Sustainable clothing for men

What’s the best way to find sustainable clothing for men?

Before we get started on the roundup of men’s sustainable clothing brands, a quick note. By far the most sustainable way to dress is to wear what you already have and make what you have already last as long as possible.

Failing that, shopping second hand or swapping with friends is a much better option than buying new, particularly if you’re able to buy locally to save on the impact shipping and packaging has on the planet.

If none of the above are options, then the next best thing is to find sustainable clothing brands you trust. Small businesses in particular will be grateful for your custom (much more than any fast fashion brand) and many of them give back to environmental causes, which means your purchase is both sustainably made and has a positive impact at the point of sale.

When we were researching sustainable clothing for men, it was a LOT harder than finding sustainable and ethical women’s clothing. There are fewer brands out there, so we had our work cut out – but this is why this post is so needed, so let’s head straight into what we’ve found:

BAM: sustainable bamboo clothing for men

BAM sells bamboo clothing and recycled garments for men and women. Not only are the company’s materials sustainably sourced, but they have also committed to becoming an Impact Positive business by 2030 and address sustainability at every stage of the supply chain. No greenwashing here!

In terms of clothes, BAM really does have something for everyone. From super soft bamboo socks to base layers, everyday tees, jeans, activewear and waterproof recycled jackets, you could actually fill your whole wardrobe from just one website. 

Y.O.U. Underwear: Sustainable and ethical underwear

Y.O.U. sells ethical underwear for men, women and girls that makes a difference. They operate on a Buy-One-Give-Two promise –  this means that for every item from their core collection bought, their donate 2 pairs of underwear to vulnerable women and girls across the UK and Africa. So far, they’ve donated over 16,000 pairs of underwear. Men’s underwear is available in sizes S – XXL, in 6 neutral colours and 5 fun patterns.

Jollie’s Socks: Sustainable socks, underwear and accessories for men

For every pair of Jollie’s Socks that are bought, another pair is gifted to a homeless shelter. The socks are sustainably made, and you can even send your old socks back to Jollie’s for recycling. What’s not to love?

Thought Clothing: Sustainable bamboo, hemp and organic cotton clothes for men

Thought Clothing has a huge range of menswear, all made from sustainably sourced fabrics and some even from recycled plastic bottles. Their mantra is “wear me, love me, mend me, pass me on”, and their aftercare tips are particularly useful for getting the most out of your purchases.

Dress Code Shirts: Sustainable men’s shirts 

Dress Code shirts are manufactured with a sustainable supply chain in mind. But the most interesting thing about this company is that they’re using science, technology and fashion to raise awareness of the climate crisis.

Dress Code founder Andy Boothman explains – “Our Climate Code range is available for both men and women and has been produced in collaboration with the British Antarctic Society climate scientists and innovation team, as well as Professor Ed Hawkins, from the University of Reading and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, on exploring how and where data could be expressed within the surface patterns of a shirt, creating a design that gets people talking.

The end result is a stunning shirt that demonstrates 800,000 years of data, using the polar regions to clearly highlight global warming and making the link to the increase in CO₂ concentrations.”

Patagonia: B Corp Certified outerwear and adventurewear 

When we think “sustainable clothing”, we immediately think of Patagonia, so it would be remiss of us not to mention them here.

Patagonia’s commitment to changing the world using their brand is quite extraordinary. Their supply chain is constantly being reviewed and improved, they give back via initiatives like 1% for the Planet (just like Ailuna!), and they encourage you to keep your clothing in play for as long as possible with their excellent “Worn Wear” program.

Finisterre: sustainable outdoor and surfwear for sea lovers

Founded in 2003, Finisterre, another certified B Corp, is a brand with sustainability at its heart. From ensuring their factories meet their high standards, to biodegradable packaging, and a strict supplier code of conduct, Finisterre produces durable clothing that has as little impact on our planet as possible.

Mallin & Son: preloved and re-loved wax jackets 

Mallin and Son are on a mission to make sure wax jackets everywhere are cared for so they can be worn for decades. They provide a range of services including rewaxing, repairs and alterations.

Rapanui: Sustainable casualwear for men

Based on the Isle Of Wight, in a factory powered by renewable energy, Rapanui clothing is the go-to brand for many men looking for comfortable, well-designed, sustainable clothing.

They describe themselves as a tech company first and a fashion company second. This means they’re using advancing technology to help solve the problems in the fashion industry, the main one being waste. 

Rapanui will also take back your old clothing for recycling, and you’ll get a discount off your next order as a thank you from the company and from the planet.

Did you know that after launching Rapanui, its founders launched Teemill? Teemill allows anyone to set up their own sustainable t-shirt store within hours. By printing on demand and producing from a central location, so many small business owners have been able to build a business that is sustainable in all senses of the word. This can all be done without the cost of holding stock, the time and effort of packing and posting orders and all the other complications that come with starting a clothing business. 

There are thousands of Teemill stores out there, some of which you can see on the Teemill website. One of our favourites is Home Bird Crafts, a small, colourful store with a focus on parenting (and rainbows) 

Olive & Pip: Sustainable, playful clothing made from kids’ drawings

Speaking of parenting, we love Olive & Pip! They sell custom-printed garments with kids’ drawings or writing.

Their personalised t-shirts and secret message hoodies are so cute you’ll want to keep them forever. This is exactly what we should be striving for with our clothes!

Waterhaul: Sustainable sunglasses and prescription glasses 

Waterhaul make sunglasses and eyewear from recycled fishing nets. 

Waterhaul’s website tells founder Harry’s story perfectly: 

“Every surf. Every dive. The most common item on every beach clean. In 2018, Waterhaul’s founder, Harry Dennis, was working as marine scientist for a charity project engaging community action on plastic pollution. He’d been fortunate to travel the world for both research and adventure. However, the bright green strands of ghost gear that were a ubiquitous sight on every shoreline, from the Artic Circle to the Coral Triangle developed a frustration.”

And so Waterhaul was born. We know where we’re getting our next sunglasses from!

And finally…where can you buy sustainable men’s jeans?

If there’s one item of clothing that it renowned for having a negative impact on the planet, mainly due to the sheer volume of water needed to produce each pair, it’s jeans.

As we mentioned earlier, when it comes to clothes in general, but particularly jeans, wearing and repairing what you have and buying second hand is definitely best.

For your sustainable denim needs, we asked some of the Ailuna Community and these were the top three brands our followers recommended: