewer items in your closet, you can invest in quality. Premium pieces will last a lifetime, so it’s worth saving up for a pair of really great jeans or a beautiful sweater.
Inexpensive Sustainable Clothing Brands
Here are 27 of our go-to sustainable fashion brands. From basics to blogger-worthy designs, hopefully, there is something for everyone:
KOTN
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KOTN makes high-quality essentials from organic Egyptian cotton. Sadly, this premium material has been losing popularity as mass producers have chosen cheaper options in recent years. The company works directly with small farm owners and artisans to change this. They also weave their fabrics from the cotton bought at guaranteed fair prices. KOTN is a certified B Corporation, too.
Product range: basics, such as tanks, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and leggings. They ship internationally.
Shop: https://kotn.com/
Pact
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Pact’s self-declared goal is becoming “Earth’s Favorite clothing company”. They’re getting there by using 95% organic cotton and partnering with Fair Trade Certified™ factories. Pact also offsets the carbon footprint of their shipping and minimizes packaging. You can also use the shipping box to donate clothes to NGOs.
Affordability-wise, Pact is one of the best brands to build your wardrobe around. They sell virtually everything you need, from underwear to simple, functional apparel. Women’s shirts are about $50, hoodies are $100-ish, and undies are around $20. And, yes, they ship worldwide
Product range: adult and children’s basics; bedding.
Shop: https://wearpact.com
Boody
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Description: Boody makes bamboo garments and undies using a closed-loop production model. All the bamboo used comes from FSC-certified forests and is certified by the Ecocert Organic standard. The fiber used in many Boody products is also Oeko-Tex 100 certified, meaning it contains no trace toxic chemicals.
Boody’s models are comfy and versatile, and the activewear is made for serious sweating (it can be tough to find that in non-synthetic clothes). Boody sells worldwide. But, make sure to select the shipping destination from the main menu on boodywear.com to choose from the right e-commerce site for your country.
Product range: Adult & children’s underwear, socks, PJs, activewear, wardrobe basics.
Shop: https://boodywear.com
Knickey
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Knickey sells comfortable, organic cotton underwear. The natural material makes the underwear soft and breathable. Their entire line is made in a Fair Trade Certified Indian factory. The company doesn’t use chlorine, bleach, formaldehyde, or other harsh chemicals in its production.
A single pair of Knickeys costs around $13. You can order a starter set if you’re unsure which style will be your favorite. Knickey also ships internationally.
Product range: Women’s underwear (thongs, bikinis, hipsters, and briefs)
Shop: https://knickey.com
Girlfriend Collective
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Girlfriend Collective prioritizes sustainable materials and mindfulness about the entire product lifecycle. They use recycled post-consumer plastic to make leggings, bras, and Cupro for t-shirts and tanks.
Their Hanoi factory is SA800 certified by Social Accountability International (SAI). The program significantly overlaps with Fair Trade Certified. The company will also take your old Girlfriend Collective items for recycling and reward you with store credit.
Girlfriend Collective ships to the US, Canada, UK, and Australia.
Product range: Adult apparel and outerwear
Shop: https://www.girlfriend.com
Honest Basics
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Honest Basics makes beautiful closet staples out of sustainable raw materials. Their organic cotton products are GOTS-certified, ensuring they are free from chemicals.
The company works with partner factories in India and Bangladesh that are all GOTS-certified. Finally, shipping is climate neutral, low-waste, and mostly plastic-free.
Honest Basics is based in Germany but ships worldwide.
Product range: Adult basics
Shop: https://www.honest-basics.com
Organic Basics
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Organic Basics is a Danish company that makes eco-friendly closet essentials such as undergarments, basic Ts, loungewear, jeans, and swimwear. They use all-natural, renewable, recycled, biodegradable, or low-impact textiles.
The company works with certified factory partners throughout Europe and publishes all the details about each partner’s business on their website. Organic Basics is also a B Corp and 1% for the planet member. They ship worldwide.
Product range: Adult apparel and swimwear
Shop: https://organicbasics.com
Noctu
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Noctu makes beautiful and simple PJs and loungewear for women, men, and children. They also have a range of home goods like hot water bottles and linens.
