by Roberta Fabbrocino

Since its birth in the early 20th century, ready-to-wear or prêt-à-porter has done very little to cater to the needs of non-thin bodies. This attitude appears more than puzzling considering that the average size of American women is now 16 to 18. Therefore, consumer demand for this type of product is, needless to say, very high. So much so that in 2019, the plus-size women’s apparel market was valued at 28.9 billion U.S. dollars, and is projected to grow exponentially by 2021. Thanks to fat acceptance activists, there has been a positive shift over the past few years and brands are now taking inclusivity more and more into account, even though the fashion industry as a whole still has a long way to go. As a matter of fact, many women have a hard time switching to slow fashion, as numerous sustainable brands aren’t size inclusive. But fair fashion needs to be accessible to everyone who wants to engage in it, despite their size, to be truly ethical.  

Here is a list of fabulous sustainable brands that offer high quality clothing made for plus-size women. 

WAMA Underwear

Pioneers of hemp underwear in the industry, WAMA is not only bringing awareness to hemp as an option for clothing, but they are also an option for size inclusion as well. Hemp has many sustainable benefits such as being naturally anti-bacterial, with anti-odor properties, making it super comfortable and breathable. Hemp seems like the best fabric for our bodies and we totally agree! They also have a men’s section as well as women’s. Be sure to check out there site here.

EILEEN FISHER

Founded in 1984 by Eileen Fisher, this B-corporation certified brand sells ethical, timeless and well-made clothes in 65 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as on its website. They are committed to the use of sustainable fibres such as organic cotton and linen, and in order to close the loop on their manufacturing they are taking their clothes back and making them into entirely new designs through the Renew program. Their signature sleek and minimal clothes in evergreen neutrals are available in sizes ranging from XXS to 3L. 

PROCLAIM

Based in Los Angeles, Proclaim is a sustainable and inclusive nude lingerie brand. The founder, Shobha Philips, opened it in 2017 and since then they have been offering undies that are ethically made in California and expanding the definition of nude. They are very serious about catering to women to whom the fashion industry has been all but kind to, that’s why their lingerie doesn’t only come in a variety of nude shades, but also in many different sizes: from S to 3X.

GIRLFRIEND COLLECTIVE

Girlfriend Collective’s sustainable and ethical activewear is made with 100% post-consumer water bottles and is available from size XXS to 6XL. Their Oeko-Tex certified recycled fabric is made in Taiwan, in a facility specialized in high-quality and green textiles. The fabric is then cut-and-sewn in their SA8000 certified factory in Hanoi, Vietnam. The fruit of this labor, their iconic activewear, is worn by countless eco-warriors all over the world, proving that a company that makes eco-friendly clothes for women of all shapes and sizes can be more than successful.

FREE LABEL 

Jess Sternberg’s brand makes small batch, versatile essentials that are available from size XS to size 4X. They proudly manufacture their clothes in Vancouver, Canada to support the local economy and most importantly “to ensure our garments are made by happy hands.” Even their labels and tags are made in Canada. Some of the fabrics they use are knit and dyed, cut and sewn locally in Toronto just for Free Label, but all of them are sustainable and certified STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®.

SOTELA

Sotela is an inclusive clothing brand that makes gorgeous minimal pieces with sizes from 0 to 30. Their values are body positivity, positive impact, humanity and environment and they are clearly reflected in the way they design and manufacture their clothes, which are all hand made in their California studio. Their pieces are made with sustainable and low impact fabrics such as recycled hemp, organic cotton, linen and tencel. Thanks to their versatility and high-quality, Sotela’s beautiful clothes can be worn for a long time, accompanying you through the different stages of your life.