Words by Smiley Team
More and more of us are switching to eco-friendly products, from bamboo T-shirts to upcycled jeans.
These new habits are a positive sign for the planet – but where can you buy sustainable products while still looking fit and lit? Coming to your rescue, these ethical and eco-friendly pioneers are merging care for our planet with the latest looks. Check them out.
More like a fresh version of Etsy than a brand in itself, creative platform Depop was founded in 2011 for fashionistas to share, buy and sell their clothes and accessories. Despite going for some years, its sustainable ethos keeps rocking on with aims to always be “kinder on the planet and kinder to people.” Spreading its ideals further afield, the platform has sparked collaborations with major fashion brands such as United Colors of Benetton and Ralph Lauren.
Denim is sadly not sustainable, requiring thousands of litres of water to produce just one pair of jeans. But recycled denim is not so demanding for nature. In light of this Mud Jeans upcycles vintage denim in updated styles to fit all kinds of body shapes.
For makeup, Ulta Beauty is becoming increasingly popular with young eco-conscious shoppers. The company assures: “We believe in beauty for all, aspire to beauty at its most inclusive, and are committed to making the world a better place.”
Nobody likes the thought of plastic clogging our oceans. To tackle this, Ecoalf’s upcycling the ocean project is collecting plastic waste from the water to make innovative yarn. Its products are also made from recycled fabrics, tyres and coffee waste in order to minimise their environmental impact.
Another business helping beat ocean pollution is Bureo. It specialises in taking discarded fishing nets and transforming them into bold outerwear such as sunglasses and Patagonia jackets.