Noctu uses GOTS-approved, Standard 100 Oeko-Tex® Certified organic cotton. The material is the product of responsible farming and clean, toxin-free production. Noctu also supports the World Land Trust (WLT) by donating for every sale. The company ships internationally from the UK.
Product range: Adult and children’s nightwear
Shop: https://noctu.co.uk
Happy Earth
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Sustainability drives every decision for Happy Earth. They are a Certified B Corp company, carbon-free, and a proud supporter of the 1% for the planet initiative.
Their commitment to sustainability shows up throughout their operations. For instance, the tank top collection is 100% organic and fair trade. And every time you make a purchase, you can choose an environmental campaign your money will help support.
The pricing is refreshingly affordable – tanks are $24, performance leggings are $65. They are based in the US and ship internationally.
Product range: Adult basics, activewear, outdoor wear, and accessories
Shop: https://www.happyearthapparel.com
tentree
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Tentree’s sustainability concept starts with a simple idea – plant ten trees for every order. They’ve contributed to reforestation programs in, for example, Madagascar, Indonesia, and Senegal. Whenever you buy something, you receive a unique code to keep track of your impact on their website.
But, Tentree’s environmental efforts don’t stop at the planting initiatives. They also embrace a range of natural, low-impact materials like Tencel, recycled polyester, and hemp. By 2023, the company also pledges to drop virgin packaging materials from its supply chain.
They’re also transparent about who makes their clothes, and partners must follow a Tentree Code of Conduct. You can see all the factories and their respective certifications (like Fair Trade) on their website.
Tentree is a certified B-Corporation and Climate Neutral Certified. You can buy tentree in-store or order online with international shipping.
Product range: Adult & children’s essentials, accessories, home goods
Shop: https://www.tentree.com
Quince
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Affordable, high quality and timeless are words that define Quince’s mission. And, the product range proves eco-friendly clothing can be luxurious too.
While not all their products meet our sustainable material criteria, many do. The winners are modal, linen, sustainable cashmere, and organic cotton. Quince also partners with factories that pay livable wages and provide fair working conditions.
The company is upfront about product origin, materials, and costs. The price of each item is broken down by cost categories, such as materials, sewing, and packaging. For instance, their popular $50 cashmere sweater costs them $42.95, and they take a mere $7 profit.
Products travel directly from the factory to the consumer, reducing the cost and the carbon footprint of each sale. They also ship in 100% compostable packaging.
The only downside? For now, Quince only ships within the US.
Product range: Adult apparel and home goods
Shop: https://www.onequince.com
Thought Clothing
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Another one of our favorite brands for stylish yet sustainable items. Thought Clothing makes beautiful and budget-friendly apparel.
Thought Clothing has an impressive sustainability profile. They use GOTS-approved, OEKO-TEX® certified organic cotton. They’ve also banished chlorine wash, and ensure items are leather-free.
And you can buy beauty, wellness, and home products from other sustainable, Thought-approved brands on the company’s website.
The UK-based company is happy to ship worldwide and offers next-day delivery locally.
Product range: Adult clothing and accessories
Shop: https://www.wearethought.com
ABLE
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ABLE is a women-run ethical brand that strives to empower women worldwide. From the design department to the warehouse, 95% of employees are female. The company believes transparency around wages will encourage consumers to make better choices. They publish even the lowest wages of their partners so you can see the impact the brand has on workers.
On the environmental front, ABLE has taken steps to reduce waste. They use 100% recyclable packaging and reuse scrap leather and metals in their accessory production.
ABLE primarily uses natural fibers and favors circular production methods. For example, their denim vendor, Monthy Mexico, uses ozone to reduce water usage in production and recycles 100% of the wastewater.
ABLE ships to the US and Canada.
Product range: Apparel, bags, shoes, jewelry, and home goods
Shop: https://www.livefashionable.com
CHNGE
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CHNGE sells Insta-worthy that are also sustainable and support important causes. Their shirts are made of 100% organic cotton, which uses zero toxic chemicals and pesticides and has a much lower carbon footprint. Then, the company offsets all carbon emissions, keeping the final product carbon neutral.
CHNGE is transparent about its factories (located in India, China, and Turkey) and lets customers see the supply chain for themselves. Finally, they make it a point to donate 50% of net profits to non-profit organizations. So far, they have gifted over $370,000 to organizations supporting civil rights, LGBTQ lives, access to education, safe drinking water in developing countries, etc.
Finally, you can order CHNGE items around the world – the only hitch is you can’t return or exchange an international order.
Product range: Statement tees, tanks, sweatshirts, and accessories
Shop: https://chnge.com
éclipse
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From humble beginnings as a glove-making company (yes, really) to creating a line of small-batch-produced clothing and accessories, Éclipse fashion is sustainable and high-performing. The brand uses exclusively 37.5®[link] performance fabric or recycled polyester (rPET), creating high-quality, durable items that can last a lifetime. They keep the operations in Colorado to reduce the carbon footprint and support the local community.
The éclipse designs are simple and versatile, covering practically all of your closet essentials needs. And the materials make a difference. A single éclipse hoodie saves 15 plastic bottles from ending up in the ocean, soil, or landfills.
Product range: Adult and children’s performance clothing and accessories
Shop: https://eclipseglove.com
Plant Faced Clothing
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Whoever said vegan clothes couldn’t be cool. Plant Faced Clothing makes eco-friendly, 100% vegan tees, hoodies, and bottoms. Their products are cruelty-free, and they favor organic materials. Even the dyes are water-based, which is excellent news if you don’t want icky chemicals near your skin. And, you can order Plant Faced Clothing around the world.
Product range: Women’s, men’s, and kids streetwear
Shop: https://plantfacedclothing.com
Etiko
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Australia’s favorite sustainable fashion brand makes fair trade, certified organic, and vegan clothing. Their supply chain is fully traceable, and once you’re done with a product, the buy-back program prevents it from ending up in a landfill. You can buy Etiko designs with quick shipping to Australia and New Zealand and not-so-quick to the rest of the world.
Product range: Women’s and men’s apparel, shoes
Shop: https://etiko.com.au
Rapanui
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Famous for their fun tees, Rapanui also makes flannels, hoodies, jackets, bottoms, and accessories. They design products to be circular by asking customers to send back worn items for recycling so they can make something new out of them. T-shirts are made on-demand (to reduce overproduction) and they also only use natural materials and ship plastic-free. And, yes, Rapanui ships worldwide.
Product range: Fun men’s and women’s essentials, plus custom tees
Shop: https://rapanuiclothing.com
Warp + Weft
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Warp + Weft makes high-quality denim that fits you right and doesn’t destroy the environment. They use Dry Ozone technology to replace toxin-heavy bleaching, recycle 98% of the water they use, and are committed to ethical production. The only downside? They don’t have international shipping yet.
Product range: size-inclusive women’s and men’s jeans
Shop: https://warpweftworld.com
Brava Fabrics
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Iberian-based Brava Fabrics is an excellent source of reasonably priced sustainable clothing for European shoppers. Their gorgeous, Mediterranean-inspired designs are made with eco-friendly materials, sewn in safe working environments, and come to you in biodegradable or recycled packaging. Brava Fabrics designs and produces every piece of the collection in Spain and Portugal, maintaining a close look on the supply chain to ensure fair conditions, adequate hours, and livable wages for those who handcraft your clothing. Brava is an excellent place to build your new sustainable wardrobe, from organic cotton staples to fun pattern show-stoppers.
Product range: Women’s and men’s apparel and underwear
Shop: https://bravafabrics.com
Made Trade
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Made Trade helps you find beautiful, fair trade, and environmentally-conscious products for your home and wardrobe. It’s not a single producer but a marketplace for businesses worth supporting.
Made Trade-approved companies use sustainable materials; they’re ethical and committed to transparency. You will find plenty of POC and women-led businesses on Made Trade and brands that support traditional artisans around the world. It’s a great place to find your next one-of-a-kind item, and most of the products are affordable.
Product range: Clothing, shoes, furniture, and home décor
Shop: https://www.madetrade.com
Tonlé
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From elevated staples to funky seasonal collections, tonlé makes zero-waste fashion that you’ll want to wear day in and day out.
