8 Sustainable Hoodies & Sweatshirts To Warm Yourself, Not The Planet
Hoodies are one of those ubiquitous clothing pieces. We all own one…okay maybe two…Fine. We all own a few of these.
From high school memorabilia to that fast fashion gift you got for Christmas last year, hoodies are everywhere.
And there’s a good reason why. They’re admittedly one of the coziest clothing items around.
The problem is, most are made from synthetic and petroleum-based fibers, which means they’ll be hugging landfills for hundreds of more years.
The sustainable struggle is real—but so is the sustainable snuggle!
In support of the sustainable fashion industry (and the planet), we’ve gathered the best sustainable hoodies that put the supple in ethical supply chains.
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.
Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Hoodies We Love To Wear
We were excited to find unique eco friendly fabrics in the eco friendly hoodies and eco-friendly sweatpants from Outerknown.
Likewise, tentree’s sustainable materials are so natural you could almost eat them (though we’ll skip the recycled polyester dish).
There’s more where that came from. Read on for the best organic sweatshirts crafted from the finest sustainable materials.
Be sure to also take a look at the end of the article to see how we picked this huddle of hoodies.
The Full List Of Sustainable Hoody Brands
- Outerknown | Visit Store
- Allbirds | Visit Store
- tentree | Visit Store
- Colorful Standard | Visit Store
- Pact | Visit Store
- Kotn | Visit Store
- Iron Roots | Visit Store
- Arms of Andes | Visit Store
1. Outerknown
About Outerknown
Price Range: $128—$168
Surf-legend Kelly Slater turned his passion for ocean conservation into one of our favorite sustainable brands: Outerknown.
In addition to their range of year-round-wearable men’s and women’s tees, jeans, and activewear, Outerknown also handles your winter needs.
That includes sustainable coats and jackets for your top, sustainable socks for your toes, and for some of the best sustainable hoodies for “laid-back comfort and style wherever you wander” in between.
For those who’d prefer their hoodie hoodless, they also offer sustainable crewneck sweatshirts.
Outerknown’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
OKs’ most sustainable hoody for men is the Sur Snap made of 55% hemp and 45% GOTS-certified organic cotton.
All other hoodies are made of blends of organic cotton and recycled polyester made from plastic bottles.
Some styles come with corozo buttons made from nuts of the tagua palm tree.
Their bluesign®-approval means no toxic chemicals reside in those cozy sustainable materials.
Supply chain & labor practices:
OK partners with a range of manufacturers and suppliers across the globe (namely in Peru, Mexico, and China).
They all abide by a strict code of conduct and many of them are Fair Trade-certified. In fact, OK was the first brand to bear a certification by the Fair Labor Association.
Green business practices:
Aware that sustainability is a journey and not an endpoint, OK focuses on areas that need improvement, which is why they have goals to adopt circular models by 2025 and make 100% of products circular as per their 2030 Sustainability Strategy.
Other goals include helping their supply chain partners transition to renewable energy systems, getting more involved in climate-focused social and political movements, and more.
Inclusivity:
Men’s sustainable vegan hoodies are available in S-XXL and women’s in XS-XL.
Community & charitable giving:
It’s not surprising that OK is an advocate for Earth’s oceans and provides aid toward its environmental issues.
They regularly partner with Ocean Conservancy to take part in beach cleanups and donate financial resources from product campaigns.
2. Allbirds
About Allbirds
Price Range: $118
We’ve been known to sing the praises of New Zealand-based sustainable fashion brand, Allbirds.
All their garments and sneakers are ethically made of sustainable materials. Plus, we admire their goal to eventually emit zero carbon.
Along with the sustainable sneakers, they offer a range of minimalist, sustainable basics that includes tees, sweatpants, underwear, socks, and hats—and some hygge-level cozy soft sustainable sweatshirts.
Made from a proprietary blend of organic cotton and sustainable materials that keep you cool in the summer and cozy in the winter, Allbirds calls their eco-friendly hoodies the “true year-round option”.
