15 Brands for Sustainable Wedding Guest Dresses
WEDDING SEASON IS HERE AND IT’S THE PERFECT OCCASION TO GET DRESSED UP! DO YOU HAVE A WEDDING COMING UP SOON AND DON'T HAVE A THING TO WEAR? WE'VE GOT JUST THE LIST FOR YOU! FINDING A DRESS THAT’S IN YOUR BUDGET, WHETHER YOU WANT TO SPLURGE OR FIND SOMETHING AFFORDABLE, HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER - ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE ARE NOW SO MANY GREAT SUSTAINABLE FASHION OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM!
words by HOLLY KELSEY
photographs COURTESY OF BRANDS
You don’t have to break the bank to find a sustainable outfit that is super stylish! We organized the list for you ranging from affordable options, to mid-range and luxury. For such memorable moments, we don’t want to show up wearing the same mass-produced dress as somebody else. That’s where slow fashion comes in, you can find truly unique pieces that stand out and stand the test of time. When investing in a new dress, we recommend buying something that is timeless, something you’ll love just as much in the next wedding seasons to come. If you don’t want to purchase anything new, there are two other great ways to dress sustainably: rent a dress or find a vintage one.
Without further ado, here is our curated selection of wedding guest looks from sustainable brands we love:
Affordable Options (Below $300)
01 — Whimsy and Row
Based in: Los Angeles, United States
Sustainable Practices: Whimsy and Row keeps things local by having most of their factories in California or in Missouri. They use low impact fabrics like Certified Organic Cotton, Linen, TENCEL™, Lenzing Modal™, Cupro, ECOVERO™, VISCOSE LENZING™ and deadstock as well as upcycled fabric.
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02 — Neu Nomads
Based in: New York, United States
Sustainable Practices: The majority of Neu Nomad’s fabrics are plant based including GOTS certified 100% organic cotton, Linen, SeaCell™, Satin TENCEL™ and Eco Cashmere. Neu Nomad’s packaging is 100% biodegradable. Their production is completely traceable, they have female-owned factories in Portugal, Lithuania and Nepal as well as in Delhi.
MID-RANGE Options (BETWEEN $350-750)
03 — Datura
Based in: New York, United States
Sustainable Practices: Everything is made in small batches in New York or on the Spanish island Mallorca from natural and biodegradable materials.
04 — Olana
Based in United Kingdom
Sustainable Practices: Olana has a small scale production line and made-to-order approach, where they work with local artisans in the UK, which include small family run businesses.
05 — Alfie
Based in: Paris, France
Sustainable Practices: Everything is handmade in France from deadstock fabrics that have been sourced from high-end fashion houses. The garments are one of a kind pieces that are made in limited quantities.
06 — Marcia Wear
Based in: Paris, France
How its Sustainable: Marcia Wear uses either certified sustainable fabrics or sources deadstock materials through the Parisian company Nona Source. Marcia Wear’s production is based in Paris and Marseille for their jersey and upcycled garments, as well as Bulgaria for their knitwear.
07 — The Ethiquette
Based in: Paris, France
How its Sustainable: The Ethiquette’s pieces are made locally in Paris. Next to their ready-to-wear line, they also produce made-to-order pieces to limit stock. Their pieces are made from dormant Haute Couture stock, and any leftover fabrics from previous collections are reused to create new items for future collections.
08 — Reformation
Based in: California, United States
How its Sustainable: Their fabrics Reformation uses are TENCEL™™ Lyocell, TENCELxREFIBRA™, linen, TENCEL™ Modal, Viscose, recycled cashmere, recycled wool, regenerative wool, Recycled Cotton, Regenerative Cotton and deadstock. While a part of their pieces are made locally in California, some are made overseas.
09 — Olivia Rose the Label
Based in: United Kingdom
How its Sustainable: Everything is handmade to order in the UK in limited quantities.
10 — Worme
Based in: London, United Kingdom
How its Sustainable: Worme’s garments are handmade in London, they have a slower paced production and offer made to order services.
Luxury Options (Over $750)
11 — Maggie Marilyn
Based in: New Zealand
How its Sustainable: Maggie Marilyn is a certified B-Corp company. The brand creates timeless essentials made from Good Earth Cotton, linen, merino wool and regenerated nylon. They also produce in limited ranges.
12 — Mirror Palais
Based in: New York, United States
How its Sustainable: Mirror Palais items are made to order in New York’s garment district. They uses mostly natural materials.
13 — Another Tomorrow
Based in: New York, United States
How its Sustainable: Another Tomorrow is a certified B-Corp company, their garments are produced in Italy and Portugal. They use materials such as Seacell, GRS Recycled Cashmere, European Linen, Ethical Wool, FSC Certified Viscose, Organic Cotton, Organic Hemp and Peace Silk.
14 — Stella McCartney
Based in: London, United Kingdom
How its Sustainable: Their items are made from animal-free plant based textiles.
15 — STHR
Based in: New York, United States
How its Sustainable: Everything is handmade in New York. Some garments are produced from deadstock fabrics.
Rental is a great option for special occasions, you’ll get all the fun of having something new but you can simply return the dress and accessories after the event, we’ve got a great article on the rental company Une Robe un Soir here. If you’ve bought a new dress for a wedding, a perfect option is to rent it out for when you’re not using it on a peer-to-peer platform. Here is an article we wrote about a few leading rental apps from around the globe.
Further Reading
