This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a commission should you choose to make a purchase through one of these links. This is at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclaimer here.
Realising that my wardrobe was seriously lacking in everyday basics, I pulled out my laptop and started searching. I didn’t want to spend a fortune on a few plain tees, so I picked somewhere that does affordable and somewhat dependable capsule pieces. But the more I was browsing the site, the more I began to consider the many other ethical retailers that sell similar staples. Did I want to spend money knowing that these items probably wouldn’t last? And did I really want to buy from another fast fashion brand that churns out hundreds of these t-shirts?
Over the past couple of years I’ve tried to be more conscious when it comes to shopping for clothes. I’ve definitely cut down on the amount I buy and I’ve tried to shop from eco-friendly, ethical brands whenever possible. The main thing stopping me (and I’m sure many others) from buying from these brands on a regular basis is the price.
Ethical, sustainable clothing is often more expensive because 1) high-quality environmentally-friendly materials cost more and 2) those who contribute to making these pieces are paid a fair living wage (rightly so!). With this in mind, I was interested in seeing which ethical and sustainable UK fashion brands make clothing that is accessible to those who can’t necessarily spend £50 on a basic t-shirt or £20 on a pair of socks. Lots of people want to shop sustainably but it’s hard to do so when you’re on a budget!
So, in my search for low-cost high-quality conscious clothing, I’ve selected seven UK-based fashion brands that are offering ethical, sustainable pieces at affordable prices.
Ratings, where possible, come from the ethical brand directory Good on You. If you’re interested in finding out whether your favourite fashion brand is operating ethically and sustainably, give it a quick search!
OMNES
Good on You rating: Good
Best for: Statement pieces
Size range: UK 6 – 20
OMNES is a London-based clothing brand that launched in 2020. Their goal is to change the fashion industry by showing that good quality clothing can be affordable and sustainable. They use eco-friendly fabrics – like organic cotton and EcoVero™ viscose – to produce their clothes, prioritising deadstock whenever possible. If you scroll through the website, you’ll see the type of material used for each item right underneath the product name which is super handy!
OMNES has partnered with Earthly to offset their carbon emissions and, having balanced 110% of their impact, they’re now climate positive. They’re also a Living Wage employer, meaning that they pay all staff a wage which meets basic needs and leaves some discretionary income.
Stripe & Stare
Good on You rating: N/A
Best for: Underwear, sleepwear and loungewear
Size range: XS – 4X (UK 6 – 22)
Female-founded underwear brand Stripe & Stare is all about style, sustainability and comfort. All of their products are made from TENCEL™ Modal, an eco-friendly fabric whose fibres are responsibly sourced from beech trees. Their B-Edit is also completely biodegradable so you can compost your underwear when it’s no longer needed!
In terms of ethics, Stripe & Stare ensures that all workers are paid the living wage or above. They’ve also teamed up with a bunch of different charities to raise funds for things like bowel cancer awareness and refugee initiatives. You can read more about the organisations they support here.
Stripe & Stare’s products are a little pricier than your average high street brand, but they’re definitely one of the cheaper sustainable underwear retailers I’ve found! Plus, if you sign up to their Comfort Club subscription you save 30% per pair, meaning that you’re paying just £12.50 a month.
Yes Friends
Good on You rating: Great
Best for: Basic tees and hoodies
Size range: 3XS – 4XL
Yes Friends is a Bristol-based company which was founded with a mission to make ethical clothing affordable. Their online offering currently consists of a handful of fairtrade and organic items including jeans, jackets, hoodies, underwear and their flagship product the Yes Friends Organic T-Shirt.
The brand creates these products on a large scale and keeps the manufacturing margin low, meaning that they can keep costs low for customers too. They’re part of the Fair Share Scheme which aims to pay all garment workers a Living Wage so, despite how affordable the clothing is, everyone is being paid fairly!
Lucy & Yak
Good on You rating: Good
Best for: Dungarees, jumpsuits and vibrant prints
Size range: UK 4 – 32
Independent clothing brand Lucy & Yak is best known for their comfy, gender neutral pieces, particularly their dungarees. 98% of the fabrics used to make their products are organic or recycled. The brand is also GOTS certified which means that they have to live up to certain ecological and social criteria, like limiting the use of hazardous substances and ensuring safe working conditions for staff.
They’ve offset over 1700 tonnes of carbon over the past three years and have supported the planting of nearly 30,000 trees across the globe. They also run a buy back scheme so you can take your old Lucy & Yak pieces back to the store and get a voucher in return!
Plant Faced
Good on You rating: Good
Best for: Streetwear and graphic prints
Size range: S – 3XL
Plant Faced if an ethically-made, vegan clothing company that’s focused on making durable, timeless clothing that doesn’t hurt the earth. The majority of their clothes are made from eco-friendly materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester and their garments are screen printed in London using water-based inks which are much more eco-friendly than the industry standard, plastisol.
Not only are the items themselves ethical, Plant Faced’s mission is to spark conversations and spread the ‘Plant Movement’ through their clothing. Their Oat Is The Goat and Kale ‘Em With Kindness tees are proof of this!
Nobody’s Child
Good on You rating: It’s a start
Best for: Occasion dresses, co-ords and workwear
Size range: UK 4 – 18
Launched in 2015, Nobody’s Child is a London-based brand that aims to create responsible, stylish clothing at an affordable price point. They use eco-friendly materials like ECOVERO™ and Livaeco to make their garments, and deliver them in recycled, recyclable packaging. They also regularly audit their suppliers to ensure that labour standards for the workers in their supply chain are up to scratch.
What’s really cool is that, if you don’t want to commit to buying, you can rent Nobody’s Child clothing through Hirestreet. They’ve got a great selection to choose from and hiring clothes has been shown to have a significantly smaller environmental impact than buying new.
Have you tried any of these sustainable UK fashion brands yet? And, what factors are most important to you when buying new clothing? Let me know in the comments!
Leave a Reply