Sustainable Accessories: 7+ Brands & Ideas (2025)

Accessories can be super fun, elegant, eye-catching and in many cases important to make an outfit really pop. But much like the fashion industry more broadly, which contributes 10% of carbon emissions, accessories consumed without awareness or consideration for the people that made them and their environmental impact is problematic.

From mountain-sized marketplace piles of poorly made jewelry and plastic sunglasses to millions of handbags and wallets made with chemical-soaked leather or plastic, there’s a dire need for lower-impact accessories.

What to consider when hunting for sustainable accessories:

From a sustainability perspective, we have looked for accessory brands that use responsible, high quality materials and fabrics, prioritize ethical labor, and have installed green practices in their business operations. Supporting brands who are truly taking extra steps to lower their negative impact is critical to promoting a more responsible fashion industry more broadly.

To help with this (and to reduce potential for greenwashing), we have released a Brand Rating System where we consider 22 different sustainability related criteria, including things like transparent supply chains, climate impact, and chemical use. See our rating approach for more on this and look out for the rated brands on the list below who have opted in to be rated.

Beyond key sustainability credentials, also consider:

• How many times you’ll actually use the accessory and with which outfits. Accessories that can pair with multiple outfits reduce the need for more accessories and are thus inherently more sustainable. Also consider the cost on a per wear basis because spending a little more on a well made piece that you’ll wear a lot is way better than spending on junk that will end up in landfill after a couple of wears.
• Whether the piece is driven by a trend that might not last. Opting for pieces that you truly love that can rise above trends and last for many years (or even forever) will mean both less spend overall and less negative impact.
• Whether you can source the accessory secondhand. Online thrift stores are a good place to hunt efficiently.

With all of this in mind, and to help you wrap, adorn, accessorize, and tie on your way to a fairer, greener world, we’ve curated this list of our favorite accessories brands.

The bag has forever been the most functional and iconic fashion accessory. From classic handbags, to totes to crossbodies to backpacks, there are so many options to complete your look. From a sustainability perspective, material choice matters a great deal when it comes to bags and it really depends on what matters most to you.

For those who prioritize animal welfare, vegan bags would be the way to go. Though some materials are better than others – avoid PVC and other materials that are essentially plastic (unless they’re recycled). If you’re after a sustainable leather accessory, choosing leather from LWG certified sources is our recommendation.

Rated bag brands:

• Carry Courage: Vegan brand who makes everything by hand in Portland Oregon, predominantly from cork (see the rating here).
• 8000Kicks: PETA Certified vegan brand that mades durable backpacks in various sizes mostly from hemp (see the rating here).
• Poppy Barley: Certified B Corp which Uses LWG certified leather (though you do need to check the material list) and offers a vegan range made from Desserto® cactus leather (see the rating here).

Other brands we love:

• Elvis & Kresse: Wide range of sustainable accessories made primarily from recycled fire hoses and other recycled materials.
• Pixie Mood: PETA-approved vegan accessories using GRS certified recycled materials.
• O My Bag: LWG Certified and Certified B Corp Europe based brand which offers a wide range of stylish accessories.

Another highly functional accessory, hats serve the dual purpose of protecting us from the cold or the sun so why not opt for hats that improve an outfit overall?

Much like the rest of the fashion industry, when it comes to sustainability, these accessories should be made with thoughtful materials by people who are paid and treated fairly. Our favorite brands focus on natural materials that have better end of life outcomes and have been made in production facilities that are audited to ensure they meet ethical standards.

Rated hat brands:

• Paka: Certified B Corp that makes outdoor clothing and accessories including winter beanies made primarily from traceable alpaca fiber and recycled nylon. They also make caps made from 100% organic cotton (see the rating here).
• Organic Basics: Everyday basic accessories including both winter hats and summer hats made from 100% organic cotton (see the rating here).

Other sustainable hat brands:

• tentree: Canadian Certified B Corp offers wool wide brimmed hats, bucket hats, festival hats, caps and winter hats. Their manufacturing partners hold certifications like WRAP, BSCI, SA8000, and Fair Trade and adhere to a Code of Conduct based on ILO high standards. They utilize various materials like TENCEL™ lyocell, REPREVE, organic cotton, hemp fabric, and recycled wool.
• Will & Bear: Offer classic wide brimmed wool hats. The Certified B Corp supports Australian regenerative farms where their non-mulesed wool comes from to support farmers to boost their land health and biodiversity.

