Top 15 Eco-Friendly Streetwear Brands Worth Exploring in 2024

In the dynamic landscape of contemporary fashion, the concept of sustainability has transcended being merely a trend and has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of the industry's future. As conscientious consumers increasingly seek out products that align with their values, the realm of streetwear has undergone a notable evolution, with a surge in the popularity of eco-friendly alternatives. In this ever-growing market, where style meets sustainability, a new wave of brands has emerged, reshaping the narrative of streetwear.

The introduction of eco-friendly streetwear represents a pivotal moment in fashion, challenging traditional norms and fostering a more mindful approach to consumption. Gone are the days when streetwear was synonymous with fast fashion and its detrimental environmental impact. Instead, today's streetwear aficionados are presented with a diverse array of options that prioritize ethical sourcing, sustainable materials, and responsible manufacturing processes.

As we embark on this exploration of eco-friendly streetwear brands, we embark on a journey that extends beyond mere aesthetics. It's a journey that delves into the ethos of each brand, uncovering their commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Through innovative design, these brands not only offer stylish apparel but also empower consumers to make conscious choices that resonate with their values. Join us as we navigate through the realm of sustainable streetwear, where fashion meets sustainability in perfect harmony.

What is streetwear? 

Streetwear is a dynamic and influential fashion genre that originated from urban culture, particularly in the streets of cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. It embodies a distinct blend of casual, comfortable, and often bold styles that draw inspiration from various subcultures, including skateboarding, hip-hop, punk, and graffiti art. What sets streetwear apart is its grassroots origin, emerging from the streets rather than high-end fashion houses.

Characterized by its versatility and authenticity, streetwear encompasses a wide range of clothing items, including graphic t-shirts, hoodies, sneakers, denim jeans, and baseball caps. Key elements often include eye-catching graphics, bold logos, and unconventional designs that challenge conventional fashion norms.

Streetwear's appeal lies in its ability to transcend boundaries and connect with diverse audiences, irrespective of age, gender, or socioeconomic background. It fosters a sense of belonging and self-expression, allowing individuals to showcase their personal style and cultural affiliations.

Over the years, streetwear has evolved from its underground origins to become a global phenomenon, influencing mainstream fashion and luxury brands. Today, it continues to evolve through collaborations, limited-edition releases, and online communities, remaining at the forefront of contemporary fashion culture. Streetwear's enduring popularity underscores its significance as more than just clothing—it's a reflection of identity, attitude, and urban lifestyle.

Difference between Conventional streetwear and Eco-friendly streetwear 

Conventional streetwear and eco-friendly streetwear represent two distinct approaches to fashion with differing philosophies and practices. Conventional streetwear typically prioritizes trendiness, often produced through fast fashion processes that prioritize low-cost production and rapid turnover of styles. This approach often leads to environmental degradation due to the extensive use of non-renewable resources, high levels of waste generation, and questionable labor practices in some cases.

In contrast, eco-friendly streetwear places a strong emphasis on sustainability and ethical practices throughout the entire supply chain. This includes using organic or recycled materials, minimizing waste through efficient production methods, and ensuring fair labor practices. Eco-friendly streetwear brands often prioritize transparency, providing consumers with information about the environmental and social impact of their products.

Another key difference lies in the design ethos. While conventional streetwear may focus primarily on aesthetics and trends, eco-friendly streetwear often integrates sustainability into the design process, creating clothing that not only looks good but also aligns with environmental values.

Ultimately, the main distinction between the two lies in their approach to environmental and social responsibility. Conventional streetwear may prioritize style and affordability at the expense of sustainability, whereas eco-friendly streetwear seeks to minimize its ecological footprint while still offering stylish and ethical alternatives.

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Explore a curated list of eco-friendly streetwear brands revolutionising fashion. From sustainable materials to ethical practices, these brands prioritize the planet without sacrificing style. Embrace conscious consumerism and upgrade your wardrobe with socially responsible streetwear.

1. Veja

Investing in eco-friendly streetwear, such as Veja sneakers, offers a multitude of benefits. Veja is a brand that places sustainability at its core, emphasizing ethical practices from sourcing to production. By using local materials in Brazil and paying workers above a living wage, Veja ensures that its practices contribute positively to the community and the environment. Veja's iconic styles are crafted from a blend of sustainable materials, including vegetable-tanned, chrome-free, biodegradable, recycled, and biobased materials.

