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The fashion industry is complicated, to say the least. But these trustworthy fashion labels are proving progress, not perfection, is critical in creating more meaningful and lasting change.
Fashion is a huge industry — the entire global apparel market is worth $1.5 trillion. And within that industry, there are many, many different types of brands, some of which are certainly significantly more trustworthy than others. With their cheap prices, murky supply chains, and incredibly fast turnover, fast fashion brands undeniably fall at the least trustworthy end of the spectrum. But what constitutes a trustworthy fashion label? Can any be trusted?
What makes a fashion label trustworthy?
When it comes to trusting a fashion label, the amount of transparency they offer their customers is crucial. They must be open about which materials they use, where they are sourced from, and how they are sourced, for example. They should also clearly communicate details about the workers who make their clothes, including where their factories are located and whether they pay a living wage.
It’s easy for brands to dupe customers into thinking they’re more trustworthy than they actually are by making confusing statements with vague language. For example, by saying that a garment is made with “more sustainable materials,” without including specific details about how much more, or what other materials are being used, too.
One way to ensure a label isn’t trying to pull the wool over your eyes is to look for these crucial details, but also to look for certifications to back up those details. If a label is B Corp certified, for example, this means they have had to verify that they meet high standards of accountability and transparency. Other certifications include Fair Trade, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
The most trustworthy, sustainable fashion labels
If you want to buy your clothing from trustworthy labels, we have gathered a few of our favorites below. Each prides themselves on being as transparent, sustainable, and ethical as possible.
Stella McCartney
British label Stella McCartney has always been clear about its material usage. In fact, since it was founded in 2001, it has never used leather, feathers, nor fur, and the label has even worked with PETA to raise awareness of cruelty in the leather industry. Stella McCartney also releases annual impact reports complete with data, performance highlights, and progress, to show how it is striving to operate as sustainably and ethically as possible.
“It’s part of my everyday life to have a level of respect for Mother Earth and her creatures and I have always strived to have that be core to what we do here at Stella,” founder and creative director Stella McCartney wrote in the label’s 2023 report, before adding that it will “continue to push ever farther – and faster – forward, within the fashion industry and beyond.” She added: “We will always give people information and offer them an alternative way.”
Ganni
Danish label Ganni does everything it can to operate as a responsible, transparent, and trustworthy label, but it is open about the fact that there is only so much a fashion label can do for the planet. “We don’t identify as a sustainable brand, because at its core fashion thrives on newness and consumption, which is a major contradiction to the concept of sustainability,” it notes. “That’s the honest truth. Instead, we’re focused on becoming the most responsible version of ourselves.”
Ganni releases regular responsibility reports, in which it outlines its goals (across “people, planet, products, and prosperity”) and its progress towards them. It is also a certified B Corp, and has been since 2022. “B Corp offers a tangible and transparent framework for keeping businesses accountable and setting industry benchmarks. Becoming certified is a testament to all the work our team continuously puts into this journey of becoming the most responsible version of ourselves,” said Ganni’s founder Nicolaj Reffstrup in a statement.
Patagonia
In 2022, Patagonia made headlines when its founder, Yvon Chouinard, gave away the entire company in a bid to tackle the climate crisis. “As of now, Earth is our only shareholder,” the company announced at the time. “All profits, in perpetuity, will go to our mission to ‘save our home planet.’”
Since then, the brand has remained committed to environmental initiatives, including a campaign to end bottom trawling on the ocean floor. It is also transparent about materials on its website and offers an extensive explanation for each of its commonly used fabrics, including polyester, and its continuous search for more responsible alternatives (like biobased polyester). Patagonia has also been a certified B Corp since 2011.
Pangaia
Another certified B Corp, Pangaia describes itself as a “global collective of one heart and many hands,” with a team comprising of scientists, technologists, and designers. Everything it creates is designed with the environment in mind, and this is demonstrated in its regular impact reports.
The label is also committed to improving the conditions of garment workers, and in 2021, it conducted a social materiality assessment to determine and understand which areas of its value chain needed the most improvement. And in 2023, it partnered with the Fair Wear Foundation to support workers “in realizing their right to safe, dignified, and fairly paid employment.”
Pangaia is also committed to the Transparency Pledge, a voluntary pledge made by fashion brands to disclose supply chain locations and information.
Reformation
One of the first labels to bring upcycled materials front and center, Reformation continues to be a global leader in ethical manufacturing without compromising on style. From denim to resort wear and more, Reformation has become synonymous with sustainable fashion.
It prioritizes the use of sustainable materials and environmentally responsible manufacturing processes. The label actively reduces its carbon footprint and water usage, making it a leader in the fashion industry’s shift toward sustainability. “Sustainability has been so integral to our DNA from the beginning,” Kathleen Talbot, chief sustainability officer and vice president of operations at Reformation, told WWD last year. “We’re not trying to create our own measuring stick,” Talbot said. The label works with verified science-based targets via the Carbon Disclosure Project, among other organizations to measure its progress.
