It can be incredibly difficult to sift through the thousands and thousands of brands that exist to find the ones with ethical and eco-friendly production practices and sustainable sourcing methods. Believe me, I’ve put in the work and I still find it hard to find trustworthy sources, because as it turns out, even brands we have come to trust as leaders in this “sustainable space” fall short of what I would now consider my high standards for fashion.
Luckily, I stumbled upon (and continued down a very, very deep rabbit hole one day) GoodOnYou.eco, a website dedicated to publishing brand ratings in the categories of People, Planet, and Animals. They take into account how brands are not only sourcing and producing their materials for apparel production, but how they are impacting the labor market in terms of child labor, safety, gender equality, and living wages. And as an animal lover, I appreciate that they also consider how brands are using animal products and their standards for animal welfare if they are involved in the production process. You can learn more about how they rate brands here.
The great thing about Good On You, is that they aren’t just pointing out the problem, but are providing solutions. For every brand that has a less than desirable rating, let’s take Lululemon again for example, there is an alternative option listed, that has a higher rating on the site. In this case, the platform recommends a similar brand, Tripulse, which has a “Great” rating on Good On You, specializes in high-performance but sustainable athletic gear, and sits in the same price range as your coveted wunder unders.
So next time you have to have that trendy dress that Zara (Rating, – “Not Good Enough”) just released, consider typing the brand’s name into Good On You for a quick take on how the brand is impacting the planet and its inhabitants. It might make you rethink that purchase, and, let’s be real, you probably won’t regret saving the $40 or at least putting it toward something you’ll enjoy for longer and can feel good about wearing.
