This is the start of a new series, Behind the Brand. Together we will learn more about the “why” driving slow fashion brands and discover some of the independent designers and makers creating beautiful clothing with a conscience.
First we have Jess Sternberg owner of Free Label, a Vancouver-based clothing brand with a focus on inclusivity, comfort, sustainability and local manufacturing. Their collection includes high quality everyday pieces, comfy bra tops and loungewear, and seasonless wardrobe staples.
Not only do they make lovely clothes, but I especially wanted to interview Jess because Free Label does many things different from your average clothing brand. With both the industry challenges they’ve tackled and initiatives they’ve started, I think Free Label is a great example and leader in the slow fashion space. So let’s hear more from Jess…
Can you describe Free Label in a sentence or two?
Free Label is a community and ethics based clothing company. Our goal is to make clothing that people feel good IN and about wearing.
All your factories are within a short drive from you, what benefits and challenges come with manufacturing locally in Canada? What does “ethically made” mean to Free Label?
The benefit is we can pop into the factories any day and see progress, ensure the working conditions meet our standards, and build genuine relationships with the folks that make our garments. We’re really lucky to work with some amazing factory partners that have also become friends. The challenge is the Canadian garment industry is a dying industry: most of the workforce is older and closer to retiring. It’s hard to attract and train young people since cutting and sewing are highly skilled manual labour jobs.
Ethically made means the people who are making the clothing are paid fairly for their work, work in environments that are safe and pleasant, and are treated with respect. In my opinion, it’s the bare minimum of what a workplace should be, but sadly it’s rare these minimums are met in the garment industry.
Your customers are big fans and your drops sell out fast! You’ve mentioned before that even with the high demand you still want to keep production runs small, can you explain why this is important to you?
I believe in sustainable growth; when I see the demand grow, we make a bit more according to demand. Most companies make huge amounts of inventory to predict future demand and then do what it takes to sell it. I’d rather wait for the demand and then produce based on real needs instead of just projections. This ensures we don’t waste any goods and the pieces we make are always loved. I’m also self-funded without any investors, so every time we grow our inventory, it’s a big risk. So slow and sustainable growth is vital to our health as a small business.
I have written before about the many benefits of seasonless fashion and love that you have a core seasonless collection! Why did you decide to go this route vs traditional seasonal collections?
Living in Vancouver, BC, we have fairly mild weather. I love the idea of keeping the majority of your closet year round and just putting away a small bin of summer or winter clothing for the off-season. This helps us to buy less when new seasons hit since we already have a fabulous seasonless base. When I look at my “core” seasonless closet, it’s almost all Free Label!
Free Label offers a great size range of XS – 4X, which is something we unfortunately don’t see from many slow fashion brands, and you can tell you put a lot of work into fit! Can you tell us more about why inclusive sizing and fit is a priority for Free Label?
I think if you want to be an ethical and sustainable business, that MUST include all bodies. We’re not there yet, but we’re working toward better inclusivity! The challenge is there are not a lot of resources available to designers and brands that want to offer more inclusive size ranges, so it requires a lot of self study and trial and error.
What has been your biggest challenge starting/running a sustainable clothing brand?
The constant pivoting. It really is exhausting always looking one step ahead, learning new platforms, growing and shifting with demand and changing consumer habits. As a small sustainable/ethical brand, you really do have to do your best at all times; there’s little room for error – which leaves very little time to relax and enjoy the journey. It’s something I’m working on 🙂
What is something you’re proud of having achieved with Free Label?
I’m really proud of a lot to be honest! I’m proud of our commitment to getting the best plus size fits in an e-commerce space. I’m proud of our production line and our special relationships with our production partners and fabric producers. I’m proud of our small but growing team that does really hard things with passion and excitement. I’m proud of our Empowerful Incubator program that helps to fund and grow BIPOC owned small businesses. I’m proud of the really kind and cool community we’ve built online (truly the nicest customers ever). There are a lot of hard days, but there are so many things to celebrate and be proud of!
Thanks so much Jess for giving us a peek behind Free Label! Check out their collection here. (Especially if you’re looking for a comfy and supporting bra/crop top, Free Label has amazing options, I wear mine all the time!)
I’ve talked about the many benefits and how to build a capsule wardrobe for children both here on the blog, and also did a podcast interview about it, so let’s jump right into this season’s capsule!
Special Considerations & Lessons from Last Season
As with any capsule, there are always lifestyle, seasonal, and personal factors that play a role. Plus every capsule is a learning opportunity that you can take into the next one. Here are some things that I took into account with planning this wardrobe:
Potty Training
My daughter is currently 2 and while she is mostly potty trained we are still not fully accident free, so having a couple extra pants/leggings was important.
Overalls, dresses, rompers, and any styles that are difficult to pull down or get in the way is also something I avoided, as well as pants with flys or waists that can’t be pulled down. We want to make potty independence as easy as possible!
Temperature
We live in a very old house with not the best insulation. Last winter she rarely wore her short sleeve tops, even under the layers so I’ve learned from that and this year only gone with long sleeve tops.
Comfort & Mobility
Children are active and all over the place! I want to make sure the clothes let her move, play, and explore without restriction. So looking for stretchy fabric and flexible cuts was a priority. This was especially important with pants – I avoided denim and stiff fabrics and went mostly with leggings and harem style pants.
