Fast fashion makes it incredibly easy to constantly buy something new. Every time I go into town, there’s a new trend, collection, and offer tempting me to add something else to my wardrobe.
Shopping more sustainably doesn’t have to mean giving up your style or spending hundreds of pounds on every item. It can mean buying fewer pieces, choosing better materials, looking for transparent production practices, and supporting brands that are trying to do things differently.
Many sustainable brands are on the expensive side because better materials and fair pay for garment workers can cost them a significant amount, but there are affordable options.
Here are 7 brands we think are worth knowing about if you're looking for more considered additions to your wardrobe, with most offering individual pieces under £50.
1. Yes Friends
Founded in 2021 by Sam Mabley, Yes Friends was built on the exact idea that ethical clothing shouldn't have to be expensive. After working in the fashion industry, Mabley wanted to challenge the assumption that better wages and more responsible materials inevitably meant unaffordable prices.
The brand offers pretty much every type of basic you could ever need, from t-shirts to dresses and jeans.
Its approach goes beyond simply choosing organic cotton, as they also work with certified factories and uses a living-wage premium scheme that pays additional money directly to garment workers. Its manufacturing partners also recycle water and textile offcuts, and use solar-assisted energy.
Their basics are mostly under £60, so they’re a great place to start when building your wardrobe.
2. Ninety Percent
Ninety Percent is a London-founded fashion label built around the idea that clothing can do more than look good. Its name comes directly from its unique profit model of sharing 90% of its profits. 80% is shared with five charitable causes, 5% with the people who make the collections and 5% with the team who run the business.
Ninety Percent offers clothing made from organic cotton and TENCEL, with a unique model that shares 90% of profits between charitable causes, garment workers and its team.
It offers stunning, elegant pieces in materials such as organic cotton, MicroModal and TENCEL. The pieces are made at EchoTex in Bangladesh, so the team knows exactly how the clothes are made and by whom, and they highlight zero wastewater during production.
Their pieces are under £50 each, making them a perfect brand for looking classy on a budget.
3. Organic Basics
If organic materials are important to you, Organic Basics is a fantastic brand to shop at. Founded in Copenhagen in 2015, Organic Basics originally set out to create better everyday underwear before expanding into a wider range of essentials.
The collection offers simple, versatile pieces including underwear, bras, ribbed tops, leggings and activewear, with items mostly under £50 each.
A functional wardrobe always revolves around good basics, and Organic Basics is a sustainable brand that offers the pieces you’ll reach for repeatedly.
4. Rokit
Rokit is THE place for all of you vintage lovers. Founded in Camden in the 1980s by people with a passion for vintage American denim, it grew from a market stall into one of London's established vintage retailers, eventually expanding to other locations. I first discovered Rokit in Cardiff’s city centre, but thankfully their items are available to purchase online too.
If you love vintage denim, oversized leather jackets and Y2K dresses, Rokit is a sustainable brand worth knowing.
They stock everything from vintage jeans to oversized leather jackets, retro knitwear and Y2K dresses. As many of the items are from designer brands, some prices are over £100, but they also offer tons of gorgeous pieces at around the £20 mark.
Their sustainability initiatives include the Rokit Originals line, which reworks second-hand and vintage clothing, using remnant and deadstock textiles, and creates limited-edition pieces.
5. DipC
Lingerie and swimwear can be difficult categories to shop for more sustainably, particularly when you're looking for pieces that actually have pretty designs rather than being purely practical.
DipC offers beautifully designed lingerie and swimwear, with every piece made to order by its founder, Olivia, in her bedroom. Olivia sources her fabrics from deadstock warehouses in East London, giving unused fabric a second life and creates swimwear from recycled fishing nets that would otherwise end up as ocean waste. A detail that’s particularly useful is that every swimsuit DipC offers is reversible, giving you two looks in one!
DipC sets cost between £60 and £80, so they are on the pricier side. We recommend picking a style of swimwear you’ll wear on multiple holidays and classic lingerie designs that will never go out of style.
6. Timeless London
Timeless London began in 2021 from a love of vintage style, drawing inspiration from the silhouettes of the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1970s. It has since developed into a sister-led business focused on vintage-inspired designs.
It mainly offers dresses and accessories designed with particular attention to fit, making it worth exploring if you love feminine silhouettes and pieces that feel a little more dressed-up.
The brand says it is committed to sustainable fabrics and modern craftsmanship, and we think their dresses are versatile enough to re-wear while still being distinctive.
7. Elsie’s Archive
Elsie’s Archive offers incredibly trendy vintage pieces, without buying into fast fashion. Its curated pieces bring together the charm of second-hand fashion with styles that feel current, making it easier to find something that stands out from the usual high-street collections.
It's a reminder that you don't always need to buy something new to find your next favourite piece. Considering how stunning the pieces are, I was surprised that so many of them are priced at around £30. Elsie’s Archive really is a hidden gem.
Elsie’s Archive is a hidden gem for vintage lovers, offering trend-led, one-of-a-kind pieces that stand out from the usual high-street collections.
Shopping for affordable, sustainable brands is the perfect way to be more intentional with what you buy without losing the excitement of finding a gorgeous piece. In fact, a lot of the brands mentioned offer unique pieces that you’ll likely prefer to the ones circulating on the high street.
Of course, no brand is perfect, so we recommend looking into a company's materials, manufacturing practices and sustainability claims before deciding where to shop.
Want More Affordable Fashion Finds?
Read our other free fashion articles for more brand recommendations, styling ideas and affordable finds.
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