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person wearing knitted jumper from Cossac
08 Jan
person wearing knitted jumper from Cossac

Better Brand Edit: More Sustainable Knitwear to Keep You Warm and Cosy

This is a sponsored article featuring brands that have been independently assessed by our rigorous ratings system. We’re proud to only collaborate with “Good” and “Great” rated brands. Learn more.

 

Whatever your brand of cosy, these more responsible knitwear brands are here to help for this season and many to come.

Our favourite ‘Good’ and ‘Great’ knitwear brands

For many people, knitwear is a seasonal essential, but did you know that a lot of it is made from damaging polyester or acrylic, which are both plastic-based? When shopping for more sustainable sweaters, scarves, sweatpants, and hats, opt for recycled wool or organic cotton instead.

Looking after your knitwear is also important to keeping it in good condition for years to come. That means folding it—instead of storing it on a hanger—to prevent stretching; seek out gentle fabric detergents that are friendly to natural fibres; and after washing, reshape the garment while it’s wet, then dry it flat and away from a strong heat source to make sure it returns to its original appearance. It’ll also pay to invest in a pilling comb to remove any bobbles that naturally appear on knitwear over time. We recommend Artknit Studios’ one.

With that, then, here are 20 more sustainable brands rated “Good” and “Great” against our methodology making knitwear you should know about.

Neu Nomads

Rated: Good
person wearing knitted hoodie and joggers from neu nomads

Cotton/Cashmere Hoodie and Joggers – Ships internationally from the US

Neu Nomads is a Brooklyn-based more sustainable women’s fashion brand, offering loungewear and travel essentials. It is female owned and operated, and works every day to create beautiful, wearable clothing that leaves a lighter footprint on the environment.

Find the clothes in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop Neu Nomads.

1 People

Rated: Good
person wearing beige sweater from 1people

Ottawa High Neck Sweater – Ships internationally from Denmark

1 People is a Danish-designed lifestyle and luxury brand. It blends Scandinavian colour palettes and minimalist design to create effortlessly elegant collections for the conscious-minded. Its pieces are thoughtfully crafted by small family-run manufacturers using lower-impact and certified materials.

Find the collection in sizes XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop 1 People.

Artknit Studios

Rated: Good
knitted polo shirt from artknit studios

The Ultrasoft Wool Classic Polo – Ships internationally from Italy

Artknit Studios creates timeless knitwear in 100% lower-impact materials, made responsibly by Italian makers. Its partners are committed to anti-waste practices using only certified and locally-sourced fibres, true to the brand's motto of "buy less, buy better".

Find items offered in sizes XS-XXL.

See the rating.

Shop Artknit Studios.

Shop Artknit Studios @ Urbankissed.

Mila.Vert

Rated: Great
person wearing knitted coat from mila vert

Knitted Organic Cotton Coat – Ships internationally from Slovenia

Offers

Mila.Vert – Site-wide

Discover cozy, high-quality more sustainable and ethical knitwear crafted from 100% organic cotton. 25% off site-wide. (Ends: 31 JAN)

Shop now

Mila.Vert makes chic, minimalist clothes that have a distinctly modern feel. The Slovenia-based brand produces clothes in small batches based on a pre-order system to minimise waste and help to avoid the ethical and environmental issues that the fashion industry represents.

Find the garments in sizes XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop Mila.Vert.

Shop Mila.Vert @ Immaculate Vegan.

Spell

Rated: Good
knitted cardigan from Spell

Coastal Granny Short-Sleeved Hand-Knitted Top – Ships internationally from Australia

Spell is an Australian fashion brand inspired by far-off places, vintage treasures, and childhood memories. Its clothes are proudly designed and sampled in Byron Bay, and produced responsibly in factories around the world.

Most garments are available in sizes 2XS-2XL.

See the rating.

Shop Spell.

WE-AR4

Rated: Good
brown cardigan by WE-AR4

The University Cardigan – Ships internationally from the US

WE-AR4 is a US based design-to-wear essentials brand for an effortless style. Founded by fashion industry veterans, it merges intelligent design and uncompromising style. Rather than developing new materials, it rescues existing ones, choosing to “thrift” high-quality leathers and luxury textiles left over from other brands, giving them new life, and uses certified lower-impact materials.

Find the range in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop WE-AR4.

Kings of Indigo

Rated: Good
sweater from kings of indigo

Hector Sweater – Ships internationally from the Netherlands

Kings of Indigo makes quality denim, tops, and accessories inspired by American classics with a Japanese eye for detail. The brand uses GOTS organic cotton as well as recycled cotton and wool, and avoids all chemicals from the REACH chemical list.

Offered in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop Kings of Indigo.

COSSAC

Rated: Good
person wearing green knitwear from cossac

Sage Green Sweater – Ships internationally from the UK

COSSAC is a British brand that believes in creating timeless, feminine, and versatile apparel responsibly. It promotes the minimalistic concept of capsule wardrobes, offering contemporary classics intended to be worn and cherished beyond seasonal trends. It uses organic or lower-impact materials and works exclusively with small factories on limited production runs to minimise waste and deadstock.

Find most of the range in sizes S-L.

See the rating.

Shop COSSAC.

Shop COSSAC @ Earthkind.

SANTICLER

Rated: Good
person wearing cardigan from Santicler

Cardigan with Detachable Scarf – Ships internationally from the US

SANTICLER is an US-based label that offers timeless collectors pieces curating modern silhouettes in womenswear. Founded by an early advocate of slow fashion and sustainability, its collections are designed and produced with intention to reduce waste, using more lower-impact materials such as GOTS-certified cotton and responsibly sourced wool.

