Whether you’re planning to be a guest at a wedding, or attend a prom, gala, or any other special occasion, these ethical and sustainable formal dresses will be just the fit.
A lot of formalwear is made from irresponsibly sourced silk or polyester and is worn just once. It’s time to turn that around!
This guide will share sustainable formal dress options that have frocks you can rock to weddings, dances, galas, concerts, or any other event you have coming up.
How to Find Sustainable Formal Dresses
The most sustainable garment is the one already in your closet!
Do you have a special occasion dress or piece of formalwear that could fit the bill? While wearing an outfit only once to an event has unfortunately become the norm with social media, we can help counteract the culture by normalizing outfit repeating to special occasions again!
Another sustainable option is to make the most of what already exists by borrowing from a friend or family member or swapping with someone you know has a formal dress. This is something my friends and I did for high school dances like homecoming and prom. A friend’s Junior Prom dress became my Senior Prom dress the next year!
If there’s no one with your style and size, you can also expand your search of formalwear by browsing online resale platforms. Vestiaire Collective has a fabulous selection of dresses from designer brands for great prices, as does The RealReal. I’ve used The RealReal site to purchase dresses for weddings and other occasions.
If you just need a special occasion dress for one event, consider rental sites like Rent the Runway that offer affordable ways to get formalwear for a limited time.
If none of these options are available to you or you really feel ready to invest in an extra-special garment that you can wear for years to come, keep scrolling for our list of brands with sustainable and ethical formal dresses.
Brands With Sustainable Formalwear & Special Occasion Dresses
These brands have party-perfect minis, chic cocktail dresses, elegant evening gowns, and even pieces that would make for fabulous sustainable prom dresses!
Note that this guide contains partners and affiliate links. As always, all brands meet rigorous standards for sustainability and are brands we truly love — and that we think you’ll love too!
(You might also want to check out this guide for sustainable wedding dresses or this guide for more causal eco-friendly dresses.)
1. Christy Dawn
Christy Dawn’s dresses are vintage-inspired but totally timeless. Their feminine frocks can be worn as house dresses or semi-formal wear to weddings, bridal showers, baptisms, or other not-quite black-tie occasions. Their dresses are either made from reclaimed fabrics ethically in Los Angeles or from regenerative organic cotton that is sourced in partnership with a small collective in India.
You’ll also find sustainable special occasion dresses from Christy Dawn made with regenerative silk, like the dress pictured here!
Conscious Qualities: Reclaimed or Regenerative Fabrics, Ethical Production
Size Range: XS-3XL (extended sizing collection)
Price Range: $$$
2. Reformation
Reformation is a leader on sustainability among larger fashion brands, between their climate positive roadmap and better material sourcing (including recycled cotton, TENCEL Lyocell, and regenerative fabrics) to their supply chain transparency, limited production model, and circularity practices.
And the brand is making it easy to shop for sustainable special occasion dresses with their selection features like “Going Out Dresses” and “Wedding Guest Dresses”.
Conscious Qualities: Lower Impact Materials, Responsible Production Practices, Decarbonization Initiatives
Size Range: 0 – 12
Price Range: $$ – $$$
3. Bastet Noir
Making each piece to order using upcycled materials, Bastet Noir is a zero-waste fashion label. The brand’s sustainable formal dresses and other elegant apparel — including silk jumpsuits — are made by women in North Macedonia. 100% of Bastet Noir’s profits are reinvested into the women’s businesses and their children’s education.
Conscious Qualities: Repurposed Materials, Made-to-Order, Gives Back
Size Range: 4-10 + custom sizes
Price Range: $
4. AMUR
Standing for A Mindful Use of Resources, AMUR uses earth-minded fabrics including hemp, linen, cupro (a silky fiber made from cotton linter, a byproduct of cotton production), modal, and recycled polyester. AMUR has some seriously stunning gowns that would make for great sustainable prom dresses or black tie-dress code outfits. AMUR could use more information on their labor standards and production practices though.
