Our parents were right when they told us not to be wasteful. If only someone could give the entire fashion industry a lesson in zero waste fashion because textile waste is staggering.
Fortunately, there are some good apples out there—namely zero waste clothing brands that are using circular practices to create our clothes (and avoid the one-way street to landfill).
For this list, we obviously sought brands using both upcycled/recycled materials AND ensuring their own upcycled garments can see another life after you’re done wearing them. But in addition to that, we’ll also soon be aplpying our new Brand Rating System to it, which extends our search across 22 total criteria ithat you can read about here.
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.
The Top Zero Waste Fashion Brands For Circular Style
Malaika New York employs zero waste fashion techniques and reclaimed fabrics to create their super stylish minimal waste clothing.
Pre-consumer textile waste becomes sexy, low-impact lingerie thanks to Anekdot’s commitment to circularity.
Index: Zero Waste Design Fashion
- Hernest Project Jump to brand
- Malaika New York Jump to brand
- Whimsey + Row Jump to brand
- Anekdot Jump to brand
- MUD Jeans Jump to brand
- Re/Done Jump to brand
- Beyond Retro Jump to brand
Hernest Project
About Hernest Project
Price Range: $49–$159
Combining “her” and “nest”, Hernest Project is a fitting name for a brand that makes some of the coziest sustainable sleepwear and loungewear for women. Their button-down tops, cardigans, crewnecks, joggers, pants, shorts, tanks, and tees are ideal for lounging at home or popping to your local zero waste grocery store.
Snuggle up in the Caroline Cardigan. Featuring a soft fleecey inside, raglan shoulders, wooden buttons, and spacious pockets, its relaxed yet stylish aesthetic makes it an easy all-season favorite.
Hernest Project’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
You’ll find recycled cotton, GOTS-certified cotton, TENCEL™, recycled lyocell, and a small percentage of recycled elastane. All fabrics bear OEKO-TEX certification and feature bluesign® approved dyes—not to mention we’ve tested them and find them suuuuper comfy!
Supply chain & labor practices:
Hernest’s zero waste clothes are made by a family-owned and female-run operation in Portugal (SM Senra) and the accessories are made by a social enterprise in Canada (The Cutting Edge).
The brand has a comprehensive Supplier Code of Conduct and aims to map all of its tier 3 and tier 4 suppliers by 2025.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
SM Senra employs computer technology to keep fabric waste to a minimum. 100% of production waste is recycled, like being turned into zero waste accessories. They’re focusing their Sustainability Roadmap efforts on 12 of the UN’s SDGs, and partner with Green Story for carbon offsetting and aim to be carbon positive by 2030.
Inclusivity:
With inclusive sizing (XS-4XL) and a handy visual size guide, Hernest ensures its closed-loop clothing fits all bodies.
Malaika New York
About Malaika New York
Price Range: $65–$299
Danish brand Malaika New York offers “unique zero waste garments for the contemporary minimalist”. Think stylish asymmetrical designs, boxy t-shirts, and effortlessly chic black shift dresses created using zero waste fashion design techniques.
For a go-to black dress, Malaika’s LBD with Pockets ticks all the right boxes. Made from GOTS-certified organic cotton, it features a boat neckline and side pockets and is designed for a flattering, loose fit.
Malaika New York’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The zero waste fashion brand uses deadstock fabrics (20%) and upcycled materials, including fabric offcuts and old bike tubes for appliqués. They also use ECONYL® yarn and cotton is either OEKO or GOTS-certifed.
To ensure maximum recycling potential, each garment is made from just one material when possible.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Malaika works with Kopenhag Studio in Izmir, Turkey, where a sustainable production process and a safe and healthy work environment are top priorities. 100% of textile waste is reused or recycled.
Koepenhag also supports traditional craftsmanship by partnering with small ateliers. Everyone receives living wages.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Malaika’s rectangular patterns reduce the amount of clothing waste produced to 15-20% instead of the 30% fashion industry average. The studio is powered by renewable energy, samples are created in-house, and they currently use biodegradable bags for 70% of their products and are working to reach 100%.
Inclusivity:
The range of sizes each garment covers varies, but most styles cover the size range XS-XL or XS-XXL.
Whimsey + Row
About Whimsey + Row
Price Range: $36–$398
Whimsey + Row offers plenty of stylish designs, including dresses, tops, bottoms, underwear, and more. Garments are created in small batches and textile waste is either repurposed for accessories or sent for recycling.
