How to Determine Whether a Fashion Brand is Truly Sustainable

With so much on your plate, making thoughtful choices—like deciding which fashion brands to support—can be a challenge. We all want our purchases to reflect our values, but finding the time to research what’s truly sustainable often feels overwhelming. Some will claim that sustainability and ESG initiatives are just a trend. But honoring the planet, valuing the people who make our clothes, and aligning our buying decisions with our moral compass can’t be a trend! If sustainability matters to you, supporting brands that prioritize ethical practices and eco-friendly production is key to building an authentic personal brand. The choices you make reflect who you are and what you stand for. By patronizing these sustainable brands, you’re not only making a positive impact on the environment and people, but you’re also showing your audience and community that you live by your values, strengthening the trust and authenticity you bring to your personal and professional life. This article will break down how you can determine whether a fashion brand is genuinely sustainable, offering simple, actionable tips that fit seamlessly into your busy life—so you can make smart, impactful choices without the burnout.

What Does “Sustainable Fashion” Truly Mean?

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when faced with buzzwords like “eco-friendly,” “ethical,” or “slow fashion.” Fast fashion brands sometimes toss out these terms, but it’s really just greenwashing. With so many terms floating around, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s just clever marketing. How do you identify a truly sustainable brand in the fashion industry?

As a busy business owner, you don’t have the luxury of endless hours to decipher it all. But you do want your purchases to align with your values. It’s important to recognize that sustainability goes beyond trendy phrases and glossy labels—it’s about the deeper impact of our choices. If you’ve ever felt confused or frustrated by the language of sustainability, know that you’re not alone.

Sustainability isn’t just about saving the environment—it’s about creating a balance between respecting the planet and ensuring the well-being of the people involved in every step of the process. At its core, it’s an ethical commitment to long-term thinking, to caring for the earth, workers, and the communities affected by production. It’s about understanding that fashion is more than what we wear—it’s a reflection of what we stand for and how we envision the future. True sustainability asks us to consider the life cycle of our clothes, the impact on ecosystems, and the human stories behind each piece.

Sustainable Fashion Terms to Know Before You Shop

• Sustainable Fashion: Refers to clothing, accessories, and shoes that are produced in ways that are environmentally and socially responsible throughout their entire lifecycle—from design and production to use and disposal.
• Ethical Fashion: Focuses on the fair treatment of people involved in the production process, including fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect for workers’ rights. Ethical fashion overlaps with sustainable fashion but is more specifically concerned with social justice.
• Eco-Friendly: A broad and often overused term that refers to products that are not harmful to the environment. However, this term can be vague and used as greenwashing if the brand doesn’t provide specific details about what makes the product eco-friendly.
• Fast Fashion: A term for clothing designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores in order to capture trends. Fast fashion is often criticized for its negative environmental impact, poor labor conditions, and emphasis on disposable clothing.
• Slow Fashion: The opposite of fast fashion, slow fashion emphasizes quality, longevity, and environmental sustainability. It advocates for fewer, better-quality items that are made responsibly and last longer.
• Organic Cotton: Cotton grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Organic cotton farming uses methods that support biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, but it’s important to ensure brands are using certified organic cotton, not just claiming it.
• Fair Trade: A certification that ensures fair wages, safe working conditions, and environmentally sustainable practices for workers. Fair Trade is also about ensuring that producers in developing countries are paid a fair price for their products.
• Circular Fashion: This term refers to a fashion system that focuses on reusing and recycling materials to create a closed-loop system, minimizing waste and extending the lifecycle of products. Circular fashion encourages repairing, repurposing, and recycling clothing instead of disposing of it.
• Recycled Materials: Materials that have been reprocessed from waste products, such as plastic bottles or old textiles, into new clothing items. It’s important to look for clear details on the percentage of recycled materials and the impact of the recycling process itself.
• Carbon Neutral: A company or product that offsets its carbon emissions by investing in projects that reduce or remove carbon from the atmosphere, like reforestation or renewable energy initiatives. Beware of greenwashing if a brand claims to be carbon neutral without showing specific efforts to reduce its actual emissions.
• Vegan Fashion: Products made without animal-derived materials, such as leather, wool, or silk. While vegan fashion supports animal rights, it’s important to ensure that vegan alternatives (like faux leather) are not made from harmful plastics, which can negatively impact the environment.
• Biodegradable: Refers to materials that can naturally break down and return to the environment without leaving harmful residues. However, this term can be misleading if the conditions needed for biodegradation (such as a specific environment or time frame) aren’t clearly explained.
• GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard): A leading certification that ensures the organic status of textiles, from harvesting raw materials to environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing. GOTS covers not just organic production but also chemical use, labor practices, and environmental impact.
• B Corp: A certification that shows a company meets high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. If a fashion brand is B Corp certified, it signals a commitment to sustainability beyond profit.
• Greenwashing: Companies marketing their products as environmentally friendly or sustainable when, in reality, their practices do not align with these claims. Greenwashing can mislead consumers and dilute the efforts of genuinely sustainable brands.

