Sustainable fashion brands amass a large portion of real estate in the mind of an eco-conscious consumer. Even more so on Earth Day, when we’re asked to reflect on what we can do for the planet, like recycling or shopping from responsible brands. In honour of Earth Day 2022, we’ve decided to round up five sustainable fashion labels making an effort to reduce their environmental footprint, so that we can shop easier and live better.
Hellessy
Hellessy is a responsible fashion label that produces its clothing locally and ethically in NYC. It descended on the market in 2012 from Sylvie Millstein’s studio in Soho, New York. Millstein is the founder of the label and brings years of fashion-related experience to the brand–her previous career as a senior merchant at companies, such as Chanel and Givenchy, lasted over a decade. Millstein saw the value in localizing production for Hellessy since it means leveraging more control over where the materials are sourced as well as guaranteeing employees the highest standard of working conditions.
Learn more about Hellessy here.
Knickey
Knickey is a green undergarment label that centres on bringing eco-friendly intimates to the global market. The brand has various eco-friendly initiatives built into its business model, like its “ready-to-retire” recycling program. This recycling program is an example of a circular fashion model, which extends the lifecycle of materials by reclaiming old garments into new ones for the brand’s latest collections. Getting the most extended possible use out of your clothes’ materials is critical for conserving water, preserving energy, and minimising waste in landfills.
Learn more about Knickey here.
Subsurface
“Designers no longer have the luxury of designing clothing without thinking of the end result,” Kari Fry, founder of SUBSURFACE, shared with Grazia. She added, “it’s important that we take responsibility for what we create and what form we leave it in.”
SUBSURFACE is a Los Angeles-based fashion label known for its refined silk separates that come in neutral hues. Circularity is baked into the brand’s DNA. Since its inception, SUBSURFACE has encouraged customers to return their used garments to the brand once they’ve worn them down. To streamline this circular fashion model, the brand primarily uses natural and deadstock materials and won’t use virgin synthetic materials that are over 30% synthetic. Safe and renewable materials also play a significant role in the brand’s ethos. Fry shared that SUBSURFACE “celebrates rawness and materiality in a way that centres women” and the environment.
Explore SUBSURFACE’s designs here.
ESSĒN
ESSĒN is a shoe label that focuses on creating shoes that are good for people and the environment. The brand strives to slow down the fashion cycle by handcrafting essential footwear through thoughtful and timeless designs, such as the sandals shown above. The co-founders work with artisans to create these handmade pieces using the highest quality material to assure long-lasting use for each customer. For ESSĒN, shopping sustainably means quality over quantity.
Shop ESSĒN’s shoe collection here.
Rianna + Nina
Rianna + Nina is the namesake label of Rianna Kounou and Nina Knaudt. It’s a green fashion brand that utilises the practice of upcycling when creating its garments, diverting unused materials from landfills. Each of Rianna + Nina’s one-of-a-kind garments are handcrafted in the founders’ Berlin atelier, using materials sourced from Kounou and Knaudt’s travels across the globe. Each preloved fabric has a unique origin story, which gives each of Rianna + Nina’s garments a history and meaning–beyond its sustainability.
Discover Rianna + Nina’s sustainable collection here.
