sustainable fashion

Sustainable Shoes, Bags & More

August 4, 2021 by Bethany Siggins

This post rounds out my sustainable blog series! This time I’m focusing on shoes and bags. However, I found so many great names, I share lots more names and links under the Bags section. It’s probably my longest post but well worth the read. Don’t miss the great resources near the end!

I started my sustainable series with a post about Sustainable Denim, which you can read here. Then, I featured sustainable companies whose products I own, which you can read here. Without further delay, let’s talk shoes and bags.

Shoes

Sanuk was my first foray into sustainable fashion before I knew about sustainable fashion. I admired a pair of sandals my neighbor was wearing, and she told me about Sanuk. Sanuk means “fun” in Thai, and that’s what they aim to do: put a smile on your face and fun on your feet. Sanuk uses recycled yoga mats for their yoga sling sandals, a genius idea. Here’s a style like mine, and there’s a slightly dressier version here. Both styles get great reviews, and I can attest to their comfort. Learn more about the company here.

Rothy’s stormed on the scene with their machine washable flats made from recycled plastic water bottles, yet another genius idea. Moving in a sustainable direction is at the heart of everything they do. Rothy’s owns and operates its own factory in China, and they plan to have a closed-loop production model by 2023. Their Point flat is very stylish and available in many colors. They make a cute lace-up sneaker, and I like this smart bucket bag. Learn more about Rothy’s here.

Allbirds‘ top priority since day one has been to reduce environmental impact. They use only natural materials including wool, sugar and trees! By December 2025, they’re committed to 100% of Allbirds’ wool coming from regenerative sources. My husband wears their wool runners, which are also available for women in many color choices. I like the women’s wool Runners and their Runner-up Mizzles, which are a high top style. They would be a comfortable alternative to ankle boots in the fall.

Fortress, which hails out of Austin, Texas, was one of the first slow fashion shoe brands. They believe in the fewer is better mentality. Their shoes are handmade in Peru using natural materials. Fortress believes their artisans are just as important as their customers. I don’t love cowboy boots, but the Elise is a western-inspired style I could get down with. The Penelope block heel would be a smart “back to the office” shoe. See all of their styles here.

Hey Dude uses materials like organic cotton, recycled plastic & leather and cork. Their employees are paid fair wages in safe workplaces. Admittedly, their shoes do not appeal to me; however, the reviewers rave about their comfort. Here’s a women’s chukka, and I like the print on the Wendy Funk style. This slip-on style would be great for around the house. Learn more about Hey Dude here.

Veja, founded in 2005, is a Certified B Corporation brand. Companies with this designation must be transparent. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. Their shoes are made with raw materials sourced from organic farming and ecological agriculture, without chemicals or polluting processes. Their sneakers are produced in dignified conditions, in direct consultation with producer associations and manufacturers. My husband asked for a similar pair to these for his birthday. I like this style for women, which looks like a running shoe. Learn more about Veja here.

Magnafied shoes are made in Denmark. They use unique dead stock and carefully selected quality fabrics from Europe, USA and Japan. Their materials are non-toxic, and their components are selected with comfort in mind. To minimize waste, their shoes are produce on a made-to-order basis. Rather than recommend specific styles to you, visit their website and have fun. So many great ones!

Thousand Fell’s tagline is “the best sneakers for a better tomorrow.” Their shoes are designed in New York and manufactured in Brazil in a family-owned factory with three decades of high end shoemaking experience. Thousand Fell has a sneaker recycling program! Learn about it here. Their styles are simple like this white men’s sneaker with a touch of light green on the back. Madewell stocks them in a few colors and all-white here.

Shoe Compilations

Before we move onto bags, here are two shoe lists from my favorite blog, The Good Trade. A list of ethical shoe brands is here, and a list of sustainable running shoes is here.

Bags

Mirta connects you with Italian artisans whose craftsmanship might otherwise die out. If you favor quality and an item that will last for many years, this is your company. I received the gorgeous Esmeralda bag for my birthday, and I’ve loved every minute of carrying it. Everyone at Mirta has been very responsive when I’ve had questions, and they even sent a thank you note with the bag. High class. By the way, the bag arrived in a shocking few days after purchase (from Italy!). I cannot recommend them more highly. They stock many items besides bags. Learn more about Mirta here.

von Holzhausen has been popping up in my ads on social media. I must admit they offer some smart styles. They create timeless, easy–to–wear women’s & men’s designs made from Technik–Leather, a 100% animal free and sustainable leather alternative that maintains the look and feel of real leather. All of their bags and accessories are made in world—class factories using skilled artisans who work in the most ethical conditions. See their best sellers here.

Behno touts itself as the world’s finest consciously made handbags. Behno means sisters in Hindi. Their six guiding principles are health, garment worker mobility, family planning, women’s rights, worker satisfaction and benefits and eco-consciousness. They founded their own cut and sew factory to meet these principles. Their leather comes from one of the world’s finest tanneries in Italy, which is a gold member of the Leather Working Group (LWG). LWG works with leading technical experts and industry leaders to promote sustainability and transparency. Read more Behno here. Browse their bags and wallets here. I know it’s a bit early to be thinking of New Year’s Eve, but this bag looks a NYE party!

Hunting Season offers Columbian-made handbags. From thoughtful designs to a conscious effort to contribute to the well-being of others, they are weaving an ethical responsibility through everything they do. Their design studio is located in Bogota, Columbia where they work with local artisans with a rich heritage of woven techniques. They carefully source their materials like metal-free leather tanned in Italy, and they work directly with artisans and craftsmen in family-owned businesses. I love this lizard beige clutch and this small top handle bag, both available from Neiman Marcus. Learn more about them here.

Cuyana is a global design house that inspires intentional buying through pieces that are crafted with integrity. Founded on the philosophy of fewer, better, Cuyana encourages customers to purchase pieces they will love and treasure for years to come. They offer bags, small leather goods, clothing and jewelry. They are a partner with ThredUp to keep clothing out of landfills. Browse all of their new arrivals here. Learn about the company here.

Artesano, which means “hand-crafted,” offers ethically made artisanal panama hats, bags & shoes. Designed in Miami; handmade in Ecuador. Most of their materials are eco-friendly and vegan. Their felted wool is consciously sourced from ethical farmers. Shop their new arrivals here. Anthropologie carries their Capri straw tote bag in a variety of colors here.

More Sustainable Brands

Here are a few more fashion brands worth mentioning. In some cases, these brands also produce bags and shoes.

Eileen Fisher is the grandmother of sustainability. She was light years ahead of other designers, creating new fabric out of old. She believes in living with less so you have more time and space to focus on what matters. Designed to last a lifetime. A simple wardrobe. A sustainable life. They take back your old EF pieces to remake them into new designs. So far, they’ve gathered 1.4 million items! Shop Eileen Fisher here.

Common Era is an independent women-owned business. Crafted by hand, they use ethically-sourced gemstones and sustainable gold and silver. Every purchase helps an animal in need. Learn about their causes here. Shop the entire collection here.

Vincent James Designs a collection of elevated essentials with a sustainable approach to providing the foundational pieces for a chic, timeless and minimal capsule wardrobe. They use the highest quality natural fabrics. Learn more about them here.

Amour Vert plants a tree for every t-shirt purchased. So far, they’ve planted 180,000 trees. Crafted in California in limited quantities. They partner directly with mills to develop their own fabrics that are sustainable, soft and stand the test of time. Learn more about them here.

Mara Hoffman fosters open conversations about its approach and encourages consumers to evaluate their relationship with clothing. Their focus is on sustainable materials, process and production. They’ve recently opened their first storefront in Hudson, NY. Learn more about them here.

Girlfriend Collective offers ethically made activewear, hats and bags from recycled water bottles in sizes XXS – 6XL. See their products here.