Additionally, the brand is B-Corp certified, demonstrating its commitment to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.Unlike fast fashion brands, Veja focuses on producing classic styles built to last, rather than trend-led releases that quickly lose their appeal. By choosing Veja sneakers, consumers not only make a stylish statement but also actively support a brand that prioritizes sustainability, durability, and ethical practices, making a positive impact on both the fashion industry and the planet.

2. Kotn

Kotn began with a straightforward mission: to craft the perfect t-shirt while upholding quality, affordability, and the integrity of the people involved in its production. Today, they are a certified B Corporation, recognized as Best for the World™, boasting the fourth-highest B Impact Score among apparel brands in North America. With every order, Kotn invests in creating jobs, infrastructure, systems, and education to alleviate poverty and foster sustainable growth within their communities. By choosing Kotn, customers not only get a high-quality product but also contribute to positive social and environmental change.

Kotn's commitment to ethical practices and sustainability resonates throughout their supply chain, ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions for all involved. By supporting Kotn, consumers can align their purchases with their values, making a tangible difference in the lives of others while enjoying stylish, comfortable apparel.

3. Chnge

Chnge is a sustainable clothing brand renowned for its eco-friendly and ethically made clothing. They prioritize the use of organic and recycled materials to create comfortable and stylish pieces, perfect for those who seek to make a positive impact on the environment through their fashion choices. By choosing Chnge, consumers not only acquire high-quality, fashionable clothing but also actively contribute to environmental conservation and ethical production practices.

Chnge's commitment to sustainability resonates throughout their supply chain, ensuring transparency, fair wages, and safe working conditions. With each purchase, customers support the brand's mission to create a more sustainable future. From the materials used to the treatment of workers, Chnge embodies ethical practices, making it an ideal choice for conscientious consumers. Embrace fashion that aligns with your values and supports a more sustainable future with Chnge. Choose Chnge and be a part of the positive change our planet needs.

4. Afends

Afends is among the leading sustainable streetwear brands in the fashion industry, initially founded by Declan Wise and Jonathan Salfield in Byron Bay, Australia, as a print shop for punk and hardcore bands. Today, they develop eco-friendly streetwear for men and women using sustainable practices. Afends also aims to be net-zero and has started addressing its carbon footprint, making all inbound shipments carbon neutral.

They have introduced products made from surplus fabrics and scraps, like scrunchies, and all packaging is 100% recyclable or compostable, using corn starch bags and recycled swing cards. With inclusive sizing and community partnerships, Afends stands as a beacon of sustainability and social responsibility in the fashion world. They partner with F*ck Plastic, aiming to raise awareness around single-use plastic, and work alongside other non-profits like Toys Change Lives and WildArk.

5. Noah

Noah, founded by Brendon Babenzien in 2015 after leaving his post as the creative director of Supreme, is an environmentally friendly streetwear brand. As a homage to his NYC skate roots, the brand combines urban and active lifestyle aesthetics with a wide range of traditional design references. Inspired by both defiance and elegance, Noah employs a conscious balance of rebellion and sophistication. The surf-skate culture that inspires the brand's boxy silhouettes and iconic logo is what has made the brand so popular in the streetwear scene.

But is the brand sustainable? Noah works with manufacturers that place expertise over profit, ensuring consumers receive the best quality apparel. The brand has invested in many environmental projects, from hurricane relief to oyster projects. To top it all off, Noah solidified its sustainable streetwear status by joining the 1% for the Planet in 2019, pledging 1% of its annual sales to a global network of grassroots environmental non-profits. Noah represents a harmonious blend of style and sustainability, setting a standard in the streetwear industry.

6. Nicole Zïzi Studio

Nicole Zïzi Studio pioneers gender-free sustainable streetwear, exclusively sourcing alternative and natural materials. For instance, the brand utilizes post-consumer plastic found on the shores of Haiti and Honduras during local clean-ups, along with ethically sourced Merino wool. Most items are crafted in small batches to avoid overproduction and minimize waste.

By emphasizing eco-consciousness and ethical practices, Nicole Zïzi Studio redefines streetwear, offering not just stylish apparel, but a commitment to sustainability. Each garment represents a fusion of style and environmental responsibility, setting a new standard in the fashion industry. Choose Nicole Zïzi Studio for fashion that not only looks good but also does good for the planet.

7. Battenwear

For the fashion-forward adventurer, Battenwear is a vintage-inspired streetwear brand taking cues from past surf-skate culture. This durable and multi-functional apparel collection appeals to both the great outdoors and everyday city life. Based in NYC with a satellite office in California, Battenwear offers garments that are 100 percent cotton and made in the USA, while the MADRAS collection is crafted at an ethical factory in Chennai, India.