You’ll find couch-friendly fuzzies as well as sustainable athletic sweatshirts.
Allbirds’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Allbirds’ R&R line of eco-friendly sweatshirts is sewn from a deliciously soft blend of 50% Peruvian pima organic cotton, 30% hemp fiber, and 20% TENCEL™ Lyocell.
The Fluff Fleece keeps the TENCEL™ but swaps in recycled materials in the form of rPET for the rest.
Finally, the Performance Quarter Zip utilizes TENCEL™, recycled nylon, New Zealand ZQ merino wool, and a touch of elastane.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All hoodies are ethically produced in Peru or Vietnam.
This Certified B Corp is committed to a tight-knit, socially and environmentally responsible supply chain. They source exclusively from suppliers who commit to their rigorous Code Of Conduct.
The company also ensures its factories participate in an onsite social assessment. This happens with an independent third-party social assessment firm.
Green business practices:
Allbirds holds themselves accountable to reduce their carbon footprint by offering transparency about their impact assessments.
They track their emissions through materials, manufacturing, transportation, product use, and end-of-life.
They then offset any emissions through a variety of carbon offset programs on a journey toward becoming a zero emissions business.
Their Vietnam factory is LEED-certified.
Inclusivity:
Allbirds note that their hoodies fit slim. Sizes are offered in both men’s and women’s XS-XXXL.
Community & charitable giving:
They also partner with Soles4Souls and donate any returned shoes (within 30 days) to those in need.
3. tentree
About tentree
Price Range: $68—$98
Canadian Certified B Corp tentree calls its hoodies: “The second-layer you never want to take off. Equal parts comfortable and sustainable, rehabilitating our earth one chilly evening at a time.”
If their ethical hoody range were a tree, it would be a redwood; that’s how big and diverse it is. Shop for men, women, and even saplings (by which we mean kids’ sustainable sweatshirts).
While their hoodies are warm on their own, add a little extra warmth with tentree’s sustainable gloves and eco-friendly scarves.
tentree’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
With so many different options, there are a few different sustainable sweatshirt fabric combos, usually consisting of GOTS-certified organic cotton, recycled polyester, TENCEL™ Lyocell, and minimal spandex in some designs.
Supply chain & labor practices:
tentree manufactures globally but tells you which country each product comes from.
These Canada-designed environmentally-friendly hoodies are “ethically made in China”.
A transparent factory ledger and code of conduct assure us these factories are all certified by one or more entities and held to strict labor standards.
Thanks to these efforts, tentree ranks in B Corp’s top 1% for manufacturing ethics.
Green business practices:
Each product description also bears an Eco Log. Essentially a negative impact counter compiled with the help of GreenStep, these logs display the CO2 emissions, water, and waste savings associated with every product.
Inclusivity:
Women’s sustainable sweatshirts come in XS-XL and men’s in S-XXL.
Community & charitable giving:
As you may have guessed, tentree likes trees. So much so that they plant TEN TREES for every purchase made.
Thus far, they’ve planted over 50 million trees across the world (in areas specifically in need of reforestation or biodiversity support) and hope to reach 1 billion by 2030.
4. Colorful Standard
About Colorful Standard
Price Range: $88—$108
Comfort comes standard with Colorful Standard.
While this applies to their whole line of organic basics (organic cotton t-shirts, socks, sweats, and shorts), it’s especially true of their ultra cozy hoodies and crew sweatshirts, complete with super soft brushed interior.
And with over 50 colors to choose from, there’s something for everything, whether you prefer a classic sustainable black hoody or something that makes a statement.
Colorful Standard’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
100% organic cotton dyed with OEKO-TEX-certified dyes is all you’ll find in these PETA-approved organic sustainable hoodies.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The brand is so confident in the ethical practices of their Portuguese factory, they invite you to stop in for a visit at any time.
Green business practices:
Here’s a brand that “love[s] simplicity” as we do. Simple styles are simply the most sustainable. CS designs their clothing to pair with any outfit and remain in style indefinitely.