Pact creates “earth’s favorite clothing for men and women.” They partner with Fair Trade Certified™ factories because they ensure care for both people and planet. Fair Trade factories provide safe working conditions, empower and uplift local communities, and protect the environment. Pact uses organic cotton for their easy-going knitwear and thoughtful packaging. Learn about Pact here.

Alabama Chanin is a lifestyle company producing well-designed and thoughtfully made goods for the person and the home. They use 100% organic cotton fabric, sourced sustainably from seed to fabric—along with repurposed and reclaimed materials. Their garments are hand-sewn locally. Learn about them here.

Vetta Capsule produces five pieces at a time, which can be mixed into 30 outfits (a one month’s supply). In the fashion business, this is known as a wardrobe capsule. Thus, the company name. Made in a family run factory in NYC; a partner factory in Los Angeles knits their sweaters. They use sustainable fabric in all of their designs including Tencel, organic cotton, and deadstock fabric. Learn more about them here.

Cos focuses on ethical standards as a business, and they have a commitment towards the people and communities who make their products. 76% of their materials were sustainably sourced in 2020. So far this year, they’ve hit 86%. Their goal is for all of their products to be created with sustainably sourced or recycled materials. Learn more about Cos here.

Jade Swim designs are simple but more than basic. The right cut of jade brings out its beauty. Jade Swim is classic with an edge. They use responsibly sourced organic, recycled and regenerated materials wherever possible. Their products are designed in NYC and made in the U.S. ECONYL, which is made out of 100% regenerated nylon, is utilized for most of their collection. This reduces waste from oceans and landfills by recycling items such as fishing nets, plastic bottles and fabric scraps. They also use biodegradable packaging. Learn about them here.

Frank & Eileen is a women-owned Certified B Corporation that creates easy-to-live-in clothing. They are most known for their menswear-inspired shirts. I love their chambray style here. See their entire collection here.

Athleta is also a Certified B Corporation making clothing for active women and girls. Although Athleta has been around for years, they only recently landed on my radar as I’ve brought more athleisure into my wardrobe. As you may know from previous posts, I’ve purchased their Cabo linen joggers in chambray blue. Visit their website here.

Just Links

Here are more links to sustainable companies! (Still not a complete list.)

The Classic T-Shirt Company

An App called Good on You shares sustainable brands, too!

Shop on Market45 to browse sustainable brands in one place.

Recycling Underwear

Confession, I’ve been throwing my used underwear and bras in the trash, and that bums me out. I try not to throw any garment in the trash. Next time, I’m sending my old undies to Knickey!

Two Additional Resources

ThredUp makes sure garments stay out of our landfills. If they cannot sell it, they partner with companies who can use it. Request a free clean out bag here! I’ve been using the ThredUpxAthleta bags to get Athleta store credit.

Retold Recycling offers a subscription service. Send them any and all household textiles. Retold Recycling sorts and sends them to the appropriate places: thrift stores, charities, reuse partners, rag companies and next generation fabric houses (coming soon). With a passion for eradicating landfill at its core, Retold Recycling aims to build a community of subscribers diverting fabric from landfills via its mantra and vision: #nolandfill. Learn more about Retold Recyling here.

The Story Behind My Look

The look I’m wearing in this post has elements of sustainability.

The shirt is from J. Crew Factory. By buying cotton products from J.Crew Factory, you’re supporting more responsibly grown cotton through the Better Cotton Initiative. J.Crew is part of the same group as Madewell, a known sustainable brand.

The shorts are by Valette, which I purchased at Nordstrom so long ago, I cannot remember when. Buying and keeping clothing a long time is part of the sustainability equation. I had them tailored this year to fit better, so I have no plans of getting rid of them anytime soon. J. Crew has a nice pair of faded chambray 4″ shorts here. They come in many many color options.

