Start Shopping Sustainably This 2020 — 70 Brands That Put the Environment First

Another legacy denim brand changing up its processes, AG launched its Good Karma sustainability initiative, which is rolling out one ethical component at a time in a long-term approach. This includes the use of Ozone technology and friendly lasers (which were updated in 2017), updating dryers to recycle heat, installing solar panels at the AG headquarters and factory, and implementing water-recycled systems in 2019. AG also partners with charitable organisations around the world, including Water For People, where it made a commitment to donate a portion of qualifying purchases to provide clean water to those in need across nine different countries.

What We'd Buy: AG The Tomas Jeans ($235)

Agolde has quickly become a fashion-girl favourite for premium denim with killer fits, and even better, the brand continues to evolve its sustainable efforts. A sister brand of Citizens of Humanity, both labels are manufactured in company-owned facilities (and have been since each of the brand's inceptions) to ensure maximum control over quality and to lessen environmental impact.

Getting down to the nitty gritty, both Citizens of Humanity and Agolde implement high-efficiency dye and washing machines, which cut down on water, chemical, and power usage by over 50 percent; use high-efficiency dryers, which use 20-to-30 percent less gas than previous machines; have introduced laser technology, Ozone wash, and E-Flow processes, which cut down on water usage; and have implemented recycled materials during the stone wash process, which greatly reduces the number of stones used.

What We'd Buy: Agolde Pinch Waist High Rise Kick Jeans ($188)

Amour Vert's sustainable practices touch on all aspects of their business operations, including the full lifecycle of the garments they make. The fibres and production processes are sustainable, the pieces are made in limited quantities to eliminate excess waste, and they directly partner with mills to develop fabrics that are eco-friendly and durable.

What We'd Buy: Amour Vert Vindy Ribbed Skirt ($78)

AMUR's philosophy is that "mindful living will always be in style." The NYC-based brand only uses sustainably sourced fabrics.

What We'd Buy: AMUR Amy Jumpsuit ($498)

Anita Dongre is one eco-friendly designer who needs to get on your radar stat. Not only are her stylish designs vegan, but the company also provides opportunities to women in India's skilled artisan communities. How amazing is that?

What We'd Buy: Anita Dongre Kaeli Dress ($250)

Looking for a place where you can find all the stylish brands that keep the environment in mind? Well, look no further than Antidote. The founder and creative director, Sophie Zembra, best sums up the online shopping destination with her quote, "Forget the trends, follow your feelings." Antidote features brands like Stella McCartney and Re/Done.

What We'd Buy: Mykilim Dune Handbag ($285)

If you're an avid Aritzia shopper, you're privy to the slew of amazing denim brands carried by the retailer, which now includes its own in-house premium denim label, Denim Forum. Every silhouette is inspired by fashion icons and is made from organic cotton without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that can be harmful to the soil, the surrounding environment, and the health of those who produce it.

What We'd Buy: Aritzia Denim Forum The Farrah Wide Leg High-Waisted Jeans ($110)

ASOS responsible edit line filters through ASOS' endless options to find the best sustainable and recycled fashion brands carried on the site. The brand aims to provide the confidence to shop with both sustainability and style in mind.

What We'd Buy: ASOS Design Chunky Ribbed Midi Skirt in Recycled Blend ($40)

Looking for a bag that can carry just about everything? Then turn your attention to Baggu. These adorable bags are made from sustainable materials and construction methods. The brand's canvas bags are made from 65 percent recycled cotton and cotton scraps recovered from t-shirts and socks that would otherwise go into a landfill.

What We'd Buy: Baggu Standard Bag ($12)

Meet Bleusalt: an eco-friendly brand loved by Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber. Cindy loved the Malibu-based brand so much, she requested that the founder, Lyndie Benson, design her a pair of pants called "The Cindy Pant." The brand uses sustainable botanic fibres taken from beechwood trees, which are twice as soft as cotton.