Digging Deeper: Key Indicators of a Truly Sustainable Fashion Brand

To help you make informed, sustainable choices without diving into endless research, here’s a quick checklist to guide you: First, consider the environmental impact—does the brand minimize waste, energy, and water use? Next, examine their labor practices—are workers paid fairly and provided with safe working conditions?

Look at material sourcing—are the fabrics renewable, recycled, or organic? They should source sustainable and circular textiles. And finally, check the brand’s long-term business practices—are they committed to transparency, reducing their carbon footprint, and standing by ethical values in the clothing industry beyond just profits? Keep these elements in mind, and you’ll be able to assess whether a brand aligns with true sustainability quickly.

Let’s take a closer look at these tips.

Actionable Tip #1: Look at Transparency

One of the clearest signs that a fashion brand is truly sustainable is its level of transparency. Does the brand openly share information about its supply chain, materials, and labor practices? Brands that are genuinely committed to sustainability are proud to show how they operate and welcome scrutiny. When a brand discloses details about where their materials come from and how their workers are treated, it signals trustworthiness.

Quick action step: Check if the brand publishes sustainability reports or partners with third-party organizations like B Corp, Fair Trade, or GOTS. These certifications ensure that a brand meets rigorous environmental and ethical standards.

Actionable Tip #2: Evaluate Materials

The fabrics a “sustainable” clothing brand uses can tell you a lot about their commitment. Sustainable materials include biodegradable options like organic cotton, hemp, and Tencel, as well as recycled fabrics that minimize waste. Natural materials are typically best, but not always!

Beyond the materials themselves, consider how much water and energy are required to produce them. For example, conventional cotton can be extremely water-intensive, while organic cotton is a more sustainable alternative.

Quick action step: Familiarize yourself with key materials to avoid (like polyester, which is made from petroleum and doesn’t biodegrade) and prioritize (like organic cotton, Tencel, or recycled fabrics). Some use secondhand clothing or even recycled plastic bottles in their clothing production!

Actionable Tip #3: Consider Labor Practices

A truly sustainable fashion brand ensures not only that the planet is protected but also that the people involved in production are treated fairly. Ethical labor practices mean paying fair wages, providing safe working conditions, and treating workers with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, fast fashion often cuts corners on this front, prioritizing profit over people.

Quick action step: Investigate if the brand has certifications or partnerships with ethical labor organizations, such as Fair Trade or the Ethical Trading Initiative. These partnerships provide assurance that the brand is serious about its commitment to the people who make their clothes.

Actionable Tip #4: Learn to Spot Greenwashing

Greenwashing occurs when a brand exaggerates or fabricates its environmental efforts to appear more eco-friendly than it truly is. Many brands use broad, feel-good terms like “eco-friendly” or “natural” without providing specific details about how their practices make a difference. If a brand makes sweeping claims without transparency or concrete evidence to back them up, that’s a red flag.