My sandals are by Marc Fisher from PoshMark. Though I’ve not delved into resale in my sustainable posts, reselling your clothing in the second-hand market and buying in the second-hand market is a great way to be sustainable. This style is almost just like mine. There are a few color options.

I’m Here to Help

I’ve loved sharing these companies and brands with you! As I strive to be more sustainable, it’s good to know I have many choices. I’m here to help you navigate the shopping landscape. You don’t have to do it alone. Let’s make your wardrobe work for you. Message me here, or send me an e-mail at bethany@bethanysiggins.com to get started.

My Favorite Sustainable Brands

July 9, 2021 by Bethany Siggins

Little did I know when I made my “better quality” pledge earlier this year, it would land me knee deep in research on sustainable fashion labels that continues each day. Because my list is so long, this post is one in a series of sustainable blog posts. Last month, I shared sustainable denim labels. You can find the post here.

This month I’m sharing brands with which I have personal experience with their products. Before we get to my list, however, I am sharing two lists of sustainable brands created by different blogs. The first is from The Good Trade here and the other is from Sustainably Chic here. I am attempting not to repeat any companies from these lists, so do check these out.

Without further ado, here’s my list of sustainable brands to support.

Billy Reid, a modern southern studio

Billy Reid landed on my radar 10+ years ago when they had a store in NorthPark (it left for a while, and now it is back at NorthPark). They make things built to last. I can attest to this as I have a pair of their trousers that I bought at least 7 years ago that are still my favorites. They believe in creating fewer, better things. In this way, they balance sustainability and artisanship. They elevate wardrobe staples with unexpected, high-quality detailing. They do this very well. Take a look at their website, and also take a peek at this men’s linen button down from Nordstrom. Peruse the Billy Reid website here.

Everlane, modern basics

Everlane stands for radical transparency and products that are ethically made and designed to last. On their website, they provide the true cost of everything they make next to the retail price (radical transparency). They also provide a look inside of all of their factories and visit their factories often. Everlane personally connects with the owners, looking at fair wages, reasonable hours and the environment. Their aim is for every factory to score 90 or above. I own a pair of Everlane clogs, which gave my fall wardrobe a boost of something different. Since it’s summertime, I’m sharing their ReNew Transit Bag, which is great for travel. Visit their website here.

Marine Layer, tees from trees

Marine Layer began with the quest to make the softest t-shirt like an old favorite. Their signature fabric is MicroModal, made from recycled beechwood. Many of their pieces are made in California, while more technical styles are made overseas in ethical and sustainable factories. They recycle your old t-shirts and give you store credit for each one you donate. Most of their styles are basic and easy-going. I owned a pair of their cropped cords for a couple of winters and enjoyed them. Many of their ladies’ tops are cropped. If you wear high waist bottoms, this works. This cropped sweatshirt from Nordstrom is fun. See all of their offerings here.

MILLE, for women by women

MILLE is a brick and mortar store in Minneapolis, which was founded by Austin native Michelle LeBlanc. They have a partnership with a family-owned factory in Jaipur, India where their pieces are hand block printed. MILLE creates pieces in limited quantities based on demand. Sometimes when you look at an item, it will say “ships in August,” for example. This is a much more responsible way to produce fashion, and I’m on board. I own two pairs of their Ines cotton pants and a block printed pair of cotton pajamas, which is no longer available. You can view the print of my PJs here. My Shop Mille pieces are some of my favorites, and I’m eyeing a few more things: these lemon-printed PJs, this printed dress and this printed top, which has just dropped. Visit the MILLE website here.

Zero+Maria Cornejo, a company owned and run by women

Zero+Maria Cornejo was one of the first “designer” sustainable companies. Their pieces are designed and made in New York, while continually developing collaborations with women artisans around the world. They call themselves luxury fashion with a conscience with a strong belief in creating pieces that are uncompromising in their respect for quality and value. My first exposure to this label was at Barneys New York (remember them?). I bought one of their dresses, which I still own and wear 8+ years later. Last fall, I purchased another Zero+Marian Cornejo dress from TheRealReal. She has a special way with draping, and this Issa dress is similar to mine (except it is black). Visit their website here.

