Sustainable Brands You Should Know About

In today's blog post, Olivia + Laura discuss sustainable fashion and what that word really means. Also, they share some sustainable fashion and skincare brands that are taking huge steps to better our plants. Read on for more!

Clothing & Bags

Frank & Oak

Started in February of 2012, Frank and Oak is a clothing brand that is committed to fighting for our planet through creating sustainable products. All of their shipping boxes and packages are made from 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard — which helps reduce the percentage of packaging and plastic used for shipping. Frank and Oak also discourages the distribution of single-use plastic bags by providing a canvas tote bag to shoppers! Some fabrics that Frank and Oak uses to create their garments are recycled cotton, recycled polyester, recycled nylon, recycled wool, post-consumer recycled paper and more!

“We set the standards high for our products to ensure durability, functionality and style without compromising the planet.”

They have a monthly clothing subscription where they send you 4 on-trend items personally selected for you! The selections are quality, eco-conscious clothes just for you.

Boyish

Boyish is a brand that makes “green” jeans. They source eco-friendly fabrics to reduce waste and eliminate synthetics. They make jeans from non-toxic dyes and gentle processes protect water, keeping it safe for both people and the environment. Boyish jeans are 100% vegan — cruelty-free and PETA approved. They make sure that “almost nothing goes to waste”. They are part of a circular economy which is an economic system that aims at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. Boyish Jeans has also been carbon neutral since day one.

PANGAIA

PANGAIA is a materials science company with a mission to save our environment — which we love. Their range of clothing uses bio-based, recycled fibres and materials made from recycled plastic bottles. They combine natural botanical dyes made from natural sources such as plants, with innovative antibacterials peppermint to stay fresh longer. Oh, and it’s super cute!

We love their matching sets so much! Not only do they look so cute, they are made with environmentally friendly dyes and a recycled water system.

Matt & Nat

Matt & Nat is a Montreal brand that sells vegan accessories, like purses and bags, made from sustainable and eco-friendly materials. These responsible materials include recycled nylons, cardboard, rubber, cork, 100% recycled plastic bottles and recently even recycled bicycle tires!

You can shop Matt & Nat at stores like Simons or the Hudson's Bay, online, or at one of their 800 international boutiques.

Pixie Mood

Founded in 2010, Pixie Mood is a brand that believes that you don't have to compromise on style to do good for the world. That's why they create vegan products to deter animal cruelty and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the process. Another way they are doing this is through carbon offset while shipping their products. Basically, that means that for all the Co2 emission that takes place in the shipping process, they will make the equivalent saving somewhere else. Therefore, Pixie Mood is attempting not to add any more Co2 into the environment.

We love supporting a brand with values like these, so here are some products we also love from Pixie Mood.

P.S. They also have a huge sale going on right now!

Lingerie & Swimwear

The Saltwater Collective

The Saltwater Collective is a swimsuit brand that celebrates different body types by creating swimwear in various sizes and styles to make women feel confident. Not only that but, their core belief is that sustainability is sexy (Seriously! It says on their website). With that in mind, all swimwear is made from abandoned fishing nets and nylon waste from landfills. So, no waste is created, and quality and style are maintained!

All their products are stunning, but our faveorites are from the ALLANA X SALTWATER Collection. Take a look for yourself.

Blush

Blush lingerie is a Montreal brand that sells luxury lingerie at affordable prices. This inclusive brand values female empowerment and prides itself on making women feel sexy while wearing Blush products. Not only are their products stunning, but they are also ethically sourced. So, all products are manufactured humanly and must comply with employment laws.

Blush Lingerie does not use sustainably sourced materials as fabric for their products, but their products are high-quality! That means you won't need to replace a bra because of weathered lace or torn stitching. So, by buying locally, we are supporting an expanding Montreal business, and by keeping the products because of their quality, we are cutting down on the fast fashion market. It's a win-win.

Along with lingerie, Blush also sells basic undergarments and swimwear-- check out their website to see for yourself (or look through the items we've selected as favorites)

MARY YOUNG

MARY YOUNG is a Montreal brand that we recently discovered and automatically fell in love with! This company is saying goodbye to boring underwear and is welcoming delicate and sensual pieces for women. All the products are made with women in mind, so they are comfortable yet sexy everyday essentials made to be worn by women and not for their partners (HECK YEAH!).

