22 WOC-Owned Slow Fashion Brands

posted in brand roundups

Last Updated on April 17, 2024

Here are our picks for beautiful, sustainable and ethical clothing brands owned by women of colour.

I also think it’s important to note that minority-owned businesses have also been disproportionately affected by the pandemic so now more than ever can use your support!

This roundup includes everything from evening dresses and officewear, to underwear and swimsuits, so there’s sure to be something to fit our wardrobe needs. 💚


AFF&JAM

UK-based duo who rework and hand-paint vintage pieces turning them into wearable art.

Black-owned upcycling clothing brand AFF&JAM
Images from AFF&JAM

Aliya Wanek

Eponymous label based in the US. Her collection is made in the Bay Area from sustainable and natural materials (lots of hemp!) with a focus on comfort and style.

Black woman owned sustainable clothing brand Aliya Wanek
Images from Aliya Wanek

Bhoomki

Garments featuring sustainable, artisan textiles including hand-woven, block printed, embroidered, naturally dyed textiles and more.

Their own collection is fair made in India and they also carry other brands in their store (which I had the pleasure of visiting on a trip to New York a couple years ago and it’s lovely!)

WOC-owned slow fashion, artisan clothing brand Bhoomki
Images from Bhoomki

BOLD Swim

US-based colourful, cute, and sexy swimwear brand. Their swimsuits are made in Brazil from Amni® Soul Eco which is a biodegradable polyamide.

Black woman owned sustainable swimwear brand Bold Swim
Images from BOLD Swim

Dynasty George

Romantic, feminine dresses made in NYC from deadstock and natural materials. They also have and adorable mommy & me collection and ensure all their waste gets repurposed.

Image from Dynasty George

Galerie.LA

Galerie.LA carries a beautiful, curated selection of sustainable and ethical fashion, accessories, and lifestyle goods. They have an online shop as well as a brick and mortar store in LA.


Gracemade

A modesty-focused clothing line made in LA from deadstock and natural materials.

Black woman owned modest natural clothing brand Gracemade
Images from Gracemade

J. Jackman

Workwear is definitely hard to find in the sustainable/ethical fashion space, but Germany-based J.Jackman‘s chic womenswear is filling that gap! The office-appropriate dresses and separates are all made in their Berlin studio from natural materials.

Black woman owned sustainable work/office clothing brand J.Jackman
Images from J. Jackman

Kaela Kay

Bright, colourful and size-inclusive Canadian brand featuring African textiles in contemporary silhouettes. Their pieces are all made in Toronto, the line goes up to a size 22/3X, and they will do custom work for any size!

Black woman owned Made-in-Canada colourful clothing brand Kaela Kay
Images from Kaela Kay

Kamso

Children’s and baby clothing brand based in the UK. Their pieces are ethically made in Nigeria and India.


Proclaim.

Size inclusive (up to 3x) underwear and bralettes in a range of nude shades. Made in LA from sustainable materials.

WOC-owned inclusive nude underwear line Proclaim
Images from Proclaim

MATTER

Unique, seasonless styles showcasing artisan textiles. MATTER is based in Singapore and fairly manufactures in India. They also do great work sharing information and promoting slow fashion.
(I have many pieces from them which I love!)

WOC-owned artisan slow fashion brand MATTER
Images from Matter (some of my personal favourite pieces)

Milo + Niki

Cruelty-free brand based in Texas and made in New York. They use a variety of sustainable materials including a fabric derived from bananas.

WOC-owned sustainable and vegan clothing brand Milo + Niki
Images from Milo + Niki

Msichana

A brand from my hometown! Canadian label showcasing African textiles and fairly made by women artisans in Africa. They also have a collection of jewellery and accessories.

Black woman owned clothing brand Msichana
Images from Msichana

Poplinen

Size inclusive (up to 3x) sustainable brand made in downtown Los Angeles. Wardrobe basics made from natural materials.

WOC-owned sustainable and plus size clothing brand Poplinen
Images from Poplinen

SANCHO’S

UK boutique with a variety of sustainable and ethical fashion, accessory, and home good brands, as well as an in-house line. They have an online shop as well as a brick-and-mortar store in Exeter.


SELFISH

Colourful, fun, and flattering swimwear with both sexy and sporty cuts, made in Canada from mostly recycled materials.

Images from SELFISH

SIKA

UK-based label with bold cuts, colours, and prints, fairly made in Ghana.

Black woman owned colorful clothing brand Sika
Images from SIKA

Taylor Jay

Eponymous womenswear line made in Oakland, California from sustainable materials.

Black woman owned sustainable clothing brand Taylor Jay
Images from Taylor Jay

The Tiny Closet

Unique silhouettes and elevated minimalist essentials designed as timeless capsule pieces. The clothes are made in LA from deadstock fabrics.

Black woman owned sustainable clothing brand The Tiny Closet
Images from The Tiny Closet

Two Days Off

A US-based brand making effortless, minimalist pieces. Their garments are made-to-order in LA from natural and deadstock materials.

Black woman owned sustainable clothing brand Two Days Off
Images from Two Days Off

Valani

Classic and feminine cuts made form sustainable materials like hemp and Tencel. Based in the US, Valani’s garments are fairly made in a GOTS certified factory in India.

Image from Valani

Wasi Clothing

A fun, colourful line with lots of graphics and prints as well as art prints! Based and made in the US.

WOC-owned clothing brand Wasi
Images from Wasi Clothing



I’m sure there are brands I’ve missed, so please share any other sustainable/ethical WOC-owned fashion brands you love in the comments!

Also be sure to check out Melanin & Sustainable Style and Buy From BIPOC, they are both excellent resources for lifestyle, home, fashion, beauty, and wellness brands owned by people of colour.

💚

4 Responses

  1. Elaine
    | Reply

    I just purchased a dress from Kemi Telford. She’s a Black woman making amazing dresses out of the UK!

    • Verena Erin
      | Reply

      Ooo thanks for sharing!

  2. Elle
    | Reply

    Melanin and sustainable style has lots of resources! https://melaninass.com/

  3. Marjorie Smales
    | Reply

    Wow, thank you so much for sharing these brands! They are all new to me, but I’m certainly going to give each and every one a really good look-through.

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