
18 Aug 50/$50: Sustainable Budget Finds
Fast fashion took affordable fashion mainstream. And I won’t lie, I personally couldn’t afford some of the clothing I post about. Growing up with Walmart and brands like H&M and Forever 21 emerging when I was pretty young has meant I’ve had to in a sense “retrain” my mind in thinking about price. Not thinking about the bargain but thinking about the impact.
Tonlé
A brand that is helping to introduce to zero-waste fashion to the world. They collect all their material from other factories, and with their own scrap waste they painstakingly take them apart by the threads and make it new fabric. Isn’t that amazing? PLUS… Not only are they zero-waste, but they’re also affordable. They are a great brand to find “elevated basics,” dresses, t-shirts, pants, and the like. My favorite has to be that polka-dotted dress!
KAS New York
Indian women are overworked, underpaid, underappreciated, and undereducated because of the mass consumer system we all play a part in driving. It’s great to see brands like KAS New York develop programs to help provide these women with the skills that we all deserve to learn as humans. They use their Equal Employment and Training Program, to train and educate the women and help them change the status quo while they craft these beautiful clothes. The market price point for KAS New York is generally higher, but their sale section is just to die for so I couldn’t resist including them. This is the perfect brand to find something super nice on sale.
Ash & Rose Collection
The reason these sustainable pieces are so affordable is pretty nifty. The Ash & Rose Collection is all handmade in the Boston area by founder Nea Savoca. All her fabrics are antique, vintage, and salvaged. Because everything Nea makes is limited edition she doesn’t sell wholesale and that makes it affordable! Seriously I love this brand and can’t believe I didn’t know about them when I lived in Boston.
prAna
The brand to find your sustainable jeans on a budget. The journey of a prAna product starts at fabric with hemp, organic cotton, and recycled polyesters. Their goal is to understand the full impact of material and make each product as sustainable as it can possibly be. They work with bluesign to make sure each stage of production is as sustainable as possible.
Sinuous
Sustainable fabrics like modal that is made from cellulose fibers and natural materials like organic cotton fill the Sinuous collections. Everything is made locally and ethically in the U.S too. For budget finds this brand is best for that perfect top you’ve needed.
Ecovibe Apparel
Ecovibe Apparel is all about making sure the eco-friendly clothing they produce is still affordable. The word is in the logo! They make everything locally in Portland with materials like tencel, organic cotton, modal, and recycled polyester.
Mamalicious
Pregnant Mamas there is an affordable, eco-friendly option out there. Made with certified organic cotton. These pieces from Mamalicious are perfect for keeping your bump comfy and cute.
Synergy Organic
I’m pretty sure that Synergy Organic is known much more for its workout clothing than it is for its dresses, but I’m a sucker for a good dress and Synergy has so many! These items as all under $50 and are still not hurting people or the earth. The fabrics are comfy organic cotton, and the production is Fair Trade in Nepal.
Reformation
Generally on the much, much higher end of the price scale, but Reformation does have an affordable section of basics. Turn to them for budget options for bodysuits, crops, and tees that are made with their sustainable RefScale.
Passion Lilie
Designed in New Orleans and handcrafted by Fair Trade artisans in India, Passion Lilie is the perfect affordable option for feminine style.
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