Fill your closet with the right investment clothing pieces to save time, money, improve your fashion style, and protect the planet. The best clothes to invest in are versatile, durable, comfortable, and sustainable.
If you are interested in beautiful and original clothes to look your best on a budget, choose high-quality staples that last a long time and that you can easily combine into many different outfits.
This is a more sustainable way to shop for new fashion items and build a conscious wardrobe that helps you look fabulous and feel content with a good conscience.
The best investment clothing pieces might cost more upfront but will save you money and headaches in the long run. Below, you'll find recommendations for quality, sustainable clothes to invest in and keep in your wardrobe forever.
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1. Tentree Tees
Category: Basics, shirts, tees, sweatshirts, tanks
For: Women, men, children
From: Vancouver, Canada
Values: Organic, B Corp, recycled, vegan, give back
Prices: $20-$120
Tentree is an ethical fashion brand designing clothing for a healthy, sustainable world with recycled materials and organic fabrics such as cotton and hemp.
Tentree is the perfect destination to buy affordable and sustainable basics for your wardrobe, including shirts, tees, tanks, and more. Currently, every single piece of Tentree apparel is vegan.
The sustainable clothing brand is B Corp certified and partners with charitable organizations across the world to plant trees and rehabilitate natural ecosystems.
Tentree aims to guide you on your journey and empower you to do your best when it comes to the environment. It already planted over 48 million trees and restored land in over eight countries.
2. Made Trade Turtlenecks
Category: Tops, blouses, shirts, long sleeves, crop tops, sweatshirts
For: Women, men
From: Portland, Oregon, United States
Values: Organic, Fair Trade, recycled, vegan, BIPOC, made in the USA
Prices: $30-$250
Made Trade is a sustainable and ethical retailer that stocks some of the best investment clothing pieces for your wardrobe. It offers affordable tops, shirts, long sleeves, sweatshirts, and more for women and men.
Made Trade is committed to transparency and making a positive impact on the world. The curated online marketplace sells a great selection of ethical, essential products handcrafted in the USA and around the world.
Made Trade adheres to sustainable and fair practices that support both artisans and the Earth's natural resources. It strives to make the world a more beautiful place through higher ethical standards.
3. Girlfriend Collective Leggings
Category: Basics, activewear, leggings, bras
For: Women
From: Seattle, Washington, United States
Values: Organic, recycled, inclusive
Prices: $10-$70
Girlfriend Collective makes sustainable underwear, loungewear, and activewear out of recycled materials, such as recycled polyester from PET bottles and regenerated nylon.
Husband-and-wife duo Ellie and Quang Dinh launched the brand in 2016 to create flattering, comfortable, and supportive leggings to invest in.
Girlfriend Collective aims to make luxurious, responsible sportswear and be as transparent as possible. It fosters a community of people who care about beautiful designs as much as the people making their clothes.
The sustainable label makes eco-friendly and high-quality textiles from recycled materials in its facility in Taiwan. It offers affordable leggings, bras, shorts, briefs, thongs, basics, sweats, and more.
4. Outerknown Jackets
Category: Basics, outerwear, puffers, jackets, parkas
For: Women, men
From: Los Angeles, California, United States
Values: Organic, Fair Trade, recycled
Prices: $50-$160
Outerknown is a clothing label making effortless, casual, and chic styles for women and men rooted in sustainability and transparency. It creates affordable investment clothing pieces with the most planet-friendly fibers.
Outerknown keeps strict sustainability rules and aims to raise the standard for sustainable design in the global fashion industry. It uses organic and recycled materials to reimagine design and embrace circularity.
Accredited by the Fair Labor Association (FLA), the sustainable fashion brand invests in the livelihoods of over 5K workers through Fair Trade USA. Three of its partners are Fair Trade Certified.
5. Thought Cardigans
Category: Basics, knitwear, sweaters, cardigans
For: Women, men
From: London, United Kingdom
Values: Organic, recycled, give back
Prices: $10-$150
Thought is an ethical fashion brand creating beautiful and chic investment clothes for women and men with organic materials, such as cotton and hemp, as well as upcycled and recycled materials.
