This year, we are resolving to wear our heart on our sleeve, literally. We will carry and wear only products that are made by people who are valued, and treated well. Join us! Read this great piece by Fashionista on how to think about what matters to you, and what your priorities are, and click through the links at the end of this piece for some of our favorite ethical brands and shopping sites.
We are committed to maximizing the impact of your purchase - each one invests in women and girls, who will then invest in the next generation - and to radical transparency, so that you know the days of work for women and days of education for girls your purchase provides. Our years working in this space has had the extraordinary benefit of introducing us to lots of like-minded brands and we offer here a curated list of our favorite ethical fashion shopping sites and brands.
"Every dollar you spend is a vote you cast for the world you want." - L.N. Smith
Boutiques
Modavanti - fashion and beauty that is good for us, others and the earth.
To the Market - fashion and accessories survivor-made by artisans from around the world that have overcome abuse, conflict or disease.
Gather & See - carefully curated collections from the very best in sustainable fashion talent from around the world.
Global Goods Partners - a sustainable lifestyle brand dedicated to empowering women around the globe.
Accompany - ethically edited online fashion retailer.
Bead & Reel - fashion that is thoughtful to people, animals, & the world.
Latch & Co - socially responsible shopping.
Jewelry
Soko - modern fashion accessories sourced directly from artisans in east Africa through their "virtual factory".
Sidai Designs - handcrafted high-end beaded jewelry from Masaai artisans in Tanzania.
Article 22 - brings ethical jewelry to reality with the #peacebomb collection made by local Laotian artisans.
Melissa Joy Manning - handcrafted, responsibly made jewelry, certified green by the State of California, from a leading voice for ethical and green jewelry manufacturing.
Akola Project - designed to empower women in disadvantaged communities throughout the globe.
The Brave Collection - a line of jewelry handmade in Cambodia to celebrate Bravery and empower women across the globe.
Multi-Category Brands
Fait La Force - An artisan label and cooperative dedicated to business development, skill training, and creating a positive and uplifting work environment in Port au Prince, Haiti. They made our best-selling Modelaine clutches for the Girl Rising collection.
Lemlem - Ethiopian hand-woven cotton scarves, women's clothing and children's dresses made by traditional artisans in founder Liya Kebede's native Ethiopia.
Cuyana - timeless apparel and accessories for the modern woman made with the most premium materials and finest craftsmanship.
Zady - a lifestyle destination for conscious consumers.
Raven & Lily - fair trade jewelry, clothing, accessories and gifts handmade with naturally dyed fabrics and locally-sourced, eco-friendly materials.
Indego Africa - fashion, home decor and accessories from Rwanda that empower and uplift artisan women through employment opportunities and education.
A Peace Treaty - is founded on the belief that wearing beautiful, handcrafted pieces, imbued with the story of their maker are the most beautiful and luxurious in the world.
Bibi Hanum - unique handicrats, ikat clothes for women, men and kids, and home goods from Uzbekistan. They made the clutches from our Fergana Valley Holiday Collection.
Noonday Collection - a socially responsible business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world.
Accessories
Gaia for Women - vintage & artisan-made textiles transformed into accessories by refugee women resettled in the US.
Hilo Sagrado - seeks to rescue the cultural heritage of communities in Colombia, by empowering women entrepreneurs through capacity building and the modernization of production centers to develop sustainable textile production.
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FEED - creating good products that help to feed the world.
Sseko Designs - a footwear and accessories company based in Uganda that supports empowering women and educating girls.
Shawls
Norlha Textiles - Luxury yak wool scarves and shawls handwoven by nomads on the Tibetan Plateau.
From the Road - born out of a love for off-the-grid travel and a desire to create unique objects with soul. Each collaboration starts with a conversation and ends with a conversation piece.
Fabrica Social - a fair trade company that teaches women to make unique textile products such as rebozos and shawls using traditional Mexican crafts.
Clothing
Osei Duro - designs and produces clothing in Ghana, West Africa using traditional textile techniques.
Studio One Eighty Nine - a social enterprise that provides a platform to help promote and curate African and African-inspired content and brands.
Filip + Inna - creates limited collections with Indigenous Artisans around the Philippines.
Two - dresses, tunics, and caftans crafted in the label's Brooklyn studio using rich sari fabrics sourced from India.
Voz - an artisanal luxury fashion brand with a mission to empower indigenous artisans and their craft through collaborative fashion design.
Handbags
Mercado Global - textile handbags from a line that empowers indigenous women in Guatemala to overcome poverty and become agents of change in their communities.
Chamuchic - unique handwoven clutches that celebrate the beauty and dignity of women from Chiapas, Mexico through textile tradition.
Sarah's Bag - clutches and totes crafted, beaded and painted by hand by Lebanese prisoners, ex-prisoners and other women at risk as a way to help empower them in their communities.
Catrinka - artisanal luxury textile and leather handbags and fashion accessories dedicated to the financial empowerment of women and girls. All products are made fairly by women and the proceeds support education and life skills mentoring for indigenous Mayan girls through the Catrinka Girls Project.
Other Lists
The Good Trade: 35 Ethical and Fair Trade Fashion Companies Betting Against Fast Fashion
Anuschka Rees: 30 Ethical Fashion Brands You Need to Know
Curiously Conscious: International Women's Day List of Brands that Empower Women