Scarves and gloves can add a bit of flair in summer or a cozy aesthetic in winter. When considering sustainability for these accessories, the more eco-friendly accessory materials tend to be organic cotton, recycled wool/cashmere or hemp.

Some brands have found a way to support herding communities through more conscious wool sourcing so these are also worth a look. Like sustainable fashion more broadly, we expect these brands to manufacture in facilities that prioritize the wellbeing of the workers. Here’s our top picks for sustainable scarf brands:

Rated scarf brands:

• Passion Lilie: Fair trade brand who works closely with local artisans to ensure fair wages, respect, honesty, and thoughtful craftsmanship. Scarves are made from organic cotton or super soft modal (see the rating here).

Other scarf & glove brands we love:

• Naadam: US brand who offers scarves, gloves and hats made from ethically sourced cashmere. They focus on uplifting the herding communities from which they source the cashmere and ensure the goats are raised in areas resilient to desertification.
• Zestt Organics: Makes scarves from either 100% GOTS certified organic cotton, recycled cashmere, and/or alpaca fiber.

The right jewelry accessory can change the look and feel of an entire outfit. Add a bit of bling to an otherwise minimalist outfit and you have a look suitable for dining out, replace those with some understated hoops and you’re all set for a work day. Ensure you can interchange these jewelry pieces across multiple outfits and you have a winning formula!

But choosing jewelry is tricky from a sustainability perspective. Most jewels and metals need to be mined which comes with a raft of ethical and environmental issues. So opting for brands who prioritize both transparency and ideally recycled materials is the way to go. We’ve created a list of sustainable jewelry brands which may be of interest and we share some of our favorites below

Sustainable jewelry accessory brands we love:

• OMI Woods: African inspired pieces made primarily from recycled fair trade gold.
• Aurate: Offers a range of beautiful pieces with many made from recycled gold.
• Catbird: Member of No Dirty Gold offering pieces made from recycled or ethically sourced materials.

A classic pair of sunglasses can be all you need to make an outfit look chic and sophisticated. Traditional sunglasses are typically made with virgin plastic, in unaudited facilities with little to no care taken to ensure durability… and they usually come with a hefty price tag.

More sustainable sunglasses are typically made from recycled plastic, wood or metal.

Sustainable sunglasses accessories we love:

• Sunski: Makes carbon-neutral frames and offers a lens replacement service. Their frames are made with recycled plastic otherwise destined for landfills and they’re members of 1% for the Planet.
• Pela: From roots as a phone case brand, this Certified B Corp expanded their offering to include stylish sunglasses made from recycled ocean bound plastic. They are also climate neutral certified.
• Woodzee: Californian brand who makes sunnies out of wood pulp and cotton fiber, sold in a recycled paper case.

Simple (or more intricate) hair accessories like hair ties, scrunchies and clips can totally change a look, whether it be as straightforward as keeping hair up or adding a bit of pizazz to the crown. More sustainable hair accessories typically include better materials like compostable organic cotton and natural rubber.

Sustainable hair accessories we love:

• Kooshoo: Norfolk Island based brand that makes hair ties, scrunchies and headbands from organic cotton and natural rubber.
• Terra Ties: Terra Ties are made from biodegradable elastic made from natural rubber, wrapped in organic cotton (not polyester) to keep it comfortable and reduce breakage.
• Adorro: Makes stylish eco-friendly clips that are mostly made from cellulose which is derived from plants and is both durable and biodegradable.

Belts are typically thought to be sustainable accessories for men but without good reason as this accessory can lift to anyone’s outfit. Whether it be a minimalist design or a bold, loud feature, belts can be a fun accessory for just about any occasion. They can also be very functional of course!

Much like bags, materials are of top concern here and opting for vegan materials or ethically sourced leather is recommended. Our top picks for belt brands:

Rated brands:

• Poppy Barley: Already mentioned on this list (see above under “bags”), Poppy Barley also make stylish and minimalist leather belts (see the rating here).

Other belt brands we love:

• Elvis & Kresse: Already mentioned above under bags, Elvis & Kresse make beautiful belts from repurposed fire hoses.
• ASKET: A sustainable accessory brand for men, ASKET offers dress belts made from cotton/viscose/natural rubber blends. Their suppliers are WRAP, SA8000, OEKO-TEX, and/or GOTS-certified.