If you love the idea of shopping ethically, but still want to keep to your budget I have 6 ethical yet totally affordable brands you should know about.

Ethical fashion is everywhere these days. Huge retailers like Target and the Gap are jumping on the bandwagon (hey I won’t complain about that). Magazines, blogs, and podcasts are springing up everywhere you look.

You may have heard of ethical fashion before but if you’re new to it, welcome!

C’mon on in! The water’s fine.

Perhaps you’ve struggled with your style in the past, or with an addiction to fast fashion or clothing and now you’ve started to clean out, get organized and simplified and you want to start incorporating more eco-friendly products into your life, including clothing.

But you don’t know where to start and you want to investigate more before making any huge purchases. If that’s so, then this is the place for you.

With many ethical brands running a small but fierce operation, it’s challenging for them to put so much effort into design, sourcing, and production and keep costs low. Until we are able to change industry standards and help brands reach a larger audience that will help to drive costs down, we can still expect to pay a bit more for some ethically made items.

But for now, until we see the tide change, there are actually plenty of ethical and sustainable brands you can support without going over your clothing budget.

Auntie Oti

Auntie Oti is an amazing accessories line that I discovered at a boutique out in Tucson Arizona called Bon Boutique. Auntie Oti is a small company that sources traditionally homemade textiles from across various regions of India.

“This slow community-based method defies the generic mass produced products consumed today.”

The material is lovely and has worn well over the past 4 or 5 years I’ve owned it. You can use this as a scarf or towel and it’s machine washable. This is one of my most beloved pieces. And because of the uniqueness of its production, it is one of a kind.

You can find out more about them at their website.

Everlane

Everlane is everywhere right now. I love this brand for their commitment to basics and to showing transparency in their production line. I appreciate their mission and design which encourages capsule dressing. All the tones and colors marry together seamlessly so you don’t need to worry about whether or not your individual items go together.

They also have a “choose what you pay” feature. From time to time they will have that option versus having a traditional sale.

One thing I don’t mention in the video is that for me, I personally love that they keep certain styles in rotation season after season with a slow build up to new products and a long window of availability.

I cannot stand that aspect of fast fashion where I see a blouse I love and before I can really take the time to try it and consider it, it’s gone. That really bugs me and I can’t tell you the number of times in the past I wanted to buy but couldn’t because the items were already moved out.

I’m a slow and deliberate shopper so I really like that Everlane keeps styles around for several months or longer.

Levi’s

Jeans are such a staple piece in our modern world. I love jeans and wear them almost every day. I also just love denim in general and own a couple of denim skirts.

My Levi’s 501’s from the thrift store are my favorite pair of jeans.

You may not think that Levi’s one of the worlds leading manufacturers of sustainable denim but they are. No, Levi’s is not a perfect company. What company is? However, when you investigate their efforts you can see that, since they’re not going anywhere and will continue to produce denim for the foreseeable future, they are committed to limiting their impact on the environment and on the chain of production including their workforce.

No company is perfect, but I love what Levi’s is up to.

Cheap Monday

I’ve spoken about Cheap Monday in another post. Designed in Sweden and made with organic cotton, I appreciate this brand’s commitment to quality and sustainable products at an affordable price.

They absolutely nail perfectly tailored high waisted jeans at an affordable price. Keep in mind that these jeans do tend to run a bit on the small side because of the Swedish tailoring. So order up. I normally wear a 27 in most American jeans. In Cheap Monday, I wear a 29, 30, or even 31.

Moheda

What’s not to love about clogs. They’re comfortable and stylish and made by hand.

I think Moheda clogs are a great alternative to Swedish Hasbeens if you’re looking to save on price but still want to have a high-quality clog that will last you several seasons or years.

I tend to run my shoes into the ground because I walk a lot, but I know these would last me longer if I were easier on my shoes.

I even have a pair of my mom’s clogs from the early 80’s that have lasted extremely well. The leather and wood are biodegradable so you never have to worry about what will happen to these shoes when you’re done with them.

Mia

Mia clogs are awesome as well. They tend to have a slightly thicker rubber sole but are essentially the same quality and fit.

Each clog company makes their own variation on style and design. So it is worth looking around and hunting for a pair that really speaks to you.

I love me some clogs. Owning more than one pair is a good idea that way you can rotate wear which extends the life of the shoe.

In conclusion

As demand for ethical clothing, shoes, and accessories increases we will continue to see the prices decrease. Just like when organic food started to make it’s way into to the market, enough people had to vote with their dollors that they wanted these things as an option.

You can vote with your dollars too. Save up, invest, and make stand by supporting companies that are committed to making fashion more sustainable.