Style & Colour
I have always leaned toward a more gender neutral capsule wardrobe for kids. For each capsule I plan a rough color palette based around what we already have and any key wardrobe items I want to include. While neutral colours make capsule planning easier, I also know that my daughter likes wearing colour so I incorporate a few bright colours and prints. Here is the colour palette I went with for this capsule:
My “key colors” were dark green, yellow, and coppery-orange and then I used grey for neutrals and some blue as a nice contrast colour.
Items in B’s Fall/Winter Capsule
As you can see, there are still a few items I’m waiting to arrive and I will update this post when they do. I may also add in one more layer in winter if we find shes wearing them a lot.
In order to have lots of mix and match options, I try to keep certain colours in certain areas. So in this capsule I kept the greens, greys, and neutrals more in the tops, and then went with the bright yellows, orange-y and red tones in the bottoms and layers. I love the contrasting combinations of yellow and orange with deep greens, blues, and greys!
Finally to round-out the full wardrobe, for outerwear and shoes we have:
1 fall jacket
1 snowsuit
pair of sneakers
pair of rain boots
pair of snow boots
I’d love to know if you also do a capsule wardrobe for your kids and how it works for you. 🙂
Also if you’d like to know what organic and sustainable kids brands I recommend, here are our favourites.
The air is crisp, there are pumpkins out on the porches and yellow leaf drifts in the garden. After an abnormally hot summer, I’m so ready for fall and all the coziness.
My goals for this capsule were to build a wardrobe that’s warm and very comfortable but without being too casual. I’m tired of the leggings and t-shirt default that I fell into this past year and a new season feels like a great opportunity to have some fun with outfits again!
It seems as though life is slowly returning to some form of normalcy. For many, this means working from home will soon come to an end. Whether you are splitting your time between home and the office or returning to the office full-time, there are things you can do to create a more eco-friendly workspace. Here are some tips to get you started.
1. Reusable pens
How many pens do you have on your desk right now? It’s likely that your current writing instruments are not carbon-neutral, recyclable, or compostable. Luckily, there are a few companies that are now making eco-conscious pens to replace that pesky plastic. My favorite so far has been the Eco Pen Club. The Australia-based company sells writing products that are 100% recyclable and uses at least 50% less plastic than traditional pens. Additionally, Eco Pen Club partners with One Tree Planted to help with reforestation efforts for the Australian bushfires.
There are also helpful ways to dispose of your current plastic pens, such as TerraCycle and BIC’s recycling program. If you want to involve your coworkers, you can always offer to collect plastic pens around the office and donate them to a local recycling program.
2. Update your mailing list
If your office sends out direct mail, consider reevaluating your mailing list. Removing anyone who hasn’t done business with you in years can save you a lot of money and paper. If you really want to reduce your paper use, ask new customers to provide emails instead of physical addresses and move all mailing online. While you’re at it, remove yourself from any mailing lists that you’re still on but don’t plan on using or reading.
3. Bring your own reusable water bottle
Here’s an example of something small that you can start doing on your own! Most communal offices have a water station with paper or plastic cups to accommodate when employees are thirsty. Ditch the disposable cups by bringing your own reusable bottle to work.
My favorite has been Hydro Flask, which offers stainless steel bottles in different sizes and are meant to keep your drink cold (or hot) all day long.
4. Go digital when possible
Over the past year, I didn’t have a printer for at-home use. This means my eyes got very familiar with staring and reading on a computer screen. While this may not be optimal all the time, transitioning to digital platforms will greatly reduce paper waste. There are plenty of computer and mobile applications that can replace your need for a paper planner. Apps such as Calendly and Doodle can help keep track of meetings and appointments with ease and convenience. For scenarios where paper is needed, remember to print double-sided to downsize what is being used.
5. Install motion sensor lights
It’s a good idea to turn off the lights in an unused room to lessen your carbon footprint, save energy, and lower your electricity bill. I know it can get annoying to constantly turn on/off lights in your office, conference rooms, or bathrooms. That’s why I recommend installing motion sensor lights to do the job for you! You can program lights to turn off after a few seconds of no movement. This way, you can continue going about your business while seamlessly reducing the amount of energy your office uses.
For many, drinking coffee in the morning is essential to stay focused throughout the day. There are a few ways that you can ensure your coffee consumption is also eco-friendly. First off, always use reusable coffee mugs rather than a styrofoam or plastic cup. This is a quick and easy way to reduce your amount of waste. Also, try to avoid keurig coffee machines since most k-cups are made of nonrecyclable plastics. Instead, you should manually brew coffee whenever possible.
When choosing a coffee, you should also consider purchasing from fair trade brands.Fair trade coffeeis sourced following guidelines that ensure improved living conditions for the farmers and laborers who produce the coffee.
7. Hand dryers in the bathroom
The Climate Conservancy reports that for each use, paper towels can potentially cause up to 5 times more carbon emissions than using a high-efficiency hand dryer. Not to mention, installing hand dryers in shared bathrooms will also greatly decrease your office’s amount of garbage. If the price of hand dryers is not an option right now, then make sure you are using recyclable paper towels that do not come in plastic packaging. I recommend trying Reel for paper towels and toilet paper.
