11 ethical fashion brands you've probably never heard of (but that we guarantee you'll love)
Want to get on board with this season's top trends but conscious of your ever-growing guilty conscience? Where has that dress come from? What is it made of? Who made it, and were they treated fairly?
Thanks to the forever-impressive exemplar brands such as Stella McCartney who grew her brand based entirely on ethical and sustainable practices, a number of high street staples such as H&M and Reserved now have dedicated conscious collections as brands begin to pick up the pace to keep up with the demand of the more culturally-aware customer by acknowledging and addressing major flaws that have so far gone entirely unnoticed within the industry's manufacturing process.
But, of course, we're not there yet. And doing 'the right thing' isn't always as black and white as we'd hope, with 'sustainable collections' rarely hitting the mark in terms of their 'ethical' production practices, and 'ethical collections' not always equating to 'sustainable' ones.
Just because an item has been sustainably made (which means it's able to be recreated and replenished countless times with no effect on the environment) does not necessarily make it ethical (i.e. there has been no harm, physically or mentally, to human or animal welfare).
There are similar questions being asked in silk and leather industries.
It's a tricky balance to strike, and one that needs to be addressed at the source - one that will be, if awareness and demand for such practices continues to rise - but while we wait for a frighteningly large majority of brands to make the first move, it's worth familiarising yourself with the smaller labels who are making a difference.
Check out our feature on the best sustainable brands to shop right now to educate yourself on the world of sustainable fashion, and scroll down to discover more about the eleven ethical brands that you've likely never heard of but that we just know you'll love...
For more from Glamour UK's Fashion Editor Charlie Teather, follow her on Instagram @charlieteather
MASHU
Designed in London before being handmade by artisans in Athens, Mashu's luxury handbags not only cater to the sustainably-conscious, but also the ethically-conscious via their dedication to vegan materials. Satisfying a customer so often forgotten by bag designers, the use of vegan leather (Water Based PU) and recycled polyester suede renders these exquisitely-crafted, fashion-forward designs a beautiful, guilt-free option for everyone.
HOUSE OF SUNNY
Founded in 2011 by Sunny Williams, House of Sunny is an independent womenswear designer label based in London and bursting with elevated essentials that every wardrobe craves. Not only do they have a dedicated sustainability focus, but they also do not use fur, leather, skins or silk and the only wool they do use is course from producers with good animal husbandry. The team frequently visits their production partners overseas to ensure that the process is always ethical.
STUDIO PIA
You may not be aware, but silk is actually a hugely unethical fabric. Silkworms produce the threads to make cocoons (casings created to protect themselves), but in order to mass produce silk these insects are boiled or gassed alive in order to obtain these unused threads in a single, unbroken filament. Studio Pia is a beautiful, ethical, lingerie brand, who not only use solely Peace Silk - cruelty-free, non-violent silk breeding and harvesting - but crucially pride themselves on always looking for ways to minimise the environmental impact of products, and supporting the ethical treatment of workers in their supply chain.
Getty ImagesV BY TOWNSLEY
Co-founded by sisters-in-law Georgina (who works in film and documentaries) and Jo (ex-head of wholesale at MaxMara) Townsley, this staunchly vegan bag brand is proof that thoughtful, ethical labels needn't scrimp on aesthetic excellence. Handcrafted by artisans in Italy using innovative cruelty-free Japanese vegan leather, V by Townsley offers up different sizes and styles available in a variety of colours - with care taken regarding the sourcing of components from the leather all the way down to the glue.
BOYISH
With a keen focus on both sustainability and ethical fashion, denim LA-based label Boyish harnesses a deep commitment to leaving as little impact on the both the earth as possible while ensuring all processes are ethically sound. Utilising both ethical and sustainable practices when developing and manufacturing products, all jeans are produced with sustainable fabrics via a totally environmentally-friendly and cruelty-free process. They're also hot as hell, which is a bonus, and available to shop on Selfridges, Lofte and Free People.
Getty ImagesASOS MADE IN KENYA
ASOS's exclusive Made in Kenya collection works with SOKO Kenya - a clothing manufacturer that provide fair and safe employment training for some of the country’s poorest communities - to actively improve the lives of members of the local community. The initiative offers skills and support to drive sustainable development and help build a global community through fashion.
NYSSA
Having launched earlier this year, conscious fine jewellery label Nyssa is bringing its beautiful designs to the masses via a brand new online store. Only using conflict-free diamonds and working with female miners in Tanzania for the brand’s 100% traceable gemstones, Nyssa has also taken action to owning factories and small scale ethical mining operations. The brand will only work with partners that provide their employees with safe and fair working conditions, devoting itself to the fair treatment of all workers involved in the process. Leading by example and focussing on making positive change in "an industry that traditionally favors profitability over responsibility", Nyssa's pieces are not only ethical but sustainable too. The jewellery is made only of fairtrade gold and silver or 100% recycled gold, and the brand has also created a 'lifetime buy-back programme', in order to close the loop, trace Nyssa jewellery’s journey and create new original in-house designs.
NINETY PERCENT
London-based contemporary label Ninety Percent launched in early 2018, and - as the name suggests - shares 90% of the profits between a number of charitable causes. The remaining 10% is split evenly between those who make the clothes and those who run the brand. From cosy staples to elevated basics, there's a smorgasbord of options that all contribute to a brilliant initiative. You can shop Ninety Percent on Net-A-Porter, The Outnet and Selfridges.
AWAY THAT DAY
Hitting both the sustainable and ethical nail on the head, Away That Day is a swimwear label that creates beautiful pieces solely from Econyl. A brilliant fibre which is made from nylon scraps, ocean plastics and fishing nets, not only does the process reuse and repurpose materials (ticking the recycled, sustainable box) but it also ensures the ethical collection and removal of debris from our oceans which, if left, severely damages marine wildlife.
Getty ImagesBEULAH LONDON
A favourite of Kate Middleton's Beulah London is a luxury womenswear brand with serious social conscience. After embarking upon a volunteering mission in Delhi to help transform the lives of vulnerable women who had been trafficked into the sex trade against their will, the founders decided they wanted to help educate others on how to break the cycle of poverty. Each piece sold helps support vulnerable women through employment. You can shop Beulah London on Matches Fashion.
BAR JEWELLERY
Priding themselves on both their sustainable and ethical consciousness, Bar Jewellery have a very simple mission: to produce beautiful, desirable pieces that "don't harm the environment or the people in our supply chain". Using recycled materials, the brand publicly acknowledges the importance of a respectful, relaxed office environment and ensures that the artisans who produce the products are always paid a fair wage.