Conscious Qualities: Earth-Minded Fabrics
Size Range: XXS-XL
Price Range: $$$$
5. BAACAL
Frustrated that brands often stop their size range at 12 despite the average American woman wearing size 16, BAACAL creates conscious clothing for the “true majority”: women who wear sizes 10-22. The plus-size sustainable fashion brand uses upcycled, vintage, and other existing materials for their collections.
Conscious Qualities: Upcycled Fabrics, Small-Batch Collections, Size-Inclusive
Size Range: 10-22 (unique sizing system of 1-4)
Price Range: $$$
6. Lahive
Bold and unique, Lahive’s stand-out dresses and other ethical formal wear will make a statement at cocktail hour or a night out downtown. The LA-based brand produces their luxe, textural pieces in small batches using upcycled materials in a factory run by solar power.
Conscious Qualities: Upcycled Fabrics, Renewable Energy, Local Production
Size Range: XS-XL
Price Range: $$$
You May Also Want to Check Out:
Eco-Friendly, Ethical, and Vegan Bags
Brands with Elegant Ethically-Made Flats
Sustainable Wedding Dresses for Your Special Day
The post The Best Sustainable Formal Dresses for Special Occasions appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
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When it comes to establishing a “natural” skincare routine there are a few relatively simple swaps you can make: shampoo, skincare, deodorant, makeup and makeup remover — but, there’s one category that most people tend to struggle with and that’s non-toxic and eco-friendly perfume.
In this post, Madeleine of The Wise Consumer dives into what fragrance really is, if we should avoid all perfumed products, and how one goes about selecting an eco-conscious and natural perfume!
What is Fragrance Anyway?
For years I avoided any kind of perfume, eau de toilet, or spray — not because I didn’t love these kinds of products but because I was intentionally trying to avoid anything fragranced. And perfume is, in a word, just that — fragrance.
But what is “fragrance” actually?
As you’re most likely aware, fragrance is used to make things smell better, to mask unwanted odors, or to give something a more pleasant smell. According to the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), “fragrance is a chemical mixture that has a smell or odor…The mixtures that make a fragrance may include natural aromatic raw materials, obtained from plants using distillation, expression, and extraction, or synthetic materials.”
And, fragrance is everywhere!
It’s in our shampoo, our deodorant, candles, cleaning products, laundry detergents, and even in certain menstrual hygiene products. Sometimes, even “unscented” products can contain fragrance. As the FDA explains, this is because the manufacturer may add just enough fragrance to mask the unpleasant smell of other ingredients, without giving the product a noticeable scent. Like, I said, it’s everywhere.
As a whole, the concept of fragrance isn’t bad. In fact, could you imagine how dull life would be without scents? I am the first to admit that I love soaking in a warm eucalyptus or lavender-scented bubble bath. But, as a conscious consumer, I also like to know what ingredients are in my lavender-scented bubble bath, or any cosmetic product I use for that matter.
Unfortunately, when it comes to fragranced products it’s not always clear what chemical mixtures and ingredients go into making these scented products, even “naturally” fragranced products don’t always disclose their ingredients.
Why is the Ingredient “Fragrance” So Opaque?
Generally speaking, any cosmetic product sold to a consumer must display a list of ingredients. But according to the FDA, “under U.S. regulations, fragrance and flavor ingredients can be listed simply as “Fragrance” or “Flavor.”
This is because “fragrance and flavor formulas are complex mixtures of many different natural and synthetic chemical ingredients, and they are the kinds of cosmetic components that are most likely to be ‘trade secrets’”.
In a way, this makes sense. If a company spends hours of research, time, and money formulating the perfect fragrance for their product, they’re not going to want to disclose the list of ingredients that went into making that product.
But, this can be especially problematic for people with skin sensitivities and/or allergies.
If you’re allergic to a certain ingredient being used in the fragranced product but that ingredient isn’t disclosed, then it’s going to be much harder to know which products to avoid.
In these cases, the FDA recommends that you choose products that are fragrance-free, and check the ingredient list carefully.
Easier said than done seeing that, as I mentioned above, even unscented products can contain small amounts of fragrance to mask unpleasant odors!