Find most items offered in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop SANTICLER.

Jyoti – Fair Works

Rated: Good
person wearing sweater from jyoti works

Knitted Turtleneck Sweater – Ships internationally from Germany

For those living in Europe, you’re lucky enough to be able to get your hands on the beautiful 100% GOTS cotton products created by Jyoti. Truly embodying responsible fashion practices, this German company provides employment for people from marginalised or disadvantaged groups in India.

Sizes available are S-XL.

See the rating.

Shop Jyoti.

CAES

Rated: Good
open back sweater from CAES

Open-Back Sweater – Ships internationally from the Netherlands

“Fashion does not have to be fast or seasonal,” says CAES (pronounced like case). The Dutch brand creates timeless, minimalist clothes using lower-impact materials such as Desserto cactus leather, recycled cotton, and Tencel Lyocell. It partly traces its supply chain and has a code of conduct covering some ILO Four Fundamental Freedoms principles.

See the rating.

Shop CAES.

PANGAIA

Rated: Good
cashmere hoodie from pangaia

Regenerative Merino Wool Hoodie – Ships internationally from the US

Offers

PANGAIA – Activewear

Sports bras and leggings crafted with plant-based stretch fabric that offers moisture-wicking properties and breathability. 70% off activewear site-wide. (Ends: 12 FEB)

Shop now

PANGAIA – Coats And Jackets

From ultra warm puffer jackets to lighter trench coats and denim jackets, PANGAIA outerwear is designed with a minimal aesthetic with innovative materials. 70% off coats and jackets site-wide. (Ends: 12 FEB)

Shop now

PANGAIA – T-Shirts and Tops

Soft fabrics, playful colours across short sleeve, long sleeve, and sleeveless options for adults and kids. 70% off t-shirts and tops site-wide. (Ends: 12 FEB)

Shop now

PANGAIA – Tracksuits

PANGAIA tracksuits in timeless design, bold silhouettes, and playful colours. 70% off tracksuits site-wide. (Ends: 12 FEB)

Shop now

PANGAIA designs products for living in any situation, sustaining your basic needs with smart technology and utilizing recyclable elements wherever possible.

See the rating.

Shop PANGAIA Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

Shop PANGAIA.

Another Tomorrow

Rated: Good
sweater from another tomorrow

Fine-Knit Turtleneck Sweater – Ships internationally from the US

Another Tomorrow is a luxury brand created for the compassionate global citizen seeking elevated, thoughtful design, community, and tools for advocacy.

Find the range in US sizes 0-14.

See the rating.

Shop Another Tomorrow.

Christy Dawn

Rated: Great
starsign cardigan from Christy Dawn

The Astral Cardigan – Ships internationally from the US

Christy Dawn is a minimalist showroom for vintage-inspired women's clothing and footwear, locally made with surplus fabric. The US brand rates "Great", making it a fabulous option for your wardrobe.

Find the clothes in standard sizes XS-XL, or shop the Extended and Petite collections.

See the rating.

Shop Christy Dawn.

Mother of Pearl

Rated: Good
black woman wearing black eco-friendly knitted cardigan from Mother of Pearl brand

Charlotte Black Cardigan – Ships internationally from the UK

Mother of Pearl is a more sustainable and ethical luxury womenswear and accessories designer brand from the UK that celebrates individuality and authenticity. The brand uses a high proportion of more responsible materials including organic cotton and ensures the payment of a living wage across some of its supply chain.

Find most products in UK sizes 6-16.

See the rating.

Shop Mother of Pearl.

Shop Mother of Pearl @ Rêve en Vert.

Shop Mother of Pearl Pre-Owned @ Vestiaire Collective.

ASKET

Rated: Good
black man wearing tan ethically made cashmere sweater from ASKET

The Cashmere Sweater – Ships internationally from Sweden

ASKET has been creating timeless wardrobe essentials since 2015 with revolutionary sizing and fair pricing. The brand disregards seasonal collections, cuts out all the middlemen, and only sells directly to you—putting its entire focus on building a single permanent collection.

Find the range in sizes 2XS-2XL.

See the rating.

Shop ASKET.

Colorful Standard

Rated: Good

Merino Wool Crew – Ships internationally from Denmark

Colorful Standard is a Danish clothing brand that makes organic fashion essentials for men and women. The brand doesn't care much for seasons or trends, instead, it creates timeless and long-lasting products to avoid the downward spiral that is over-consumption.

Find most items in sizes XS-2XL.

See the rating.

Shop Colorful Standard.

Armedangels

Rated: Great
knitted dress from armedangels

Knitted Dress – Ships internationally from Germany

Innovative, responsible, and on-trend. Germany’s Armedangels gets a top score overall from us. The brand covers all the basics in womenswear, menswear, and kidswear. Armedangels' quality and long-lasting pieces are made from lower-impact and certified materials, like Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified cotton. The brand also adopted the Fair Wear Foundation Code of Conduct to protect its workers abroad.

Its products are available in sizes XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop Armedangels.

Shop Armedangels @ Earthkind.

NIKIN

Rated: Good
tube scarf from nikin

Treescarf Tube Scarf– Ships internationally from Switzerland

If you’re the kind of person who likes to wear their morals, look no further than Swiss brand NIKIN. Not only is a tree planted every time you purchase a NIKIN product, you also get to show your tree pride.

Products are available in sizes XS-2XL.

See the rating.

Shop NIKIN.

amt.

Rated: Good
balaclava from amt studio

Knitted Balaclava – Ships internationally from Spain

amt. studio is a Spanish clothing brand that produces locally and with recycled materials.

Find most items in sizes XS-L.

See the rating.

Shop amt.

Editor's note

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

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