It doesn’t matter if you’re working from a personal office or communal workspace. These simple tips can help you and your coworkers to reduce waste and save energy!
As everyone says, they grow up so quickly! Which also means we’ve had the opportunity to test out and review many eco friendly and organic kid’s clothes. Here are our tried-and-tested picks for sustainable children’s clothing – favorites for comfort, style, and quality of the products, as well as the brand’s values and practices.
This roundup include organic clothing for newborns, babies, toddlers, and children up to age 12-14. The brands are based in USA, Canada, and UK/Europe. Plus these brands also have a good selection of more gender neutral kids clothes if that’s something you’re also looking for!
Organic Baby & Kids Clothes
(please note: some affiliate links are used in this post which means we may get a small commission)
Quick Reference Symbols Price (based on the average price for a t-shirt) $ – 20 -29 $$ – 30-39 $$$ – 40+
Brand Features: Pure Colour Baby ‘s organic cotton clothing comes in adorable custom prints and a range of both classic and fun colours. Everything is made in-house in their Ontario studio.
Why We Love Them: Not only are the prints and colours lovely but their fabric is super soft! However the thing that I most love about Pure Colour Baby is their “grow-with-me” designs; we got a pullover from them in size 18m-3T which my daughter has been wearing for a year now and will definitely be able to yet another year of wear from. Definitely a worthwhile investment!
Brand Features: Large selection of products for babies to tweens. Hanna Andersson is one of the original sustainable brands and has been using organic cotton, recycled materials, and lower impact dyes since the 90s. They also have a circular/upcycling program. Hanna Andersson uses OEKO-TEX certified materials and are GOTS certified.
They are great for organic pajamas and even have adult ones if you’re looking for matching pjs for the family!
Why We Love Them: I appreciate their “hand-me-down” quality and have found some Hanna pieces in excellent condition secondhand; it’s also a well-known brand with great re-sale value.
Hanna Andersson is also a good brand to keep an eye on if your kids love certain characters, they often do Disney or other franchise licensing and are one of the few places you can get more sustainable licensed products.
Brand Features: Born out of a need to find socks that were gentle on her son’s eczema, Q for Quinn makes organic and OEKO-Tex-100 certified cotton socks, tights, underwear and and pjs with adorable prints. They are GOTS certified.
Their matching adult and children sock bundles make the fun and very practical gift!
Why We Love Them: Their socks are so soft and so cute! When my daughter was a baby and also suffering from eczema we loved their undyed “sensitive skin” socks. Now that she’s older she loves picking her Q for Quinn socks for the day and deciding between the fun colours and designs. We also have a couple pairs of their kids underwear which are also soft and well-made.
You can also use code MYGREENCLOSET for 10% off Q for Quinn!
Based In: Canada and also has a US webshop, ships international
Brand Features: Quality basics and wardrobe staples in a range of colours. Mini Mioche manufactures their clothing locally in Canada. They also don’t use any plastic packaging and give back to various organizations.
Why We Love Them: If you’re looking for solid colour staples MM is definitely a brand to check out! They have a great range of colors and their pieces are super versatile and easy to mix and match with. We love them for filling in wardrobe “gaps” – resulting in lots of outfit combos for a kids capsule wardrobe.
I’ve also heard from other mom’s how it can be hard to mix and match outfits when so many clothes are printed, but having some solid colour staples is the solution!
Brand Features: Bright, playful, and oh-so-cute styles! Frugi has a large range of products from everyday clothing to swimwear, accessories, outerwear and even natural rubber boots. The majority of their clothing is made from organic cotton and they also use recycled and other sustainable materials. They are GOTS certified and give back to various organizations.
Frugi also has a women’s collection including maternity and nursing-friendly clothing, and twinning styles!
Why We Love Them: There’s no way Frugi’s fun and cheery prints won’t delight children. Sustainable kids coats can be tough to find, so I was thrilled to discover Frugi had a great selection of outerwear. My daughter loves her new Frugi rain coat and boots so much she often tries to wear them around the house.
Brand Features: Organic AND naturally-dyed clothing. Sustain is committed to making fully biodegradable, plastic-free, organic and natural clothing, even down to their plant-based dyes! They have a collection of styles with beautiful hand-dyed patterns.
Why We Love Them: There’s so much I love about Sustain, you can check out this post to learn more about their natural dyeing. I already owned some of their pieces so was very excited when they launched a children’s collection. Knowing how passionate owner Kat is about organic, safe, and non-toxic clothing I knew their onesies were exactly what I wanted for my newborn’s sensitive skin.
Brand Features: Great brand for basics and especially organic pjs, socks, and underwear. Of the brands based in Europe we’ve tried, Living Crafts is great for a more affordable option! They are GOTS certified and part of Fair Wear.
Brand Features: While Beya Made uses durable, soft, and sustainable linen instead of organic cotton, I still wanted to include them because they are a lovely brand with beautiful products. Their linen is sourced as deadstock and their pieces are made locally in the US.
Why We Love Them: Beya Made has the cutest rompers/dungarees! They are heirloom quality pieces and the adjustable design mean your child can get extra wear from it.
