It can be really challenging to find authentic eco-friendly brands. Most brands out there, from clothing to make-up, to cleaning supplies, are simply concerned about their growth and capital gains. They don’t care about the lives of the workers that produce their products. They don’t care about the environmental damage they are causing. At the end of the day, all they care about is the profit they make. All those people at the top of these companies just want to become rich. And most of the times, it just feels impossible to find a truly eco-friendly brand.
Clothing brands like Forever 21 are perfect examples of these companies. They overwork and underpay laborers that have to work in dangerous conditions. They create tons of textile waste and greenhouse emissions, and they create low-quality apparel. More and more clothing is made, and just as quickly, those clothes go out of season and are forgotten or are worn-out. I only learned about these things recently and was actually a usual customer for brands similar to Forever 21. But, now I know better, and hopefully you should too.
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Are there eco-friendly brands out there?
Just because many or most companies operate under unsustainable ways, doesn’t mean that all companies are the same. There are definitely companies that are eco-friendly, pay their workers’ fair wages, and work on creating sustainable products. But, sometimes it can be hard to pick out the companies that are doing good, or are just greenwashing. All the companies listed here are committed to creating real sustainable products that last ages.
I know that buying eco-friendly clothes from environmentally conscious brands is not a viable option for many. It can be pretty expensive, but there are also plenty of eco-friendly brands out there that are affordable. And, sometimes spending a couple more dollars on a high-quality t-shirt ends up paying itself off. That shirt may last you years longer than the lower-quality shirts you used to buy!
1. Svala
- Handbags and Accessories
- PETA approved
What kinds of products do they have?
Svala has the most gorgeous bags that make great gifts for the eco-friendly and vegan fashionista. They specialize in making vegan leather handbags that use natural materials such as pineapple plant fibers and cork. They also have handbags made from Italian vegan leather manufactured by a company that offsets their greenhouse emissions with solar generators. Their handbags are lined with organic cotton and recycled polyester to ensure that each handbag will last decades.
What makes them an eco-friendly brand?
- Vegan
- Cruelty-Free
- Safe conditions for workers
- Sustainable materials
- Eco-Friendly factories and manufacturing
- Long-lasting products
- Donate 10% of profits to environmental organizations
Svala has tested hundreds of different vegan leathers and only uses the most eco-friendly and durable options out there. Ultimately, their mission is to create vegan fashion items that are sustainably and ethically produced. They are also transparent about their profits and how they use that money. In fact, they currently donate about 10% of their profits to charities such as Wild aid, an organization that it trying to end wild animal trade.
These products might be more expensive than handbags you could find at H&M or Forever 21, but these products are worth the price. You are paying for beauty, quality, sustainability, and to actually provide the factory-workers fair-wages. I highly suggest Svala products as birthday or holiday gifts, or just to treat yourself. You deserve it! ;)
“Svala was created with the following values in mind that drive everything that we do: high-quality vegan products, handcrafted locally and ethically from the best available premium fabrics, offered without the traditional retail markup, with a brand focus on sustainability and giving back. “
2. Terra Thread
- Backpacks, Totes, and other Accessories
- Certified B Corp (certification of "social and environmental performance" in companies)
This store makes great eco-friendly, organic, and fair-trade certified bags, totes, and other accessories. They also partnered with Feeding America and help donate 10 to 20 meals to families and people in need with each purchase made on their side. Their Everyday Backpacks cost less than $60 and have tons of 5-star reviews. They're simple, modern, and chic.
Plus, just through the purchase of that one backpack, which is completely carbon neutral, terra thread will donate 20 meals to people in need, save 268 days of drinking water for a single person, and will avoid 3 miles of driving emission! Overall, this is a great product and it's good for the planet too! What’s not to love! Their website is also great and has lots of information on their company and values. They have pictures of their factories (that are fair-trade certified!) and are transparent on how their products are manufactured. So, you'll know what you're getting and how it was made!
Curious for more Eco Food Stuff content?
Check out our vegan and vegetarian recipes here and other articles on living an eco-friendly lifestyle here. Please drop a comment on any other eco-friendly brands and companies you think deserve to be up here! Have a great day :)
All these brands look great, thank you so much for your wonderful blog!