As Made Safe shares, “without information about what ingredients actually make up a fragrance, it is difficult to understand the true extent to which our health is compromised by fragrance ingredients.”
This can get even more challenging if you’re extremely sensitive to certain fragranced products and their scents. Products such as laundry detergents, shampoos, cleaners, and body splashes make me nauseated and give me headaches. As it turns out I am not alone.
A 2016 study found that approximately 35% of the population studied reported health problems — such as migraine headaches and respiratory difficulties — when exposed to fragranced products.
According to their research, “fragranced consumer products, such as cleaning supplies, air fresheners, and personal care products, are a primary source of indoor air pollutants and personal exposure….even those called green and organic emitted hazardous air pollutants.”
Not to mention that over the years certain fragranced products have been found to contain ingredients such as phthalates, synthetic musks, formaldehyde, and allergens, just to name a few, that have been shown to have negative health impacts, especially on pregnant women.
Are “Natural” Fragrance and Essential Oils Non-Toxic?
Even “natural” extracts, such as essential oils, can trigger allergic reactions and skin sensitivities. In fact, according to the Environmental Working Group, certain essential oils, such as several citrus oil extracts or rose flower oil, which the European Commission has categorized as established allergens, “may trigger an allergic reaction after a few contacts or can cause someone to develop an allergy over a longer period of time”, EWG reports.
Additionally, a 2018 study found that essential oils, similar to certain synthetic fragrances, have also been found to emit numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
According to the report, “some of these VOCs are considered as potentially hazardous under federal regulations. However, essential oils are exempt from disclosure of their ingredients on their label. Thus, the public may lack information on emissions and potential hazards from essential oils.”
What I’ve learned over the course of my research is that sometimes a synthetic ingredient may actually contain fewer allergens than a “natural” ingredient. As discussed in a previous post about non-toxic skincare, the word natural doesn’t always mean better.
And, when it comes to fragrance, the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners shares, “It is important that companies look for safer alternatives where available and report all ingredients in their fragrances, both natural and synthetic, so that consumers are able to avoid potential allergic reactions and other health consequences.” We can all agree on that!
The good news is today more perfume brands are creating products that are not only free of potentially harmful ingredients but that are also eco-friendly, ethically manufactured, and, best of all, provide complete ingredient transparency so consumers can know what they’re buying!
How to Choose a Non-Toxic and Eco-Friendly Perfume
Check the brand’s website for a list of ingredients. What ingredients are being used? Are the ingredients safe? Are they phthalate-free?
If you have any concerns or doubts about a specific ingredient you can always get more information on the EWG Skin Deep Database.
If the brand doesn’t list the ingredients on their website, feel free to contact them directly and ask them to share their list of ingredients with you. If they don’t, it may be time to find an alternative brand.
Ideally, an eco-friendly perfume brand will not only be transparent about its ingredients as well as conform to IFRA guidelines but will also focus on low or zero waste packaging and ethical manufacturing.
To help save you time on your hunt for a sustainably-made non-toxic perfume, check out the brands below!
Editor’s note: this guide includes affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase through these particular links. As always, all product and brand selections meet rigorous standards for sustainability and are brands we genuinely love — and that we think you’ll love too!
The Best Eco-Friendly Perfume Brands
1. Henry Rose
This sustainable perfume brand provides an array of fragrances that are EWG and Cradle to Cradle Certified. Henry Rose perfumes are made of a combination of both safe synthetics and natural ingredients and are free of harmful ingredients such as phthalates, formaldehyde, and styrene. This nearly zero waste perfume brand also uses 90% recycled and 100% recyclable packaging.
Conscious Qualities: 100% Ingredient Transparency, EWG-Verified, Cradle to Cradle Certified (Gold), Eco Packaging, Gives Back
Scent types: Clean, Smooth, Spicy, Earthy
Price: $$
2. PHLUR
This certified B-Corp and eco-friendly perfume brand crafts their fragrances using only clean and safe ingredients. In fact, they vow to never use materials listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of threatened plants so as to ensure that their ingredients are always responsibly sourced. PHLUR is fully transparent about the ingredients used within their fragrances, both botanical and synthetics.