Brand Features: Closet staples made from organic cotton in Fair Trade certified factories. Pact not only has clothes but also underwear and socks. Many of their products are sold in more affordable packs making it easier to stock up on essentials. They are GOTS certified and Fair Trade certified.
Why We Love Them: I own many Pact items myself and they are great staples. While I have had a few quality issues with Pact before the baby clothes we had from them didn’t any any issues, were super cute and fit well.
Brand Features: Nature inspired tees, hoodies, and sweats. tentree uses organic cotton, recycled polyester, and other sustainable materials like Tencel in their collection. In addition to planting 10 tree with every purchase they have a variety of sustainably and impact reduction initiatives.
Why We Love Them: Our whole family loves tentree! While they don’t have the largest selection of children’s clothes, they are fantastic for snuggly hoodies and sweatpants. My daughter can’t get enough of her “sunny hoodie”.
Brand Features: Looking for a good tee? You’re in the right place! The Good Tee is proud of their commitment to transparency and social responsibility and involved from seed to finished product. While they only have a small range of products they’re a great place to check out if you’re looking for t-shirts and tops for the family, or blank tees to customize.
Why We Love Them: I think it’s so cool that The Good Tee offers natural tie-dye kits. I love natural dyeing and made family tees this summer. My toddler was a little too young to get involved but I think an older child would love this activity!
They also offer adult tees or you can tie-dye matching tees!
Brand Features: Parade is best know for their cute pajamas and rompers, but they also offer baby and toddler clothes in soft organic cotton and sweet prints.
Why We Love Them: Parade’s ‘gown’ sleepers were my favourite item of clothing for an infant – they’re soft and snuggly and the open bottom makes them so easy for diaper changes. As my daughter got older we kept using and loving their clothing and pajamas (we’d often ask for a pair of pjs as gifts from friends and family).
Their harem pants are also wonderful if you’re clothing diapering and looking for pants with some extra room for the diaper.
Brand Features: Timeless, unisex, and high quality styles made in Europe from organic, fair trade cotton. Organic Zoo manages a perfect balance between sophisticated yet whimsical and cute designs. Their more earthy colour palette is perfect for those with a natural/minimalist aesthetic or anyone looking for an alternative to the very bright options from most children’s brands.
Why We Love Them: We were gifted a couple Organic Zoo baby pieces and they were not only beautifully soft and well made but also so adorable! They’ve been passed on and because of the quality and unisex styles I’m sure they will be worn by many little ones.
Brand Features:Under the Nile makes baby clothing as well as cute cotton toys, swaddles and other baby products from organic Egyptian cotton which is grown on biodynamic farms. They are GOTS certified and Fair Trade certified.
Why We Love Them: I got a variety of Under the Nile baby clothes, muslins, clothes, swaddles and toys from EarthHero when my daughter was born and they were all great products!
Under the Nile is also one of the few companies that makes organic cotton training underwear starting at size 12m – great for EC! Even though it’s not clothing, I especially appreciate that their stuffed toys are also stuffed with organic cotton (the majority of organic cotton toys are unfortunately stuffed with polyester).
Brand Features: Soft Soul makes baby and toddler soft sole slippers and shoes handmade from sustainable and vegan-friendly cork leather.
Why We Love Them: I found it incredibly challenging to find a more sustainable options for baby shoes, especially something that was lightweight and soft soled to aid with learning to walk. So I was thrilled to then discover Soft Soul and their vegan cork slippers – exactly what I had been searching for! My daughter wore her slippers almost everyday and we were very happy with the quality.
Brand Features: Warm, chunky, children’s and baby wool hats knit by locally grannies! Myssyfarmi‘s wool is organic and sourced locally from responsibly managed farms.
Their main focus is on adult hats and accessories meaning the whole family can get matching Myssy hats!
Why We Love Them: There is nothing more quintessentially winter than a knit hat! Myssyfarmi’s hats not only are nice and cozy but also so cute and I love the brand’s ethos. Their kids hats are very stretchy and you can fold them up so your child should be able to wear them for a long time!
Native’s “Robbie” shoe in my daughters capsule wardrobe
Brand Features: Vegan shoes which can be recycled through their take-back program and turned into other products. Their “Sugarlite” collection is lower impact then their regular EVA shoes, and they also have shoes using Bloom which is proprietary algae-derived foam.
Why We Love Them: Honestly, kids shoes have been tricky. While I don’t love buying shoes essentially made of plastic Native does have some good sustainability initiatives like their recycling program and we have been impressed with the durability of their shoes – after a whole summer of wear they still look almost brand new and can easily be handed-down to other children!
US-based marketplace for all kinds of sustainable products and they have a great selection of baby and children’s items from clothing and accessories to toys, dishes and more.
Canadian retailer with a focus on organic cotton and ethical manufacturing. They carry baby and kids brands such as Organic Zoo, The Simple Folk, Silly Silas, Gray Label and more. Great for neutral colours and hand-me-down quality products.
A Canadian boutique of high quality, and sustainable children’s clothing and products. Mini-Cycle has a circular model and buys back all their products for resale or upcycling. (Their resale program is not currently available after new ownership but they say they are working on starting it again)
As temperatures drop we want to stay comfy and cozy, so many of us reach for warm woolen sweaters and cardigans. While wool offers great insulating and breathable properties it comes from animals, so questions about animal welfare and animal cruelty are very important. Is wool ethical? How about sustainable?