What We'd Buy: Bleusalt The Sleep Shirt ($135)

For figure-flattering jeans with menswear influence, look no further than Boyish Jeans. The collection of sustainable women's denim was founded by California native Jordan Nodarse, is made in LA, and utilises men's fabrics and fits but tailors them for a woman's body. From the brand's commitment to working with a local supply chain to reduce emissions and increase efficiency to the use of nontoxic materials and working toward a zero-waste goal, Boyish delivers on sustainable denim with a cool-as-hell feel.

What We'd Buy: Boyish The Mikey High-Rise Jeans ($158)

Chances are you've probably seen Beyoncé carrying one of Brother Vellies's furry handbags. The designer, Aurora James, created the company to introduce the world to her favourite traditional African footwear. The company has also created many jobs within Africa.

What We'd Buy: Brother Vellies Las Lunas Mini Island Bag ($995)

All of Capittana's fabrics are produced in a factory that recycles its water, uses solar panels, and has tree plantations to neutralise its carbon output. The brand empowers at-risk women and single mothers in Lima, Peru by lifting them out of poverty, providing a stable income, and offering a welcoming work environment.

What We'd Buy: Capittana Almudena Bikini Set ($179)

In Spring 2019, Citizens of Humanity and Agolde took their sustainability efforts a step further with the launch of their Organic Cotton Collections, which are crafted out of 100 percent organic and recycled cotton, and will continue to expand both collections for future seasons to come.

What We'd Buy: Citizens of Humanity Annina Trouser Jean ($238)

DL1961 is a vertically integrated company that is able to measure and minimize its energy and resource consumption at every step of the manufacturing process, from spinning the yarn and weaving the fabric to cutting and sewing the garment and washing the final product. The label's denim offerings are made with botanic fibres that are woven in house to create high-retention fabrics for your best fit, as well as staple cotton that meets Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Global Recycled Standard(GRS), Organic Content Standard (OCS), or Recycled Claim Standard (RCS). Also focusing on water conservation, the average pair of DL1961 jeans uses just eight gallons of water to produce, while the average non-sustainably-made pair of jeans uses approximately 1500 gallons.

What We'd Buy: DL1961 Hepburn High-Rise Wide Leg ($209)

Elieen Fisher is not only eco-friendly but affordable, too. The brand mission pretty much sums it up: "Make ethical, timeless clothes designed to work together, wear effortlessly and be part of a responsible lifecycle."

What We'd Buy: Elieen Fisher Lace Suede Espadrille ($155)

LA-based Ética is one of the only manufacturers fully certified for Global Impact, Clean Industry Practices, and Social Responsibility — a major feat! — offering premium, vintage-inspired jeans with refined fits. Going beyond ethical materials and labour standards, this brand filters factory water and uses it for farmland initiatives, repurposes wash stones by compressing them into bricks to build low-income housing, and has banned the use of single-use plastic utensils, straws, plates, and cups in its company.

What We'd Buy: Ética Tyler Ankle Jeans ($165)

Everybody.World is an LA-based brand created by Iris Alonzo and Carolina Crespo. The brand launched the world's first 100 percent recycled cotton t-shirt, dubbed the "Trash Tee," back in 2016, and have been dedicated to furthering sustainable fashion ever since.

What We'd Buy: Everybody.World Recycled Cotton Boxy Trash Tee ($25)

Frame's vintage-inspired denim silhouettes are some of our favourites, and now, the London- and LA-based brand has introduced sustainably made versions of its bestselling fits, made from raw materials like 100 percent organic cotton and recycled polyester. Each season, Frame plans to introduce more eco-friendly washes and fits as a means to reduce its environmental impact.

What We'd Buy: Frame Sustainable Le High Straight Jeans ($215)

Fré will plant an argan tree for every Fré Skincare set purchased, which helps to replenish the endangered Argan Forest in Morocco, and support the women who harvest the argan oil.

What We'd Buy: Fré Skincare The 123FRÉ Set ($115)

A female-owned and operated company, Grey State Apparel clothes are made responsibly and align with the UN's sustainability goals. Each of the pieces on the site are created with US cotton and are upcycled with $1 from each purchase going towards One Tree Planted to help grow more trees.

