The Top 6 Most Affordable, Sustainable Clothing Brands

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Globally, 92 million tons of textile waste is generated annually, getting tossed into landfills and incinerators. 

Many people are aware of fast fashion’s environmental impact but struggle to take action because of ethical clothing’s price tag. Sustainable fashion brands are a smart choice for both people and the planet, but as basics like rent and grocery prices continue to rise, it’s hard to justify a $200 top. 

Don’t fret—you have options. Affordable, sustainable clothing exists, and it’s gorgeous, comfortable, and unique. Some ethical clothing brands use techniques to keep costs low while promoting climate-friendly practices. You can also buy fast fashion garments secondhand, extending their lives and keeping them out of landfills.

Read on to discover six sustainable clothing brands that support the Earth without emptying your wallet. Plus, most of them are available on ThredUp for less!

What’s sustainable clothing, and why should you wear it?

Sustainable fashion uses eco-friendly materials and practices to produce clothing with less waste and a reduced carbon footprint. Ethical clothing is typically Fair Trade Certified and made of natural, organic textiles. And many ethical clothing brands emphasize that no humans or animals are unfairly treated or hurt during manufacturing.

This radically contrasts with most fast fashion brands that rapidly produce inexpensive clothing, which means they typically use chemically treated fabric and throw away imperfect items. So, shopping sustainably helps you reduce textile waste, encourage environmental wellness, and promote fair labor practices.

Why is sustainable clothing usually more expensive?

Sustainable clothing is often more expensive because it costs more to produce, since anyone involved in the garment’s creation is paid appropriately and materials are higher quality (so that they last longer).

Ethical brands also use eco-friendly (and more costly) practices to reduce their fashion footprint. They make clothing in smaller batches, avoid mass production, and work with expensive textiles like organic cotton.

Fast fashion also skews our idea of “expensive” and “affordable.” We don’t account for cost per wear, which drastically reduces the price of ethical clothes. Say you buy a dress from a fast fashion outlet for $30, but you only wear it twice—that’s $15 per wear. A sustainably made dress may cost $150, but because it’s well-made, you might wear it over 30 times, which is $5 per wear.

The top 6 affordable, sustainable fashion brands

Here are the best affordable, non-fast fashion brands you can support to enjoy higher-quality, longer-lasting, and more ethical shopping—without paying too much for it. You can also thrift these brands on ThredUp for increased savings.

1. Girlfriend Collective

Girlfriend Collective is a sustainable clothing brand primarily known for its high-quality, size-inclusive activewear, but it also offers swimsuits and basics like dresses, slacks, and hoodies. 

This company is more than affordable—it’s on our list of the best sustainable fashion brands because of its commitment to reducing waste. Girlfriend Collective uses recycled materials like post-consumer water bottles, fishing nets, and fabric scraps to manufacture products. It also offers the ReGirlfriend program, which takes back old Girlfriend Collective clothing from customers and recycles them into new garments.

Outfit categories: Athletic wear, Swimsuits, Basics

Price range: $10–150

Size range: XXS–6XL

2. Kotn

Kotn is committed to making long-lasting, ethically made clothing from organic Egyptian cotton. This company is dedicated to fair employment practices, using direct-trade processes with family-run farms in Egypt and Portugal. To reduce its fashion footprint, it also manufactures its first and second stages of production locally.

Kotn has a large selection of sustainable products, including blazers, dresses, coats, and sweaters—which are the top four items on our dirty dozen list (because they’re carbon intensive to produce), making them vital to purchase sustainably. 

Outfit categories: Pants, Tops, Dresses, Jackets, Denim

Price range: $10–200

Size range: XXS–XXL

3. Known Supply

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Known Supply is an ethical fashion brand committed to transparency—every piece of clothing comes with a card introducing the customer to the person who made it. In this way, Known Supply reconnects people with their clothing and reduces the “throwaway” aspect of fashion.

This brand also partners with Fair Trade Certified producers, promises fair wages to its workers, and uses lower-impact materials like organic cotton.

Outfit categories: Basics, Hats, Accessories, Underwear

Price range: $18–150

Size range: XS–4XL

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4. Fair Indigo

Fair Indigo is a great example of cheap ethical clothing—most items are under $100, and it holds the rare “Great” rating on Good On You, a site that ranks the sustainability of fashion brands. It uses organic Peruvian Pima cotton in its products, a soft yet strong textile that guarantees your clothing lasts for years.

This company proudly wears various certifications that back up its sustainability claims, including the Organic Cotton Certification, the Safe Dyes Certification, and its membership to Green America, a non-profit organization that recognizes businesses that support workers and protect the environment.

Outfit categories: Tops, Sweaters, Dresses, Jackets, Skirts, Pants

Price range: $25–120

‍Size range: XS–XXL

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5. Able

Able is a “by women, for women” sustainable brand that’s dedicated to empowering a mostly female workforce with excellent working conditions and fair pay. This brand creates products with high-quality, eco-conscious, and durable materials like linen and cotton so your clothes last longer. 

Worth noting is that Good on You gives Gracemade a “Good” rating—right in the middle of their scale. Able uses some lower-impact materials (like recycled materials), produces long-lasting products, and reuses scraps. But the brand could improve by avoiding materials like wool, silk, and pearl and by sharing an animal welfare policy (especially since the brand sells leather products). 

‍Outfit categories: Dresses & Jumpsuits, Tops, Skirts, Shorts, Pants, Denim, Sweaters, Coats & Jackets, Belts & Accessories

Price range: $25–150

Size range: XXS–3X

6. CHNGE

CHNGE is a sustainable fashion brand with a unique angle: It offers urban-style clothing with punchy graphics that promote feminism, LGBTQ+ equality, and Black rights. The brand uses Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) cotton and a limited production run to minimize textile waste. It also restricts the amount of chemicals and water used during production.

This company also manufactures clothing at a Fairtrade Factory, guaranteeing no forced labor, safe working conditions, fair wages, and the right to form trade unions.

Outfit categories: Graphic Tees, Sweats, Tanks, T-Shirt Dresses, Hoodies

Price range: $20–100

Size range: XXS–4XL

Expand your wardrobe (sustainably) with ThredUp

Affordable, sustainable clothing might seem like a pipe dream at first, but brands like the above six exist to help you promote a great cause without the high price tag. 

Still, buying new will never compare to the environmental impact (and monetary savings) you can have when reusing clothing—that’s where ThredUp wins. Find the best affordable sustainable clothes in one click.Use ThredUp’s improved Search feature to find items from the above brands and more. And try our Clean Out kits to make room in your closet for more high-quality, sustainable, and affordable clothing.

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