We love Whimsey + Row for their linen offerings, including the super versatile Sydney Dress. Featuring a smocked bodice, detachable puffed sleeves, and detachable tie straps, this mid-length 100% linen dress achieves three different looks for the price (and impact) of one.
Whimsey + Row’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
You’ll find organic cotton, linen, eco-friendly viscose fabric, TENCEL™, Cupro, and deadstock fabric.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The zero waste fashion brand works with several small manufacturing partners, most of which are located in Downtown Los Angeles. They also partner with a knitting manufacturer in Missouri and a social enterprise in India.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Limited runs mean less clothing waste and leftover fabric scraps are turned into accessories like scrunchies, and Wear It Again Whimsey is their resale platform for pre-loved Whimsy + Row pieces.
They partner with Carbonfund.org for carbon offsetting and use recyclable materials for shipping.
Inclusivity:
With an extended sizing collection outside their regular XS-XL range, Whimsey + Row is one of the best places to find plus-size zero waste clothing.
Community & charitable giving:
Whimsey + Row donates to a range of charitable organizations and takes part in monthly volunteer days.
Anekdot
About Anekdot
Price Range: $45–$235
Berlin-based Anekdot turns high-quality waste fabrics into beautiful lingerie, loungewear, and swimwear. You’ll find lace bras and bralettes, knickers, panties, silky robes, and silk lingerie all made from pre-consumer textile waste combined with regenerated and recycled synthetics.
Add some frilly flair to your sleepwear with the Cayenne Flutter Knickers made from surplus polyester from Italy. The crotch is made from 95% organic cotton and 5% elastane from fabric offcuts.
Anekdot’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Fabric sourcing for their sustainable lingerie comes first for this “upcycle brand” and they source their pre-consumer textile waste from various places—like factory surplus silk—and ECONYL® regenerated nylon.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Anekdot’s garments are made in Berlin or Poland by small, women-owned companies.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
They keep textile waste to a minimum and anything they can’t use is donated, sold, or given new life as accessories. Orders are-shipped plastic free using recycled paper packaging, paper tape, and compostable mailers.
Inclusivity:
Sizing runs XS-XL. If you’re buying a set and need the top and bottoms in different sizes, drop them a note at checkout.
Community & charitable giving:
Anekdot supports and organizes local community events such as clothes swaps for #FashionRevolutionWeek, open studio events, and IG live.
MUD Jeans
About MUD Jeans
Price Range: $90–$169
Champions of the circular economy, fashion brands MUD Jeans want to add some denim to your zero waste wardrobe with PETA-approved sustainable jeans made from organic and recycled cotton.
Whether you like them cropped, flared, loose, relaxed, skinny, straight, or high-waisted, MUD Jeans designs ethical jeans for everyone, along with jackets, shirts, shorts, skirts, and accessories. The Mams Tapered offers a classic high-waist mom fit with tapered legs and comes in four colors: Berry, Chocolate, Forest, and Bio Bleach.
You can also lease your jeans instead of buying them, with a one year of free repairs.
MUD Jean’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
You’ll find GOTS-certified cotton, GRS-certified post-consumer recycled cotton (up to 40% per pair, with a goal of 100%), hemp, and a maximum of 2% of elastane in stretch designs.
They use Cradle2Cradle-certified indigo dye.
Supply chain & labor practices:
You can read all about this Certified B Corp’s supply chain partners on their website. For example, all clothing is made in Tunisia by Yousstex International, an ethical manufacturer that uses innovative eco-friendly production methods. Old jeans are recycled into new fabric in Spain.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
95% of the water used during the production process is recycled and shipping emissions are carbon offset. You can send back old jeans of any brand (provided they’re made of <96% cotton) recycling.
Read more in their latest Sustainability Report.
Inclusivity:
Women’s sizes run 25–33″ for waists and men’s sizes 28–38″. Leg lengths vary depending on the style.
Community & charitable giving:
Each Earth Day, MUD employees are given a day off to spend supporting local projects. Voices For Good is the brand’s platform showcasing environmental and social changemakers, and they host a monthly Zoom webinar on circular business practices.
Re/Done
About RE/DONE
Price Range: $85–$2,496
Zero waste fashion company RE/DONE is all about “vintage made better”. They start with the original, vintage garments and take them apart to mix and match certain portions, making one-of-a-kind pieces.