What We'd Buy: Grey State Apparel Ruby Top ($58)

H&M is one of the few fast-fashion companies that has made an effort to go eco-friendly. The H&M Conscious line is a selection of organic and sustainable clothing with a goal to become climate positive throughout its entire value chain by 2040. Current efforts include reduced water usage, a Material Ethics policy, and implementing circularity, which maximises resources and minimizes waste.

What We'd Buy: H&M Conscious Chiffon Dress in Black / Green Floral ($35)

J Brand is a well-loved denim label who, with full transparency, is slowly transitioning to become a 100-percent sustainable brand over time. Rather than rush its journey (which started in 2018 with a 10-piece sustainable denim capsule collection), over time, it is evolving its processes while maintaining the quality of its product, which includes a proprietary eco wash process, sustainably sourced materials from fabrics to trims (which include recycled cotton, biodegradable Tencel fibres, botanical polyester, recycled thread and hardware, and handtags made from recycled paper), and reduction in waste, chemicals, and water usage.

What We'd Buy: J Brand Alana High-Rise Cropped Skinny Jeans ($228)

All the pieces in the new PS20 Jordache collection are produced in local factories, enabling the company to ensure that the factories uphold humane labour conditions and pay workers better wages. Jordache has also worked to develop a manufacturing process that reduces water used at their mills to 75 percent. In addition, the collections make limited products to help minimize waste.

What We'd Buy: Jordache Sherpa Denim Jacket ($198, originally $330)

Along with the outer packageing being made from recyclable paper, Kahina uses sustainable ingredients in their products. The brand also donates one percent of its annual revenue to organisations that directly benefit women in the South of Morocco and their families.

What We'd Buy: Kahina Giving Beauty Antioxidant Mask ($62)

NYC-based brand Lein Studio came up with a collection of pouch bags, bucket hats, and belts that are all made from repurposed leftover fabrics from Italy.

What We'd Buy: Lein Studio Bucket Hat ($195)

You know and love Levi's jeans, but you might not be as familiar with the brand's sustainable practices. The Levi's WaterLess process is the company's sustainable initiative that can reduce up to 96 percent of the water normally used in denim finishing, which is the final stage in making a pair of jeans. So far, Levi's has saved more than three billion liters and recycled more than 1.5 billion liters of water through WaterLess innovations, and as of today, more than 67 percent of all Levi's products are made with WaterLess techniques. It's the brand's goal to hit 80 percent in 2020.

What We'd Buy: Levi's 501 Skinny Jeans ($98)

Loli products come in recyclable packageing and use organic ingredients to formulate each item made. Loli uses certified compostable labels, bags, and boxes, thus being mindful to both the planet and the people in it.

What We'd Buy: What We'd Buy: Loli Pank Plum Elixir ($52)

Loup's inspiration comes from style icons like Jane Birkin and Audrey Hepburn. The company's collections are produced locally in New York's Garment District.

What We'd Buy: Loup Navy Knot Overalls ($187)

Timed to the French label's 20th birthday, Maje entered the sustainable-denim arena in October 2019 with a capsule collection called First Stone as the brand's first step toward more sustainable fashion. How did it do it? By implementing sustainable washing methods and replacing conventional techniques with an eco-friendly process that significantly decreases energy and chemical use, which, in turn, reduces water consumption by up to 95 percent. Maje has also started to use recycled wool in its collections and plans to transition to cotton and viscose packageing and implement more friendly transport for its product for its next steps. For sustainable extra credit, the brand even moved its headquarters in 2018, taking up residence near the Louvre museum in a building renovated in accordance with the French High Quality Environmental Standards.

What We'd Buy: Maje Cropped Washed Jeans ($265)

From its clothes to its home goods, all of Mayamiko's designs are ethically created in Malawi, Africa. Another fun fact? The company uses traditional African techniques when making its items.

What We'd Buy: Mayamiko Multiway Silk Scart ($90)

Not only is this sparkling wine gorgeous and carefully crafted, but it's also made by a company that's strongly rooted in helping the world around it. ONEHOPE has "made nearly $5 million in donations, planted 105,172 trees, helped 65,267 pets to find a forever home, helped provide 2,758,428 meals for children, and delivered 190,802 vaccines to end Neglected Tropical Diseases," according to CEO and co-founder Jake Kloberdanz.

