Ethical & Sustainable Clothing Brands Who Are Making a Difference
Posted on 22 November 2019

The fashion industry accounts for a massive 10% of the world’s total carbon footprint. Whilst big fashion brands are part of the problem, they can also be part of the solution. More recently, we’re seeing some big names leading the way with ethical and sustainable fashion, and we’re absolutely lovin’ it!
What is ethical & sustainable fashion?
Unlike fast fashion, ethical and sustainable fashion considers the sourcing, manufacturing and design process behind a product. It takes into account the full lifecycle of the product, from its environmental impact and the workers that produce it, to the consumers who purchase it (you and I!)
Sustainable fashion focuses more on the environment, including what materials are used, how products are packaged and energy saving initiatives. It tackles issues such as water usage and the use of hazardous chemicals during production, as well as trying to reduce the 13 million tonnes of textile waste produced each year. The short lifecycle of many clothes produced via fast fashion adds to the waste produced worldwide, meaning one of the biggest goals of sustainable fashion is to buy less and use items for longer.
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Ethical fashion concerns where products are made, if working conditions acceptable, the treatment of employees and more. The focus is also on the use of animal materials and the support of Fair-Trade policies or other charities.
Why is ethical & sustainable fashion important?
The clothing and fast fashion industry is HUGE and the second biggest polluter globally, second to oil. This makes ethical and sustainable fashion more important than ever as it has the potential to make a positive impact on the fight against climate change.
We’re totally for supporting big brands in their ethical and sustainable fashion initiatives!
How is the fashion industry embracing ethical & sustainable clothing and who is leading the way?
Small changes can have a big impact and if all brands in the fashion industry jump on board, the positive global impact will be huge.
But who’s leading the way?
AW ‘19 saw the launch of Timberland’s Nature Needs Heroes campaign, with the commitment to plant 50 million trees by 2025. Their commitment to sustainability goes beyond planting trees, with other targets in place and the aim to encourage customers to join them in making a difference.
It takes over 2,000 gallons of water to make just one pair of jeans (shock, I know), so some brands are now looking into how they can cut down on their water usage. Levi’s is a prime example of this, tackling the issue of water usage head-on with its Water
Head over to the fitness industry, and entrepreneur Grace Beverley is defo leading the way with her sustainable, high-performance activewear, Tala.
“We are on a mission to create on-trend, affordable, high-performance activewear, that is 100% up-cycled and honest and we are 92% of the way there…”
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Timberland – Nature Needs Heroes
Timberland is smashing it with their Nature Needs Heroes campaign. Most notably, this campaign comes with the aim to plant 50 million trees by 2025.
Check out some of their other 2020 targets:
- 100% sustainably sourced cotton
- 100% of footwear includes recycled, organic or renewable material
- Source 50% of Timberland’s energy from renewable sources
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The latest item from Timberland and a personal fave is their Scar Ridge Downfree Parka Coat, made with Thermore Ecodown Fibres which come from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Pretty cool, right?
Levi’s – Big Change Starts Small
Levi’s is seriously backing the sustainable fashion concept too. Some of Levi’s goals include:
- Over 80% of Levi’s products made using Water
- 100% renewable energy in Levi’s facilities by 2025
- 100% sustainably sourced cotton by the end of 2020
- No discharge of hazardous chemicals by the end of 2020
As Levi’s is such a big name in the denim industry and is sharing their initiatives with other brands too, reaching goals like this will have a big impact on climate change mitigation.
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UKK are #proud to stock clothing available by Timberland and Levi’s. Head to our website or check out our Insta to view more.
Catch ya later!
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