From upcycled streetwear to luxury minimalism, these sustainable fashion designers are changing the fashion game—ethically.
The concern about the environmental impact the fashion industry has is not new. As someone who also dreams of a closet full of ethically sourced staples, I’ve compiled a list so you know where to start. Whether you’re into bold prints, gender-fluid silhouettes, or timeless tailoring, these 13 brands prove you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetics for ethics.
1. Mara Hoffman
Mara Hoffman leads the charge in sustainable fashion with vibrant, feminine silhouettes rooted in mindful design. Her NYC-based brand champions organic and recycled materials, low-impact processes, and circularity through resale and repair initiatives—all while maintaining a powerful visual identity rooted in color, femininity, and intention.
2. Collina Strada
Collina Strada (@collinastrada)
Hillary Taymour’s Collina Strada is the cool, climate-conscious brand of the moment. Based in Brooklyn, it fuses expressive, gender-fluid fashion with deadstock fabrics, biodegradable materials, and radical transparency. Collina Strada is sustainability with a sense of humor—and a lot of heart.
3. Bode
Emily Bode Aujla’s namesake label creates menswear that feels like a time capsule. Handmade in NYC from antique textiles, every piece is a one-off work of wearable history. Think heirloom tailoring, upcycling, and preservation through storytelling.
4. Gabriela Hearst
Gabriela Hearst (@gabrielahearst)
Luxury meets environmental rigor in Gabriela Hearst’s elegant, minimalist collections. Though Uruguay-born, Hearst runs her headquarters and flagship out of NYC. Her brand is plastic-free, carbon-neutral, and committed to full traceability—setting a gold standard for sustainable high fashion.
5. Tibi
Amy Smilovic’s NYC-based label, Tibi, isn’t strictly “sustainable,” but it aligns with slow fashion values. The focus is on quality, longevity, and versatility—timeless staples that outlive trends. For conscious minimalists, it’s a wardrobe essential.
6. Tanner Fletcher
Tanner Fletcher (@tanner.fletcher)
This Brooklyn duo designs vintage-inspired, genderless pieces using deadstock fabrics and recycled trims. Their style blends soft tailoring with maximalist charm, rooted in nostalgia and sustainability. If Wes Anderson started a fashion brand—it might look like this.
7. Maison Atia
MAISON ATIA | Luxury Faux Fur (@maisonatia)
Maison Atia is proof that faux fur can be fabulous and ethical. Designed in NYC, their luxe coats are crafted from organic and recycled materials. The brand is cruelty-free, stylish, and supports animal rescue organizations with every purchase.
8. Vaquera
Born of NYC’s downtown underground, Vaquera is has been around since 2013. Founded by Patric DiCaprio, the label is known for its chaotic silhouettes, DIY construction, and precise rebellion.
9. Private Policy
PRIVATE POLICY (@privatepolicyny)
This downtown label channels activism through fashion. Using recycled materials and streetwear aesthetics, Private Policy explores themes like colonialism and climate justice. Each piece is a wearable statement—bold, unisex, and unapologetically political.
10. Absolutely Fabrics
Absolutely Fabrics (@absolutely.fabrics)
Formerly a designer of her eponymous label, Kaelen now runs Absolutely Fabrics—a luxury brand and resale studio that upcycles vintage clothing into luxury one-offs. Based in Toronto, it’s circular fashion done right.
11. Zero Waste Daniel
zero waste daniel (@zerowastedaniel)
Brooklyn’s Daniel Silverstein makes clothes entirely from fabric scraps—literally zero waste. His patchwork designs are colorful, unisex, and handmade in NYC. It’s upcycling on overdrive, and a blueprint for reducing fashion’s landfill legacy.
Sustainable Designers Worth Knowing (and Wearing).
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