# Building an Ethical Wardrobe: Top Sustainable Stores Like Reformation - Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/sustainable-fashion-stores-like-reformation/ - Published: 2024-09-03 - Author: Terry Williams - Categories: [Consumer](https://33rdsquare.com/category/consumer/) --- Hey friend! As a veteran thrifter and conscious consumer, people ask me all the time for tips on where to find stylish, ethical clothing. With alarming reports of fashion industry waste, many of us want better aligned options that don’t sacrifice our values or style. The good news? There are so many great sustainable brands making transparency around supply chains and manufacturing impact the norm. I’ve found wonderful Reformation alternatives perfect for any taste or budget. I can’t wait to share my insights with you! I’ll give you the highlights on my favorite ethical fashion stores, advice for spotting greenwashing, plus easy ways to build an eco-friendly wardrobe affordably. Consider this your loving nudge towards aligning dollars and values through smarter shopping. Now let’s dive in! ## My Journey Into Conscious Fashion I still remember the first time a friend introduced me to Reformation about 5 years ago. Browsing their site felt like stumbling on fashion’s best kept secret – effortlessly chic dresses and vintage-inspired designs made sustainably! I was hooked. Finally clothes shopping didn’t have to mean mindlessly supporting wasteful or unethical practices. Here was the proof we could pair style with substance in an industry fraught with excess. It gave me hope. Since then, I’ve learned so much more about fashion supply chains and environmental impacts. Things like microplastic pollution from synthetic fabrics, poisonous dye runoff, and unlivable garment worker wages became real problems with my dollars an enabler. It lit a fire under me to find better options rooted in transparency and accountability for people and the planet. And call me cheesy, but the quest connected me to an amazing community of thoughtful brands and consumers advocating for change through their purchasing power. Now seeking out sustainable, ethical labels has simply become second nature – even on a budget! That’s why I had to share my insights with you. From cost per wear, these investments pay themselves in the long run too! So leave any perfectionism or doom behind. The journey towards conscious fashion is a radical act of nurturing self, community and nature’s beauty one hanger at a time! ## Key Elements of a Truly Sustainable Brand Given how many brands now tout sustainability claims for marketing appeal (the dreaded “greenwashing”), a healthy skepticism has served me well before hitting that buy button. When exploring new labels, I look for specifics on: - **Materials**: Using reputable eco-certifications to validate preferred fabrics like GOTS organic cotton, recycled polyester and Tencel over synthetic fibers or virgin plastic. - **Manufacturing**: Owning factories for direct oversight or working with fair trade certified makers to ensure living wages and ethical conditions. - **Impact**: Regularly quantifying their supply chain footprint and emissions for fact-based goal setting. - **Transparency**: Sharing openly about challenges and growth opportunities instead of vague PR platitudes. I love when brands have B Corp certification since that legally binds them to high verified standards around supply chain ethics and environmental performance. Digging into these aspects signals a genuine commitment to sustainability – not just hype feeding our habit for overconsumption rebranded as “green”. It does take more work as conscious shoppers, but makes the finds so much sweeter! Alright, enough talk – let’s explore some wonderful fashion companies walking the walk so you can expand your options! ## My Top 10 Reformation Alternative Stores Through years of trial and error, I’ve curated a list of my favorite ethical labels that combine size inclusion, quality construction and durable fabrics for price points friendly to most budgets. Behold, the best shops if you love Reformation’s aesthetic and ethics! ### 1. Known Supply Founded by a former Reformation designer, Known Supply has the feminine floral prints and vintage inspiration minus the exclusionary size chart. Made locally in their LA solar-powered factory, each piece comes with supply chain impact data so you can shop informed. I’m obsessed with their flattering linen dresses and wrap tops perfect for work or play. An eco-conscious brand after my Libra heart that doesn’t sacrifice style or ethics. ### 2. Christy Dawn Can we talk about how freaking gorgeous and dreamy Christy Dawn clothes are?! As a fellow fashion lover constantly on the hunt for ethical plus size brands beyond basics and shapeless frocks, discovering them sparked serious joy. Their fair-trade made Victorian prairie dresses and balanced peasant tops work on so many body types thanks to ethical tailoring practices focused on sustainability and inclusion. Expect lots of lightweight floral cotton, embroidered denim and artisan touches on their South Asian made goods. Each purchase funds tree planting too helping offset production emissions! My all time favorite for fancier occasions – prepare for compliments! ### 3. Alternative Apparel My tried and true for premium basics from loungewear to dressed up staples I know will last years, Alternative does closet