Burberry
Burberry has topped the Dow Jones Sustainability Index in recent years for efforts like its climate-positive targets for 2040. The British label has increased its use of sustainable and upcycled materials as well as increased its repair services to help its customers keep items in use for longer. The luxury label also partnered with secondhand platform My Wardrobe HQ in 2021 as part of its circularity commitments. Last year, it partnered with Able Made on an upcycled collection made with Burberry deadstock.
Much of its circularity efforts stems from a $400 million ESG loan secured in 2022 aimed at achieving its climate targets by 2040. “Linking sources of funding to sustainable initiatives will help drive this, not only in the luxury industry but also across the wider economy,” Julie Brown, chief operating and financial officer at Burberry, said in a statement.
Everlane
Everlane champions sustainability by embracing transparent and ethical manufacturing practices. It meticulously selects environmentally friendly materials, including organic cotton and recycled fabrics, to craft its clothing. Everlane’s commitment to reducing waste is evident in its minimalist designs and durable products, encouraging a culture of long-lasting wear rather than fast fashion.
The label also ensures fair wages and safe working conditions in its factories, demonstrating a holistic approach to sustainability that encompasses both environmental and social aspects. By providing consumers with detailed information about the production process, Everlane fosters awareness and responsibility in fashion consumption.
Its radical transparency commitment hasn’t been easy, but, according to Andrea O’Donnell, who took over the CEO role in 2022, “If you want to be a progressive brand, and you want to be modern and relevant, you have to take climate change really seriously,” she said in an interview with Glossy. That all may soon change following the Shein buy out. But for now, the commitments stand.
Adidas
Adidas was the first athleticwear label to announce ambitious climate targets. It has pledged to phase out virgin plastic by the end of this year as well as reduce its plastic use overall across its production and administrative facilities. The label has partnered with Stella McCartney on vegan leather Stan Smith sneakers and Prada, using the Italian luxury label’s sustainable Re-Nylon material for tracksuits. In 2021, Adidas partnered with Kering to help tackle the global textile water waste issue.
Adidas became the first major label to add TrusTrace Certified Material Compliance blockchain tracing capabilities to its garments. “As part of its commitment to sustainability, Adidas has worked with TrusTrace to gain more visibility into our complete supply chain down to the materials level,” Katja Schreiber, Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Adidas, said in a statement at the time. “The information gleaned from TrusTrace Certified Material Compliance will help us to create even more transparency of our sustainability efforts.”
Ralph Lauren
Ever the symbol of classic American style, Ralph Lauren has leveraged that recognition to champion sustainability initiatives. That’s included sustainable and upcycled materials in its recent U.S. Olympic Team uniforms, an eco polo shirt, and the launch of the clean fragrance Polo Earth ahead of Earth Day 2022.
But its biggest contribution to a sustainable fashion future may just be its efforts in waterless dyeing. The label has become a leader in low- and no-water dyeing that could help to revolutionize colorized fabrics across the whole industry. In fact, in the not-too-distant future, you may be able to have your garments dyed in Ralph Lauren stores using this tech — picking any color combinations you like.
“Traditional color dyeing is one of the most polluting practices in our industry and as a global brand, we recognized the need to create a scalable solution,” Halide Alagöz, chief product and sustainability officer at Ralph Lauren told WWD. “Color on Demand significantly reduces the environmental impact of dyeing cotton, and as an added benefit, will enable us to better balance inventory and meet personalized consumer demands faster than ever before.”
Eileen Fisher
One of the first major women’s fashion companies to earn Certified B Corp status, back in 2016, Eileen Fisher built its sustainability case over three decades before B Lab made it official. The certification followed the company’s Vision2020 plan, announced in 2015, which mapped the steps it would take over five years toward 100 percent sustainability. “Being acknowledged for our work over three decades is a testament to our passionate commitment to social and environmental responsibility,” founder and chairwoman Eileen Fisher said in a statement at the time. “Being a triple bottom line business means putting a stake in the ground around our purpose and practices — and truly turning business into a movement.”
Long before take-back schemes became an industry talking point, the label launched Renew in 2009, a circularity program that buys back its own garments in any condition and gives them a second life. Returned pieces are mended, overdyed, resewn, or felted into new material and resold through Eileen Fisher stores and online, and the program has since passed 3 million garments collected.
Prada
Prada has long been proof that sustainability and luxury can co-exist. With its shift to nylon made from ocean-bound plastic and a pledge to move away from all virgin nylon, the Italian label has been a force for good for years.
It also recently extended its ethical commitments to its jewelry line, pledging to use only upcycled gold — and, most recently, lab-grown diamonds. “Entering the laboratory-grown diamond market is part of Prada’s creative philosophy of re-imagining products through innovative materials and processes,” Lorenzo Bertelli — the company’s head of corporate social responsibility — told the Washington Post in October.