They’re pre-washed and anti-pilling so there’s no reason these affordable sustainable hoodies won’t be a staple in your minimalist wardrobe for years.
They also keep their supply chain small by shipping directly from the factory to you, no warehouses needed.
Inclusivity:
From some unisex styles—like their sustainable oversized sweatshirt—and XS-2XL sizes, CS brings inclusivity to the world of comfort.
Community & charitable giving:
Around the time of their founding, CS pulled together the funds to build and equip a football club in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Today 5% of sales still go toward running what has become an activity center and a safe place for youth to congregate.
5. Pact
About Pact
Price Range: $68—$84
Pact considers themselves producers of “Earth’s Favorite Clothing”—so much so that it’s their trademark.
One peek at this Boulder-based brand’s selection of bedding and affordable ethical clothing—like organic robes, PJs, and other organic basics—might have you making a pact to prioritize comfort.
Their range includes fair trade hoodies for the whole family (including little ones).
Pact’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
This sustainable clothing brand reduces its imPACT by using only Fair Trade and GOTS-certified organic cotton, at least in the sweatshirts.
So if you want a 100% organic hoodie, this is it.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Pact sources most of their organic cotton from India, which is also where they have their Fair Trade USA certified factories.
Hello localized supply chains and living wages; bye bye child labor and sweatshops.
Green business practices:
Pact offers the option to offset the carbon footprint of your delivery.
It’s shipped in a box made from 98% post-consumer recycled materials and includes a biodegradable plastic bag to keep your fair trade hoody safe.
Inclusivity:
You’ll find S-XXL in sustainable sweatshirts for men and XS-XXL for women.
Community & charitable giving:
Through Pact’s Give Back. Wear Forward, you can turn your Magic Box into a Give Back Box. Just return the packaging from your order filled with gently used clothing. Then, Pact sends it to non-profits.
This reduces the footprint of the packaging materials, keeps clothes out of landfills, and helps those in need for a truly ethical trifecta.
6. Kotn
About Kotn
Price Range: $98—$148
For Kotn, what began as a goal to make the perfect t-shirt evolved into an internationally-loved Certified B Corp that seeks to find sustainable solutions to the fashion industry woes.
Their top discovery: ethically sourced and produced Egyptian cotton.
Kotn makes beautifully tailored sustainable men’s clothing and women’s clothing, including knitwear, t-shirts, button-downs, trousers, blazers, dresses, sustainable socks, and loungewear.
The latter includes rugby pullovers and the coveted and oh-so cozy Unisex Essential Sweatshirt.
Kotn’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The brand uses the following eco-friendly materials: Egyptian Giza cotton, Egyptian linen, ECOTEC cotton, BCI cotton, TENCEL lyocell, ethical merino wool, and organic cotton in their clothing line.
For the Essential Sweatshirt, you’ll find100% BCI cotton fleece in several neutral colors courtesy of OEKO-TEX-certified dyes.
Supply chain & labor practices:
“Like farm to table, for your clothes,” says Kotn of their direct-trade supply chain.
Cotton is purchased directly from family-run Egyptian farms at set prices, meaning farmers never suffer from the shifting market value of cotton.
Kotn is proudly the fourth-highest B Impact Score of sustainable clothing brands in North America. This is largely in part because their farms and factories are subject to regular third-party audits, which includes regularly interviewing workers to ensure their needs are met.
Each ethical sustainable sweatshirt is ethically produced in Portugal, across the Mediterranean from their Egyptian farms.
Green business practices:
Since Giza cotton is exclusively grown in the Nile Delta region south of Alexandria, it localizes Kotn’s supply chain within a 100km radius.
All stages of harvest and cotton production happen in Egypt, which reduces the company’s footprint.
The cotton is hand-sourced to protect the integrity of the fibers, which also reduces machinery and equipment use.
Inclusivity:
Sizing options for these sustainable cotton hoodies run from XXs to XXL.