With a commitment to quality and ethical production, Battenwear creates timeless pieces that withstand the test of time. Find Battenwear in stockists worldwide and embrace a fusion of style and adventure, whether you're hitting the waves or exploring urban landscapes. Choose Battenwear for versatile, sustainable fashion that accompanies you on all your journeys.

8. Stüssy

Despite facing criticism for its trend-led ‘drop’ model, Stüssy is making strides towards sustainability by partnering with the Stockholm-based brand, Our Legacy. The two brands have collaborated on a ‘workshop’ collection, featuring exclusive, one-off pieces made using deadstock fabric from Stüssy’s 1990s archives. This collaboration highlights how streetwear and sustainability can seamlessly go hand in hand — creating exclusivity through one-off, sustainably-sourced materials. Stüssy's partnership with Our Legacy demonstrates its commitment to reducing waste and embracing eco-conscious practices.

By repurposing deadstock fabric, the collaboration not only adds uniqueness to the pieces but also contributes to minimizing the fashion industry's environmental impact. This initiative sets a positive example, illustrating how renowned streetwear brands can adapt their models to prioritize sustainability. Stüssy and Our Legacy's collaboration showcases the potential for the fashion industry to embrace sustainability without compromising on style, inspiring other brands to follow suit in creating a more eco-friendly future.

9. Nudie Jeans

Nudie Jeans is your one-stop Swedish shop for sustainable streetwear, offering a wide range of tops and bottoms, including jeans crafted with 100 percent cotton or upcycled denim. What sets Nudie Jeans apart is their commitment to sustainability—every denim order includes free repairs for life. The brand also carries tops, accessories, and youth apparel, making it easy for the whole family to shop together.

Nudie Jeans is not just a brand; it's a movement toward more sustainable fashion. With their dedication to quality, style, and environmental responsibility, Nudie Jeans sets a standard for ethical fashion that others aspire to match. Join the Nudie Jeans family and make a statement while reducing your environmental footprint—one repair at a time.

10. Wawwa

WAWWA, the pinnacle of sustainable streetwear brands, was born in Manchester. Over nearly 10 years, it has been developing its supply chain model, striving to find the most ethical and efficient way to run the business.Recently, the brand has landed on its pre-sale model, ensuring each product is pre-bought before manufacturing begins to eliminate any waste.

WAWWA's clothing is made from organic, fairtrade, and vegan fabrics. Each garment is meticulously made and hand-dyed to reduce environmental impact. By focusing on ethical production and sustainable materials, WAWWA not only creates stylish streetwear but also champions environmental responsibility. Join the movement towards sustainable fashion with WAWWA, where every purchase makes a positive impact on the planet.

11. Plant Faced

Plant Faced is pioneering ‘streetwear without the sweatshops’ and shows that sustainable streetwear is achievable. All of its clothing and accessories are made using high-quality, sustainable fabrics, with ethically made and fair trade practices. They are shipped in eco-friendly packaging and developed using thoughtful designs that are made to last.

The sustainable streetwear brand also aims to spread awareness, making the modern consumer aware of the negative impact fashion can have on the environment and how to avoid these practices growing. Plant Faced not only offers stylish and eco-conscious clothing but also educates consumers about sustainable fashion choices, encouraging a shift towards more ethical and environmentally friendly practices. Join the movement towards a more sustainable future with Plant Faced, where fashion meets environmental responsibility.

12. Outland Denim

Outland Denim stands out as the first Australian denim brand to become a Certified B Corp (and the second globally), earning a rare A+ rating on the Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report several years in a row. Denim is their specialty, but they also offer tees, hoodies, skirts, and dresses, with staple pieces like the Heritage Eddie Denim Jacket remaining in style regardless of any new fashion trend. The brand's commitment to ethical and sustainable practices is evident across all aspects of their operation.

Outland Denim ensures that 100% of the denim is organic cotton or recycled, dyed with natural indigo dye from the Indigofera plant where possible. If plant dyes aren’t available, they use dyes tested for harmful chemicals. Their ethical jeans are going leather-free using OEKO-TEX-certified jacron paper logo patches. Founded with a mission to provide safe and dignified employment to victims of human trafficking, they do just that, as well as employ other vulnerable and exploited groups.

13. Basti Basti

Basti Basti, a unique German fashion label, is the brainchild of two creative thinkers who have combined their vegan way of life, preference for alternative lifestyles, dark designs, and urban clothing. In addition to fashion itself, a strictly vegan and fairly traded production without compromise is paramount to the brand. Basti Basti represents more than just clothing; it embodies a philosophy of sustainability and ethical responsibility.