The eco-friendly clothing brand is committed to considered design, responsible sourcing, and fostering change. It aims to show that there are more sustainable ways to live, dress, and be.
Thought supports TRAID, a UK charity that works to minimize, improve, and transform the environmental impact of clothing manufacturing. Send your clothes back to TRAID to support the people and places making your clothing.
6. Everlane Puffers
Category: Basics, outerwear, coats, puffers, jackets, blazers
For: Women, men
From: San Francisco, California, United States
Values: Organic, recycled
Prices: $10-$150
Everlane is an ethical fashion brand that creates modern and beautiful clothing essentials, at the best factories, without traditional markups. It's a great destination to buy quality, casual, and chic investment clothes.
Everlane is headquartered in San Francisco and sells primarily online. It uses a high proportion of sustainable materials such as organic cotton and recycled fabrics.
The apparel brand also offers ethically made and designed to last basics, shoes, and accessories for women and men. It believes in exceptional quality to make a difference.
Everlane is widely known for its radical transparency. It educates consumers on its supply chain, factories, employees, and the price breakdown of each product.
SHOP EVERLANE
7. Reformation Gavin Dresses
Category: Basics, dresses, skirts
For: Women
From: Los Angeles, California, United States
Values: Organic, recycled, made in the USA
Prices: $10-$250
Reformation makes investment clothing and accessories. It offers a varied collection of casual chic classics, including denim, pants, dresses, jackets, skirts, and more for petite up to extended sizes.
The eco-friendly brand designs effortless silhouettes that celebrate the feminine figure with the most beautiful and sustainable fabrics possible. It pays attention to minimize its social and environmental impacts.
Reformation uses sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled cotton, linen, and Tencel lyocell. It makes some of its clothes with upcycled and recycled fabrics as well, such as regenerated nylon or deadstock fabrics.
8. Boden Blouses
Category: Basics, tops, shirts, blouses
For: Women, men, children
From: London, United Kingdom
Values: Organic, recycled, give back
Prices: $40-$90
Boden is a British clothing retailer selling high-quality, chic, individual styles for women, men, and kids. It uses a large proportion of sustainable materials such as better cotton and regenerated nylon.
Boden takes climate change seriously and is taking steps to reduce its environmental impacts, such as using regenerated fibers in its investment clothing, including tops, blouses, shirts, and other wardrobe staples.
The clothing label also donates to numerous charities to support vulnerable families, educate young people, and empower workers in fashion supply chains.
SHOP BODEN
9. Mud Jeans
Category: Jeans, shorts, skirts
For: Women, men
From: Laren, Netherlands
Values: Organic, recycled, vegan, B Corp, rental
Prices: $80-$150
Mud Jeans is a sustainable denim brand based in the Netherlands sustainably and ethically making high-quality jeans, which are great clothing pieces to invest in.
The denim brand aims to make ethical jeans available to more people and change the fashion industry for the better. It also creates jackets, shorts, and skirts for women and men.
Mud Jeans designs essentials clothing pieces for every wardrobe with organic cotton and according to the principles of the circular economy.
10. Amour Vert Dresses
Category: Basics, dresses, skirts, jumpsuits
For: Women
From: San Francisco, California, United States
Values: Organic, made in the USA, give back
Prices: $40-$220
Amour Vert is a sustainable fashion brand that makes classic wardrobe staples like beautiful dresses, skirts, and jumpsuits in timeless colors like light blue, white, black, heather gray, and more.
The clothing label creates garments in limited quantities to contribute to a more eco-friendly future. Its essential pieces are chic, comfortable, and better for the planet.
Amour Vert is committed to making fashion thoughtful, versatile, and sustainable. You'll want to keep its timeless pieces in your wardrobe forever.
The eco-friendly label has been planting trees in North America since it first opened its doors with its partner American Forest. It promotes sustainable practices and positive environmental impacts.
11. People Tree Blazers
Category: Basics, coats, jackets, blazers
For: Women
From: Tokyo, Japan
Values: Organic, Fair Trade, recycled, artisan craft, give back
Prices: $60-$250
People Tree is an online garment retailer making minimalist clothes from environmentally-friendly materials, including Fair Trade, certified organic cotton.
