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Our Favorite Sustainable, Gender-Inclusive Fashion Labels

Jun 9, 2024

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June heralds the annual return of what many have come to call rainbow capitalism, an attempt by the world’s largest corporations to profit off the optics of the LGBTQIA liberation movement, a movement which many see as having been hollowed out from its original, radically political form. Rainbow capitalism in fashion retail often entails positioning brands as inclusive by plastering slogans and colors on cheaply made, unsustainable products that are often consumed and discarded within the month. Opponents of the bandwagoning criticize fashion brands for jumping on the annual opportunity to virtue signal without providing tangible, material support to the queer community through any other means.


The Costs of Rainbow Capitalism


Of course, the price is two-fold in an industry dominated by fast fashion. On the one hand, the pinkwashing these brands engage in does little to aid in the struggle for queer rights and instead reduces it to a short-term consumer fad in line with dangerous micro-trend-oriented business models. On the other, these corporations use Pride Month to perpetuate the exploitation and environmental degradation endemic to the industry.


The brand Shein perhaps best encapsulates the horrors of rainbow capitalism. Known for taking the worst aspects of the fast fashion model and amplifying them to an almost incomprehensible level, Shein drops dozens, if not hundreds, of rainbow-soaked items in its storefront every June. Nearly all of them, of course, are made almost exclusively from polyester. Their quick, cost-saving designs and petroleum material make-up mean that most of the inventory is purchased, worn, worn out, and discarded into landfills, destined to rot for centuries as they slowly decompose into poisonous microplastics. Yikes!


This doesn’t even consider the oppressive conditions that most of these products are produced in and the fact that there are inevitably queer people being abused and exploited along these massive supply chains. The reality is that liberation struggles are inherently interconnected, and as a crisis that affects all living things, climate change indeed poses a threat to the prospects of queer liberation movements around the world. In the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, “Nobody’s free until everybody's free.”

Having covered all of that, let’s take a brief look at some brands that truly are making an effort to produce clothing that’s both sustainable and inclusive.




Asket


Asket is dedicated to, in their own words, “creating one, permanent collection of uncompromised essentials - helping us live happier with less.” The idea behind the brand centers around avoiding seasonal trends and lines altogether. Instead, Asket markets a timeless collection of gender-neutral garments available in over fifteen sizes! They also provide care and repair support and buy back unwanted items for recycling as part of their larger effort to reduce fashion waste.


Unrecorded


Unrecorded brings style to the unisex essentials market. Their gender-inclusive products are made with durable, natural, eco-conscious materials to ensure they’re longer-lasting and more sustainable. If you’re looking for style and impact in the same place, we recommend Unrecorded.


Etiko


Etiko’s motto is “Wear no evil,” a nod to its serious commitment to safeguarding human rights in the textiles and fashion industries. To present a genuinely ethical fashion line to its customers, Etiko offers a take-back program, a tree planting program, and full supply chain transparency. Its gender-neutral and gender-inclusive classics are a great fit for everyone.


Kohr


Kohr produces their line in-house with organic, biodegradable materials. Their macro trend model focuses on long-term planning and production to provide an alternative to the micro-trend-obsessed standard of the fashion industry. Their climate initiatives look past carbon neutrality to position the brand as a net climate benefactor. This looks like closed-loop bamboo production, undied and organically grown cotton, and an emphasis on natural fibers like hemp and linen, which typically consume much less water to produce.


Olderbrother

Olderbrother is a playful, gender-neutral fashion brand made from high-quality natural materials specifically aimed at being sustainable and gentle on the skin. They produce their products with organic cottons from Japanese farms, unique blends of wool and woven rice paper, and linen from the flax fields in Japan’s cooler climates. They proudly proclaim to make universal garments that celebrate every body. We’re personally in love with their natural dye methods. In their own words, “There is no place for heavy metals or toxins in our lives, so, true to that, they don’t touch our clothes.”


Afends


Afends argues that a more sustainable future in fashion is one that is equal and free of gender norms. Each year, they drop their gender-inclusive “F*ck Plastic” line, a limited 3-piece collection made up of recycled fabrics and dreamy artwork. Afends is a leader in the hemp revolution and prioritizes it as one of their preferred sustainable materials.


Final Thoughts


Sustainability and liberation are really one and the same. This pride month, consider looking deeper than the pinkwashing initiatives of the biggest corporations and engage with the many extraordinary brands embracing the interconnectedness of the earth's health with human rights.


Happy pride month. Stay brilliant, stay proud.

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