Conscious Qualities: 100% Ingredient Transparency, Gives Back, Recycled Packaging, Made Safe Supporter
Scent Types: Floral, Crisp and Fresh, Spicy
Price: $$
Check it Out: PHLUR | Credo Beauty | Sephora
3. One Seed
One seed makes honest natural and eco-friendly perfume from plants and tells you exactly what’s in it. Fully transparent about their ingredients, One Seed, uses no synthetic ingredients and is packaged in recyclable and reusable materials. In addition to working closely with their suppliers to ensure all their ingredients and materials are sustainably sourced. One Seed also offers customized fragrance blends of their sustainable perfume!
Conscious Qualities: 100% Ingredient Transparency, Only Natural Ingredients (80% Organic), Eco Packaging, Gives Back
Scent Type: Woodsy, Floral, Fresh, Warm
Price: $$
Check it Out: One Seed | Nourished Life
4. Leland Francis
Reviewed by CL&S Editor Elizabeth Joy
Crafted in small batches in Los Angeles with full ingredient transparency, Leland Francis fragrances are made entirely with plant-derived ingredients. Any sprays are blended with organic sugarcane alcohol.
When I read the scent profile of their fragrance, Rowdy Boy — made in collaboration with a queer-owned farm in Oklahoma City — of bergamot, clary sage, sandal wood, and vetiver, I was in. Their fragrances are unisex, but this one is an extrait de parfum which is more intense, so it was a better fit for my husband. We both love the scent!
Conscious Qualities: Cruelty-Free, Ingredient Transparency, 100% Naturally Derived Scent
Scent Type: Woody & Warm, Earthy, Herbal
Price: $$
5. Abbott
Abbott’s eco-friendly perfume is made using the cleanest conscious ingredients. These unisex fragrances are free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and other questionable ingredients. Carefully crafted using a mixture of natural and synthetic ingredients, Abbott discloses a full list of their ingredients on their website. Plus, their ingredients are sustainably sourced and they work closely with their suppliers to produce eco-minded packaging.
Conscious Qualities: 100% Ingredient Transparency, Vegan & Cruelty-free, Sustainably-Sourced Ingredients, Recyclable Packaging, Gives Back
Scent Type: Cool and Crisp (with a hint of spice), Fresh, Citrus, Floral
Price: $$
Check it Out: Abbott | Credo Beauty
6. The 7 Virtues
This fragrance brand is more than a fragrance, “it’s a movement to use business for peace. 7V (The 7 Virtues), founded by Barb Stegemann, a former journalist who never set out to make perfume, is a fair-trade, ethically sourced, and eco-friendly perfume brand on a mission to provide alternatives for farmers in nations rebuilding after war and strife around the world. Ingredients are ethically sourced from countries such as Afghanistan, Haiti, Rwanda, and Iran. In addition, 7V uses only clean and natural ingredients and is transparent about ingredients used in each fragrance.
Conscious Qualities: Fair Trade and Organic ingredients, Ingredient Transparency, Supports Farmers, Cruelty-Free & Vegan
Scent Types: Warm, Spicy, Floral, Woodsy
Price: $$
7. DedCool
This LA sustainable perfume brand, founded by Carina Chaz, provides a variety of gender-neutral fragrances that are composed, crafted, filled, and packaged in reusable and recyclable glass bottles. Made in small batches, Ded Cool uses only safe synthetics and essential oils in their formulas and is free of carcinogens, harmful stabilizers and preservatives, and water, which many brands use to dilute their formulas.
Conscious Qualities: 100% Ingredient Transparency, Low Waste Packaging, Unisex Scents
Scent types: Citrus, Fresh, Light, Fruity
Price: $$
8. By Rosie Jane
Handmade in Los Angeles, California by/Rosie Jane products are mixed and formulated using sustainably sourced safe synthetic and botanical ingredients. Free of endocrine-disrupting ingredients, by/Rosie Jane provides complete ingredient transparency and uses certified organic ingredients whenever possible. The sustainable perfume also comes in recyclable packaging made using wind power, vegetable-based inks,