Stella McCartney, the sustainable matriarch

I consider Stella McCartney the grandmother of ethical design and sustainable practices. McCartney is a life-long vegetarian who has never used leather or fur in her designs since the launch of her label in 2001, long before it was cool to not use these materials. They call themselves a responsible, honest and modern company. They strive to create beautiful, desirable products that have the least impact on the environment, and they are on the front lines of exploring new materials that push fashion towards circularity.

I own two Stella McCartney pieces that are old but remain in my closet for their enduring style and high quality. McCartney does shoes and bags very well. If you’re going to drop big money, I say do it with shoes and bags. I quite like these funky platform wedge sandals from Neiman Marcus and this hobo bag. This white sneaker is subtle with a bit of detailing on the back. Visit her website here.

Athleta, using business as a force for good

Athleta is certified B Corporation, which means they meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. I have friends who have been Athleta devotees for years; however, they did not land on my radar until the pandemic. I have been enjoying their Cabo linen joggers (I recommend the black ones over the white), and my daughter loves her Athelta Girl swimsuit: bottoms and top. I’m thinking of trying their Brooklyn joggers, and I’ve heard good things about their skorts. Visit the Athleta website to see more.

Nike, move to zero

Even some of our largest companies like Nike are making moves toward being more sustainable. Vivien recently chose pair of red running shoes from Nike’s “move to zero” campaign. In this effort, Nike is working toward zero carbon and zero waste to protect the future of the sport. Learn more about it here. Vivien’s shoes are made with 20% recycled content. If you’d like a pair from their move to zero, consider this pair of Nike Air Force 1 Crater FlyKnit shoes. The white is nice, but I dig the lavender and pink combo. I also like this pair of Nike Crater Impact. I am partial to the neon yellow and orange color combo on the far right. Shop all of the “move to zero” choices here.

Madewell, timeless designs that put you at ease

I featured Madewell in my sustainable denim blog post last month (Everlane, too). Read more about the company in that post. As their head designer, Joyce Lee, said, “Madewell is for denim lovers—or basically anyone who appreciates timeless designs that put you at ease.” I can attest to the quality of their Medium Transport Tote. I have the “English saddle” color. I love the bag’s simplicity and versatility. As I shared in last month’s post, I also love their Perfect Vintage jeans that are presently on sale! Yay!

Next Month…

Next month, I will share companies who create sustainable bags and accessories, along with the rest of my lengthy sustainable brands list!

Which are your favorite sustainable labels and brands? Please share in the comments!

Please message me if I can help you shop, edit and make sense of your style and wardrobe. I’d be delighted to assist you. Otherwise, let me know what you like from this post. Happy responsible shopping!

My Favorite Sustainable Denim Labels

June 4, 2021 by Bethany Siggins

Why Sustainable?

Sustainable is a word we can’t escape. It’s a booming trend in fashion, including recycling garments into new ones and using textiles that are compostable. Fashion must lead the charge in sustainable efforts, first of all, because it created a giant mess. The industry churns out 80 billion garments per year and employs every sixth person on the planet. Unfortunately, fashion fell into many bad practices in pursuit of a stronger bottom line. Simply said, fashion pollutes our environment and exploits its garment workers so that we can have cheap, fast fashion.

Another reason fashion must lead the sustainable charge is the amount of waste it produces. Newsflash: we don’t need 80 billion garments per year. Mountains of fashion end up in landfills or incinerators. Americans throw away 14 million tons of clothing every year. Sadly, most textiles take over 200 years to decompose!

The more I learned about the ills within the fashion industry, I knew I had to make changes to my buying habits. In Episode 31 of my podcast, “My Better Quality Pledge,” I promised to purchase better quality garments for my wardrobe this year and going forward.

Why Denim?

