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Shifting Gaia's Sustainable Rating Guide

Girlfriend Collective

  • overall rating: 

Top Choice

  • location:

USA

  • about the brand:

Girlfriend Collective is an ethical activewear brand that focuses on creating eco-friendly and size-inclusive clothing using recycled materials, such as post-consumer plastic bottles and fishing nets.

certifications

learn more about these certifications*

Girlfriend Collective

Brand Rating & Evaluation

Overall Rating: 

Top Choice

Shifting Gaia's Sustainable Rating Guide

Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (Avoid) to 5 (Top Choice). See How We Rate

The Shifting Gaia rating evaluates brands based on sustainable practices, ingredients and materials, and social responsibility, among others. These are a few factors influencing this brand's score:

sustainability practices

Girlfriend Collective is dedicated to sustainability, using recycled polyester (rPET) from plastic bottles and ECONYL, a fiber made from discarded fishing nets, in their products​. Their production process is transparent, and they use OEKO-TEX certified fabrics, ensuring the absence of harmful chemicals​.


They are also size-inclusive, offering a broad range of sizes (XXS to 6XL), which reduces the need for fast-fashion purchases​. Additionally, the brand has an impressive ReGirlfriend recycling program, allowing customers to send back worn items for proper recycling into new products​. However, the reliance on recycled synthetics means the garments still shed microplastics during washing.

ingredients & materials

Girlfriend Collective excels in using non-toxic materials, as their fabrics are certified by OEKO-TEX Standard 100, meaning they are free from harmful substances. Their use of eco-friendly dyes and careful management of dye wastewater adds to their clean production processes. However, as the activewear is made from synthetic materials, microplastics are still a concern, despite their non-toxic status.

social responsibility

Girlfriend Collective demonstrates a strong commitment to social responsibility, with their main production factory in Vietnam being SA8000-certified, ensuring ethical labor practices such as fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to unionize​. The brand has also taken public stances on social justice issues, including donating to organizations like the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and other grassroots initiatives​. They also support mental health initiatives through their Soulcare Collective program.

certifications
  • OEKO TEX Standard 100

  • SA8000 Approved Factory

some certifications are product specific*

learn more about these certifications

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