The Labels That Actually Mean Something When It Comes To Sustainable Clothing

Shopping for sustainable clothing can be confusing. There are a ton of labels thrown around, and a lot of greenwashing. 

To sort it all out I spoke to Kelly Drennan, the founding executive director of Fashion Takes Action, a Canadian nonprofit that promotes sustainable fashion. But because even sustainably produced clothing still has an environmental impact (fashion accounts for nearly 8 percent of worldwide carbon emissions, according to a 2018 report) she suggests shopping your closet first before buying new. “We wear 20 percent of our wardrobe 80 percent of the time. So there's a lot of clothes that we already own that we forget about. Take an audit!” Next, Drennan suggests, if you don’t already own it, consider buying secondhand, or trying to swap with a friend for what you need. That said, sometimes we truly need to buy new clothing. In that case, shopping from brands with sustainability certifications is the best option. Here's what to look for.

Why should shoppers look for environmental certifications in clothing?

The supply chains behind our clothes are often invisible, Drennan says—but certifications make them more visible. “They really signal that a brand's claims, whether it's about materials or labour or environmental impact, have been verified by a credible third party. They're not perfect, but they're often the best available tool for consumers to really cut through all the greenwashing that's out there.”

Look for certifications that align with your values, Drennan says. Some people may want clothing that’s produced organically, others may want to look for certifications that guarantee worker safety and fair wages or recycled materials. Whatever you’re looking for, Drennan says, “supporting brands that are being transparent about their full supply chain is the way to go.”

Major clothing eco-labels and sustainability certifications to look for

B Corp

Navigating sustainability labels can be tricky, Drennan says, because it’s not always a blanket certification for the entire product. (For example, cotton could be sourced organically, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that workers are paid a fair wage.) But B Corp, a certification by B Labs, a global nonprofit, represents an overall look at a company’s business model and an assurance that it meets high social and environmental performance standards by doing things like paying a living wage, donating a percentage of profits to charity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions or designing products that are durable and recyclable. (The “B” stands for “beneficial.”)

B-Corp-certified Canadian brands: The Manitoba-based B Corp Mondetta makes comfy athleisure clothing that’s sold through its website and also through Costco (it’s also GOTS certified, more on that below); Kotn, a line of well-made basics that’s also beloved by Chatelaine editors; and Tentree, which plants ten trees for every item of clothing it sells. 

(Photo: Kotn)

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

Any product bearing this certification must be made of at least 70 percent certified organic natural fibres. “So, it's not going to be synthetics like spandex, nylon, acrylic or polyester,” Drennan says. “Natural fibres come from plants, which are mostly renewable resources, whereas synthetics are petroleum based.” So choosing natural fibres means avoiding fossil fuels, Drennan says, adding that natural fibres tend to come with a lighter footprint. “Now when you layer in the organic certification, it really makes it even better because most conventional cotton is still grown with pesticides and fertilizers. Then GOTS certification on top of that indicates that there’s some social criteria built in.” GOTS covers the entire production process, from growing the fibres to making the textiles to manufacturing and selling the clothing, ensuring the product meets social, environmental and ethical standards at every step. 

Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)

While this certification doesn’t guarantee cotton is organic, Drennan says, BCI does “a lot of work on the social side. So they really empower cotton farmers on more sustainable farming practices.” 

Oeko-Tex

This network of research institutes sets global standards for leather and textile companies to ensure their products are safe for consumers, workers and the environment.

Oeko-Tex Standard 100: This certification guarantees textiles are free of harmful substances (like lead), both in the fabric used to make an item of clothing and in the finished product.

Oeko-Tex Made In Green: Ensures that textiles and leather products are free of harmful substances and also made in a sustainable and socially responsible manner. 

Oeko-Tex-certified Canadian brands: The travel-friendly “elegant athleisure” brand Encircled (which is also a B-Corp) makes its Oeko-Tex 100-certified clothing in Toronto. 

Testex Circularity: This certifies clothing’s durability and recyclability, Drennan says. She points out that textile recycling is currently “very complex, because you have some garments [made from fabrics that contain] up to four different fibres, and the way the technology works it’s just not possible to recycle spandex mixed with acrylic and cotton and poly together in one garment. So we need the industry designing for recyclability, which means 100 percent of one fibre.” 

You can also use Oeko-Tex’s label check to make sure Oeko-Tex product certifications are legit (I used it to look up my new duvet.)  

Fair Trade

Fair Trade certification guarantees a minimum wage and labour protection for farmers and workers, Drennan says. This is a good label to look for from a human rights perspective to make sure “the garment wasn’t made in a sweatshop, or with forced or child labour.” 

Fair-Trade certified Canadian brands: Toronto-based clothing company the Good Tee (also a B-Corp!) sells Fair-Trade certified organic cotton basics. 

Bluesign

Like the Oeko-Tex certification, this guarantees products are manufactured to meet strict safety and environmental requirements and an assurance that harmful chemicals won’t end up in local water systems. “A lot of outdoor brands are Bluesign certified,” Drennan says. “It really bubbled up in the outdoor market before it became more mainstream.” 

Bluesign certified Canadian brands: Two of Canada's leading high-performance outerwear companies both work with Bluesign: Arc’Teryx, which adheres to Bluesign standards throughout its supply chain (many of its products are also Fair Trade certified), and Canada Goose, which says 89 percent of its fabrics are Bluesign certified. 

(Photo: Arc'teryx)

Cradle to Cradle 

“This really evaluates the materials for safe reuse and recycling,” Drennan says. “It also looks at energy and water stewardship as well as the full life cycle of a garment.” 

There are no Canadian clothing companies with this certification yet, but Danish company Glerups makes slippers that are widely available in Canada and also certified, as are some tights made by Austrian hosiery company Wolford.