10 ethical clothing companies

These are ten of the top ethical clothing brands according to our in-depth rating system. They are best buys in our clothing guides.

For a full list of 29 ethical clothing brands, head over to our shopping guide on ethical clothing brands or our full A-Z ‘who’s who’ feature to find out more about these companies and their commitment to ethics and sustainability.

1. MUD Jeans

Ethical score: 90/100

Clothing type: Jeans, shorts, skirts, shirts, t-shirts and jackets for adults. 

Why shop here: MUD is the highest scoring company in all of our clothing guides. Most of its jeans use 60% GOTS certified organic cotton and 40% post-consumer recycled cotton. With your purchase you can send your old jeans back and the company recycles them, keeping them out of landfill and preserving resources. It also leases its jeans which, according to its website, come with a free repairs service for one year. MUD is a registered B-Corporation and PETA approved vegan.

View our full Company Profile for MUD. 

2. Rapanui

Ethical score: 88 

Clothing type: T-shirts, hoodies, socks, sportswear and underwear for women and men.

Why shop here: Rapanui is focused on the circular economy: its clothes can be sent back to be remade into something else, using its ‘remill’ service. Its UK factory located on the Isle of Wight is powered by renewable energy and items are sent in non-plastic packaging. Its clothing is made from GOTS certified organic or recycled cotton, with some bamboo products (mainly socks). Rapanui is the highest scoring company in our sportswear guide and it is explicitly vegan. 

View our full Company Profile for Rapanui.

3. THTC

Ethical score: 88

Clothing type: T-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts for adults and children

Why shop here: The Hemp Trading Company (THTC) has been making ethical clothes primarily from organic hemp since 1999. Hemp is one of the most sustainable and durable clothing materials available. It uses plastic-free packaging, and its t-shirts can be sent back for the materials to be recovered and remade into something else. THTC is officially certified by the Vegan Society. 

View our full Company Profile for THTC.

4. Where Does It Come From?

Ethical score: 85

Clothing type: Shirts and tunics for children and adults, plus scarves.

Why shop here: Where Does It Come From is committed to fair trade, working with organisations that have the principles of fair trade at their heart and 50%+ of the company's cotton was double certified fairtrade and organic. Full traceability of the clothes is the unique selling point of this brand. The label in the clothes has a code which you can use to trace the full supply chain of the product, as far back to the cotton growing in the field. It also uses bamboo, peace silk and hemp, and has stopped using plastic buttons. The company is a social enterprise and was included in Social Enterprise UK’s roll of honour for 2020.

View our full Company Profile for Where Does It Come From?

 5. Kuyichi

Ethical score: 81

Clothing type: Full range of women’s and men’s clothing including jeans and t-shirts.

Why shop here: Kuyichi began in 2001 making organic denim clothing, and has expanded its range since then. The company focuses on making clothes that will last, from organic and recycled materials. All its cotton is certified organic. All suppliers and partners are named on its website which shows excellent transparency.

View our full Company Profile for Kuyichi.

6. BAM

Ethical score: 79

Clothing type: Full range of clothing including sportswear and underwear for men and women.

Why shop here: BAM (Bamboo Clothing) prides itself on its goal to be an “impact positive” company. It is a B corp that sells clothing made of various materials, such as organic and recycled cotton, linen, hemp, wool, and, of course, bamboo. The majority of its bamboo however, is still viscose which requires a lot of nasty chemicals but it uses some modal and tencel too. It has excellent credentials for managing its supply chain and although it sells animal products, they are covered by welfare policies such as the Responsible Wool Standard.

View our full company profile for BAM.

7. Lucy & Yak

Ethical score: 79

Clothing type: Full range of clothing for adults, specialising in dungarees.

Why shop here: Started by Lucy in a van called Yak, everything is handmade with an emphasis on organic cotton, and a living wage for all workers. It has a dedicated HR and compliance manager on the ground in India. Diversity, equity and inclusion is at heart for the company. It is working on size inclusivity with some designs available up to UK size 32 and in 2024 it will donate 100% of its profits of a limited edition line created by LGBTQIA+ artists.

View our full Company Profile for Lucy & Yak.

8. Ninety Percent

Ethical score: 78

Clothing type: women's clothing

Why shop here: Ninety Percent’s name comes from its unique selling point: it is sharing 90% of its profits “between the people that make our collections happen and five causes we believe in”. When buying from the company you can vote for your chosen cause using a code on the garment’s care label. The clothes are all vegan and designed to be long-lasting ‘luxury basics’ with an emphasis on planet-friendly fabrics (including one from seaweed).

View our full company profile for Ninety Percent.

9. Nudie Jeans

Ethical score: 78

Clothing type: jeans and other denim clothing for men and women, as well as some knitted items and t-shirts. A few kids clothing too.

Why shop here: Nudie make jeans from 100% organic cotton. For its other clothing is also used fabrics such as wool and Eri silk (where the silk worm has left the cocoon first). It has a repair scheme for jeans, and offers money off another purchase when returning old/unwanted jeans. It recommends not washing your jeans very often to save water and help the garments last longer. Its supply chain transparency is exemplary: a full list of suppliers is available for download on its website including suppliers from the raw material stage to sewing of the garments.

View our full company profile for Nudie. 

10. Finisterre
 

Ethical score: 74

Clothing type: full range of clothing including swimwear and wetsuits for men and women.

Why shop here: Based in Cornwall, Finisterre is a B-Corp and a Living Wage employer. Inspired by the sea and driven to protect it, it focuses its designs on functional and sustainable items with lots of outdoor and swimwear. It has nine stores across the UK as well as an online shop, and also offers a repair service. Its Seasuit “Buy One, Gift One” project donates a full body seasuit or hijab to “those facing financial hardship”.

View our full company profile for Finisterre.