Ethical and sustainable clothing is bigger and better than ever and with more and more brands joining the movement, there is no shortage of trendy fashion for us to covet. Let’s take a look at some of the newest eco-friendly fashion drops for 2021. 

What is sustainable fashion?

Well, it’s both a movement and a process of producing eco-friendly, ethical fashion for us to enjoy. It’s more than just using faux leather to make a chic jacket, or wearing shopping totes instead of a suede crossbody, although that is a great start. It’s also about being aware of the way our clothes are designed, manufactured and distributed, ensuring we aren’t wasting resources on fast fashion.

Lowering our environmental footprint is something more and more fashion houses are helping us achieve. From catwalk legends like Stella McCartney, who have begun to use recycled materials and vegetarian leather for bags, to Zara’s ‘Join Life’ collection that produces low-impact clothing using raw materials, sustainable fashion is more accessible now than ever before. Even retailers like Brown Thomas and Arnotts have recently introduced their ‘pre-loved’ ranges online, reselling pre-owned designer handbags and accessories which helps preserve natural resources and plays a key role in recycling/upcycling. Here are four easy ways to start shopping more sustainably right now… 

Pay attention to how your clothes are being produced. Are the materials raw or recycled? Are they using faux leather instead of animal products? Make sure to choose ethically made clothing.  

Avoid brands that use excess plastic and styrofoam for their packaging. Some brands claim to be sustainable but overuse plastic and bubble wrap for even the smallest of items.  

Buy second-hand or pre-owned goods when possible. Ireland has a range of services that allow you to buy and sell pre-loved items and therefore, keep clothes and accessories out of landfills and avoid excess manufacturing of new clothing. Visit siopaella.com. 

Look for brands who value the ‘Slow-Fashion’ concept. Invest in good quality clothes or shoes that will last a lifetime rather than fast-fashion pieces that will need to be replaced in a year or two. 

We want to showcase the newest sustainable fashion drops of 2021, highlighting that ethically produced and eco-friendly clothing is one trend that won’t go out of style. These are our favourite picks this year so far. 

Pink Wrap Maxi Dress €18, visit Penneys
This pink maxi dress from Penneys is made from 100% EcoVero Viscose, a more sustainable viscose made using sustainable wood from a controlled source and it’s also 100% biodegradable which is much better for the environment. 

Brock Collection x H&M Asymmetric Earrings €19.99, visit hm.com
H&M’s conscious range is made with a little extra consideration for the planet. The zinc content in these earrings is recycled and most of the plastic content is also recycled, eliminating the excess production of materials.  

Floral Print Blouse €29.95, visit zara.com
Part of the Join Life collection, this floral print blouse from Zara is made from 100% Join Life Viscose. The viscose is obtained from more sustainably managed forests where trees are grown in a controlled manner, ensuring that primary and protected forests are respected. 

F&F Lock Print Midi Dress €28, visit Tesco 

Tesco has launched their Made Mindfully symbol, assuring customers their clothing is made in a more environmentally responsible way. Over 50% of F&F clothing is made from responsibly sourced materials like this lock print midi dress. 

The Serene Skirt Fuchsia ‘Memory Lane’ Print €118, visit aforeafter.com
Afore After uses the best sustainable and low-impact materials when producing their clothing but the brand’s sustainability doesn’t stop there. One of their brand values is creating versatile, wearable pieces that are long-lasting, rather than a single-use product. 

Sustainable Khaki Wide Leg Tencel Trouser €129, visit whistles.com

These lightweight trousers from Whistles are made from 100% Tencel which is a sustainable fabric that is ultra-soft, comfortable and a better choice for the environment. 

Crossed Platform Bicolor €90, visit alohas.ie

Alohas is a brand that strives to avoid overproduction of fashion, one of the world’s biggest environmental threats. They have a pre-order system on their website, which allows them to accurately anticipate demand levels before production and only produce the number of shoes they’ll sell.

V-10 CWL White Orange Fluo Butter Sole €130, visit veja-store.com
These Veja trainers are vegan, the cotton worked as leather. The trainers are made out of ecological and sustainable materials that provide great quality and a long-lasting pair of shoes. 

Re-Nylon Re-Edition 2000 Mini-bag €650, visit prada.com
The Re-Edition 2000 mini-bag is made of innovative Re-Nylon, produced from recycled, purified plastic trash collected in the ocean, fishing nets, and textile waste fibres. 

Danna Embroidered Mesh Midi Dress Red €200, visit monsoonlondon.com

This dress from Monsoon is part of their S.E.W Sustainable clothing collection. The entire range is created using sustainable fabric alternatives, including responsibly sourced organic cotton and Lenzing Ecovero, a planet-friendly alternative to viscose. 

Lily Donegal Tweed Jacket In Pink Houndstooth €375, visit magee1866.com

Magee Weaving Mill predominantly uses natural fibres like wool and linen, which are biodegradable, renewable and the high-quality fabric is then manufactured locally. Magee also promotes the concept of slow fashion, in which garments are designed to be worn time and time again.