If you’ve spent much time on my blog, you know I’m extremely passionate about the idea of intentional living. Putting thought and purpose behind every word, decision, and day of life.
You can find all my blog posts about intentional living here.
One of the areas of intentional living that I am most passionate about is consumption. Between ever-evolving fashion trends and a media culture that promises love, value, and happiness to those who just keep getting more, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of accumulation.
Shoes you didn’t want or need until you clicked “add to cart”. Cheap clothes made in working conditions we pretend not to know exist. Home decor that gets replaced yearly to match your Instagram feed.
The last couple of years, I’ve made it a mission to shop more ethically and sustainably. Along the way, I’ve discovered some of the best online stores for ethically/sustainably made clothing.
1. Marine Layer
I discovered Marine Layer through Instagram, and fell in love with their website. If you’re a touch/sensory person, you’ll be obsessed with their stuff. Marine Layer started with the goal of creating insanely soft clothes. They’ve succeeded. Not only are they super comfortable, but they’re ALL ethically made with high quality materials. Not to mention they’re super affordable, and regularly have bomb sales.
2. Kotn
If you’re looking for simple, high quality, BASICS (as a woman, literally the hardest thing to find. We all know the Forever 21 struggle.) that aren’t ridiculously expensive — shopping ethically doesn’t mean I have $150 to drop on a tshirt — this is where you need to go. Their clothes are high-quality and can be worn with anything. Not to mention that the company itself is amazing. They use Egyptian cotton and have their facilities set up to employ locals and pay them a fair wage. They’re actively involved in the fight against child labour, and are helping fund multiple schools for children in the area who need access to education.
3. ABLE
ABLE is basically my dream closet. They have stunning clothes, accessories, and are incredibly transparent about how they treat their employees. Their jewellery is handmade in Nashville, while the rest of their products are made with partners across the world. On their website, you can find the full list of the lowest salary paid to employees across the world. They prioritize meeting the actual living cost of the area. 95% of their employees are women, and on their website ABLE speaks to this, saying “ABLE is committed to ensuring every woman receives treatment and compensation reflective of her immense worth.”
4. Sweat Society
Sweat Society is a Canadian-based company dedicated to producing high-quality, ethically made athletic clothes. Between fun prints and beautiful basics, they’ve got you covered for any athleisure, workouts, and casual cute. Being based in Canada myself, I love supporting local & being able to encourage small businesses, especially right now!
5. Thred Up
I swear I’m not an ex-Bachelor contestant writing this, but Thred Up is actually a genius place to shop. It’s basically an online thrift store, where you can shop gently used, high quality items for a fraction of the original price. Thrifting is fantastic, but it can be hard to find exactly what you’re looking for, which is why Thred Up is a great sustainable option.
6. Thrifting
Okay, so this isn’t technically a store… but thrifting is arguably the most sustainable way to shop because you’re not adding to the production of the garment industry at all. Thrift stores have tons of options, and allow you to get creative with what you try and buy, usually having more than just what’s trendy at the moment. I’ve found that typically shopping off-season at thrift stores is the best way to do it, and it’s the only place where I’ll buy something in advance (I don’t need it now, but I will soon). Generally, I avoid that because it ends up collecting more waste than I’ll actually use, but thrifting is very hit-or-miss, so I don’t like to waste the opportunity.
As intentional living and sustainable fashion become more and more acceptable, companies are sprouting and starting up all over the place. I highly encourage you to shop local and find out what options are available near you!
Do your research on companies, and find out where your products are really coming from.
At the end of the day, the best way to shop sustainably and build an ethical wardrobe is to shop less. Be an outfit repeater. Care less about being cool. Borrow instead of buy, and ask yourself what you really need. Invest in quality over ease, and try building a capsule wardrobe.
Transitioning to living more intentionally and shopping sustainably is definitely a process, but it’s a fun one, and an important way to educate yourself on the world and what’s going on all around us.
Currently (always) on the hunt for more ethical, sustainable & AFFORDABLE home and furniture stores – let me know your favourite places to shop in the comments or send me a DM on instagram @anikajgreen!