essentials beautifully while walking the sustainability talk as a certified B Corp. From buttery soft tees, cozy joggers to versatile layering tops, their fabric quality and construction never disappoints. I also appreciate how most of their fabrics incorporate recycled materials like plastic bottles, and water-saving Tencel and modal. Great for affordable ethical athleisure or minimalist wardrobe heroes ready to pair with bolder statement pieces! ### 4. Re/Done If you dig Reformation’s reworked vintage denim but want more size diversity, check out Re/Done! Upcycling over 160,000 pounds of Levi’s waste into new trendy cuts annually through their LA atelier, their dedication to circularity and ethical manufacturing inspires me as much as the styles ranging from button fly skinnies to distressed short shorts and 90s mom jeans. I’ve gotten so many wear out of my pair while avoiding needless waste – major serotonin boost pairing with Known Supply tops! ### 5. For Days Obsessed with For Days’ subscription basics model allowing returns to be fully recycled for new products. Most clothes today can’t biodegrade without releasing microplastics and toxins leaving textile waste an environmental crisis, so I appreciate companies building circular systems into business plans from the ground up. The aesthetic may be simpler than Reformation, but their organic cotton undies, tees and loungewear have quickly become weekend mainstays for quality ethical comfort. Love the waste free lifestyle focus! ### 6. Amour Vert Bringing French girl chic to ethical fashion, Amour Vert incorporates eco-materials like modal, cupro and Tencel into feminine silhouettes perfect for work or play. Their transparency around supply chains and use of solar power and water recycling to reduce impact impresses along with their flattering tailored fits. As a taller woman, I appreciate the adjustability of most skirt and dress hems accommodating more height diversity too!. Plus their partnership with trees.org to plant with every purchase helps offset production emissions. ### 7. Mate the Label Founded by two Latinx LA locals focused on body positivity and versatile staple dressing, Mate features recycled fabrics and low impact dyes strategically designed to mix and match across sizes up to 4X. Having struggled for so long to find ethical fashion explicitly created through a lens of size inclusion beyond blah basics, discovering them felt akin to that first thrill trying Reformation years ago. Now their stretchy jumpsuits, wrap dresses and shirt dresses carry me through busy work weeks feeling good. The ultimate marriage of ethics, quality and comfort in a way rarely centered for plus bodies. ### 8. ABLE Employing women facing significant barriers to quality work, Nashville based ABLE offers fair trade accessories and apparel with an understated aesthetic perfect for mixing into any wardrobe. Their transparency around ethical factories plus use of durable natural fibers over synthetics initially drew me in. Now I reach for their versatile tees, tanks, denim and leather goods regularly as wardrobe game changers ready to pair with dresses for polished cool. It’s a simple way to double your impact through everyday style supporting vulnerable makers. ### 9. Angel Apparel Catering to minimalists wanting ethical luxe basics, this UK based brand walks the walk as a pending B Corp incorporating recycled fabrics and low impact dyes into quality silk shirts and versatile dresses designed for layering across sizes up to UK 22. Having struggled for so long to find ethical fashion explicitly created through a lens of size inclusion beyond blah basics, discovering them felt akin to that first thrill trying Reformation years ago. Their attention to an easy elegance through a sustainability lens makes getting ready each morning a joy. ### 10. Everybody & Everyone Founded by plus model Candice Huffine, Everybody & Everyone makes ethical size inclusive fashion focused on versatile staples and comfort. Having long struggled to find genderless essentials past size 20 sustainably made with care for fit and fabric, I deeply appreciate a brand centered around functional and ethical design more diverse bodies. Now their relaxed tees, drawstring pants and soft hoodies bring me joy as mainstays made thoughtfully with recycled materials by makers earning living wages. It’s luxury and ethics redefined through everyday wearability and radical size diversity! ### Honorable Mentions Some other wonderful ethical labels worth checking out include slow fashion brand Base Range for premium organic underwear and loungewear, UK made Thought for sustainably spun natural fiber staples up to UK 26, feminine French favorite Sézane for their transparency and charity partnerships, plus Swedish label Filippa K for modern eco-luxury. The options keep growing meaning more opportunity to let our purchases vote for the world we want to see! Now let’s get into making these sustainable scores even more budget friendly… ## 8 Tips for an Ethical Wardrobe on a Budget I know high price tags can seem barriers to buying better at first. But by shifting mindsets and getting creative, you can curate closet staples mindfully even on tight budgets. Here are my top tips for matching ethics with affordability: ### Buy Secondhand First Vintage, consignment and thrift stores give clothing and accessories new life while keeping them from landfills. I source