Since the recent movement toward ethical clothing and apparel, we wanted to take a look at what some of the most ethical clothing brands in the United States were doing. Here’s our list of 42 of the most ethical clothing brands from the USA, and how they are making an impact on their industry and consumers to create more sustainable products and living practices. You’ll be surprised by what you see!
Best Apparel Manufacturing Practices
You might think that a clothing brand is just a clothing brand—and that may be true—but some brands do actually care about their impact on society. Be sure to check out our list of apparel manufacturing best practices to see how your favorite brand rates. With new ethical fashion companies popping up every day, you should definitely stay informed and vote with your dollars! Here are some of our favorites (in no particular order). Please note: No Apparel brands were harmed in making these lists.
Environmentally Conscious
So the list is about the top 50 most ethical clothing brands, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are the greenest or most environmentally conscious. If a brand or company has an Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Certified stamp on their clothing label, it means they have passed independent testing for skin and eye irritation, potential hazards to human health and safety, as well as colorfastness for all dyes.
Quality Products with Great Ethics
The majority of the clothing you wear is created to make a profit. That doesn’t mean that all apparel companies are greedy, but it does mean that they’re trying to sell something to someone. The list below details some of the most ethically-minded best clothing brands in the United States today—all of which make quality clothes and still strive for profit (which means their products aren’t free).
5% of Profits go to Charities
When you buy from brands with a charitable giving component, like TOMS Shoes or Wildflower, part of the company’s profits go to support good causes. Of course, just because a brand donates part of its profits doesn’t mean it treats workers ethically. But by donating a portion of their proceeds to charity—and using their profile as influencers in the community to advocate for changes in social policies and corporate practices—these companies are making the world a better place both inside and outside the workplace.
Sustainable Production Practices
In order to find the most ethical brands, we had to narrow down the selection to companies that were not only dedicated to manufacturing their clothing ethically but also whose products could actually be classified as sustainable. After much research and debate, we narrowed our list down to 14 brands with a commitment to sustainable production practices. We believe these are the most ethical brands on the market.
100% Organic Cotton
Producing 100% organic cotton is more expensive than conventional cotton, but it’s also more eco-friendly. With a rigorous certification process and no pesticides or harmful chemicals used in the growing process, it can be sold as certified organic and labeled USDA Organic.
Workplace Happiness / Compassionate Management
A few factors are associated with high employee engagement, such as working in an innovative environment, having a high level of trust, and being in control over what you do. However, one significant predictor of employee engagement is management style. If managers are seen as kind and compassionate towards their employees, then the employees will be more engaged than if the managers were not viewed as compassionate. This leads to increased performance for the company which allows it to have a competitive advantage within its industry.
Fair Wages / Living Wage
A living wage is an income needed to meet basic needs (including food, shelter, health care, and education) and act as a buffer against extreme poverty. This calculation typically comes out to more than what an individual currently earns at his or her job. Living wages are not only beneficial for the worker but also help reduce the overall cost of public assistance programs like Medicaid and food stamps.
Conclusion
While it’s impossible to avoid all unethical clothing brands, you can make better ethical choices by avoiding these brands and buying only those brands that are still trying to behave ethically. So, here is our list of ethical clothing brands in the USA.
