The Best Sustainable and Ethical Work Clothing That’s Appropriate for the Office (or Zoom Calls)

Image: Amour Vert

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It’s time to think about doing a closet refresh and getting some office-appropriate clothing that sets the right tone for a triumphant and energized return. Out with the tired sweats and in with something that says, “I am quite capable of having face-to-face meetings with important clients, thank you.”

Luckily, there are reams of brands that sell well-tailored workwear that communicate style and seriousness. We’ve rounded up brands that will help you dress for the job you really want: a boss who cares about the triple bottom line: profits, people, the planet. The price points range from affordable to ultra-luxe, so you can pick and choose for your pay grade.

Step away from the Ann Taylor, and dive into this good stuff:

 

Amour Vert

Amour Vert designs fashion-forward eco apparel without designer prices. Its beautiful and versatile pieces are made in limited quantities to ensure the highest production standards and eliminate any excess waste. Amour Vert also develops zero-waste designs and works directly with mills to develop its own fabrics that are sustainable, soft, and stand the test of time. 97% of Amour Vert’s products are made in California, with most within just a few miles of its San Francisco office. Customers can shop classic staples like striped t-shirts in classic colors like navy, white, black, and heather gray. With every purchase of an Amour Vert tee, a tree is planted in North America in partnership with American Forests. The brand is also one of the first companies to use compostable protective bags to store and ship its garments. It is also committed to only using packaging made from recycled materials and printed with soy-based inks.

 

GRAMMAR

GRAMMAR has the truly perfect white shirt that is classic and timeless. It offers shirts, dresses, and tunics, all constructed by hand in NYC’s legendary garment district using organic cotton poplin that is sourced from an ethical producer in India.

 

Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney’s eponymous label designs ethical and high-end clothing, shoes, and accessories with a responsible, honest, and modern ethos. Its sustainable and cruelty-free designs lead the brand to pioneer new alternative materials, pushing towards circularity and sustainability. Stella McCartney measures and reports its direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions with an approved science-based target to reduce them.

 

Eileen Fisher

Eileen Fisher has been a leading pioneer in fashion sustainability for a decade. Founded in 1984, Eileen Fisher is a certified B Corp brand that creates ethical, timeless and well-made clothes. Still helmed by Eileen herself, the brand is committed to transparency, reducing its water and climate footprint, and using sustainable fibers such as organic linen and regenerative wool and safe chemistry. In 2009, Eileen Fisher launched Renew, a take-back program that extends the life of the brand’s clothes. Once customers send back old pieces, Eileen Fisher cleans them in an environmentally friendly way and resells them in nearly perfect condition. And for items that are damaged beyond repair, the Waste No More team transforms them into entirely new felted designs, including wall hangings, pillows, and other accessories. The brand also offers extended sizing to give more options to more people. When you buy Eileen Fisher, you’re investing in clothes made to last and designed for a life beyond your closet. This circular model for making clothes is part of the brand’s vision for a future without waste.

 

Filippa K

The Swedish brand Filippa K aims to turn its entire collection sustainable by 2030 by road testing different sustainable materials such as recycled wool, recycled polyester lining, and even recycled paper tags. If you live in Europe you can lease a Filippa K garment for four days for 20% of the price, or return your old Filippa K garment to a store for recycling.

 

ADAY

ADAY’s clothing is focused on being technical, seasonless, and sustainable—so that you can wear it for a long time. The ADAY team hand-picks every factory it works with based on impact and certifications, and the brand uses materials that are both innovative and high-performing, as well as eco-friendly. 

 

Another Tomorrow

Another Tomorrow creates modern, sensual, high-quality, and timeless products with only organic natural materials that support soil health, ecosystems, and communities. It uses forest-based fibers from responsibly managed forests with zero net contribution to deforestation. The brand also offers resale to further extend its garments’ life and reduce raw material usage.

 

ABLE

ABLE is a lifestyle brand focused on ending generational poverty by providing economic opportunities for women. The brand’s wages are transparently published on its website in order to protect the women makers and empower consumers. ABLE is a great brand for elevated, yet comfortable, shoes and bags that can easily be dressed up or down.

 

Shaina Mote

Shaina Mote designs its versatile, timeless pieces in Los Angeles, CA. The brand is dedicated to supporting the local economy and has built a network of family-run factories and artisans who create the bulk of its collections. The knits are created by women in Lima, Peru using locally sourced alpaca wool and Peruvian Pima cotton. Shaina Mote strives to source the most responsible materials possible, opting for circular, organic, and low-impact fabrics and dyes. The packaging is entirely plastic-free and compostable.

 

Frame

Founded in 2012, FRAME creates versatile and comfortable apparel that is inspired by London and crafted in Los Angeles. It uses a mix of post-consumer recycled materials and pre-consumer environmentally safe fabrics such as recycled polyester, organic Pima cotton, and bluesign-certified silk. In 2019, FRAME launched its Sustainable Denim collection made from recycled cotton and post-consumer plastic bottles. FRAME also uses eco-friendly wash techniques like high-efficiency lasering to reduce its water consumption and eliminate the use of toxic chemicals.

 

Nisolo

Nisolo is an impact-focused lifestyle brand that ethically sources products in a manner that positively impacts consumers and producers. Nisolo offers skills training and safe working conditions, facilitates international market access, and ensures beyond fair trade wages.

 

People Tree

People Tree is recognized by customers and the fashion industry as a pioneer in ethical and environmentally sustainable fashion. For over 25 years, People Tree has partnered with Fair Trade producers, garment workers, artisans, and farmers in the developing world to produce ethical and eco fashion collections.

 

Kotn

Founded in 2015, Kotn creates beautiful basics from its own authentic Egyptian cotton that is finer, softer, and more breathable than any other cotton. It works with cotton farming families in Egypt, as a way to rebuild the industry from the inside. Since its start, Kotn has built and operated seven new schools in rural areas of Egypt without access to education.

Pause.

After spending a decade in the fashion industry and learning about the impact of fashion manufacturing on the environment, Hoa Huynh and Sezin Calikoglu started Pause., a sustainable and ethical brand that doesn’t sacrifice quality or design. By merging classic silhouettes with modern architectural influences, Pause. follows a seasonless calendar with transparency at its forefront. Pause. pieces are designed and manufactured in New York City with 100% ethically sourced cotton.