Tonlé’s items are made from scrap fabric (e.g., t-shirt offcuts), which is then burn tested to ensure it’s at least 90% natural. The design team scours remnant markets to purchase pre-consumer waste that producers otherwise throw away. Then, they use the larger cuts to create clothing and make yarn from the leftovers.
You can order tonlé with shipping all over the world.
Product range: Women’s and men’s apparel and accessories; home goods; pre-loved pieces
Shop: https://tonle.com
prAna
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prAna makes high-performance clothing fit for adventurers but created with an Earth-conscious design.
The company takes a comprehensive sustainability approach. They start with organic cotton and hemp, through to responsible production, and end with biodegradable packaging for delivery. prAna’s Renewal Workshop partnership is another highlight, which has diverted 44k+ pounds of garment waste from landfills since it launched.
But quality matters, too, and this is where prAna excels. They don’t compromise on functionality, designing items to last and protect you when you’re out and about.
You can order prAna with international shipping or find them in-store in the US.
Product range: Women’s and men’s activewear, loungewear, and lifestyle clothing
Shop: https://www.prana.com
Tamga
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Vibrant designs, a luxurious feel, and a commitment to transparency and sustainability that is what Tamga is all about. They favor feminine silhouettes and beautiful, hand-drawn prints to create timeless yet exciting pieces.
Tamga chooses sustainable materials, water-saving dyes, and ships plastic-free. They take a holistic approach to reduce every item’s impact on the planet. Their product range uses fabrics like closed-loop-produced Tencel, ECOVERO™ sustainable viscose, and eco-friendly modal from FSC-certified beechwood pulp. And, every Tamga order is entirely carbon-neutral due to their offsetting efforts.
You can buy Tamga on the website with international shipping.
Product range: Women’s and children’s clothing and accessories
Shop: https://www.tamgadesigns.com
Amour Vert
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Amour Vert’s line is a great mix of current trends and all-time essentials, made with care and sustainability in mind. Amour Vert will plant a tree through their partnership with American Forest for every purchase. So far, they’ve planted over 300,000!
97% of the line is made in California, reducing carbon emissions and improving supply chain transparency. The company favors sustainable materials like US-made Tencel, and they ship your order in compostable protective bags made from recycled materials and printed with soy-based inks.
You will find Amour Vert stores in California or order online with international shipping.
Product range: Women’s and men’s apparel, sneakers, and accessories
Shop: https://amourvert.com
Known Supply
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Who makes your clothing? Known Supply thinks you should know the answer. They’re committed to fair trade and transparency, with each piece being hand-made and signed by an artisan working in ethical conditions. Known Supply makes every item you buy at their facilities, which you can learn about on the website. The company is also a certified B corporation and works with local communities and non-profits to prioritize giving back.
And the clothes?
Known Supply mostly makes closet staples, emphasizing quality and durability. Tops will set you back around $30-40, dresses are around $50, and you’ll find some quirky accessories for $20-30.
Product range: Adult apparel and accessories
Shop: https://knownsupply.com
Vetta
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Minimalism meets environmental values in Vetta’s capsule collections. They designed their entire online shop around helping you create an effortlessly fashionable look while shopping sustainably.
A single capsule costs around $400-500 and includes five items. For instance, the Glam Capsule comes with two tops, pants, a skirt, and a dress. You can also buy the garments separately. Their designs are all created for versatility, and you can easily style them in multiple ways. For every capsule, Vetta makes a style guide with over twenty outfits.
The capsule approach means you can create a more thoughtful wardrobe full of fashionable basics rather than spend on fast fashion every season. Vetta is also committed to sustainability through low-impact materials like Tencel, organic cotton, and deadstock fabric. Plus, they use 100% recycled material packaging.
Product range: Women’s separates
Shop: https://www.vettacapsule.com
Conclusion
Being budget-conscious doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality. With so many affordable and sustainable brands out there, you can have your metaphorical cake and eat it too.
Not only are you helping the planet, but your new sustainable pieces are safer, toxin-free, and ethical. And they’ll last way longer than any fast fashion item.
Which is your favorite sustainable fashion brand? Tell us in the comments below!