And just this month, Prada enlisted Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch to front its Re-Nylon efforts, including its give-back scheme that supports ocean conservation and education efforts.
Chloé
The first luxury fashion label to earn Certified B Corp status back in 2021, Chloé’s sustainability shift can be credited in large part to former creative director Gabriela Hearst. She put efforts in motion that are sure to last. “We upgraded our operations, governance, and policies in a way that allows us to operate in a more environmentally and socially responsible manner,” Riccardo Bellini, CEO of Chloé, told WWD at the time.
In 2022, the French label announced the traceability project, Chloé Vertical. Like Adidas’ blockchain, it includes digital IDs in garments, bags, and shoes, so that consumers can trace the product’s manufacturing details, including materials, repairs, and even resale options.
Coachtopia
Coach launched Coachtopia in 2023 as a circular sub-brand aimed at moving the 80-year-old house toward a fully circular model, debuting across the United States, Canada, and the U.K. before expanding into Asia. “Circularity is about reimagining not just the product lifecycle, but the relationship between brand, planet and consumer,” Joon Silverstein, senior vice president of global marketing, creative and sustainability at Coach and head of Coachtopia, said at the launch. “That’s why we’ve created Coachtopia as both a discovery lab to pioneer circularity in fashion and a collaborative platform for change.”
Built on a Made Circular design philosophy, the line crafts bags, accessories, and footwear from recycled, repurposed, and renewable materials, with leather either upcycled from Coach production waste or made with at least 50 percent recycled scraps. Every product carries a digital passport accessed through an embedded NFC chip, tracing its materials and following each piece as it is repaired and remade, and the brand commits to taking back every item at the end of its life for reuse or recycling.
Marine Serre
The youngest designer ever to win the LVMH Prize, in 2017, Marine Serre built her Paris house on upcycling long before the term became an industry talking point, sourcing roughly half of each collection from reclaimed materials. “I think it’s quite a challenge to transform old things into something new,” Serre told W Magazine. “One important thing for me is to close the fashion circle.”
That regeneration practice is the core of the brand: deadstock, end-of-life materials, and existing garments are sorted by type and color, disassembled, and stitched back together into new pieces that read like intricate patchwork. The label, now sold globally and stocked in department stores including Nordstrom, has paired the approach with tools to track and reduce consumption across its creative, sourcing, production, and distribution stages.
Sézane
One of the first French fashion brands to earn Certified B Corp status, in 2021, Sézane went from an eBay vintage shop to one of France’s defining direct-to-consumer labels under founder Morgane Sézalory. “It means that we are a little closer to becoming the brand we desire to be at our essence,” Sézalory said in a statement. “We’re surrounded by noise and pressure to do things a certain way yet Sézane has always been a means through which we could celebrate ‘la liberté Française.’ Create, undo, challenge and improve.”
By certification, three-quarters of its collection was designated eco-friendly, including a 100 percent eco-friendly denim line, with pieces carrying GOTS, Oeko-Tex, FSC, RWS, and RMS certifications. The label also ties growth to its Demain philanthropic program, which had raised more than 4.5 million euros since 2018; on the 21st of every month, it donates 10 percent of its global turnover and all proceeds from a dedicated design to children’s education and equal-opportunity initiatives worldwide.
Gabriela Hearst
Gabriela Hearst made sustainability a founding pillar when she launched her namesake label in 2015, and in 2019 she produced fashion’s first carbon-neutral runway show while declaring the brand plastic-free front and back of house. Knowing where materials come from and who makes them, she argues, is the truest form of luxury. “Your legacy is your value system,” Hearst told Time. “We know that we’re going to be one of the brands of the future.”
Every stage of her design process doubles as a climate commitment: she reincarnates the remnants of Turkish rugs and cashmere scraps into colorful overcoats and sharp blazers, and produces handbags in limited quantities or to order to curtail waste. Her credentials carry beyond her own house, too. As creative director of Chloé from 2020 to 2023, Hearst helped make it the first European luxury fashion house to earn a B Corp certification.
Another Tomorrow
A New York luxury label and Certified B Corp with a B Impact score of 93.8, Another Tomorrow was founded in 2020 by former Morgan Stanley executive Vanessa Barboni Hallik and now reaches customers in 56 countries through retailers including Net-a-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman, and Selfridges. The brand treats certification as a floor rather than a finish line. “Initially, we thought we could rely upon certifications,” Barboni Hallik told No Kill Mag. “And we’ve found that while certifications are critical baselines, they are also like minimum standards.”
That conviction sent it to the source: its farm-traceable supply chains began with wool bought directly from ethical farms in Tasmania, a framework it later scaled to organic cotton. Each garment carries a digital ID that lets customers trace a piece’s full provenance and feeds the label’s authenticated resale channel.
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