To date, they’ve prevented more than 225,850 garments from entering landfills.
Upcycled clothing make up half of their sales volume, but they also offer a non-upcycled selection of stylish clothing for men and women, including jeans, shorts, skirts, tees, pants, sweaters, shoes, and accessories.
RE/DONE’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Upcycled materials (from Levi’s and Hanes) make up the majority of the garments, but they do use some virgin organic cotton, recycled cotton, and leather from LWG-certified tanneries.
Supply chain & labor practices:
RE/DONE’s upcycled clothes are mostly made in an ethical factory in Los Angeles, though some come from sustainability-minded manufacturing partners in Mexico and Turkey.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The Mexico factory is Cradle2Cradle certified and an Alliance For Responsible Denim member. Both factories use water-saving manufacturing methods and in Mexico, the pumice stones used for washing are recycled into thermal “eco-blocks” used for housing.
The brand has opened a European warehouse to save on the carbon emissions involved in shipping from LA to Europe.
Inclusivity:
Sizes tend to run on the smaller side (mostly XS-L and jeans 23”-30”), but ver 50% of RE/DONE’s models are BIPOC.
Community & charitable giving:
RE/DONE donates to several organizations and proceeds from partner collabs help fund environmental causes like the Rainforest Alliance and PathWater.
Beyond Retro
About Beyond Retro
Price Range: $2–$355
Of all circular fashion brands UK readers have, Beyond Retro is the best way to go beyond boho.
For decades, this London thrift store has been a leader in repurposed vintage and rare designer pieces. Their treasure trove of vintage delights spans the 60s to the 00s so whether you’re looking for a 60s shift dress, a 90s floral playsuit, or some retro Nike, this is the place to go.
Beyond Retro’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
In addition to the OG type of zero waste fashion (vintage clothes), the Beyond Retro Label is their in-house line of unique clothing and accessories created from reclaimed fabrics.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The brand processes 93 million pounds of secondhand clothes every year (the equivalent of 60 Olympic size swimming pools worth!). The magic happens in the brand’s own factory in northwest India, where workers experience healthy and safe working conditions and are paid fair trade wages.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
These self-proclaimed “data nerds” use real-time intelligence and proprietary cloud-based technology to sort through secondhand clothes and only provide vintage pieces that are relevant and timeless. Anything that the brand doesn’t use can be distributed locally to be recycled in another way.
Inclusivity:
They provide a helpful Sizing Guide but expect to mostly see XS-XL for men and UK 6-20 (US 4-18) for women. They do have some plus-size items.
Why Choose Zero Waste Fashion?
When you look at your closet, you likely don’t see waste. But waste happens at nearly every stage of that t-shirt’s journey. There’s normally excess fabric in the manufacture of any garment, but the problem extends far beyond the cutting room.
At the retail stage, fast fashion dictates that stores adhere to artificial seasons and microseasons—and we’ve all heard about what happens when garments don’t sell. They either get shipped off to developing countries to (possibly) be recycled, or head to a landfill or incinerator as quickly as something becomes “last season” (or rather “last week”).
If they do make it to your dresser drawers, they might be worn a handful of times, then chucked in the trash or donated. Even there, the chance of resale is slim (10-20% slim) so their ultimate destination becomes a landfill (or overseas recycling center) anyway.
That’s a lot of waste—92 million tons every year, to be exact. Hence, the importance of zero waste fashion that aims to cut down, if not eliminate, textile waste from one or all of these steps. Ways they can do this include:
- Producing minimal or no textile (and other) waste
- Using textile waste (like offcuts and deadstock fabric) to create upcycled clothing
- Creating timeless designs
- Limited collection runs
- Selling pre-loved clothing
- Recycling clothing
Ultimately, it’s about changing how we do fashion by valuing all the resources that go into our favorite clothes, creating high-quality clothes that last, embracing season-less fashion, employing circular practices, and not producing any material waste.
One of the best zero waste clothing choices you can make is to make the most of the clothes already hanging in your wardrobe. Don’t buy new clothes, unless you need to, and check out your favorite local or online thrift store first—thrifting is a great way to do fashion, zero waste style.
Fashion rental is another great option with plenty of sites offering clothing and dress rental online. It’s perfect for those special occasions or simply trying out a new style.