Sustainable accessories brands don’t have to scream “planetary excess”. By prioritizing our collective well-being over plastic peddling and profit, these alternatives prove you don’t have to skimp on style to stay sustainable.
Because, let’s face it—from mountain-sized marketplace piles of tacky jewelry and plastic sunglasses to millions of handbags and wallets made with chemical-soaked leather, there’s a dire need for lower-impact stuff (accessories included).
So 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 that use responsible materials and fabrics, ethical labor, and green business practices.
Soon we’ll also be re-scanning these sustainable accessory brands (and other brands across SJ) using our new Brand Rating System. We’ll be looking at a range of eco-related criteria, like transparent supply chains, climate impact, and chemical use. See our rating approach for more on our new stylish selection criteria.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Index: Sustainable Fashion Accessories & Brands
- Passion Lilie Jump to brand
- Carry Courage Jump to brand
- Sunski Jump to brand
- Zestt Organics Jump to brand
- Naadam Jump to brand
- Pixie Mood Jump to brand
- Matt & Nat Jump to brand
- Bellroy Jump to brand
- KOOSHOO Jump to brand
- tentree Jump to brand
- Will & Bear Jump to brand
Passion Lilie
Ethical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.
Handcrafted
Products have been made by hand, typically by an artisan or group of artisans.
Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxic
Organic
Products are made from organic materials.
Plastic-free
All products are entirely plastic-free
Small business
This brand is a small business run by less than 15 people
Sustainable Materials
Either all or most products are made with sustainable materials
Thoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.
Traceable Supply Chain
Brand is able to fully trace their entire supply chain from end to end.
Vegan
This brand does not use any animal products or by-products in their products
Woman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
Fair Trade Federation
GOTS
Passion Lilie has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
Passion Lilie is a passionate fair trade and accessories fashion brand based in New Orleans that handmakes small-batch fashion and accessories in India with artisans dedicated to preserving heritage craft approaches across their range of GOTS-certified organic clothing, kitchen linens, blankets, pillow covers, and more.
Designed in New Orleans and made in India, the brand works closely with local artisans to ensure fair wages, respect, honesty, and thoughtful craftsmanship. They’re members of the Fair Trade Federation and all purchases support projects empowering female tailors through job training and low-to-no interest loans for workers. The brand also publishes a yearly report to support transparency and accountability of sustainable progress.
Whether you choose options made of GOTS-certified organic cotton or plant-based modal, their scarves come in a huge and gorgeous array of colors and patterns, each one block printed by hand using sustainable dyes.
My Personal Review of Passion Lilie’s Raina Modal Scarf:
“I’ve personally worn the Rain Modal Scarf and it’s become a warm weather go-to when I need to snaz up an outfit just a little. Instead of Passion Lilie’s usual mainstay—organic cotton—it’s made of modal, a plant-based sustainable fabric that’s a lightweight silk alternative, so it’s perfect for adding a little extra drapey elegance to both casual and more dressy outfits.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Carry Courage
Circular
All or some products are circular in nature - such that no part of the product needs to end up in landfill at the end of its lifeHandcrafted
Products have been made by hand, typically by an artisan or group of artisans.
Locally Made
Products are made local to the brand's headquarters.Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxicOrganic
Products are made from organic materials.
Repairs Offered
Product can be easily repaired directly by the brand.Thoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.Vegan
This brand does not use any animal products or by-products in their productsWoman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
GOTS
PETA
Carry Courage has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
Carry Courage produces everything from clutch bags to zipper pouches to wristlets in small batches from their Portland, Oregon fair labor studio.
This accessories brand makes use of two of nature’s most kind materials. The first is cork—harvested from trees that benefit from bark removal, which regenerates every 8-10 years. Once harvested, the tree absorbs 5x the CO2, meaning that cork bark harvesting helps reduce GHGs! The second material is 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton that undergoes a strict approval process. Both materials are typically combined, with a cork exterior and organic cotton lining.
In their minimalist, pocket-sized wallets, however, you’ll find just pure cork, paired with snap hardware that’s consciously sourced from a woman-owned company in the US. if the wallet wears out, remove the hardware to recycle and compost the cork.
My Personal Review of Carry Courage’s ADVOCATE Tote:
“The ADVOCATE Tote has become one of my favorite bags. In fact, I take it to the farmer’s market every single weekend when in season since its expansive interior is perfect for packing to the brim with locally grown goodies. Plus, the cork not only looks stylish, it’s easy to wipe clean so I don’t need to worry if I set it down in something dirty.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Sunski
Sunski is yet to be rated.
