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Six eco-friendly high street fashion brands for the environmental shopper
Weekday recently launched a collection that’s 100 per cent recycled
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Your support makes all the difference.While you may be under the impression that it's difficult to find fashion brands that are ethical and sustainable, it's actually far easier than you think.
An increasing number of fashion labels are declaring their commitment to looking after the environment, many of which are available to purchase on the high street.
In October 2018, the Environmental Audit Committee wrote a letter to 10 of the biggest high street stores in the UK urging the companies to take action against "fast fashion", and encourage their customers not to waste clothing.
Here are six brands that have proven their eco-friendly values as of late:
Weekday
Swedish brand Weekday recently released its SS19 collection.
It features a range of clothes that has been manufactured from 100 per cent recycled materials.
Produced in collaboration with Spanish upcycling company Recover, the environmentally-friendly collection includes a variety of clothing ideal for work, stylish denim pieces and chic sleepwear.
All of the apparel has been created by combining post-industrial cotton waste with recycled polyester to create fibres.
This manufacturing process saves energy, carbon dioxide, water and chemicals from being wasted.
Take a closer look at the Weekday x Recover collection here.
Mango
Over the years, Spanish label Mango has declared its commitment towards eco-friendly fashion through its Take Action programme.
Its goal is for 50 per cent of the cotton used in its collections to be sourced sustainably by 2022.
“The future of fashion starts here.The views of consumers and sustainability awareness have evolved exponentially in recent years, in the same way that fashion has," said Daniel López, vice chairman of the company.
"Mango is committed to making its business model more sustainable.”
Reformation
Los Angeles-based fashion brand Reformation has become a firm favourite among fashion aficionados over the past few years, for both its stylish designs and commitment towards sustainable fashion.
The company states that it sources the "most beautiful and sustainable fabrics possible", explaining that it places materials in five categories depending on how much impact they're going to have on the environment.
"We tried to make these standards as holistic as possible, taking into consideration water input, energy input, land use, eco-toxicity, greenhouse gas emissions, human toxicity, availability and price," the brand outlines.
These five categories are: "Allstars", "Better than most", "Could be better", "Don't use unless certified", and "Eww, never".
Reformation's goal is to create at least three quarters of its clothing with materials in the top two categories.
Ksenia Schnaider
Ukrainian fashion label Ksenia Schnaider has been an advocate of sustainable fashion ever since it was founded in 2011 by husband and wife duo Ksenia and Anton Schnaider.
"As a designer, it’s important for me to create clothing not only with organic and vintage materials, but also to make them cutting-edge," Ksenia said.
"After all, people, especially from the post Soviet generation, are still not buying something just because it’s good for the planet. They want something that they believe is cool and what makes them look good."
Boasting celebrity fans including Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa, Ksenia Schnaider has been making waves in the fashion industry over the past few years.
In September 2018, the brand unveiled its SS19 collection, demonstrating its prowess with denim for which it's become well-known.
H&M
Earlier this month, H&M announced that it is well on its way to using 100 per cent sustainable materials in the manufacturing process.
This year, 57 per cent of the fabrics used by H&M group are recycled or sustainably sourced.
This percentage has increased by 22 per cent in just one year.
The fashion label explained it hopes to be 100 per cent sustainable by 2030.
In 2013, the high street brand became the first fashion company to launch a clothing collection initiative across the globe.
From February 2013, customers have been able to hand in secondhand clothes in H&M stores.
Matt and Nat
As a vegan fashion label, Matt & Nat is paving the way for other brands by not using any animal products in its production line.
That's not all, as the company also uses recycled plastic bottles to create its bags.
"In addition to being vegan, sustainable materials are constantly sourced in design such as cork and rubber," the label states.
Celebrities who have expressed their support for Matt & Nat include Natalie Portman, Olivia Wilde, Charlize Theron and Tobey Maguire.
The label's SS19 collection uses an array of bold colours and sharp lines for a striking overall statement.
To read the ultimate guide to buying ethical and sustainable fashion, click here.
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