The Rockstar Edit: Responsible Clothing Brands for the Wild Ones
The style of a Rockstar is often synonymous with glitz and glam, but what if we told you that it could be sustainable too? That’s right, you don’t have to sacrifice any of the glamour in order to make a positive impact on the planet! In ‘The Rockstar Edit,’ Jejune has compiled a list of fashion brands with clothing that embrace the rock and roll lifestyle while also ensuring that their production process is both environmentally and socially responsible. Be sure to check out Cielo Studio or Monika the Label to fulfill all of your Stevie Nicks impersonation desires. Or look into the faux fur and leather brand Apparis to add a pop of color into your wardrobe! Not totally into the rock and roll scene? That’s okay too! Our ultimate goal with this list was to find responsible fashion brands that help our readers embody their true selves, or find something fun and edgy to wear when you need a little escapism. Check out the full list below!
Who Are They: Lucy and Chris, the couple behind the brand, initially started by selling vintage clothes out of their van called the 'Yak.' When they decided that they wanted to sell their designs called 'the dungarees' professionally, they traveled the world in order to find partners that could help them make it ethically. They found what they were looking for in India, where they met their business partner and friend Ismael, who connected them with tailors and factories in the area. Lucy and Yak's dungarees are made from organic GOTS certified (Global Organic Textile Standard) cotton. GOTS certification is the leading processing standard for textiles and encompasses both environmental and social standards.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: 98% of their fabrics are organic or recycled. The bold colors within their designs are dyed responsibly under OEKO-TEX and GOTS standards. Additionally, Under the 'Who Made Your Clothes?' tab on the companies website, customers are able to see pictures and biographies of the garment workers who made the garments for Lucy & Yak. A full list of suppliers is also available.
Who Are They: Cielo Studio is a UK based womenswear brand that focuses on a mix of minimalist and playful designs. At the heart of their collection is the 'Cielo Suit,' made for the modern woman. Most of their collections are built off of that season's suit in addition to what the designers see missing from their closets.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: Cielo Studio utilizes recycled and environmentally-friendly fabrics. Their suits are made by seamstresses in an ethical studio in North London. Their factories are made to order and do not collect any dead-stock fabrics. Their mesh tops are custom made and printed in an ethical factory in the UK as well.
Who Are They: Apparis is an NYC based vegan fashion brand, founded by French duo Amelie Brick and Lauren Nouchi. The brand started as a faux fur brand but is now home to a variety of categories, including outerwear, knitwear, home and accessories. Regardless of product category, boldness and color can be seen throughout each collection. The brand also values inclusivity — apparel can be found for men, women and children.
Price Range: $$$
Fun Fact: The brand's motto is: The Future of Fashion is Vegan. Apparis has always been animal and cruelty-free. Their newest collection is a plant-based collection with bio-based fabrics, powered by corn and hemp: KOBA® faux fur and CANNABA vegan wool. The brand also has a RE-KNIT collection, including recycled knitwear made from recycled plastic bottles and unused polyester fabric.
Who Are They: CHNGE sells clothing, accessories, and graphic tees to men, women, and children.The brand realizes that the fashion industry makes up over 10% of global carbon emissions, therefore, every shirt that CHNGE produces they offset 48.5lbs of CO2 to ensure that the CO2 from their supply chain, as well as, the first 50 washes and dries from the consumer are offset. Additionally, CHNGE uses 100% GOTS Certified cotton and produces their clothing in a fair-trade factory, which guarantees fair wages and safe working conditions.
Price Range: $
Fun Fact: CHNGE is committed to carbon neutrality, responsible fabrics, fair wage practices, and minimizing waste. They provide a variety of resources on their website and social media accounts to educate others on important topics such as the Black Lives Matter Movement and Mental Health.
