Up and Coming Independent & Sustainable Designers to Watch Out For
The decision to live a more eco -conscious lifestyle often begins with making conscious choices of who are giving your hard-earned money to, and what you are buying with it. One of the largest sources of waste and damage comes from the fashion industry.
Choosing to make sustainable fashion choices now will greatly impact the future of the planet and the future sustainable fashion industry. One of the biggest challenges I gave myself in 2021 was to purposefully shop small, and mostly sustainable brands only.
Luckily, I already had a head start as I have been following many independent designers on Instagram since I joined in 2016 and even sometimes try sewing my own clothes at home, (though the are hardly ready-to-wear).
In all the chaos and noise of big advertisements you may have only heard of major sustainable brands like Reformation or Teva. But there are so many unique, independent designers out there making incredible, sustainable pieces that are both fresh and timeless. In the list below I am only going to name a few!
Vida Vazquez
If color is your poison, Vazquez’s designs will be your antidote. All her pieces are unique and full of bright, eye-catching color. She makes jewelry, clothing, handbags and more all for purchase on her website and every scrap used is up-cycled. Her shirts often feature vintage textiles and tropical prints. Major bonus points for her wearables being wonderfully size-inclusive going from Medium to 3XL. I’m a sucker for her patch-work style tops and attract-style earrings myself!
Sundried
Sundried is a high-quality, affordable, and sustainable active wear brand that makes a variety of different styles of clothing. While every piece looks brand new the collection is made of 100% recycled material! If you are an athlete looking to branch into more earth-friendly brands I recommend Sundried. They make a huge variety of items for different sports from simple athleisure items to professional cycling gear. You can now make purchases knowing that your lifestyle is making a positive impact on the environment.
Onesta
This name literally means honest and created by this principle. All pieces are ethically and sustainably made. The brand, though newer, has already perfected the perfect expensive-casual look that is floating around all over Instagram. Their beautiful loungewear pieces are perfect for attaining that casual but put together look. And to top that, each item is made with genuine Eucalyptus and according to shoppers, incredibly soft to the touch.
We Are Kin
This team designs incredible classic pieces that are a staple for any wardrobe. The brand is produced in London and you can certainly feel that lush, expensive vibe in the clothing. Yet, one thing that sticks out about them is their incredibly versatile price range, there are beautiful pieces for every budget. If you are looking to start out your sustainable shopping journey, I would definitely recommend a few pieces from We Are Kin to get you started!
Tintory
Meet the latest slow fashion label called Tintory, that choose to take the earth-friendly route by working with only handwoven natural fibers and natural dyes. They truly take an earthly approach by being a part of the full production process from hand spinning, hand weaving, hand printing, to even their handmade packaging as well.
Casa Xali
With all these sustainable clothing designers, we can’t forget about bags and accessories. Meet Casa Xali, handmade Mexican fashion in collaboration with local artisans, mostly women. With sustainability being a priority, they launched the Mercado bag, a bright fun reusable bag. Founded by Ariela & Arie, recently launched last summer after their passions for traditional Mexican design and craftsmanship.