Price Range: $48–$98
As far as accessories go, what could be more essential than sustainable sunglasses?
Stop squinting and sprint to Sunski, a Climate Neutral Certified brand whose shades were born from an accidentally and utterly successful Kickstarter over a decade ago. You can trust they know what they’re doing, since they fulfill orders from sunny San Francisco.
The brand uses SuperLight frame resin made of recycled plastic otherwise destined for landfills, so these sunglasses take away plastic waste rather than add to it. A lens replacement service and forever warranty keep the plastic out of landfills even longer and 10% of profits go to charity, far surpassing the requirements of their 1% For The Planet membership.
We love the vintage Australian surfer vibe of their Classics collection, like the Headland, but they also sell eye-catching, cool lifestyle, alpine, sport, low-light, and kids shades. For indoor eye protection, they also have blue light glasses. Or how about seeing everything rose-tinted with a pair of their Originals in Clear Pink?
Zestt Organics
Zestt Organics is yet to be rated.
Price Range: $68–$228
Zestt Organics’ specializes in soft and socially responsible scarves.
Made from GOTS-certified organic cotton, recycled cashmere, and/or ethical alpaca, the women-founded brand only works with manufacturing partners who support the health and wellbeing of their workers. Each option is supple and soft, with ethically sourced fibers and responsible production methods that save 44 gallons of water, 3 pounds of pesticides, and a 1/2 pound of chemicals.
Their Dreamsoft Organic Cotton Travel Scarf in all kinds of colors and patterns makes up the bulk of their collection—and honestly what more do you need since it doubles as a travel blanket and features a versatile design that works across all seasons, time zones, and cultures. For something lighter, their Wrap Scarf might be your ideal choice.
Naadam
Naadam is yet to be rated.
Price Range: $88
Based in the US but working closely with Mongolian goat herders, Naadam does ethical cashmere differently—by paying herders premium prices and veterinary benefits that ensure happy lives for free-range goats. They also provide additional life-bettering funds for their herding communities, donate returned and damaged goods to nonprofits, offset all shipping emissions, and use energy-efficient manufacturing facilities.
The fabric is also closed-loop dyed, which gives their cashmere goods their standout array of eleven different colors. Nadaam’s goats are also raised in an area resilient to desertification and ranged over a Manhattan-sized chunk of land to minimize the grazing impact typical in the cashmere industry.
We especially go for their Signature Cashmere Gloves, timelessly designed and available in either full finger or ‘pop-top’ styles, for fellow convertible glove lovers like ourselves. Both super soft 100% cashmere designs make for the perfect elevated “basic” accessory.
Pixie Mood
Pixie Mood is yet to be rated.
Price Range: $40–$100
Since 2010, USA-based Pixie Mood has provided conscious fashionistas with recycled fashion accessories.
Their PETA-approved accessories line includes shoulder bags, wallets, clutches, belt bags, and travel organizers with radio frequency identification (RFID) blocking technology to protect your identity and bank account, all from GRS-certified recycled materials such as recycled canvas, cork, solvent-free vegan leather, recycled wool, and linings made from recycled plastic bottles.
My Personal Review of Pixie Mood’s Jane 2-in-1 Crossbody Bag:
“I personally own the ever-versatile Jane 2-in-1 Crossbody Wallet and there’s a reason it’s my go-to everyday purse. Half wallet clutch, half mini purse, if you only need the wallet, just unclip it and go, but when the wallet is attached to the purse, the magnet component keeps it all together. True to its moniker, it’s giving “pixie mood” for the Tik-Tok girlies.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Matt & Nat
Matt & Nat is yet to be rated.
Price Range: $55–$300
For those accessories you always have with you (unless you leave it on the restaurant table), Matt & Nat and their wallets and handbags come in mighty handy (or pocket-y?).
The Canadian brand sells sustainable bags in all shapes and sizes, wallets, shoes, belts, jewelry, and more—all vegan and mostly crafted from materials like cork, rubber, and recycled nylon. They’re cruelty-free and vegan and made in an SA8000-certified factory, which Matt & Nat is expanding to all its factories to ensure the best working conditions universally, and donate profits from certain products to charity.
Not all of their handbags are sustainable, as some still utilize virgin plastics and PVC-leather, but they’re quickly transitioning away from this in favor of natural rubber, fruit skin fibers, and more prominently, PVB (polyvinyl butyral) made from 100% recycled windshield glass resin. Options like the Sam Vegan Crossbody Bag are made from such fully recycled materials except for the hardware. All linings are made of about 21 recycled plastic bottles.
