For consumers For business
plus size woman wearing sustainable outfit by LA based brand Whimsy + Row
16 Feb
plus size woman wearing sustainable outfit by LA based brand Whimsy + Row

12 Brands From LA That Are Leading the Way on Sustainability

Our editors curate highly rated brands that are first assessed by our rigorous ratings system. Buying through our links may earn us a commission—supporting the work we do. Learn more.

 

If you’re from LA and want to support local brands doing right by people, the planet, and animals, we’ve rounded up “Good” and “Great” brands for you. But first, let’s learn about what makes a brand more ethical than others in the first place.

So what makes a fashion brand more ethical than others?

To start with, a more ethical brand ensures its workers are treated fairly across the supply chain. This includes policies and practices on child labour, forced labour, worker safety, the right to join a union, and payment of a living wage.

An conscious brand also cares about its use of resources and energy, reducing its carbon emissions, impact on our waterways, as well as using and disposing of chemicals safely.

Finally, a responsible brand uses no or very few animal products, like wool, leather, fur, angora, down feather, shearling, karakul, and exotic animal skin and hair. Ideally, the brand is 100% vegan.

Long story short, a more ethical brand makes sure it positively impacts on people, the planet, and animals.

Now that you know what to look for to determine whether a brand is worth supporting or not, you might decide to shop from companies located in your country or region. Whether it is to support your local communities or reduce your carbon footprint when shopping online, shopping locally has many great benefits.

So if you live in LA, you might be wondering which clothing brands are more ethical. We know how you feel, which is why we compiled this list of conscious fashion brands from LA. These brands have all been rated “Good” or “Great” using our first-class methodology and are amongst our favourites.

Not from LA? Check out our favourite brands from:

Whimsy + Row

Rated: Good

Whimsy + Row is a US-based lifestyle brand born out of a love for quality goods and responsible practices. Since 2014, its mission has been to provide ease and elegance for the modern woman. Whimsy + Row utilises deadstock fabric, and by limiting each garment to short runs, the brand also reduces packaging waste and takes care of precious water resources.

Find most products in XS-XL, with an extended sizing range up to 3XL.

See the rating.

Shop Whimsy + Row.

Shop Whimsy + Row @ Earthkind.

Svala

Rated: Good

Svala creates luxury vegan handbags, purses, bags, and totes. Each bag is handcrafted responsibly in LA with high-quality, premium vegan leather, cork, and Piñatex.

See the rating.

Shop Svala.

Neococo

Rated: Good
hand embroidered tee by Neococo

Neococo is a mission-based apparel company founded for the sole purpose of creating jobs for women refugees through the art of hand embroidery. Faced with challenges such as adjusting to a new culture and securing a job, Neococo provides refugees with community and support to make them feel safe and achieve financial independence.

Crafting pieces representing women’s empowerment, find the range in sizes XS-3XL.

See the rating.

Shop Neococo.

The Classic T-Shirt Company

Rated: Good

The Classic T-Shirt Company is a US brand that creates premium, responsibly made t-shirts with luxury and integrity. All of its products are made from GOTS certified organic cotton and it doesn't use any animal-derived materials.

The Classic T-Shirt Company’s range is available in US sizes XS-3XL.

See the rating.

Shop The Classic T-Shirt Company.

MATE the Label

Rated: Great

MATE the Label creates clean essentials made with GOTS certified organic fabrics and lower-impact dyes. Its goal is to offer women everywhere a clean product that is just as beautiful as it is responsible. It is proudly female-founded and is predominately operated by women. This US brand also manufactures locally to reduce its carbon footprint.

Find the range in inclusive sizes XS-3XL.

See the rating.

Shop MATE the Label.

Proclaim

Rated: Good

Los Angeles-based Proclaim makes beautiful bras, underwear, and basics from more responsible materials like recycled plastic bottles and TENCEL. Its designs come in three shades of "nude", building inclusivity into the brand. It also ensures the people in its California factory earn a living wage, and visits suppliers regularly.

Find the range in sizes S-3XL.

See the rating.

Shop Proclaim.

Dazey LA

Rated: It's A Start
woman wearing logo yellow ethical tshirt by Dazey LA

Dazey LA is an art apparel and accessories brand that features hand drawn designs inspired by '70s posters and vintage graphic art.

Find most of the range in sizes S-2XL, or shop extended sizes up to 4XL.

See the rating.

Shop Dazey LA.

Triarchy

Rated: Great

US-based Triarchy creates more sustainable jeans, skirts, shorts, jumpsuits, and jackets. The brand’s production system uses 85% recycled water by consistently reusing the "thick indigo laden sludge" that unmonitored factories dump into water systems.

Find most of the jeans in US sizes 24-32.

See the rating.

Shop Triarchy.

Shop Triarchy @ LVRSustainable.

Groceries Apparel

Rated: Good
woman reclining in sustainable black and white striped turtleneck shirt by Groceries Apparel

Groceries Apparel is a California-based fashion brand that uses discarded food scraps, including carrot tops, pomegranate rinds, used coffee grounds, avocado seeds, onions skins, roots, plants, and flowers to create organic and non-toxic wardrobe essentials.

Find most items in sizes XS-3XL.

See the rating.

Shop Groceries Apparel.

Sustain by Kat

Rated: Good

Sustain by Kat produces timeless organic women’s  and children's clothing, dyed with plants. This is a brand that really cares about the environment. It uses more responsible materials, including GOTS certified organic cotton, and uses only lower impact, plant based dyes, which is better for you and the planet. It’s possible to have clothes that also care for you with Sustain by Kat’s “clothing with a conscience”.

Find the range in sizes XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop Sustain by Kat.

KENT

Rated: Good

KENT is a US-based brand that creates timeless organic underwear, ensuring a quality fit and feel no matter what. It produces the first verified compostable underwear, made from organic cotton and designed to return to nature in 90 days when composted or planted, feeding the soil and growing new plants (or future pants).

Find most pants in sizes XS-3XL.

See the rating.

Shop KENT.

LA Relaxed

Rated: Great
Someone in long sleeved top and dress by LA Relaxed.

"Simplicity, sustainability, style" is LA Relaxed's motto. The brand reduces its climate impact by using renewable energy in its supply chain. It also uses some lower-impact materials, including organic cotton and TENCEL Lyocell.

Find the collection in sizes XS-XL.

See the rating.

Shop LA Relaxed.

Shop LA Relaxed @ Cerqular.

Want to find more sustainable brands from the USA? Find the best-rated brands near you with the location filter

Editor's note

Feature image by Whimsy + Row, 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.

Ethical brand ratings. There’s an app for that.

Wear the change you want to see. Download our app to discover ethical brands and see how your favourites measure up.