Can Wool be an Ethical Material?
Unlike many other animals products, fibre animals do not need to be killed to obtain wool and many fibre animals actually need to shed to their fleece or be shorn yearly to stay healthy and comfortable. Wool falls into more of a grey area regarding ethical considerations and many people, including vegans, have different thoughts on if wool can actually be cruelty-free.
Wool has been used and farmed for centuries and still plays an important role in many cultures. When fibre animals are not over-bred and farmed on mass-scale, it can also play a very important role within carbon farming and a regenerative agriculture system.
In my opinion wool can be cruelty-free, but very much depending on the circumstances. If sheep, alpacas, and goats are farmed, shorn, bred, and cared for in a healthy, respectful, and humane way then I believe wool can be a responsible purchase.
I’ve have been fortunate to visit and speak with many farmers/ranchers. I’ve seen how fibre animals can be raised in a way where there is a respectful, symbiotic relationship between animals, humans, and the ecosystem. However it’s very important to note that the average wool sweater found in stores unfortunately doesn’t represent these values, likely has zero traceability, and can definitely come from very cruel and inhumane practices.
Factory Farming vs Regenerative and Indigenous Wool Farming
Like other things in the fashion industry, many of the ethical issues stem from a high demand for cheaper clothing which has created the factory farming of fibre animals. Wool that comes from intensive farming focused on maximizing profits is harmful to animals and the environment, and the animals are seen and treated solely as commodities instead of living beings.
Factory farming also seeks to maximize wool output by shearing animals multiple times a year, outside of their natural cycle (getting rid of their winter coats for spring and summer), and keeping as many animals as possible in small spaces.
Whereas Indigenous and regenerative farming takes a more holistic approach. It supports the long-term health of our environment, understanding the synergistic role animals play in agriculture and the respect and well-being they deserve.
So is wool ethical? It’s complicated.And like with most things in the fashion industry, we need to know where our clothing comes from and look for brands that are transparent about their wool and fibre sourcing and animal welfare standards.
Why not avoid all wool to be safe?
Sadly anywhere animals are involved there is the possibility of animal abuse and cruelty. If you want to try your best to ensure no animals were harmed then avoiding all animal products can be a good solution.
Unfortunately though the alternatives aren’t great and many have their own issues as well. Wool is a natural, highly functional, biodegradable, and durable clothing material that can’t be replicated with synthetic alternatives, and fibre farming can have many benefits as part of a climate positive clothing production cycle.
I see a lot of value in wool as a material and in supporting brands who prioritize the treatment and care of animals and improving the environment, but this decision will be different for each person based on your values.
Recycled Wool
Recycled wool can be a “best of both worlds” compromise for some – you get the benefits of natural wool fibres but sourced as a reclaimed waste product. If you’re interested in recycled wool, here are some brands that use it.
Types of Wool and Animal Fibres and What to Look Out For
🐑 Wool
Wool comes from sheep and has been used since the Stone Age to clothe and protect humans. As a fiber it contains many wonderful properties:
Wool is very durable and has natural elasticity – wool garments can last more than a lifetime.
It is antimicrobial and antibacterial. Meaning it does not need to be washed as often as other materials and doesn’t easily get smelly.
Wool has great thermoregulating properties. The unique structure can keep you both warm or also help with cooling. Wool can draw up to a third of it’s weight in moisture from the skin before feeling wet so you’ll be toasty warm without overheating or feeling sweaty or clammy.
Wool is also naturally stain and fire resistant.
There are a variety of types of wool from different breeds of sheep and some are more suited to certain types of clothing because of things like texture and itchiness. Depending on the garment, for example hiking clothing vs outerwear vs an everyday sweater, certain wool qualities (such as softness) will be more or less important.
Ethical Considerations: There devastatingly is no shortage of accounts of animal abuse in the wool industry. So when shopping for any wool product traceability and transparency is vitally important.
Look for: Brands that have comprehensive animal welfare and sustainable farming standards and policies. Ideally brands work directly with small-scale family farms, have visited/audited the farms, and know exactly where their materials come from and can answer questions you have.
You can also keep an eye out for Climate Beneficial™ wool meaning the wool was farmed within a regenerative agriculture system. It’s still a small certification, but hopefully will keep growing!
Merino Wool
I want to single out merino wool because this is a very common type of wool in apparel. It is a crimpy softer fiber and in high demand for it’s light weight and wicking properties as well as for comfort.
Ethical Considerations: Merino wool in particular has certain ethical issues to be aware of. Because it is in such high demand, merino wool can be over-bred and factory farmed, resulting in both environmental and animal cruelty issues. There is also a horrible practice called mulesing done to merino sheep which involves cutting away chunks of skin.
Look for: Brands that make it clear their wool is non-mulesed, have comprehensive animal welfare standards, and sustainable farming practices. Brands should be able to answer questions you have.
ZQ certified wool – This is a certification that includes animal welfare, environmental, and social components and is also working to help farmer implement more regenerative practices.
🦙 Alpaca
Alpaca is a wonderful material for sweaters and knitwear worn against the skin. It is fine, light, wonderfully soft and doesn’t contain lanolin – the oil most people who have wool allergies react to, so it’s naturally hypoallergenic and not irritating.
