Top 5 Sustainable Clothing Companies
Just like there are super villains and superheroes, there are bad clothing companies and good clothing companies. Some bent on world domination and making as much money as possible through any means necessary. And others, who have a mission to make a positive impact on the world around them while also sharing their brand in a meaningful way.
At one point, we simply admired these companies that sought to advance us in such positive directions. But it was only as spectators and consumers sitting on the sidelines. Today, after the course of a spectacular series of events that led to the creation of our vintage snapback and clothing company, Snag & Stitch, we’re happy to say that we are now aspiring to replicate these ideas and practices that we’ve long admired. Particularly, the ideas and practices that have to do with eco-friendly and sustainable manufacturing processes and ethically responsible initiatives.
As you may come to learn, Snag & Stitch has begun to implement a sustainable manufacturing model of our own that you can read about here. But first, we have to shout out some of the clothing companies that inspired us to do it in the first place.
1. Patagonia
Patagonia is most likely the leader in the sustainable and eco-friendly clothing industry right now. Since the birth of their company, they have always been dedicated to keeping the earth green and leaving as little footprint on the world as possible. Which, as a company centered around natural exploration and adventure, makes perfect sense.
Not only does Patagonia carry an abundance of clothing collections that are Fair Trade Certified and Bluesign approved, which means their manufacturing processes are verified as eco-friendly and environmentally safe, but they also take strides in the restoration and reselling of old Patagonia gear. This includes taking old, maybe beat up clothes and repairing and refurbishing them in addition to buying any old apparel you might have and reselling it!
As a clothing company that is also heavily involved in the resale industry and refurbishing sector, with our vintage snapbacks for sale, this is a parallel we are proud to share with a company like Patagonia. Not to mention our mutual love of exploration and our shared adornment for the beauty of mother nature, Patagonia is definitely a clothing company Snag & Stitch aspires to be.
2. Levi’s
One of America’s favorite jean companies - Levi’s. What a lot of people may not know about this incredibly popular apparel company is their mission to create a sustainable and ethically sound brand, all the way from their products to workplace practices.
Some of the more notable actions they’ve taken to accomplish this green goal of their’s include using recyclable denim, ethically sourced cotton, and innovations to reduce water use.
One of the things we share with this legendary denim company is our commitment to using ethically sourced cotton in our custom snapbacks! And who knows if one of our future Snag & Stitch originals might include recycled denim?
3. Columbia
Another company dedicated to outdoor and active apparel that also incorporates sustainability practices is Columbia.
One particular practice that both Columbia and our own vintage snapback company share is our use of material made from recycled bottles and plastic to make products. While Columbia uses the material in their Outdry Eco jackets, we use it in our original snapback designs, such as the X!
While we’re not sure the exact material Columbia uses, our vintage snapback company uses something call rPET, also known as recycled polyethylene terephthalate. But we can hardly pronounce that so rPET it is. All you need to know is that it is material made from recycled plastic and bottles.
Hey Columbia, if you’re reading this, those jackets are pretty sweet. We’re thinking we might need one for our next camping trip. Hit us up if you’re down for an eco-friendly product exchange.
4. Polo Ralph Lauren
We wouldn’t say that Polo is an entirely sustainable brand, but as one of the leaders in the apparel industry, we are elated to see them making strides to include more eco-friendly practices in their manufacturing process. While it’s great for smaller brands to incorporate sustainability models, the big dogs should be setting an example for the rest of the industry.
Just like Columbia, Ralph Lauren also uses recycled bottles as product material. While they only incorporate these recycled materials in one of their t-shirts, The Earth Polo, they’ve estimated that 170 million plastic bottles will be saved from landfills by 2025 as a result. As mentioned before, we use the materials taken from recycled bottles (AKA rPET) to make custom snapbacks and original designs!
5. Alternative Apparel
As a vintage clothing company that also falls in the small to medium business sector, we would be remiss if we only mentioned the big players in the apparel game. So we’d like to give a shoutout to Georgia-based clothing company Alternative Apparel and everything they’re doing to keep mother earth healthy and happy.
Some of their strides include making 80% of their garments with sustainable materials and maintaining a heightened level of ethical responsibility in their manufacturing practices. With all of their factories acting in accordance with Fair Labor Association guidelines, Alternative Apparel is a clothing company that has made the rights and values of their workers (nationwide) a top priority. And that’s something we will always tip our hats to and strive to replicate.
Everyone Doing Their Part
Even though this list was ranked, we think that if you’re making any attempt to make the world a greener place, whether you’re a vintage clothing company or just an everyday citizen, you deserve a shoutout too.
If you have any ideas about increasing Snag & Stitch’s impact on the environmental stability of the world, we hope you don’t hesitate to hit us up. Until then, we will continue taking actions to make our company as green as possible, including obtaining certifications like the ones that some of our fellow clothing companies mentioned earlier had. And of course, keeping the electric resonance of a vintage era alive through the snapbacks and clothes we promise to deliver to you weekly.
Everyone can do their part. Even if it’s just picking up a bottle you see on the ground (maybe with gloves though). Who knows, maybe if you find enough we might be able to turn it into a hat for you.