The clothing brand offers a wide range of organic clothing pieces to invest in, including coats, jackets, blazers, and more.
In 2013, it became the first fashion company to be awarded the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) product label, guaranteeing dedication, and compliance with the principles of Fair Trade.
People Tree is committed to working with disadvantaged farmers and workers to promote fairer trading conditions. It helps combat poverty and employs people in underserved communities around the world.
12. ARMEDANGELS Sweatshirts
Category: Sweats, loungewear, sweatshirts, sweatpants, shorts, hoodies
For: Women, men
From: Cologne, Germany
Values: Organic, Fair Trade, recycled, vegan, give back
Prices: $60-$130
ARMEDANGELS is an ethical fashion label that creates timeless, minimalist clothing for women and men without compromise, including organic loungewear, sweats, sweatshirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and more.
The sustainable company designs a variety of affordable clothes made from eco-friendly organic and recycled materials. It offers ethically made basics, sportswear, denim, knitwear, and accessories.
ARMEDANGELS produces its clothes under the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the highest ecological, sustainable, and social standards for organic fibers.
The clothing brand is also a member of the Fair Wear Foundation that ensures permanently good working conditions and fair wages for all workers in textile factories worldwide.
13. prAna Sweaters
Category: Knitwear, sweaters, cardigans, hoodies, tunics, pullovers, wraps
For: Women, men
From: Carlsbad, California, United States
Values: Organic, recycled, Fair Trade
Prices: $60-$140
prAna is an outdoor brand that makes investment clothing pieces for positive change, to inspire new generations to thrive and stay active. Its premium lifestyle clothing is sustainable with many classic options.
prAna offers ethical and affordable wardrobe essentials for yoga, travel, and outdoor adventure enthusiasts. It also stocks a wide range of cozy vegan sweaters, cardigans, hoodies, and sweatshirts.
The clothing label uses a variety of sustainable materials such as organic cotton, hemp, recycled polyester, and regenerated nylon, as well as cellulosic fibers made from renewable resources such as lyocell and modal.
14. PACT Pants
Category: Basics, pants, trousers, leggings, shorts
For: Women, men, children
From: Boulder, United States
Values: Organic, Fair Trade, recycled
Prices: $20-$70
PACT is a leading sustainable fashion brand using organic fabrics and Fair Trade factories to design stylish essential clothing for the modern wardrobe. It creates ethical apparel for women, men, kids, and babies.
PACT offers a change you can wear, organic cotton clothing, and home goods, sustainably and ethically made. It strives to inspire change by doing better and being better.
PACT promotes organic clothing for everyday use. It designs investment clothes that are affordable, practical, comfortable, and easy. It offers organic activewear that fits the lifestyle of conscious consumers because doing good should be easy.
15. Veja Sneakers
Category: Sneakers, shoes
For: Women, Men
From: Paris, France
Values: Organic, recycled, vegan, Fair Trade, artisan craft
Prices: $120-$150
Veja is a French footwear and accessories brand selling a collection of sustainable sneakers for men and women. It distributes eco-friendly shoes, bags, and accessories to 1,800 retailers in 45 countries.
Veja manufactures its shoes using a large proportion of recycled materials. Its upcycling process creates a smart, breathable, and water-repellent fabric.
Its products are also made with organic materials, fair trade sourcing, and transparency. Veja already sold more than 4 million pairs of sneakers worldwide.
Veja is one of the few good places where you can buy sustainable, ethical, and vegan investment shoes. It aims to make the most ecological sneakers possible.
16. Mara Hoffman Skirts
Category: Basics, dresses, skirts, pants
For: Women
From: New York City, New York, United States
Values: Organic, recycled, luxury, give back, made in the USA
Prices: $60-$350
Mara Hoffman is a premium designer brand that offers sustainable and affordable investment clothing pieces made from hemp, recycled textiles, and other eco-friendly materials.
Mara Hoffman is well-known for its durability, quality, casual, and chic fashion garments made from pre and post-consumer waste. The designer label aims to reduce its impact and generate awareness.
It offers stylish and unique alternatives manufactured responsibly by smaller artisan groups under fair conditions. Many of its work clothes are made in Los Angeles to foster a healthy local economy.