I have many sustainable companies to share with you in future posts. I’m starting with denim for a few reasons. Women own on average 7 pairs of jeans (I own 15). Worldwide, we purchase 1.2 billion pairs of jeans each year. It takes 396 gallons of water to produce ONE pair of jeans. Multiply those gallons by 1.2 billion pairs. That is a lot of water. Additionally, over 90% of jeans are dyed with synthetic indigo. What is synthetic indigo? It contains chemicals such as cyanide, formaldehyde and sometimes aniline, all of which are harmful to human health and aquatic life. While reading the book Fashionopolis, I learned the rivers near overseas denim mills run blue, affecting the health of residents and workers, not to mention the creatures in those waters.

The List

Vogue recently wrote an article featuring 16 sustainable denim collections to know about. My list only repeats two of the brands in Vogue’s article, so be sure to check their list here.

My list is by NO MEANS a comprehensive list of sustainable denim makers. The more I dig, the more I find. That’s a great problem. If you love jeans, and you want to do a good thing for the planet, these are brands to support.

Everlane

Everlane’s tagline is “Modern basics; Radical transparency.” Their denim factory partner in Vietnam recycles 98% of their water using reverse osmosis filtration. They keep byproducts out of the environment by mixing them with concrete to make building materials. Wow! Everlane makes a variety of denim styles for women from flare to curvy to straight and skinny. Their 90’s “Cheeky” jeans linked here are a best seller (this pair is 100% cotton). I like this bone colored pair that has some stretch. This style has an 11″ inseam and a straight, cropped fit. See all the Cheeky styles here.

Levi’s

Levi’s wants us to buy better and wear longer. As the creator of denim, Levi’s is on the front lines of new denim technology to create quality denim that’s thoughtful with the earth’s resources. With Levi’s® SecondHand, they invite us to join them in a more sustainable future. According to their website, if everyone bought one used item this year, instead of buying new, it would save 449 million pounds of waste. Levi’s 501s remain a favorite style worldwide. In fact, May 20 is 501 day! I am linking a cropped style in a lighter wash here. Bonus, they are nicely marked down.

Boyish

Boyish is a carbon-neutral women’s brand. They are committed to leaving as little impact on the earth as possible. Boyish uses sustainable fabrics and employs a cruelty-free, environmentally friendly process. On their website, they say, “The only impact Boyish leaves on the planet is good jeans.” I am linking the Tommy Straight jean in white. It has a raw hem and non-stretch denim (this takes getting used to). Here’s one with stretch.

Nudie Jeans

Nudie Jeans’ vision is to become the most sustainable denim company. They only work with organic cotton, and they pay living wages to employees throughout the manufacturing chain. This includes spinning, dyeing, knitting, printing and laundry. Nudie also repairs and collects jeans. The Breezy Britt Light Desert jeans is a high rise with a slight taper. This style comes in a variety of lengths. Tall girls rejoice!

Madewell

Madewell’s tagline is simple: “We make great jeans.” Madewell uses a fair-trade certified factory in Vietnam. Beyond denim, Madewell creates things we wear with denim, like effortless tees, keep-forever bags, cool jewelry and fun shoes. They produce a Do Well Report annually to keep consumers informed on new initiatives and products. This report also focuses on how they are improving their sustainability practices across its operations. More than half of their styles are sustainable in some way and the label identifies these styles. Find the “Do Well” section of their site here.

I own two pairs of Madewell’s “perfect vintage jeans,” one medium blue and one soft white, which I’m linking here. They have an 11” rise and a 28” inseam. I’m also linking their curvy vintage jeans here, which comes in standard, petite and tall lengths. Madewell will take your old jeans (any brand) in store, and they will give you $20 credit toward a new pair of full-priced jeans! Learn more about that program here.

Agolde

Agolde makes sustainable and comfortable denim. They use advanced methods like laser technology, ozone machines and high-efficiency wash methods. One of their best sellers is the “Criss Cross Upsized” jeans, a 90’s-inspired style. It features an overlap fly, a 10-3/4″ rise and a 30″ inseam. Beware, it is a non-stretch denim. However, it is a relaxed style. I like their Lana Crop Mid Rise Vintage Straight Jeans here (they are also non-stretch yet relaxed). See more styles on their website.