Ethical Considerations: Alpaca wool mainly comes from South America and the Peruvian highlands where animals live in their natural habitats and are farmed using indigenous and traditional methods. Alpacas can also live in rocky areas which are unsuitable for crops or other animals. Of all the animal fibres available, alpacas are most likely to be raised in a traditional and sustainable way. However there are also alpaca ranchers around the world with different practices.
It’s also important to note that “baby alpaca” does not mean it’s from the babies but rather refers to the finest grading of alpaca fibres.
Look for: Brands that are transparent and can trace their alpaca sourcing. Ideally brands that work directly with small, sustainable family farms and can answer questions you have.
🐐 Cashmere
Cashmere is the soft undercoat of the Kashmir goat. It is lighter and softer than wool and great for thinner, luxurious knits.
Ethical Considerations: Unlike sheep and alpaca, cashmere fibre is not shorn from the animals but combed out during their seasonal molting, many view this as a better option as it reduces the chance of cutting the animals (although a well-trained shearer should never cut the animals). However due to the high demand for cashmere some goat herds are intensively farmed and shorn instead of combed to cut costs (which also results in a poorer quality fibre).
Look for: Cashmere from the goats’ natural habitats in Asia and brands which sourced from farms with traditional and sustainable practices. Cashmere has also been a big contributor towards desertification so brands that care about responsible and restorative land management is also important. Brands should be able to answer questions you have.
Wool is a fascinating fibre and I feel like there is still so much to learn about it and regenerative fiber farming. If you are interested in learning more I recommend checking out Fibershed.
I’d love to know your thoughts on wool and the ethical dilemmas that come along with it.
It’s sweater weather! Get warm and cozy with these sustainable sweaters and knitwear brands.
Wondering what the difference is between alpaca and cashmere, or if wool is even an ethical choice? Check out this companion post all about wool — its fibre properties, the ethical considerations, and what to look for to make more responsible and cruelty-free choices.
The brands we’ve collected have a variety of materials and different approaches and transparency around their ethics, so whether you’re looking for vegan cotton sweaters, recycled wool, or ethically sourced sweaters, you can find something that fits your style and values.
(please note: some affiliate links are used in this post which means we may get a small commission)
Sheep Inc. offers classic cuts, great color options, and strong sustainabilty values. They provide information and transparency about their farming and manufacturing.
Their pieces are made in a solar-powered factory in Portugal where employees are paid a living wage. I also appreciate that they care about their products lasting as long as possible, and include good clothing care info as well as a little sweater comb to keep your knits looking their best!
Sheep Inc.’s knitwear is made from ZQ certified merino wool (the best animal welfare standard currently available) farmed with regenerative practices.
Focusing on recycled merino wool Colorful Standard has a collection of women’s and men’s sweaters and accessories in a wide variety of colors. If you’re looking for specific colors to add to your wardrobe they are great to check out! Colorful Standard uses 100% recycled merino wool which is certified by Global Recycled Standard (GRS).
Amour Vert is great for both basics and more stylish pieces. Their sweater styles range from oversized fits to wrap cardigans, to cute puff-sleeved pieces in neutrals and colours.
Amour Vert has a good selection of organic cotton sweaters and cardigans. (They also sell a few merino wool pieces that they say are non-mulesed but unfortunately don’t provide any other information).
Size Range: XS – XL
Values: Sustainable Materials, Made in USA, Gives Back
Availability: Based in USA, also ships to Canada, Australia, France, Germany & UK
Dedicated is a sustainable streetwear brand with a new collections of timeless sweaters and knit accessories made from from GRS certified post-consumer recycled wool. Dedicated has good factory transparency and many sustainability and responsible manufacturing certifications.
Canada’s beloved shoe brand has now expanded their collection to include knitwear. Poppy Barley’s new sweater line includes classic styles in organic cotton, wool, and recycled cashmere/RWS merino wool blend options.
Their sweaters are designed to be high quality, timeless staples that you can reach for in your closet year-after-year.
Size Range: XS – XXL
Values: Sustainable Materials, B Corp, Gives Back
Availability: Based in Canada, ships international
I love Izzy Lane‘s mission to rescue sheep from slaughter and revitalize local manufacturing. If you’re looking for a wool brand that deeply cares about animal welfare this is it!
Their staple items can be worn for decades or passed down. Both my husband and I have Izzy Lane Sweaters which we wear every fall and winter.
Izzy Lane’s wool sweaters are made from their own flock of rescued sheep who will live out their lives on their pasture.
Size Range: XS – XL
Values: Small-Scale Manufacturing, Made in Britain
Availability: Based in the UK, ships international
Eileen Fisher has a large collection of sustainable sweaters mainly in their classic, comfortable cuts and neutral colours.
Eileen Fisher’s knitwear is available in organic cotton, organic linen, regenerative merino wool certified to the Responsible Wool Standard, and cashmere. It’s important to note that they have a small collection of recycled cashmere but most of their cashmere does not have info on sourcing or ethical standards.
Size Range: XXS – 3X
Values: Sustainable Materials, Take-Back Program, Circularity Initiatives, B Corp
Sustainable and fair trade fashion pioneer People Tree always has a nice collection of both cotton and wool jumpers and cardigans.
