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08 Jun

11 Amazing Brands That Make Clothes Using Recycled Plastic

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It’s said that every piece of plastic ever made still exists today. Most plastics are not biodegradable—they just keep breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces and, along with more trash than we can readily comprehend, end up dumped into the ocean and swallowed by hundreds of animal species.

Plastic has got to go, but while companies and people are beginning to cut down, it’s not disappearing any time soon. If we continue to use and dispose of it at the current rate, the ocean will have almost 400 million metric tons of plastic by 2050. I don’t know about you, but that terrifies us here at Good On You.

That is where recycling comes in. While only a small portion of plastic is currently recycled, more and more fashion companies are doing their bit by transforming plastic waste into—you guessed it—clothes and accessories. If it’s going to be around for hundreds of years anyway, why not wear it?

So, we dug up fashion brands that have taken up the gauntlet and given this immortal waste new life, so you can do your bit in the war on waste, too. Here are 11 fashion brands that make clothes using recycled plastic.

Mara Hoffman

Rated: Good
red mara hoffman bikini made from recycled plastic

Carla Bikini Top  – Ships internationally from the US

 

Mara Hoffman is a lifestyle women’s brand with designer clothing that is long-lasting and high-quality. It uses a range of earth conscious materials including GOTS certified cotton, recycled nylon and recycled polyester, and some products are Oeko-Tex STeP certified, too. From block colours to bubbly patterns, Mara Hoffman has got you covered from the beach to the altar and everywhere in between.

See the rating.

Shop Mara Hoffman @ Reve en Vert.

Shop Mara Hoffman @ Farfetch.

Shop Mara Hoffman Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Shop Mara Hoffman.

Elle Evans

Rated: Good
yellow ella evans bikini made from recycled plastic

Windsor Bikini Top in Sunshine – Ships internationally from Australia

 

Melbourne-based swimwear label Elle Evans is leading the way in more sustainable swimwear, creating gorgeous swimmers for women and children made out of post-consumer waste fabrics. They also offer a take-back service so your worn out pieces can be disposed of thoughtfully. If you care about fashion and the future, this is the brand for you!

See the rating.

Shop Elle Evans.

TWOTHIRDS

Rated: Good
woman wearing blue recycled plastic swimsuit from sustainable brand TWOTHIRDS

Lemuy Green Lake – Ships to Europe and the US from Spain

TWOTHIRDS sees itself as a brand for people who are awake and aware of the immense value of our oceans, but also have a thirst for style and substance. It manufactures all its products locally to reduce its carbon footprint, as well as audits all of its final stage of production.

The clothes can be found in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop TWOTHIRDS.

Girlfriend Collective

Rated: Good
recycled plastic high rise legging in plum from sustainable company Girlfriend Collective

Plum Compressive High-Rise Legging – Ships internationally from the US

 

Donning activewear made of trash doesn’t sound all that appealing—but it should. Girlfriend Collective is a truly transparent company that ethically produces sports bras and leggings made from recycled plastic. Their recycled polyester is made from plastic bottles in Taiwan, and their nylon transforms recycled fishing nets that would otherwise end up in the ocean suffocating countless sea creatures into ECONYL®. Both materials prove perfect for activewear with their moisture-wicking abilities, and GC goes above and beyond by creating cute clothes for everyone, with sizes from 2XS to 6XL in a range of gorgeous OEKO-certified safe dyed colours.

See the rating.

Shop Girlfriend Collective @ LVRSustainable.

Shop Girlfriend Collective.

Up-Fuse

Rated: Good
person in crop top and pants by Up-fuse

Wasted Pants in Lilac – Ships internationally from Egypt

Up-Fuse is a Cairo-based social enterprise that promotes an eco-conscious lifestyle. Believing “one’s trash is another’s fabric”, the brand works with Syrian, Ethiopian, and Sudanese female refugees in Egypt to create its unique products.

See the rating.

Shop Up-Fuse.

Veja

Rated: Good
vegan recycled plastic shoes from ethical brand Veja via Farfetch

V-10 B-mesh Trainers – Ships internationally from France

French brand Veja, already known globally for producing ethical sneakers, are taking fairtrade footwear and accessories to the next level with their introduction of a material called B-mesh (“bottle mesh”) that is made from recycled plastic bottles. There are three bottles in each pair of sneakers, and the fabric created from them is touted as both breathable and waterproof—ideal characteristics of footwear. The rest of the shoe should keep you smiling too, with a high proportion of eco-friendly materials like organic cotton and rubber sourced directly from farmers who are assured a living wage.

See the rating.

Shop Veja.

Shop Veja @ LVRSustainable.

Shop Veja @ Outerknown.

Shop Veja @ Threads 4 Thought.

Patagonia

Rated: Good

Hi-Loft Hooded Down Jacket – Ships internationally from the US

 

Patagonia is leading the way in ethical outdoor wear, producing hardy products made from a high proportion of eco-friendly materials like recycled down, wool, and polyester. Back in 1993 they created fleece made from recycled plastic bottles, and they have only improved their materials since then. There is also a repair and reuse program in place, so your Patagonia products should last a long time indeed!

See the rating.

Shop Patagonia @ LVRSustainable.

Shop Patagonia Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Shop Patagonia.

Ecoalf

Rated: Good
woman of colour wearing reversible recycled polyester vest from Ecoalf via Farfetch

Martina Padded Gilet – Ships internationally from Spain

Thanks to recycled materials like rescued ocean plastic, Ecoalf creates more sustainable fashion with the same quality, design, and technical properties as the best non-recycled ones.

Find the range in sizes XS-2XL.

See the rating.

Shop Ecoalf @ Farfetch.

Shop Ecoalf.

BEEN London

Rated: Good

Clapton Belt Bag – Ships internationally from the UK

BEEN London is a London-based brand turning waste into timeless accessories you’d want to use every day. All their products are made of materials that have been something else in a previous life, including recycled leather offcuts and plastic bottles.

See the rating.

Shop BEEN London.

Shop BEEN London @ Cerqular.

The Common Good Company

Rated: Great
close up of woman wearing grey sweatshirt by the common good company

Plain Dane Grey Sweatshirt – Ships internationally from Australia

Australian brand The Common Good Company produces clothing using recycled materials, proving that there is not only a better way to produce but a better way to consume.

Find the clothes in AU sizes 6-14.

See the rating.

Shop The Common Good Company.

ettitude

Rated: Good

Sateen Eye Mask – Ships internationally from Australia

Sleepwear and bedding made with innovative CleanBamboo™ fabric, engineered for comfort. This Australian brand reuses offcuts to minimise textile waste, and reduces its water use by using a closed-loop system in its supply chain.

Find most clothing in S-XL.

See the rating.

Shop ettitude.

So there you have it! 11 innovative brands rated ‘Good’ or ‘Great’ that are doing their bit to put plastic to good use, taking it out of landfill and the ocean and giving it new and sustainable life in fashion.

Editor's note

Feature image via Unsplash, all other images via brands mentioned. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion brands’ impact on people, the planet and animals. Use our Directory to search thousands of rated brands.

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