Our 10 Favorite Slow Fashion Brands: Sustainable, Ethical & Timeless

It’s time to leave fast fashion in the dust — with one-of-a-kind designs, quality fabrics, and the assurance your dollars are supporting a more responsible fashion industry, these slow fashion brands are sure to win you over.

Before we go any further, though, I think we need to clarify what exactly slow fashion is…

What Do I Mean By “Slow Fashion?”

Slow fashion is about being more mindful and thoughtful about how clothing (and other fashion items) are being produced, how they’re being purchased, and how they’re being used/worn.

Instead of mass-producing trend-driven garments cheaply and quickly, slow fashion production is about creating a piece to last by using high-quality materials, transitional designs (i.e. they migth be contemporary but they’re not super “trendy”), and durable construction.

For individuals, slow fashion purchasing habits means buying less, but better. A slow fashion mindset is all about choosing well — it’s about picking well-made items that are built to last and also selecting pieces that fit your lifestyle and body well, to ensure they’ll not only be durable but will actually be useful for years to come.

Adopting slow fashion in your life, though, doesn’t necessarily have to mean spending money — this concept is also about slowing down to appreciate your clothes and closet. Slow fashion can mean wearing what you have as much as possible, mending and repairing worn clothing, or upcycling an even sewing your own clothes.

For more, read “What is Slow Fashion, Really?”

While slow fashion is a term that’s often used quite generally, it’s important to note that there are fast fashion brands that might have some organic or recycled clothing. Those did not make the list!

Slow fashion companies to me — and the criteria used to select brands for this guide — are brands that produce in smaller batches, make most of their pieces by hand, craft each piece with attention to detail and quality, and ideally, partner with skilled artisans, sewers, and craftspeople (who are of course fairly paid).

Now without further ado, here are our picks for…

My Top Picks for Slow Fashion Brands

To be clear: you do not need to purchase from slow fashion brands to participate in slow fashion. However, when the time comes that you want to add a new piece to your wardrobe, you probably want your dollars to go towards supporting responsible brands that are doing things better; that are producing with quality and intention.

You want to invest in pieces for the long-haul — and pieces that have a positive impact. And these slow fashion brands will help you do just that.

Note that this article features affiliate links which help us continue to run this independent site. As always, we only feature brands that meet high standards for sustainability that we love — and that we think you’ll love too!

Questions You Might Be Asking

What is a slow fashion brand?

In short, a slow fashion brand makes fewer, better pieces, designed to last and not to chase every fleeting trend. They may have contemporary styles, but they’re not trying to convince you to buy something new every week. The brands in this guide produce in smaller batches, put care into construction, and are transparent about who makes their clothes and how. For the full definition, see What Is Slow Fashion, Really?

What’s the difference between slow fashion and sustainable fashion?

Slow fashion is about pace and quality: how much a brand makes, how long the clothes last, and how they’re made. Sustainable fashion is about environmental impact, like fibers and processes. They often overlap, but not 100% of the time. For example, a large corporate fashion brand can use organic cotton at huge volume and have some “more sustainable” practices while a small-batch brand may still use conventional but fully traceable cotton purchased direct from farmers.

Are there luxury slow fashion brands?

Yes. Christy Dawn, AGAATI, GRAMMAR NYC, and Eileen Fisher are the more luxury picks in this guide. Price alone doesn’t prove a brand is ethical, though, so always check how and where it’s made, not just what it costs!

Can slow fashion be affordable?

It can be. While you won’t see fast fashion prices from values-driven brands (you can’t charge that little and still pay fair wages), Kotn has more affordable clothing and OhSevenDays’ zero-waste “misfits” collection sells imperfect pieces at lower prices. Some brands like Eileen Fisher have their own resale program too. Or, of course, you can find any brand secondhand. I also think about slow fashion in terms of the cost per wear — a $50 dress that I’ll wear once has a cost per wear of $50, while a $250 sweater I’ll wear 250 times over the course of the next 20 years has a cost per wear of $1. So it’s also about a reframe around how often we buy clothing and how long we keep it. Of course there’s privilege in that, so if you can’t afford it start with loving up what you have, repairing, and choosing secondhand first.

Which slow fashion brands make their clothes in the US?

Brook There cuts and sews its undergarments in Massachusetts, with organic cotton yarn milled and dyed in California. Christy Dawn sews in Los Angeles or India. Encircled sews in Toronto, if our neighbor Canada counts for you!

Are there size-inclusive slow fashion brands?

Christy Dawn and Eileen Fisher both go up to 3XL and include petite sizes. For sustainably-minded brands that sell up to 4XL or beyond, check out our Plus Size Slow Fashion Guide.

How can I tell if a brand is greenwashing or “slow-washing”?

I watch for vague words like “conscious” or “sustainable” with no specifics, no information about who makes the clothes or where, constant new drops, and a single claim, such as organic cotton, standing in for everything else. Instead, we’d like to see the holistic picture of slow fashion, from intentional design to durability to thoughtful material use and end-of-life responsibility like the repair program from Asket or the take-back and resale program from Eileen Fisher.

Is a bigger brand like Eileen Fisher really slow fashion?

Fair question! Eileen Fisher operates at a larger scale than the small-batch makers here (they’re a private company so we don’t know the size for certain) but I still include this brand for its timeless designs, better fabrics like organic linen, hemp, and regenerative wool, and a take-back program that keeps clothes in use. Not to mention, Eileen Fisher is considered one of the pioneers for slow and sustainable fashion, inspiring many other designers and fashion professionals to think about fashion in a more responsible and circular way. Also, whenever I attend webinars hosted by Eileen Fisher or Eileen Fisher Foundation about regenerative or circular fashion, Eileen Fisher herself is almost always there. So while a larger company, the founder is still intimately involved and incredibly values-driven.

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Our 10 Favorite Slow Fashion Brands: Sustainable, Ethical & Timeless

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