By prioritizing vegan and fairly traded production methods, the brand aligns with the values of conscious consumers, offering a stylish and ethical alternative in the fashion world. Basti Basti is not just a label; it's a movement towards a more compassionate and sustainable future. With a commitment to both style and ethical practices, Basti Basti offers fashion that makes a statement — both in design and in values.

14. Satta

Satta launched its first small collection of graphic tees with hand-drawn illustrations hand screen-printed onto their own signature organic cotton tees. Since then, the collection has continued to evolve organically season by season. Founder and designer, Joe Lauder, draws inspiration from his past profession as a landscaper and woodworker, applying a functionally focused approach centered on the notions of utility, simplicity, and comfort within all of his garments.

With a minimal palette reminiscent of the outdoors, their online store represents their brand’s ethos and connection to a positive approach towards how they produce their clothing. Satta embodies more than just clothing; it represents a lifestyle that prioritizes sustainability, functionality, and a connection to nature. With each piece, Satta offers not only style but a statement about values and a commitment to ethically produced, environmentally friendly fashion.

15. Edun

Edun is a pioneering fashion brand founded on the principles of sustainability and social responsibility. Launched in 2005 by Ali Hewson and her husband, U2 frontman Bono, Edun aims to promote trade and encourage economic development in Africa. The brand's mission is to create beautiful clothing while fostering sustainable employment opportunities in developing areas.

Edun partners with manufacturers, artisans, and farmers in Africa, ensuring fair wages and ethical working conditions. Using organic materials and innovative techniques, Edun produces high-quality, eco-friendly fashion. Each collection reflects the brand's commitment to style, sustainability, and social change. By choosing Edun, consumers not only acquire stylish apparel but also actively contribute to positive social and environmental impact, making a meaningful difference in the fashion industry.

Why should you invest in eco-friendly streetwear?

Investing in eco-friendly streetwear offers numerous benefits that go beyond just fashion. Here are several compelling reasons why:

Environmental impact: Eco-friendly streetwear is produced using sustainable materials and manufacturing processes, reducing the industry's overall carbon footprint, water usage, and waste generation. By supporting these brands, you contribute to the preservation of natural resources and help mitigate environmental degradation.

Ethical considerations: Many eco-friendly streetwear brands prioritize fair labor practices and transparent supply chains, ensuring that workers are treated ethically and paid fair wages. Investing in these brands promotes social justice and supports workers' rights.

Longevity and durability: Eco-friendly streetwear often prioritizes quality over quantity, resulting in garments that are built to last. While fast fashion items may wear out quickly, sustainable alternatives tend to be more durable, saving you money in the long run and reducing the need for frequent replacements.

Unique designs: Eco-friendly streetwear brands often offer distinctive designs that stand out from mainstream fashion trends. By investing in these brands, you can express your individuality and style while supporting creativity and innovation in the fashion industry.

Health considerations: Many conventional textiles and manufacturing processes involve the use of harmful chemicals and toxins that can be detrimental to both the environment and human health. Eco-friendly streetwear uses safer alternatives, reducing exposure to harmful substances and promoting healthier lifestyles.

Overall, investing in eco-friendly streetwear allows you to align your fashion choices with your values, making a positive impact on both the planet and society while still looking stylish and trendy.

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In conclusion, the landscape of streetwear is evolving, with sustainability becoming an increasingly integral aspect of the industry. Brands like Outland Denim, Plant Faced, and Satta are pioneering a new era of fashion, demonstrating that eco-consciousness and style can coexist harmoniously. From utilizing organic and recycled materials to promoting fair trade and ethical labor practices, these brands are setting a standard for sustainability in streetwear. As consumers, we hold the power to drive change through our purchasing decisions. By choosing sustainable streetwear brands, we not only support ethical practices but also contribute to the preservation of our planet. From reducing carbon footprints to minimizing waste, each purchase becomes a step towards a more sustainable future. Whether it's Outland Denim's commitment to providing safe employment to vulnerable groups, Plant Faced's mission to raise awareness about the impact of fashion on the environment, or Satta's focus on functionality and comfort, these brands are not only offering stylish apparel but also promoting a shift towards a more responsible fashion industry. Together, we can make a difference. Let's continue to support and champion sustainable streetwear brands, paving the way for a brighter, more ethical future in fashion. Let's choose clothing that not only looks good but also does good for the planet and its people.