Over the past year, due to my clothing ban and my journey to zero waste and minimalism, I have TOTALLY changed my perspective on buying stuff. Not just clothes, either. Everything. I now take weeks and sometimes months to decide whether a purchase is necessary and where to make the purchase and if there is any possible way to thrift or swap or borrow or rent or make the item. [Usually I just end up doing without because it’s so exhausting trying to find the most ethical, responsible way to purchase many items.]

But this, I feel, is the type of conscious consumerism we all should be practicing.

First – Consume Less

You may have seen this “Buyerarchy of Needs” illustration created by Sarah Lazarovic.

This is exactly how we should approach purchasing new products. If possible, we use what we have. If that’s not possible, then the next best thing is to buy used or repurpose or borrow or rent or DIY. But if all that fails, then and only then, we buy a product new.

Second – Practice Mindful Consumption

If you make it to the top of the pyramid and decide to buy new, it is SO important that you make a conscious effort to do right by people and planet. Support companies and brands who are taking care of the people in their supply chains – not just their CEOs – and who are striving to reduce their impact on our ecosystems and who give back to their communities and charitable organizations.

In other words, good companies.

As the consumers, we hold the power. It is our money that funds businesses. And we have the ability to choose who we give that money to. We should not take this decision lightly.

Third – Support These Ethical Clothing Brands

Since I’ve been pondering this for a year – and have not made any clothing purchases – I have been researching where I would choose to buy clothes in the event that I make it to the top of the pyramid myself.

Here are some of the clothing brands I am excited to support in the future:

Patagonia

(for casuals, outerwear, activewear and even kids clothes)

I ADORE Patagonia. What I once considered to be just another overpriced American outdoorsy brand has turned into my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE. I love everything about this company. They are committed to sustainability and protecting the environment. They are also involved in grassroots activism in communities throughout the country. They encourage all of their employees to make a positive difference in the world by joining local movements and taking real, legitimate action towards change. They also have a closed loop system, where they take back your used Patagonia clothing and repair it to resell under their “Worn Wear” label or recycle it if it’s beyond repair.

I hope everyone appreciates how TOTALLY RADICAL this philosophy is in our current society. Patagonia is literally stating that they want to cut down on consumerism. That has to be the craziest thing I have ever heard a clothing company say. AND I LOVE IT!

Plus, they carry t-shirts with eco-friendly slogans, like this one that I love so much and want so badly:

Buy it here. Or better yet, buy it for me! Just kidding…[I’m really not kidding. I wear a size small 😁]

I love this shirt because not only does purchasing it support a company I consider to be doing right by people and the planet, it also has an awesome message that I can spread just by wearing it. They have a whole line of graphic Ts with sustainability messages.

Now, you may be thinking, $35 for a t-shirt?!?!, but YES. That’s the whole point. Pay a price worthy of a product made in a responsible and ethical way. Then treat the product with care throughout its life. Then dispose of it responsibly – in this case, SO EASILY – by returning it to Patagonia for repair or recycle!

Naja

(for intimates, activewear, and swimwear)

Naja is an environmentally conscious brand that sells beautiful, luxurious underwear that is eco-friendly, ethically made and fair trade.

But that’s not all.

Naja also empowers women – rather than objectify them – by getting rid of the overly sexualized posing AND by improving the lives of garment workers in their supply chain.

They also carry a zero waste line of undergarments made of recycled fabric…

…like this bralette.

Buy it here. Or shop the whole zero waste collection here.

Everlane

(for everything)

Everlane is an ethical American company with two brick and mortar stores – one in New York City and one in San Francisco – and an online store that sells women’s and men’s apparel, shoes and accessories. They focus on classic styles because, as they state on their website, they want you to be able to wear their products for “years, even decades.”

What makes this company so great is their commitment to “Radical Transparency” [their words] regarding their ethical factories, product materials, and production costs.

Their website contains tons of information about the individual factories around the world where products are being produced – including the materials being used, the story of their partnership, and photos. That is definitely radical.

This is the kind of accountability we should be demanding from all companies. We should always be asking where, and how, and who is making our clothing? And we should expect to receive an answer that includes fair wages, safe working conditions, and all the other benefits that we ourselves would demand from our employers.

On the website, you also have the option to view the “true cost” of the product before the retail markup.

Of course, this is also a great way to tell customers that they are cheaper than the competitor – but again, the price is not the issue here. It’s about supporting an ethical company – which we should expect to be more expensive than the company that cuts corners.

[But don’t worry – they sell t-shirts for $18 and aren’t really overpriced compared to a typical American clothing brand.]

Pact

(for everything)

Pact is an American company that uses 100% organic cotton and fair trade factories. They are also committed to keeping prices down, stating “It shouldn’t cost more to do the right thing.”

Reasonably priced and carrying everything from workout clothes, to undergarments, to kids and babies, to bedding – Pact is a one stop shop.

Thank you, Pact, for restoring my faith in the clothing industry!

If you’ve ever wondered how to find ethical brands, look no further than google. Information is everywhere about this now. It’s not difficult to find ethical, sustainable brands.

What are your favorite ethical brands?

👚 👕 👚

Karis