With “fast fashion” running the clothing industry, it is hard to find sustainable fashion brands that are both ethical and affordable. It is so easy to just hop onto a website like Shein and purchase a shirt for three dollars, but there are many downsides to this type of fashion. Businesses like Shein have facilities in foreign countries that practice child labor and do not use eco-friendly sources. Although typically more expensive, seeking out eco-friendly fashion brands is a more efficient and practical way to shop. Keeping price in mind, here is the list of the top five sustainable fashion brands.

5. United By Blue

United By Blue is based in Pennsylvania and sells men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, everyday items and even sustainable living products. While United By Blue can be on the expensive side, their organic clothing is stylish and lasts a lifetime. They use solely sustainable materials and pride themselves on ethical manufacturing with high standards for their factories. It is also unique compared to other sustainable brands in that for each product sold, they remove one pound of trash from the ocean.

4. Outerknown

Based in California, Outerknown sells men’s and women’s sustainable apparel. The brand has a variety of clothing including activewear, fancy apparel, casual clothes, swimsuits and shoes. Ninety percent of the brand’s used fibers are organic, recycled or regenerated, while 100% of their swim trunk materials are made with recyclable fibers. Outerknown is focused on being as environmentally friendly as possible and even states on their website, “With every decision we make, we will always choose the most responsible path.”

3. Reformation

Reformation started in California and sells very fashionable women’s clothing and even wedding attire. The company is 100% carbon neutral and states on their website, “Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We’re # 2.” What stood out to me about Reformation is their ability to use eco-friendly materials and processes while creating clothes that are fashionable for my age range. Many sustainable clothing industries create more basic clothing because of the difficulty to strictly use eco-friendly materials, but Reformation is both sustainable and fashionable. The clothing can be pricey, but it is worth it for a one-of-a-kind item that is manufactured well.

2. Levi Strauss & Co.

Also based in California, Levi’s is an extremely popular clothing brand that just about everyone knows because of its notorious denim line. The company sells men’s, women’s and kid’s denim and apparel. They use eco-friendly practices like using recyclable denim, ethically sourced cotton and processes to reduce water use. Levi’s even has a second website, Levi’s Second Hand, where customers can purchase vintage and secondhand jeans. The prices are reduced and all the items are in excellent condition.

1. Patagonia

Patagonia, based in California, is also a very well-known brand for its outdoor clothing and gear. Patagonia is reasonably priced considering the expenses of materials that are needed for outdoor clothing. Patagonia is one of the earliest clothing companies to use environmental ethics and adopt recycled materials and organic cotton. The Patagonia website is also filled with activism and resources to get as many people involved as possible to help fight the climate crisis and other ecological issues.

Although these are only a few sustainable fashion companies, there are many companies world and nationwide that focus on preserving the environment while creating clothing. Something every sustainable business stresses is the importance of quality and ethics over price. When in doubt about the ecological ethics of a company, a quick Google search can always help you discover the company’s materials and the processes they use. So, next time you hop on the internet to order some new clothes, try checking out some of these sustainable brands before looking elsewhere.