Green is Fashion: A look at five of the most environmentally conscious fashion pieces

Let’s talk about fashion’s favourite buzzword – sustainability. As the cinematic masterpiece ‘21 Jump Street’ pointed out, it is now cool to care.. especially about the environment. The fashion industry’s waking up to its impact on the planet, and brands have responded with their own ‘Conscious Collections’. Be warned though. Greenwashing is a very real problem, i.e. one collection of twenty eco-friendly pieces (out of a thousand not-so-friendly ones) does not a sustainable brand make.

It can get a little confusing figuring out the posers from the real change-makers, so we’ve compiled a list of must-have pieces from ethical brands that truly care about our planet. To take one step closer to becoming a more mindful consumer, read on:

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1. Veja’s V-10 sneakers

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Portuguese for “look”, Veja’s company manifesto says to look through your sneakers and see what’s behind. Like its name, Veja is all about transparency. White sneakers have always been in vogue, so why not get a pair that’s at the intersection of great design and social responsibility? The brand uses eco-friendly, locally-sourced raw materials from and manufactured in Brazil, whilst making sure that their factory workers get fair wages and working hours. Sounds pretty darn good so far, but it gets better! With an impeccable design that makes it great for the environment and the people involved in their production process, it’s a little hard to believe that these sneakers are also – wait for it – super affordable! At just AED 600 per pair, they’re easy on the pocket. We owe their reasonable price tag to the brand’s decision to skip advertising – a bold move for a non-heritage brand.

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2. Patagonia’s Better Sweater

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There are two main reasons as to why Patagonia was set up: to protect against the great outdoors as well as to protect the great outdoors. The company started off as a cult favourite amongst hikers and nature-lovers, and has rapidly turned into one of the most recognised and revered brands in the world. Patagonia upholds its status of being a champion of environmentalism not just by utilising eco-friendly, durable materials and fair business practices in the production of all its products, but also by providing a lifetime repair-or-replace warranty to its customers. Talk about a power move!

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3. Everlane’s ReNew Transit Backpack

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One can’t have a list of sustainable products without Everlane being included. If minimalism is your game, then Everlane’s the name. The San Francisco brand’s been creating timeless classics for a number of years now, producing them in ethical factories in a radically transparent direct-to-consumer strategy. Everlane has even pledged to have no new plastic in their entire supply chain by 2021, and has taken their first step with the ReNew Collection – featuring awesome, skillfully designed outerwear pieces that are cruelty-free and also good for the environment. TheReNew backpack is the newest item added to the line, made from recycled polyester with a fluorine-free water-resistant finish. It's large, with multiple compartments for organisation, and has an external laptop pocket for easy TSA access – so that you can travel in style, and knowing you did your part in being just a little bit kinder to the planet. Best of all, it just looks so COOL.

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4. Allbirds Wool Runners

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Allbirds follows a step-by-step strategy, starting with better materials, continued with awesome design, great factories, happier employees, and better shipping methods. All this culminates to less waste and pollution, as well as more mindfulness and accountability. Their bestselling Wool Runners – dubbed “the world’s most comfortable shoe” – is comfortable, moisture-wicking and breathable, and took three whole years to develop, and for good reason. It has a carbon-NEGATIVE sole made of renewable sugarcane. From the start, Allbirds operated under the mantra that our planet deserves better, and that’s why they’ve made their revolutionary soles open-source, allowing the rest of the footwear industry to use and improve on their sustainable invention. Guess what, capitalism, you ain’t cool no more.

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5. TALA’s Aster Crop Top

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Not the most well-known brand in our list, nevertheless, we believe TALA deserves a mention. The brand combines style with sustainability to give us on-trend, inclusive, high-performance pieces that are kind to the environment. The Aster crop top, for example, is created from 92% upcycled polyamide, with packaging that is recyclable and best of all, tags that are made from 100% plantable paper. The tag has seeds in it, so all you have to do is plant it, and you’ll soon be the proud parent to flowering plants!

We hope this short list has given you a better idea of how you can dress well and still do the planet some good. You don’t have to be dressed in burlap or go the hippie route or even sacrifice on your personal style to make a change.

At a time when the world is quite literally burning before our eyes, with large corporations not batting an eyelid, and our world leaders being climate change nay-sayers, it’s no surprise that our collective eco-anxiety is at an all-time high. The best way to combat this is by taking action. Revise your fashion habits and become a conscious consumer, with a sustainable style that’s beneficial to people and the environment. Remember, we could easily get fifty pairs of jeans, but we only get one planet.

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