17. Kowtow Shorts
Category: Basics, shorts, pants, denim jeans
For: Women
From: Wellington, New Zealand
Values: Organic, Fair Trade, recycled
Prices: $60-$150
Kowtow is an ethical fashion brand that creates sustainable, affordable, and chic investment clothing pieces for women out of organic, renewable, and biodegradable materials.
The clothing label strives to create positive change by designing each fabric in-house from the yarn with unique weave, weight, stitch, color, and prints.
Kowtow offers many affordable and organic classics to create modern and casual outfits for everyday wear, including shorts, pants, shirts, jumpers, dresses, blazers, jeans, and more.
Kowtow believes in responsible production processes and designs its collections with the entire lifecycle in mind. It uses responsibly sourced materials mindfully to achieve a minimal identity through simplicity and circularity.
Kowtow sources cotton certified by Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) that empowers farmers to negotiate with buyers to secure better prices. The brand pays a premium on every single cotton garment.
18. Ecoalf Handbags
Category: Basics, outerwear, handbags, bags, purses, accessories
For: Women, men, children
From: Madrid, Spain
Values: Zero waste, natural, recycled, vegan, B Corp, give back
Prices: $30-$260
Ecoalf is a Spanish fashion brand creating inexpensive, ethical, and sustainable investment clothing, bags, and accessories made entirely from upcycled and recycled materials to reduce its environmental impact.
Ecoalf is Bluesign, Oeko-Tex-certified, and makes garments under the REACH regulation. Many third-party organizations verify Ecoalf suppliers' compliance with the highest social standards, such as BSCI, SA 8000, and SMETA.
Ecoalf offers affordable investment pieces for women, men, and kids made with durable and light materials. They are comfortable, sustainable, form-fitting, and stylish.
Ecoalf also uses fabrics that reduce the amount of waste going out into the world, such as recycled polyester and regenerated nylon.
19. Patagonia Jumpsuits
Category: Basics, jumpsuits, overalls, rompers
For: Women, men, children
From: Ventura, California, United States
Values: Organic, recycled, local, second-hand, B Corp, give back
Prices: $20-$130
Patagonia is an American apparel company that markets and sells outdoor clothing and gear for silent sports: climbing, surfing, skiing and snowboarding, fly fishing, and trail running.
The outdoor brand makes many sustainable and affordable investment pieces for a classic, conscious wardrobe using upcycled and recycled materials such as regenerated nylon and recycled polyester.
It also uses a large proportion of natural materials such as organic cotton, as well as reclaimed cotton and polyester fibers with a low environmental impact.
Its first store opened in 1973, and since then, the brand has quickly expanded its product line. Patagonia is a Certified B Corporation and commits 1% of its total sales to environmental groups.
The apparel and accessory brand is committed to higher quality, integrity, and environmentalism. It's highly successful and a leader in the sustainable outdoor market.
Patagonia encourages repairing, sharing, and recycling through its WornWear marketplace of second-hand gear. It's committed to making high-quality products that last for years, so you don't have to buy more.
20. Matt And Nat Shoes
Category: Basics, shoes, flats, sandals, boots, sneakers, heels
For: Women, men
From: Montreal, Canada
Values: Natural, vegan, recycled, inclusive
Prices: $40-$150
Matt And Nat is a Canadian designer brand that makes premium quality vegan leather flats, boots, sneakers, and accessories. All its shoes are cruelty-free, fashion-forward, and made with recycled materials.
The designer brand's values include social responsibility, excellence, inclusiveness, integrity, learning, authenticity, and love. It aims to protect nature and appreciate the humanity, creativity, and positivity found in all of us.
Matt And Nat uses eco-friendly materials such as recycled nylon, cork, rubber, and polyurethane. Its flats, sandals, and boots are high-quality, affordable, durable, chic, timeless, and make long-lasting shoes to invest in.
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About the Author: Alex Assoune
What We're Up Against
Multinational corporations overproducing cheap products in the poorest countries.
Huge factories with sweatshop-like conditions underpaying workers.
Media conglomerates promoting unethical, unsustainable products.
Bad actors encouraging overconsumption through oblivious behavior.
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