Who Are They: The Vintage Twin encourages customers to take a quiz and get a personally curated box of vintage pieces delivered to their home. A $20 styling fee is required and then applied to the final purchase. A mix of 5-7 pieces is picked out specifically for the consumer, plus 3-5 pairs of jeans/shorts if the Jeanius Service is included. Customers can try on the clothes at home before they buy and send back the rest. Free shipping and returns included.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: The box and collection can not be seen ahead of time. The Vintage Twin does this in order to elevate the consciousness with which customers shop and make it really easy to get vintage pieces that they will love.
Who Are They: beRESONANT is an online collection of responsible designs from black creators. The website includes designs from BruceGlen, DEMESTIK, JungleGurl, Lola Faturoti Loves, MAM Couture, Izayla, Megan Renee, and Ooshie. beRESONANT is committed to sustainability through made to order pieces, digitally printed designs, and continually working to decrease their carbon footprint.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: Resonance, the brand's parent company, owns a factory in the Dominican Republic. 100% of factory employees, including operators, are paid above the Industrial Sector living wage for the Zona Franca. Additionally, 100% of the chemicals used in the digital printing process is BlueSign-certified, which ensures high product safety in the global apparel and footwear industry.
Who Are They: Through their quick wit and satire, Fashion Brand Company is redefining fashion. They make apparel for men, women, kids, and lizards. Yes you read that right, lizards. In the 'About' section of their website they write, "Fashion Brand Company; we only make clothes for lizards." The apparel they design is best embodied through their 'Psychic Burden Mini Velvet Dress' and their 'Mesh Primary Check Dress.' Psychedelic but artistic in nature, each piece of apparel has its own rockstar vibe.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: Fashion Brand Company is committed to making clothes that last by providing well made garments that get better with time. They also utilize fair trade initiatives and smaller workshops that specialize in artisanal crafts such as dying and embroidering within their supply chain. Their items are usually shipped in canvas bags and recycled boxes.
Who Are They: We Are HAH specializes in eco-friendly lingerie and swimwear, but they also have an extensive ready-to-wear collection with dresses, bodysuits and loungewear. The brand was founded in West Hollywood with the idea that you can be both sexy and sustainable. We Are HAH utilizes digital and sublimation printing techniques to better the supply chain and the life of the garment. According to the brand’s website, digitally printing their garments uses 95% less water and greatly reduces the amount of toxic dye used in production.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: The brand uses an exclusive fabric that they produced with their factory in Sri Lanka, titled EFL (extended fabric life) fabric. This fabric is made of 83% Polytrimethylene Terephthalate (PTT) which is developed from corn sugar and is also biodegradable. Additionally, a full list of factories that the brand works with can be found on their website with biographies.
Who Are They: Monika the Label is a slow fashion brand inspired by the '70s and both California and London. The brand currently has two collections live on their website, titled 'Sunset Honey Pie' and 'The Encore.' Each collection includes a variety of dresses, skirts, tops, and accessories. The brand supports a circular economy by producing a limited collection and by putting their pieces on rental sites like By Rotation or Rotaro. Monika the Label also utilizes eco-friendly fabrics and recyclable packaging.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: Monika the Label protects the environment by creating digital prints using non-toxic and dye-free inks. Additionally, the brand has a transparent supply chain, with each factory listed on their website. They only work with one North London factory who follow ethical principles and their t-shirts are printed by Wild&Kind in Glasgow, Scotland.
Who Are They: RAFA is a vegan women's footwear brand that sells a mix of sandals, boots, mules, and pumps. Their shoes are crafted by a group of 20 artisans in Los Angeles, California. The mission of the brand is to create timeless designs that go beyond the current trends of the season. All of their products are made using environmentally friendly materials and responsible processes. They use quality materials and craftsmanship to create accessible luxury footwear.
Price Range: $$$
Fun Fact: Shoes are made to order and made by hand in a small factory in Los Angeles, which creates less waste and overstock. In a video on their website, the creative director goes through the process of making the shoes and introduces each factory worker.
There you have it, a list of brands that are sure to spruce up your wardrobe while also making a positive impact on the planet. Be sure to check out the brand’s websites through the links embedded in their titles! We hope that you are able to find something fun and true to yourself along the way.