People Tree has both PETA-certified vegan sweaters made from organic cotton and organic wool sweaters (merino wool sourced from New Zealand). They provide some information about their animal welfare standards on the product page.
Babaa‘s knitwear somehow strikes a perfect balance of contemporary but also classic styles that you’ll be able to wear for decades. Their knitwear is made in Spain, from fibre to finished product.
Babaa sources their wool and cotton locally. Their wool comes from generational herders who follow traditional practices and responsible land management.
Size Range: One Size
Values: Small-scale Manufacturing, Factory Transparency, Plastic Free, Made in Spain
NAADAM goes beyond the traditional sweater, also offering unique and fashion forward cashmere knitwear that’s super cozy!
NAADAM focuses on cashmere which they source from native herders in the Gobi desert who use traditional hand-combing. Some of their cashmere is blended with wool, cotton, and modal but they unfortunately provide little information about the sustainability and sourcing of these other materials. However, NAADAM does have other sustainability goals they’re working to achieve by 2025.
While they only have a few sweaters, I really appreciate Organic Basics‘ sustainability and transparency. Plus, they make great basics!
Organic Basics sweaters are made with recycled wool, a great option for reducing waste, saving energy and resources, and avoiding ethical issues with new wool.
Filippa K crafts stylish and classic sweaters that are meant to last, using many different materials including wool, cashmere, silk, organic cotton and recycled cotton. This Swedish brand creates fashion based in Scandinavian minimalism.
Knitting is a fun and fulfilling project, and you can make exactly what you want!
One of the best things you can do is to source local wool from sustainable and responsible farms or local yarn stores. It’s a wonderful way to support small businesses and oftentimes you can even visit the farms. Check if there is a Fibershed near you where many farmers also use regenerative practices.
Wool and the Gang is great if you’re looking for cute and trendy styles, with everything you need to make your own sweater!
Some of their yarns are definitely better than others, and for sustainability and ethics we’d recommend sticking with their upcycled or organic cotton and hemp blend yarns.
Is checking your email and streaming a movie affecting the planet? Yes, but it’s not as bad as you think.
If you’re one of the 4.1 billion people who use the internet worldwide, then you’ve probably checked your email, sent some texts and maybe even watched a YouTube video today after someone sent you a link. As the day goes on, you’ll do more activities online as we now count on the internet to do so many things for us from organizational tasks to entertainment.
Many companies claim to power their data centres using renewable energy, but many are still largely powered from the burning of fossil fuels. Many of the major cloud providers have pledged to cut their carbon emissions.
Search engines
According to Google, an average user – someone who performs 25 searches each day, watches 60 minutes of YouTube, has a Gmail account and accesses some of its other services – produces less than 8g (0.28oz) CO2e a day. While that’s a good figure, I’ll bet you still didn’t realise that casual internet usage used even that much energy.
According to Netflix, its total global energy consumption reached 451,000 megawatt hours per year in 2019, which is enough to power 37,000 homes, but insists it purchases renewable energy certificates and carbon offsets to compensate for any energy that comes from fossil fuel sources.
The numbers above don’t even take into consideration that during the hard lockdown in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study from Yale estimates that internet usage increased by up to 40% worldwide. This spike in online activity triggered a demand for up to 42.6 million megawatt-hours of additional electricity to support data transmission and to power data centers.
So what can I do about it?
While there are bigger issues surrounding trying to curb greenhouse gas emissions, this shows that our online habits can still have a negative impact and it’s up to us and the companies that serve us to do a better job of cutting down emissions.
How to Reduce your Online Energy Use
Switch to greener suppliers
Switch to a renewable energy supplier and replace energy-consuming IT equipment with the lowest carbon product. Also make sure that you recycle any equipment effectively.
Change the way you use email
Unsubscribe from all those email lists you know you never check any way and use services like WeTransfer to send large images and attachments instead of attaching them to the mail directly.
Switch off and save
Simply making sure your devices are powered off when not in use or using energy saving settings makes a difference.
Turn off your camera
If they don’t need to see your face, then turn off the camera. This can save your internet connection as well as carbon emissions.
While on my personal journey to replace my everyday bath products with eco-friendly alternatives, I knew that my dental products were responsible for most of my plastic use. Having spent my whole life using toothpaste tubes, I was reluctant to try other formulas… until I heard about Bite.
Bite’s website offers a wide range of eco-friendly dental products such as whitening gel and mouthwash, but they are most known for their toothpaste bits/tablets.
At least 1.5 billion toothpaste tubes are thrown out globally each year. Most of these tubes are made of environmentally harmful materials such as an unrecyclable combination of plastic and aluminum. Bite’s toothpaste bits come in a pressed pellet form and are packaged in a glass bottle—totally eliminating the need for plastic.
These bits are also working to keep your teeth healthy. Bite’s formula is 100% gluten-free, vegan, and cruelty-free. That means there are no sulfates, parabens, or preservatives used. The bits are also fluoride-free.
I decided to give Bite’s formula a try. Here’s what I learned:
I ordered the trial-size bottle of the original Fresh Mint Toothpaste Bits. My package came secured in a brown cardboard envelope (again, no plastic) within about three days. The jar was surprisingly small for what I was expecting. Standing at only about two inches tall, the glass jar is able to fit 62 toothpaste bits which should last two months.