Community & charitable giving:
“Community is at the core of everything we do at Kotn,” says the brand.
Kotn is deeply involved with their harvest and production teams in Egypt, and works closely with their workers to “serve, honor, and invest in their futures.”
One of their farming communities’ main hopes was a good education for their children. So, Kotn began The ABCs Project. With each Kotn order, a portion funds and builds and funds primary schools in the Nile Delta and Faiyum, Egypt.
7. Iron Roots
About Iron Roots
Price Range: €85—€90
Founded by three friends who found it absurd that 90% of sportswear contains microplastic-releasing polyester fibers, this brand brings fitness back to its roots in nature.
All products are totally natural, without any synthetic fabrics.
Iron Roots is a small sustainable activewear brand and their hoodie selection is small to match.
In fact, it includes just one item: the Unisex Hemp Performance Hoodie, available in either full-zip of pullover styles.
Iron Roots’ Ethical and Sustainability Practices
Materials:
These sustainable hemp hoodies are a blend of 30% hemp fabric and 70% organic cotton, two of the most eco-friendly materials around. That combo makes them soft, antibacterial, warm yet breathable, and of course, fully biodegradable.
Each organic hoodie prevents about 15,000 microplastics per wash.
Supply chain & labor practices:
From their GOTS and FSC-certified raw material suppliers to their ISO-certified and regularly audited factories in either Greece (where the hoodies are made) or Portugal, Iron Roots can trace the whole process.
Green business practices:
Iron Roots goes beyond green materials to promote a clean cuddle sesh. They use minimalist and plastic-free packaging and more sustainable (i.e. slightly slower) shipping options.
Additionally, they also give people a discount to send back their old Iron Roots apparel so that it can be recycled into new clothes.
Inclusivity:
These lightweight sustainable hoodies run in unisex sizes XS-XXL.
Community & charitable giving:
Iron Roots promotes sustainable fashion outside their own business model. By giving lectures at events and universities, they’re helping to spread awareness about the necessity of sustainable fashion.
These talks focus on practical advice for avoiding fast fashion and recognizing greenwashing.
8. Arms of Andes
About Arms of Andes
Price Range: $115—$125
Arms of Andes makes use of one of the world’s most unique materials to produce some of our favorite sustainable outdoor clothing like shirts, socks, underwear, leggings, and, you guessed it, hoodies.
And there’s a good chance these are one of the best eco-friendly sweatshirts around, considering the blend of Peruvian Andes warmth and the sweet stylings of Cali.
Have a look at the men’s and women’s Alpaca Wool sustainable zip up hoodies (both full and half), and you’ll see what we mean.
Arms of Andes’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
100% alpaca wool, 100% of the time, as per their “Leave No Trace” clothing ethos.
Fun fact: alpaca wool is (almost) as soft and fine as cashmere, but it’s a lot more eco-friendly, especially since theirs is dyed with natural dyes and bears an OEKO-TEX certification.
Not only is wool a great way to stay warm and dry, but it’s also breathable, anti-bacterial, sweat-wicking, and odor-resistant.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Arms of Andes sources yarn from single-origin local suppliers that purchase raw fleece directly from the alpaca herders.
Herders are families who have kept some of the traditional farming techniques alive, along with maintaining an intimate, respectful relationship with the alpacas.
The rest of the supply chain is located in Peru, too. Thus Arms of Andes has been able to support the local economy by hiring Peruvian people to fill their brand’s many needs—from shearing and fiber sorting to driving the finished products.
Green business practices:
At first glance, Alpaca wool might not sound like one of our go-to sustainable fabrics, but it is. These animals are naturally adapted to the Peruvian mountains and have become a necessary component of healthy ecosystems there.
Unlike other animals who produce wool, alpacas support a healthy environment (instead of destroying it). They’re light grazers and help to encourage regrowth while keeping the soil healthy and intact.
Once the wool has been ethically gathered, it’s processed in Peru, which keeps transport emissions minimal.
These organic hoodies are shipped in compostable bags made from corn starch.