Quick action step: Avoid brands that focus heavily on vague terms like “eco-friendly” without clear action behind them. Instead, look for brands that provide specific information about their environmental impact, such as reductions in water usage, carbon emissions, or detailed descriptions of sustainable materials used.

Actionable Tip #5: Avoid Seasonal Overproduction

A truly sustainable fashion brand understands the environmental cost of overproduction and avoids constantly releasing new collections. If a brand is churning out new designs every few weeks, it’s a sign they may be more concerned with fast fashion profits than long-term sustainability. Overproduction leads to waste, both in terms of unused inventory and the resources consumed to create it.

Quick action step: Opt for brands that encourage fewer, high-quality pieces over quantity. Look for companies that emphasize craftsmanship, timeless designs, and durability, rather than those that push constant trends. Supporting brands that focus on producing smaller, more thoughtful collections is a way to vote for sustainability with your wallet.

Actionable Tip #6: Focus on Brands You Trust

Start small and manageable by focusing on one or two brands that you know prioritize sustainability. These could be companies with clear values, transparent practices, and a track record of ethical production. By beginning with trusted brands, you remove the stress of researching each new purchase from scratch, giving you more time and peace of mind.

Quick action step: Choose a couple of go-to sustainable brands for your wardrobe or business purchases, and slowly expand your sustainable options as you become more comfortable and familiar with the landscape.

Actionable Tip #7: Try Pre-loved or Secondhand Fashion

Secondhand shopping is an easy, affordable way to reduce your environmental impact. Whether it’s vintage, consignment, or online resale platforms, buying pre-loved clothing helps extend the life of garments and reduces waste. Plus, it offers the opportunity to find unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that bring character to your wardrobe without contributing to new production.

Quick action step: Explore secondhand shops, vintage stores, or online platforms like Poshmark or ThredUp to find high-quality pieces that fit your style while supporting a more circular economy.

Actionable Tip #8: Implement Mindful Consumption

A core principle of sustainability is consuming less. Adopting a “buy less, choose well” mentality means focusing on quality over quantity—purchasing fewer, high-quality pieces that last longer and better reflect your personal style. This approach applies not just to your wardrobe but to business purchases as well, ensuring that everything you bring into your life has purpose and longevity.

Quick action step: Before making a purchase, ask yourself if the item is something you truly need and if it aligns with your long-term values. Prioritize timeless, versatile pieces that you’ll love for years to come rather than following fleeting trends.

10 Sustainable Fashion Brands Fighting to Reduce Their Environmental Footprint

Patagonia

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Patagonia is a leader in sustainable fashion with a long-standing commitment to environmental and social responsibility. The brand is a certified B Corp and donates 1% of its sales to environmental causes.

Patagonia focuses on using organic and recycled materials, fair labor practices, and minimizing its environmental impact. They encourage customers to repair their clothes rather than replace them, offering services through their Worn Wear program. Known for its high-quality outdoor apparel, Patagonia is also an advocate for climate action and sustainability beyond profits.

Eileen Fisher

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Eileen Fisher emphasizes timeless, minimalist designs and a commitment to using eco-friendly materials like organic cotton and recycled fibers. Eileen Fisher operates under a circular model, taking back old garments through its Renew program to resell, repair, or recycle. A certified B Corp, the company prioritizes fair labor practices and is known for its transparency regarding its supply chain and sustainability goals, making it a trusted name in responsible fashion.

Reformation

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Reformation is known for its stylish, trend-driven pieces with a strong emphasis on sustainability. The brand uses eco-friendly materials such as deadstock fabrics, recycled textiles, and sustainably sourced fabrics like Tencel. Reformation publishes sustainability reports detailing its environmental footprint, including its water use, carbon emissions, and waste management. The brand is committed to becoming climate-positive by 2025 and has a reputation for transparency in its production processes.

People Tree

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People Tree is a true pioneer in Fair Trade fashion and sustainability. With certifications like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and Fair Trade, People Tree ensures that both the environment and the people making their clothes are respected.