Bellroy
Bellroy is yet to be rated.
Price Range: $35–$330
Bellroy is an Aussie Certified B Corp, which began around a kitchen table in Bells Beach in 2010. The brand uses recycled materials, gold rated-LWG leather, and biobased leather alternatives to create eco-friendly fashion accessories: bags, wallets, and travel and tech gear, which they now ship globally using fulfillment centers in both the USA and Australia to cut emissions.
To ensure their continued support of people, animals, and the planet, Bellroy stays transparent about their sustainability progress, publishes their codes of conducts and reports, develops regenerative farming practices, and donates significant funds to Farm Forward and science-based research such as Project Drawdown.
Their bags really fit an active lifestyle, as they include hyper-functional and versatile designs in various sizes. Each one is made of proprietary bluesign®-approved Dura Lite Nylon and Dura Lite Ripstop, both are 100% recycled nylon fabrics that use a ‘broken’ ripstop weave to give impressive performance, subtle texture, and a unique look.
My Personal Review of Bellroy’s Lite Sling:
“I’ve personally had the chance to test-run their Lite Sling bag, which comes as 4L or 7L (which is the size I went with) and in four different colorways to maintain function and style while on the go. And maintain function it does, thanks to an extremely innovative design that packs down flat yet still manages to fit all our daily essentials, like a wallet, phone, earbuds, and even a full water bottle!
“Plus, I love the feel of the recycled outer and the fact that it’s super easy to wipe clean with a damp rag if it gets a little dirty—as any great adventure pack should!”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
KOOSHOO
KOOSHOO is yet to be rated.
Price Range: $11–$25
Husband and wife yoga teachers Rachel and Jesse first started KOOSHOO in 2012, naming it after Rachel’s native Norfuk language’s word for “feeling good”. Their HQ remains on Norfolk Island, which they acknowledge as once belonging to the Lekwungen peoples.
Their adorable biodegradable hair ties sure have us feeling good thanks to their organic cotton construction dyed with AZO-free, low-impact dyes in a solar-powered L.A. dyehouse. They partner with a Fair Trade manufacturer/social enterprise in India that supports community programs and pays a living wage.
Their product line of sustainable hair accessories now includes several different colors of hair ties, scrunchies, and headbands in a rainbow of colors. Classic Hair Ties are made of 75% GOTS and Fair Trade organic cotton and 25% natural rubber.
tentree
tentree is yet to be rated.
Price Range: $25–$55
To top-off their outdoor clothing, try a stylish hat from the Canadian brand, tentree. True to their name, they plant ten trees for every order placed, aiming to plant one billion by 2030.
Not to mention the fact that they’re a Certified B Corp and that their manufacturing partners hold certifications like WRAP, BSCI, SA8000, and Fair Trade and adhere to a Code of Conduct based on ILO high standards.
Their range of bucket hats, festival hats, wool hats, beanies, and baseball caps are made for men, women, and kids. They utilize various materials like TENCEL™ lyocell, REPREVE polyester (AKA recycled plastic bottles), organic cotton, hemp fabric, and recycled wool.
My Personal Review of tentree’s Harlow Boater Hat:
“I’ve been living in my Harlow Boater Hat all summer! The wide brim is a total lifesaver, keeping the blazing sun off my face, ears, and neck when I’m working in the garden. The 100% recycled wool is temperature regulating, and the cream color helps to reflect the sun meaning it’s comfortable even on warm days. And it’s cozy enough for when things cool off, too.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Will & Bear
Will & Bear is yet to be rated.
Price Range: $29–$179
Australia’s first Certified B Corp hat brand Will & Bear plants a tree for every hat sold and has given more than 40% of their profits to environmental charities since 2016, proving both their wool hats and their business practices strike a balance of style and substance.
The brand designs, develops, and crafts their hats using traditional techniques and naturally regenerative materials like short-fiber wool which the fashion industry doesn’t typically use. They also support Australian regenerative farms where their non-mulesed wool comes from to support farmers to boost their land health and biodiversity.
In addition to their classic wide brimmed wool hats, the brand also sells straw hats, baseball caps, beanies, sailors hats, bucket hats, fedoras, and floppy hats. We suggest the brand’s iconic Andy hat in Oak or Cream to unleash your inner explorer and get lost in the wild in sustainable style.
Thank you for including tinysparklestudio in your article. I am honored to create everyday and wedding jewelry from recycled silver and gold.