Inclusivity:
Men’s hoodies run from S-XXL, women’s from XS-L.
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How We Found The Best Sustainable Sweatshirt Brands
We can’t discuss the importance of sustainable materials and sustainable fashion without discussing the hard truth about textile waste today.
The EPA says that in 2018, of the 17 million tons of textile waste produced in the US, less than 15% was recycled. This left 11.3 million tons of textile waste in landfills. In one year alone.
A lot of that is toxic material that will never decompose in our lifetime.
So, to find the perfect oversized sustainable hoody, we lifted the hoodie from over our eyes and separated out the loose threads.
Our sustainable and ethical fashion guide helped us:
Materials:
Sustainable fabrics were our first thing we sought in finding the best sustainable sweatshirts.
That mostly meant organic cotton hoodies, but hemp, wool, and other organic materials made the occasional appearance, too.
While fabrics like polyester and rayon are common to a comfy, feel-good hoodie, we steered clear of them because they’re made of petroleum and aren’t biodegradable.
If we are going to wear plastic, it has to be made from recycled materials, though we were generally happy to see recycled hoodies less than natural ones.
And if we found a mostly-organic sweatshirt with some recycled polyester or lycra, we wanted to keep it minimal to maintain the garments recyclability.
- Certifications: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS certified), Organic Trade Association (OTA), USDA Organic, bluesign®, OEKO-TEX
Supply chain and labor practices:
After seeking sustainable materials, we turned to the supply chain. Transparency is one of our favorite things to snuggle up in—so we’ll peruse a Code of Conduct to ensure a brand is doing its best to protect workers’ rights.
The more ethical brands can share about how they’re ensuring living wages, protection from harassment, safe work environments, and sweatshop-free and child-labor-free factories, the better.
- Certifications: Certified B Corp, Fair Trade, Fair Wear Foundation, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED, Fair Trade USA, Fair Labor Association (FLA)
Green business practices:
We like it when brands design eco-friendly hoodies to last. After all, once you find a favorite hoodie, you’ll wear it no matter the condition. Ideally it isn’t ratty after only a few months.
Beyond that, we’re also a big fan of carbon offsets, compostable or recycled materials for packaging, and localized supply chains.
Community & charitable giving:
Putting on a hoodie always feels good. But it feels even better when you know it helped someone or something.
While some brands are too small to give back (just yet), we’re excited that most here are contributing funds, time, or awareness to bring about positive social and environmental change.
Final Thoughts On Eco-Friendly Hoodies
“Winter is coming” (whether you’re rewatching GoT or binging some other Netflix series).
Which means hoodies are about to become a regular staple of your cold-weather uniform (along with sustainable rain jackets).
Which is a bit “glass half-empty” because: being cold.
But on the glass half-full side, it means warming up with the knowledge you’re wearing apparel that puts people and planet first.
But the question remains: what is the most sustainable hoody?
That which is already in your closet, so start there and then opt for second-hand sweatshirts using online thrift stores.
But if you’re in need of some new-new ethical hoodies, support one of these brands.
You can also do that by passing along this article to any friends that are as stoked on the sweatshirt life as we are.
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I don’t know why people keep referring to PACT. Their clothes fall apart, and their customer service is crap. I have several pieces from them, from underwear to t-shirts, to pajamas. A lot. And none of them preform well, and there is no way to write a review on their website to warn people. SO I am doing that here, since you are suggesting PACT as a product. Just look elsewhere. Their stuff has no standard, and you will have zero recourse.
I just want to order a number of hoodies for my husband and its not clear how to do so
Hi Esther, we’re not a retailer ourselves so you can’t buy from our site. Instead you need to click through to one of the brands on the list – see where it says “available” at the end of each listing. This will take you through to the brand’s site where you can buy the hoodies.
How do i shop for these items?
Hi Susan, simply click on the link next to where it says “available” for any of the brands you like the sound of. This will take you to an e-commerce site where you can buy the items. Cheers, Joy