nearly all my statement accessories like handbags and jewelry pre-loved which saves tons. The thrill of thrifting also turns conscious consumption into a treasure hunt – win win! Pro Tip: Reseller apps like Depop, ThredUp and Poshmark open up even more curated secondhand options at your fingertips. I search sites using keywords like “ethical fashion” and “sustainable clothing” to source coveted brands too! ### Try Clothing Rentals Can’t get enough of Reformation‘s glam occasion wear but want more bang for your buck? Rental services allow you to temporarily borrow rather than buy new pieces for a fraction of retail prices. My go-tos for designer ethical finds include Nuuly, ByRotation and HURR while more budget picks can be found on Rent the Runway, Le Tote or Style Lend. It satisfies the novelty itch in a less wasteful way letting me experiment with bolder trends! You can even list gently worn goods for rental credit to offset costs. ### Host Clothing Swaps Gathering friends for potlucks with everyone bringing pre-loved pieces to exchange keeps closets fresh for free! Set guidelines around item number limits and suggests categories like loungewear, blazers, jumpsuits, etc to prevent overload. Make it a regular sustainable fashion community event. I love discovering new ethical labels this way too from pals’ castoffs! ### Learn Garment Care Since most fashion waste comes from poor quality goods not made to last, investing in better constructed ethical pieces then properly caring for them saves so much long term. Take time to read washing instructions and mend holes early. Air dry over machine drying, spot clean stains quickly and learn basic sewing fixes like reattaching stubborn buttons to extend item lifespans. Your wallet will thank you! ### Buy Multipurpose Pieces Build your ethical closet around versatile staples over trendy statement items. High quality shirts, pants, dresses mixing and matching easily help form the base to accent with bolder ethically made accessories purchased secondhand at a fraction of retail. Focus on best fabric composition for intended use case too. Breathable linen and cotton tops work year round while merino layers handle winters. Do they spark multiple styling ideas in your head? Then hop on it! ### Follow an “Influencer” No Buy” Marketers pay big money to influencers for closet makeovers precisely because they make us overspend on rapidly changing trends. Mute or unfollow accounts causing comparison or temptation rather than inspiration. Shop your own closet first before browsing sales too. I have a mandatory week long cart “cool down” period before purchasing anything which breaks impulse buying habits over time. Give the no buy a shot for a month and feel peace return to your wardrobe! ### Only Dry Clean When Absolutely Necessary Skip the chemical route which shortens clothing life by wearing delicates fewer times between washes, spot cleaning stains quickly and steaming instead. I invested $30 in a handheld garment steamer years ago which helped clothing shed wrinkles, freshens items prone to stretching like sweaters in winter and avoids pollution from hauling items out to cleaners. A game changer for keeping nicer wardrobe additions looking like new! ### Repair Don’t Replace Before tossing clothes with holes, stains or broken zippers, explore mending first through local tailors or sewing yourself. Embrace imperfections like visible mending as a badge of sustainability helping household favorites live longer. Bonus creativity points for uniquely customized pieces! Youtube offers endless visible mending inspiration to try zero waste solutions before calling it quits. Curating an ethical, affordable wardrobe does demand more intention which ultimately nurtures personal style and community. Start small then build upon closet heroes. Soon conscious consumption habits become automatic – saving money and the planet through savvier decisions! ## Top Resources for Learning More Still have questions about demystifying supply chains or making sense of fashion certifications? These films, articles, books and tools can help take your ethical shopping know-how to the next level: **Documentaries:** - The True Cost (sweeping view of supply chain issues) - RiverBlue (toxic pollution and waterway impacts) - SLAY: Recycle Your Wardrobe (creative upcycling ideas) **Articles & Books:** - Who Made My Clothes? book by top sustainability journalists - How to Decode Sustainable Fashion Labels guide - Building a Sustainable Wardrobe: The Ultimate Guide **Impact Measurement Tools:** - Good on You brand rating browser extension - DoneGood ethical shop finder - Buycott app for scanning product ethics **Conscious Fashion Communities:** - Ethical Made Easy Facebook Group - A Conscious Collective Instagram - The Nu Wardrobe Podcast I hope these resources help continue illuminating your own path towards matching values with style. No need to perfect anything overnight. Just take the next step! Feel free to reach out if any other tips or ethical fashion dilemmas I can help sounding board. This stuff matters, but doesn’t have to overwhelm. Aligning our dollars with humanitarian and environmental values is ultimately an act of courageous nurturing rippling positive change outwards. Onwards, friend! --- Source: [Building an Ethical Wardrobe: Top Sustainable Stores Like Reformation](https://33rdsquare.com/sustainable-fashion-stores-like-reformation/)