Blue Delta Jeans

Blue Delta Jeans’ motto is “one size fits one” because they make their jeans specific to your measurements. Their jeans are grown and milled in the U.S., as well as handmade in the U.S. Blue Delta makes raw denim jeans that are dry clean only. This means it is a specialty care item for your dry cleaner. Luckily, they advise cleaning your jeans only once or twice a year. Their styles vary including boot, straight, skinny, flare and cigarette. While not cheap at $450 per pair, Blue Delta makes a nice addition for denim connoisseurs. Visit their website to learn more.

Hiut Denim

Hiut Denim is based in the U.K. Their motto is “We make jeans. That’s it. Do one thing well.” Hiut is focused on making the best jeans, not the most jeans. Their jeans are made in Wales by men and women who have crafted jeans most of their lives. Hiut only uses the best denim from the best mills in the world. Prices run from 175 pounds to 225 pounds. Find their women’s styles here.

RE/DONE

Sean Barron and Jamie Mazur founded RE/DONE while bonding over heritage classics. They longed for perfectly tailored, vintage Levi’s. Thus, RE/DONE launched in 2014 with the simple idea of taking the old and making it new again. This pivoted the fashion industry toward a more responsible future. RE/DONE’s first run of 300 pairs instantly sold out. A waiting list with thousands of people sparked demand for more. RE/DONE is now available through a variety of retailers and on their own website. I like their soft black High-Rise Stovepipe Comfort Stretch available from Saks Fifth Avenue. See all their styles on their website.

BethanyJeans2 1024x768 - My Favorite Sustainable Denim Labels — Jeans by J.Crew painted by Kathy Sparkman

J. Crew

J. Crew has a “Re-Imagined” initiative. From the people who create their products to the impact they have on the planet, J. Crew is committed to doing better at every step of the way. Their 2025 goal through this initiative is that 100% of their key fibers will be sustainably sourced, including all of their cotton. Shop their “Re-Imagined” styles here.

The J. Crew Responsible Sourcing Program clearly communicates their expectations to their suppliers, and it monitors and improves working conditions at the facilities that manufacture J. Crew products. The jeans I am wearing are from the J. Crew Point Sur collection, which is no longer available. Artist Kathy Sparkman painted them. The design was inspired by a striped pair of jeans I owned in the mid-80s. I like this classic vintage jean in faded indigo from J. Crew Factory.

MUD Jeans

MUD Jeans is a sustainable and fair trade certified denim brand based in The Netherlands. They tout themselves as the world’s first circular denim brand. Every pair of MUD Jeans contain up to 40% post-consumer recycled denim, the highest percentage out there. They have a nifty video on their website about recycling their denim. See it here. Their process uses 92% less water than average jeans, and no pesticides are used.

MUD has a purchase and a rent option for their jeans. See more about leasing their jeans here. Find all their women’s styles here. I like the Relaxed Fred styled rolled as shown.

Outland Denim

Outland Denim is an Australian denim company that landed on the world’s radar after Megan Markle wore a pair in her 2018 royal tour of Australia. They employ victims of sex trafficking, and so far 750 people have benefited from stable employment with Outland Denim in Cambodia. Outland uses up to 86% less water, 57% less energy, and 83% less chemicals in their wash and finishing facilities. They source the finest raw materials from suppliers who share in their mission and excel in social and environmental responsibility. See their women’s jeans here. I am partial to the Lucy.

Who Makes Your Favorite?

As I said above, this list simply scratches the surface. Please share your favorite sustainable denim brands in the comments. If you’d like help navigating the many options online or in the stores, send me an e-mail at bethany@bethanysiggins.com. I’d love to help you. Happy shopping! Let me know what you buy!