A marketplace for sustainable fashion was something I really needed when I made the decision to ditch fast fashion. And since then I’ve wanted one for my followers, so that the switch to shopping sustainable would be easier for them. Yes, there was Good On You, but it’s too crowded and complicated to navigate if all you want is to buy a simple top.
One of the biggest issues in terms of NOT shopping sustainable, is the fact that people don’t know the brands. Especially now with all fast fashion brands greenwashing us left, right and center, who can know which brands actually are what they say they are? What we all want is one site with ALL the legit brands from all price categories. Add to that flexible filters so we can find exactly what we need, when we need it, and voila!
The need for a simple site — where shopping for sustainable fashion is as easy as in fast fashion online stores — got so great that I planned to build one myself. There was just one problem: I have no skills to bring such an elaborate sustainable fashion marketplace into life on my own. In addition to coding and design skills, I also lacked money and time.
But now, finally our prayers have been answered! Let me introduce Ethical Clothing, a quick and easy search engine and a marketplace for sustainable fashion. Allow me to explain how it works, who exactly it’s for and what you can expect from it in the future:
Ethical-Clothing.com – Marketplace for Sustainable Fashion
Fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries on the planet. And the only driver for the industry to change its ways is if us consumers change the way we consume fashion. Fashion hauls are so last season! Whereas shopping your wardrobe and finding value in the clothes you already own is so IN.
Read more: Why You Need To Stop Buying Synthetic Polyester Clothes TODAY!
Ethical Clothing is a sustainable fashion marketplace where finding sustainable clothes is made as easy as possible. It was founded by Jack and Ben in 2020, when sustainability in fashion really started to gain momentum. And no, I’m not talking about the fast fashion brands greenwashing their way out of corporate responsibilities! I’m talking about the actual sustainable fashion brands that want to do things better.
Certified & Transparent Fashion
As a marketplace for sustainable fashion, transparency is everything for Ethical Clothing. In the world of sustainability there is no such thing as perfection. To create a 100% sustainable fashion brand isn’t necessarily what will serve the customers the best way. Instead, sustainability in fashion is a complex issue that includes multiple layers from manufacturing to resources to transportation and workers’ rights.
That is why the founders of Ethical Clothing told me that they do not intend to be an authority in sustainability in fashion. This means that they require the brands they feature on the site to match certain criteria, rather than being super strict and selective. At the end of the day it’s up to the consumer to decide what they value most: sustainable materials, cheap pricing or unquestionable sustainability.
How are they going to achieve this? Well, by making sure that the brands match the following criteria:
- Brand is certified by at least one known certification entity (like Oeko-Tex or GOTS)
- Brand is transparent about their sustainable practices (production, employees, resources, etc.)
The problem with relying on such wide criteria is, that there is a chance of fast fashion brands slipping into the mix. Even though they can never be classified as ‘sustainable’! This is because most of the big certificates can be obtained through a simple purchase.
And fast fashion brands being among the richest brands on the planet can definitely afford to buy a certificate like that. Whereas legit sustainable brands often don’t have that economic advantage. Which also begs the question whether these certificates even are worth the investment. But that’s a story for another time.
Sustainable brands for all!
Let’s dig into the actual brands that are included in this marketplace for sustainable fashion! Ethical Clothing is first and foremost a search engine for sustainable brands. You can find anything you want there: shirts, skirts, trousers, footwear, you name it! Just write what you’re looking for in the search bar and press Enter. Or you could look for a specific brand in the drop-down menu below the search bar.
When embarking on their own sustainable fashion journey, Ben and Jack discovered the same thing as I did in the beginning: There is an incredible array of small, sustainable brands that nobody knows about, but that everybody should know about! And so, they got to work to bring forwards the smaller brands that can’t afford to pay for visibility. Ethical-Clothing.com really is a great place to discover new small brands to support this year!
Of course they also have the bigger sustainable brands included in their selection. Brands like Thought Clothing and Bamboo Clothing. A wide selection of brands ensures that there really is something for everyone. Regardless of size, style or your specific needs, all you need to do is search according to your own preference. Which brings us to the next point:
Filters for your benefit
Ethical Clothing has gathered together a wide array of brands from all price ranges, styles and countries. That is why the site’s nature as a search engine is the ultimate way to ensure a good shopping experience. All you need to do is to type up what piece of clothing you’re looking for in the search bar, and you’ll get a selection of pieces and brands.
And the more specific your needs are, the quicker you can find what you’re looking for. This marketplace for sustainable fashion provides a multitude of different filters. You can filter the products according to gender, colour, fabric, price range and much more to get the best fit just for you.
For the economic shopper there is also a brilliant service on offer: Price Drop Alerts! By signing up to these alerts you’ll be the first to know when your favourite brands have sales on. This is how you can save a lot of money without compromising on quality or sustainability. Do notice that for now Ethical Clothing only showcases European brands. Most of them do deliver globally, though.
Ethical-Clothing.com is evolving
As Ethical-Clothing.com has only just been launched (in 2020), it is still very much evolving. A website like this will never be ready, and that is GREAT! If you have any feedback or ideas what the site is missing, or just want to tell them what new brands you’ve discovered, feel free to drop them a line.
In the meantime, the guys are already working hard behind the scenes to improve their brand selection. They especially want to ensure that the brands they feature truly are as sustainable as they say. As I mentioned earlier, a certificate is no guarantee of sustainability, so that is an area they are looking into. Possible solutions for tackling this issue are product ratings. These ratings will make it easier for consumers to find brands that match their sustainability standards exactly.
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In the meanwhile you can shop with them knowing that what you’re buying is legit. Perfectly sustainable? Probably not, but thriving to be so. And what more can we ask? Have you checked it out yet? What do you think, will this make shopping sustainable easier for you?
Outfit details:
Top: Hedy by Non Manon
Skirt: old H&M
Bag: Armi by PIHKA collection
Shoes: Ramona by Palmroth