What We'd Buy: ONEHOPE California Brut Sparkling Wine ($39)

Offering a range of wardrobe-essential jeans from skinnies to straight legs and cropped silhouettes, Outland Denim is another leader in sustainable denim. The company was founded as an avenue for the training, employment, and career progression for women who had experienced exploitation with transparent and sustainably driven practices. Headquartered in Australia with a training and production facility in Cambodia, the company carries out innovative, ethical, and environmentally responsible production practices, which earned the brand an A+ score in an external audit by the World Aid Ethical Fashion Report.

What We'd Buy: Outland Denim Mia Full Length Jeans ($245)

If you're a lover of Levi's, then you're definitely familiar with Re/Done, the luxury-denim label that repurposes vintage Levi's denim. By taking apart old silhouettes and putting them back together to create one-of-a-kind, modern fits, this process conserves water, is void of harsh chemicals, cuts down on waste, and ultimately diverts product from ending up in landfills.

What We'd Buy: Re/Done High Rise Stove Pipe Jeans ($250)

With its complete transparency and retro designs, Reformation has quickly become one of the leading sustainable brands out there. Selena Gomez is just one of the many starlets who have been spotted wearing the brand.

What We'd Buy: Reformation Nikita Dress ($248)

S'well has committed $1.4 million to the UNICEF Tap Project since 2017 in efforts to provide clean water and sanitation facilities to children around the world. With eco-friendly reusable bottles, the world's most vulnerable communities can be helped one bottle at a time, all while keeping plastic use at bay.

What We'd Buy: S'well Pink Topaz Bottle ($45)

Seed Phytonutrients products are packaged in shower-friendly paper bottles which are made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper and post-consumer recycled plastic liners which result in 60 percent less plastic than the traditional bottle. By doing so, the brand is working to promote environmental sustainability for the beauty industry as a whole.

What We'd Buy: Seed Phytonutrients Gentle Facial Cleanser ($38)

In 2017, French label Sézane debuted its first-ever denim line. For 2020, after listening to customer feedback to improve its offerings, the brand has launched a new line of eco-friendly denim. With a range of essential fits and cuts reimagined and designed to hug in all the right places (and enhance curves), the brand's biggest goal was to overhaul its production process at every step. Now, each pair is made from 100-percent GOTS-certified (Global Organic Textile Standard) organic cotton that requires two times less water in the production process.

Sézane The Brut Sexy Jeans ($125)

Spanish brand Sunad has a slow-fashion philosophy. The company's goal is to bring back timeless designs using only natural fibres. All of Sunad's products are created in Spain in an attempt to promote the country's rich history of textiles.

What We'd Buy: Sunad Garriga Noche ($111)

Good is Theory's most environmentally responsible collection to date. The pieces are made from certified organic linen, tree-friendly bio-viscose. The brand is also currently on track to count 50 percent of raw materials it uses as being sustainable by 2020.

What We'd Buy: Theory Cinched Short-Sleeve Shirt in Stretch Cotton ($265)

With a mission "to change the industry in every way to represent the inclusive, aware and environmentally conscious customer," according to the company's website, Warp+Weft is a family-run company offering a range of affordably priced jeans (every pair is under $100!) for various heights, sizes, and shapes. Every pair of jeans is made in an eco-friendly mill that is fully compliant with International Social and Environmental & Quality Standards; its process drastically cuts down water usage and incorporates a cutting-edge Dry Ozone technology, which is an alternate to chemical bleach. What's more, the brand is committed to ethical practices, expressed through fair wages, reasonable hours, and positive working conditions.

What We'd Buy: Warp+Weft Den Plus Slim Bootcut Jean ($97)

Zara is doing its part to become more sustainable with the Join Life intuitive, a collection of products — including jeans! — made from more sustainable raw materials such as ecologically grown cotton, Tencel lyocell, or recycled fibres. These garments are produced with technologies that save water and made with processes that allow for reduced emissions and the use of chemicals in production processes.

What We'd Buy: Zara Mom Fit Jeans ($40)