Before diving into your favourite brands to shop, ask yourself, are any of them sustainable and Canadian? It’s always great to make a conscious effort to support local brands that strive to reduce their carbon footprint. Surprisingly, even some large retailers have begun to direct manufacturing in an eco-conscious way. Showing love for companies who prioritize these efforts helps to reduce the harmful effects of the fast-fashion industry on the earth.
Here are sustainable Canadian brands to have on your radar.
Vitae
Vitae is a Canadian apparel company founded in 2016. The brand ensures high-quality and affordable clothing, without sacrificing sustainable and ethical manufacturing practices. Found in some of its swimwear, RecoTex is an eco-friendly polyester that is actually made entirely of recycled water bottles. How cool is that?
Buck Naked Soap Company
Buck Naked Soaps was born out of necessity when founders Rina and John’s son developed skin irritations from traditional baby products. Realizing they needed something different, the parents began their creation of all-natural, vegan, handcrafted skincare products that are committed to being chemical-free and only using purely natural ingredients. Enjoy lovely scents of soaps and bath products.
RW&Co.
RW&Co. has created RWResponsible to enforce its priority of reducing its footprint. You can actually shop RWResponsible collections for both men and women on its site from items of biodegradable denim, to recycled wool and polyester. The brand has also switched to using paper bags in-store to minimize impacts on the environment.
Saint Cosmetics
The awesome Canadian makeup company, Saint Cosmetics, is changing the beauty game. The brand is partnered with organic farms that use sustainable methods and packaging responsibly. The packaging is made with FS-certified paper from well-managed forests, ink-based on naturally renewable raw materials. Plus, its products are made with a ton of natural ingredients.
Call it Spring
Call It Spring has so many shoes and accessories to shop for, you’re sure to find beautiful items for every occasion. The brand is committed to its sustainability efforts and is currently a 100% vegan brand. It remains determined to make larger strides towards sustainability in 2021.
The Quarterly
This athletic-wear brand is Canadian, sustainable, and female-owned. The Quarterly connects consumers with trendy, functional looks at the press of a button. It was conceptualized to take the guesswork out of looking fashionable and bring the focus back to easy, stylish clothing.
Wuxly
Wuxly is the only Canadian-made outerwear brand to use biodegradable, recyclable, and sustainable materials. It’s committed to local manufacturing in Canada, specifically the GTA and Winnpieg, with a Design House in Downtown Toronto. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, Wuxly is doing virtual styling appointments which is a great way to online shop!
Pivot
Pivot Skincare offers products that leave skin hydrated and glowing, especially in the (Canadian) wintertime. The Plant-Based Nourishing Oil is the star of the brand and it’s made with awesome natural oils, plus, it has a soothing bath soak to exfoliate your skin. We love a good glow all year long.
LONDRE Bodywear
The Vancouver-based sustainable swim and loungewear line, LONDRE Bodywear, is excited to prove that fashion doesn’t need to be the high polluting industry it’s seen as today. So far, LONDRE has recycled 100,000 plastic bottles from our oceans by using the waste to create sustainable, ethically-made swimwear in an extended size range.
Kotn
This B Corp Certified Corporation, Kotn, has ensured sustainable methods are in place throughout the manufacturing process. The brand has begun a project to ensure that 100% of the natural fibers that are used are certified organic within the next five years to establish a more sustainable future.
Maylyn & Co.
Maylyn & Co. is a female-founded, eco-luxe lingerie and loungewear brand that places a huge focus on being environmentally conscious. Its garment construction takes longer since products are made in small batches with less excess stock, unlike a fast-fashion production line. It uses plant-based fabrics and materials, biodegradable packaging, and green solutions for all orders.
Frank and Oak
Frank and Oak support the thought that sustainable stores need sustainable foundations. The brand begins by building its stores in partnerships with Canadian artisans that use recycled materials. Not only is the apparel sustainable, Frank and Oak make a conscious effort to create as little waste as possible even when renovating stores by reusing decor to make modifications.
Pure Balanxed
Pure Balanxed chooses its fabrics specifically for its sustainability, durability, and softness. Although it may make the manufacturing process longer, it’s creating a positive impact on the world. The clothing line is designed to be timeless and carries an important message on each piece.
Encircled
Encircled understands that the transportation of clothing between countries during the production process overseas creates quite a large carbon footprint for companies. To act against this, the brand reduces its footprint by knitting and dying over 50% of its fabrics in Toronto. The entire studio also uses recycled packaging, FSC-certified paper, and eco-friendly cleaning products.
Made For The People
Made For The People sells bamboo straws to aid in the reduction of plastic pollution and waste in the environment. The straws even come with a wool cleaning brush and a cotton storage bag. Also, the masks sold on the site are manufactured from rescued fabrics to lower any harsh environmental impacts.
Olive + Splash
A Canadian brand you should keep an eye out for is Olive + Splash. Olive + Splash has a wide selection of Canadian-made eco-friendly bamboo apparel for the minimalist and sustainable shopper who doesn’t want to sacrifice style. Shopping ethically for capsule wardrobe pieces has never been easier with their everyday essentials, including joggers, face masks, t-shirts, and hoodies.
LEZÉ The Label
LEZÉ The Label focuses on creating garments that are just as comfy as pj’s but also super chic to offer a beautiful and sustainable line of workleisure. The company uses up to 25 post-consumer recycled plastic bottles in the clothing, plus for every 100 tons of nylon that it regenerates, LEZÉ saves 700 barrels of crude oil, avoids 571 tons of CO2 emission, and reduces global warming impact by up to 80% compared to virgin nylon.
Kuwalla Tee
Kuwalla Tee prides itself on being eco-friendly and minimizing waste, without compromising quality, style, comfort, and affordability. All of the brand’s packaging is made from recyclable and biodegradable material and it’s also a proud partner of 1% for the planet!
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