MARY YOUNG not only encourages owning one's sexuality but is also environmentally conscious. Hence, all their products are fabricated in Montreal with ethically sourced materials in a way that reduces their carbon footprint. Sustainable fashion doesn't mean compromising on style. In fact, MARY YOUNG makes super cute products, and you can see the amount of effort put into each garment. This brand actually cares about its clients, and even better, they care about the world.

Honestly, we want everything on their website but, pictured above are a few standout pieces

Makeup and Skincare

The Body Shop

The Body Shop is a well-known cosmetic shop that has sold simple and ethically sourced products for the past 40 years. This company is rooted in activism so, all products are cruelty-free, some are vegan and, their workers around the world are treated fairly. Their founder Anita Roddick was committed to being as sustainable as possible and was on the front lines of many activist protests against animal cruelty and exploitation. The Body Shop is still committed to being as sustainable as possible by selling eco-friendly products and trying to use recycled plastics in their packaging to reduce waste.

The Body Shop is constantly improving, and have even introduced initiatives like an in-store refill program where clients can bring in a bought tin that can be filled up with the product to reduce waste. Initiatives like this are part of the reason why they are a B Corp Company meaning they are one of 3,000 businesses worldwide to have the highest social and environmental standards for people and the planet.

With the holidays around the corner, look into the Body Shop who sells amazing gifts sets for all genders and skin types. Also, their prices are reasonable, so you can get a high-quality gift without paying a lot!

Here are some true and tried products that we love, along with some holiday bundles that are sure to make Christmas a little greener.

“Social and environmental dimensions are woven into the fabric of the company itself. They are neither first not last among our objectives, but an ongoing part of everything we do."

Dame Anita Roddick

Founder of The Body Shop

Burts Bees

Everyone knows Burt's Bees but did you know that all the products are responsibly sourced? That means that the company tells you exactly what is in your product, and this product can be traced back to fairly treated and paid workers. Not only that, but the ingredients found in the products come from nature (although they are not vegan because of the use of beeswax).

However, even if they are using products from the earth, they are not exploiting nature. Instead, they are offsetting their environmental impacts by purchasing clean water and carbon emission certificates-- which means whatever bad they are adding to the environment they are putting the equivalent of good back into it. If you don't believe me, you can check out their 2020 sustainability report.

Overall, Burt's Bees is attempting to make the work a little greener, and the world a little cleaner.

Tip: Look for the bunny on your cosmetics. That means the product is not tested on aminals!

Bare Minerals

Bare Minerals is a makeup brand that has been one of the leaders in clean beauty, but they are also ethically sourced. Hence, a majority of the products are vegan and never tested on animals.

Also, they are making efforts to be more sustainable through recycling programs. So, you can return your empties to any bare minerals counter or store, and they will recycle them properly for you to avoid it ending up in landfills.

They've also made an effort to eliminate unnecessary packaging. Did you know that four million tons of waste are created in the U.S on gift wrap alone? That's crazy! So, this year, all holiday products are packed like a gift to avoid unnecessary gift wrap.

Don't forget little steps like this can amount to great change in the world. So maybe reconsider how you wrap your gifts this year.

Tips From 0+L

Sometimes being sustainable doesn't mean buying from sustainable brands. We understand that clothing can be expensive and, purchasing a 100$ plain sweatshirt isn't a reality for everybody. However, that doesn't mean that you cant take steps to better yourself and the planet. Some of these changes include:

1) Wearing your clothes more than just once

Trust us, we understand shopping addictions and buying into all the latest trends. But, buying and never wearing pieces again is not the right approach. The real test of a fashionista is wearing what you have and reinventing it.

2) Buy what you need

You don't need another identical sweatshirt to what you have already in your closet. Utilize what you already have.

Fun Fact: Olivia + Laura are partaking in a Fall/ Winter challenge. This year, they are not purchasing any new articles of clothing unless they need something. So far, they haven't given in!

3) Don't throw your clothes away

Tons of clothing ends up in landfills yearly. So, instead of throwing away your clothes, donate them or pass them onto a friend or family member. You may not want it, but someone else will.

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Thank you for reading this week's blog post (influenced by one of our readers). We had a lot of fun writing this suggest piece, so we are always welcoming ideas for content!

Speaking of new content, stay tuned for the upcoming holiday series! With the big events only a few weeks away, Olivia + Laura are here to help you with all things holiday.

Get excited!

Xoxo,