17 DREAMY, ETHICAL & FAIR TRADE PAJAMAS FOR A SUSTAINABLE SLUMBER

Sustainable fashion is a moving feast. What’s sustainable today won’t be (hopefully) tomorrow. That is, the cleaner the industry becomes the higher the bar will go…so, we’re constantly learning new things to keep up with progress.

So, in effort to help you sort through the volume of information out there, we’ve published a comprehensive guide to sustainable and ethical fashion. And using that guide, we created a set of criteria by which we measure brands. These include:

• Materials: Arguably the MOST important one. Even though this a guide to fair trade sleepwear, the materials determine so much of a pair of PJ’s impact, both environmentally AND socially, which is why we’re diving deeper into this just below.

• Supply chain & labor practices: This deals with a brand’s social responsibility across the whole manufacturing process. We take into account every stage if we can, from raw material sourcing to fabric processing to final sewing or knitting. Ideally, brands can trace all their raw materials back to the original source and are transparent about all their factories.

We understand not every brand is 100% perfect, but it’s the honesty and willingness to improve that matters most. 

Having third party audits and certifications back up any ethical claims they do make is also huge, as that’s the biggest defense we have against greenwashing. Some main ones include:

• • Fair trade: Obviously, considering the name of this list, this is a big one.  It verified that either raw materials or finished garments were made fairly in the sense that the laborers receive fair pay, proper training, reasonable work hours, and safe work environments.  It also guarantees them protection against discrimination, harassment, abuse, and child/forced labor. 
  • B-Corp: This is widely considered the gold standard certification because it requires a yearly audit across  ALL supply chain entities and provides a succinct numerical score based on 80 “impact areas”. These results are all publicly available on the B-Corp website.
  • OEKO-Tex 100: Ensures that no harmful chemicals (such as colorants, heavy metals, formaldehyde, azo-dyes, bleach, sodium dioxide) are used in manufacturing. For European brands, REACH is the equivalent certification.
  • Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): For natural/cellulose fibers grown and processed “seed to shelf” without the use of chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, machine harvesting, bleaches, or chemical plasticizers.
  • Global Recycle Standard (GRS): For recycled fabrics, either synthetic or natural.  To obtain this cert, a certain percentage of the fiber contents must be verifiably recycled. That way, we don’t have brands broadly claiming their garments are partially recycled when only 1% recycled material is actually recycled.
  • More reputable certifications: Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), Fair Wear Foundation, Business for Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), Social Accountability International (SA8000)

• Green business practices: This is our catch-all category for other ways a brand works to reduce their impact. This can be literally anything, but some of the most common green initiatives we find include garment recycling programs, reusing textile waste, carbon offsetting, renewable energy powered factories, closed-loop fiber processing, hand manufacturing techniques, and non-plastic/compostable packaging.

• Inclusivity: Fashion unfortunately isn’t very body-positive on the whole. How often do you see stick-thin white super models wearings things in a way that we regular folks will just never do? Too often. For us, it’s important that brands show off their products on real people that everyone can identify with, as well as offer a range of sizes that will fit everyone.  Fashion for all!

• Community & charitable giving: Extra points to brands that give back, whether it be time, money, or support to various causes by simply raising awareness.