The tablets are an off-white color and a bit chalky to touch. You’re supposed to chew a tablet and then start brushing with a wet toothbrush. Now, there was definitely a bit of a learning curve. Having always used toothpaste, the transition to tablets was strange for me at first. Although, after a few days, I learned how to properly chew and brush in order to reap the best results and I quickly got used to it.
I wasn’t sure how much the tablet would dissolve versus how much I needed to chew it first. It took me a few times to get used to this method because you need to chew the tablet thoroughly to avoid having crumbs in your mouth as you brush.
Once I started brushing, it began to foam like regular toothpaste. If you’re someone that usually puts a lot of toothpaste on your brush, I would recommend trying two tablets at a time if you find there isn’t enough foam to clean your whole mouth.
As for the taste, I really have no complaints. It’s just as minty as your usual product. My mouth and teeth felt just as clean as they do when using tubed toothpaste.
Overall, I would consider Bite toothpaste bits to be a great alternative option. The package was trustworthy, the application was fairly easy, and the aftermath felt similar to usual toothpaste.
Try Bite for yourself by purchasing a mini bottle (62 toothpaste tablets, $12). You can also join the subscription service The Fresh Mint Club, which will send you a full-size bottle (248 toothpaste tablets, $30) every four months.
If you’re curious about other zero waste toothpaste alternatives, check out these options as well:
Looking for an easy, one-stop shop to pick up sustainable and ethically-made clothing for everyone in your family? Here’s a roundup of brands that make conscious clothes for women, men, and children so your whole family can have a lighter impact on the planet.
This round-up is in partnership with tentree, one of my family’s most-worn sustainable clothing brands.
If you counted the brands in our closet, between my husband and I tentree would be a clear favourite. We love their focus on functional, comfortable, and good quality, yet still stylish and easy-to-wear everyday clothing.
Regarding their sustainability, tentree’s efforts and impact goes well beyond planting trees with each purchase, they also:
Use lower impact materials such as Tencel, organic cotton, hemp, and recycled polyester made from plastic bottles.
Track the environmental footprint of their garments.
Pay living wages and their code of conduct for factories is publicly available.
Are working to completely eliminate virgin plastic from all packaging materials by 2023.
tentree is our family’s go-to for comfy pieces and they have a great variety of styles. They’re a staple brand in my husband’s wardrobe and our toddler is the newest tentree fan, absolutely loving her cozy “sunny hoodie” as she calls it.
Based in: Canada, also have US webshop Sizes: Women XS-XXL, Men S-XXL, Children 1T – 5 Price for a T-Shirt: $25 – $45
All wearing tentree hoodies and Ben and I wearing tentree pants
Looking for fun prints and graphics? This is the brand for you! Dedicated is a Swedish streetwear brand with strong values – they use sustainable materials like GOTS and Fair Trade certified cotton, recycled polyester and Tencel, are a PETA-Approved vegan brand, and manufacture with SA8000 and WRAP certified factories.
Based in: Sweden Sizes: Women XS-XL, Men XS-XXL, Children 56-134 Price for a T-Shirt: €29 – €35
A marketplace for all your sustainable needs! US-based EarthHero carries a fantastic selection of not just women’s, men’s, baby and children’s clothing brands but also sustainable accessories, home, and low-waste lifestyle products.
Based in: USA Sizes: Women XS-XXL, Men S-XXL, Children 0M-8 Price for a T-Shirt: $24 – $37
A good brand for basics and wardrobe staples. PACT has a variety of essentials, everyday clothes, activewear, and loungewear made from organic cotton in Fair Trade certified factories .
Based in: USA Sizes: Women XS-XXL, Men S-XXL, Children NB-10/12 Price for a T-Shirt: $24 – $48
German brand Living Crafts carries a large variety of organic basics, loungewear, underwear, pajamas, and everyday clothes for the whole family. They are GOTS certified and members of the Fair Wear Foundation.
Based in: Germany Sizes: Women XS-XL, Men S-XL, Children 62-158 Price for a T-Shirt: €13 – €45
Need some new denim for the family? Warp + Weft has jeans for everyone and their denim is spun, dyed, and sewn in their own US-based factory where they have implemented water-saving initiatives and low-impact finishing.
Based in: USA Sizes: Women 00-24, Men 29-42, Children 2T-14 Price for Jeans: $26 – $98
Another great marketplace, Made Trade offers a variety of clothing and home goods with a focus on quality craftsmanship, artisan-made products, fair manufacturing, and sustainability.
The name says it all. Canadian-brand The Good Tee makes organic and fair trade tees and tops. If you’re looking for a fun family project also check out their natural tie-dye kit.
Based in: Canada Sizes: Women XS-XXL, Men XS-XXL, Children 0M-14 years Price for a T-Shirt: $25 – $40
A sustainable staple for outdoor, active and everyday casual-wear. Patagonia uses a variety of sustainable materials, has a great take-back/upcycling program, and the majority of their products are Fair Trade certified.
Based in: USA Sizes: Women XXS-XXL, Men XS-XXXL, Children NB-14 Price for a T-Shirt: $29 – $55