The brand uses organic cotton and eco-friendly dyes, and its collections are often produced by artisans using traditional methods, supporting small-scale, ethical production. Known for its ethical values, People Tree is a go-to brand for those seeking Fair Trade, eco-friendly clothing.

Stella McCartney

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Stella McCartney is a luxury brand that leads the way in sustainable fashion without compromising on style. McCartney’s commitment to ethical production includes using vegetarian alternatives to leather and fur, as well as sustainable materials like recycled polyester and organic cotton.

Her brand is transparent about its environmental goals, aiming for full circularity and reducing waste in production. Stella McCartney is known for pushing the boundaries of sustainable fashion at the high end, merging ethics with high-fashion design.

At DesignDash, we’re huge fans of her vegan leather handbags. One of the most iconic vegan leather bags from Stella McCartney is the “Falabella” bag. The Falabella line features a signature chain trim detail and is available in various styles, including tote bags, crossbody bags, shoulder bags, and backpacks. The Falabella has become a staple accessory for many fashion-forward individuals seeking cruelty-free alternatives to traditional leather bags.

Everlane

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Everlane is celebrated for its “radical transparency” in disclosing the true cost of its products and providing details about its factories. The brand is committed to sustainability through the use of organic cotton, recycled materials, and a pledge to eliminate all virgin plastic from its supply chain. Everlane ensures fair wages and safe working conditions for workers in its factories, making it a trusted choice for ethical basics and wardrobe staples.

Outerknown

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Outerknown, co-founded by surfer Kelly Slater, focuses on sustainable and eco-friendly production and is committed to using organic, recycled, and regenerated materials like ECONYL. The brand is dedicated to ensuring fair wages and ethical labor practices through its partnerships with Fair Trade-certified factories. Outerknown also measures its impact using the Higg Index and strives to reduce water and carbon emissions, making it a leader in sustainable surf and outdoor wear.

Veja

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Veja produces eco-conscious sneakers using organic cotton, wild rubber sourced from the Amazon, and recycled materials. The brand is committed to fair labor practices, working directly with small producers in Brazil to ensure ethical sourcing.

Known for its transparency, Veja provides detailed information about its supply chain and production processes. The brand has gained popularity for offering stylish sneakers that combine sustainability with fair working conditions.

Nudie Jeans

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Nudie Jeans is a denim brand that is deeply committed to sustainability, using 100% organic cotton for its jeans. The company is transparent about its production practices and ensures ethical labor conditions in its factories.

Nudie Jeans also offers free repairs for its jeans, encouraging customers to extend the lifespan of their products rather than dispose of them. Known for its durable, ethically produced denim, Nudie Jeans promotes a sustainable approach to fashion that reduces waste.

Mara Hoffman

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Mara Hoffman has transitioned her eponymous brand toward more sustainable practices, focusing on using natural and recycled fibers such as Tencel, organic cotton, and hemp. The brand is committed to reducing waste, minimizing water usage, and ensuring ethical labor practices throughout its supply chain.

Known for its vibrant and statement fashion pieces, Mara Hoffman stands out in the sustainable fashion world for combining bold design with a serious commitment to eco-friendly and ethical production.

The Bigger Picture: How Your Choices Support Broader Change

It’s easy to think that our individual choices don’t make a big difference, but in reality, they have a profound impact on the fashion industry. Your consumption patterns do matter. When you choose to support truly sustainable brands, you’re contributing to a shift in the way fashion is produced and consumed.

Every time you make an intentional purchase from a more sustainable fashion brand, you’re sending a message to companies that sustainability matters. These small, mindful decisions have a ripple effect—brands notice what consumers value and adapt accordingly, inspiring more businesses to adopt ethical, eco-friendly practices. The industry, after all, is shaped by consumer demand, and your choices can encourage real change.

Start small and see how it feels. Research one new brand, make a secondhand purchase, or commit to swapping out one item in your wardrobe for something more sustainable. These changes might seem small, but they’re a powerful way to align your lifestyle with your values, all while setting the stage for a future where sustainability is the norm, not the exception.