The UK Organic Clothing Brands To Cotton On To
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Looking to make your wardrobe more eco-friendly? Then here are the UK organic clothing brands to cotton on to, for both men and women.
While you may have been popping organic food into your shopping basket for years, have you ever thought about making your wardrobe more organic?
If so, then cotton is a great place to start. This natural fibre is both plastic-free and vegan-friendly, meaning that it doesn’t contribute to the microplastic problem or animal cruelty.
However, one big problem is that conventional cotton is grown with pesticides and fertilisers – some of which can be highly toxic. And data about pesticide usage in the cotton industry is silenced. This means we don’t know for certain the impact that the cotton industry has on the environment.
What we do know is that some chemicals used in conventional cotton production have been linked to health problems in those involved in its production – including farmers and pickers. We also know that pesticide use can result in the loss of biodiversity and can contaminate water supplies.
Whilst there are a few options when it comes to purchasing cotton – such as BCI Cotton – certified organic cotton is the only cotton that is guaranteed to be grown without pesticides and fertilisers. This makes organic cotton an altogether better choice that’s healthier for all.
Who Accredits Organic Clothing Brands?
There are currently only two ways to be sure that your clothing has been produced organically and made in factories adhering to strict environmental and social standards.
The piece of clothing, or the brand’s website will have either a Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) logo or a Soil Association Organic logo. In some cases, both logos will be displayed.
GOTS
GOTS is the leading textile processing standard for organic fibres.
As a voluntary standard, GOTS-approved clothing must be made from at least 70% organic fibres. Products must also never contain potentially harmful chemicals which can be found in clothing made from non-organic fabrics.
This certification additionally includes social criteria. So when you see the logo this means that the brand has safe working conditions, no child labour, and allows no discrimination.
GOTS Certification is carried out by independent experts who physically inspect companies and facilities to verify standards are met.
The Soil Association
In the UK, the Soil Association is the largest UK certification body for GOTS, so it has the same criteria as GOTS.
This accreditation demonstrates that the cotton fibre was produced organically and processed to strict environmental standards under good working conditions in the factories.
This logo also ensures that the organic cotton has been certified by an independent, third party along the whole supply chain.
The Organic Clothing Brands To Know For Men & Women
Here are my favourite clothing brands for men and women that prioritise the use of organic cotton in their ranges.
I’ve categorised these by size range and by budget, to help you find the pieces that fit your preferences with ease.
The price range key for this guide is:
£ = Under £50 | ££ = £50 – 100 | £££ = £100+
Komodo
- Caters for: Men (sizes S – XL) and Women (UK sizes 8 – 16)
- Budget: ££
- Cotton accredited as organic by: GOTS and The Soil Association
Komodo sells ethically sourced, organic, and natural fibre fashion that’s every bit as stylish as ethical. As one of the first ethical clothing brands, running since 1988, the brand has taken sustainable fashion seriously long before other retailers.
Komodo uses premium quality organic, natural, and eco-friendly fibres, such as organic cotton. And the brand’s clothing is both GOTS-certified and a member of the Soil Association.
What’s more, most of Komodo’s products are vegan and all are cruelty-free. Komodo also no longer have single-use plastic in its supply chain.
And as a member of 1% for the Planet, Komodo donates to the Sumatran Orangutan Society. This charity is restoring natural rainforests and ecosystems, through the purchase and repurposing of palm oil plantations.
Get 10% off your first order when you sign up for the Komodo newsletter.
Beaumont Organic
- Caters for: Women
- Budget: ££ – £££
- Cotton accredited as organic by: GOTS
Beaumont Organic is a premium, sustainable women’s fashion brand, that, as the name suggests, features GOTS-certified organic cotton as one of its key fabrics. This sits alongside other sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics such as linen, lyocell, and Tencel.
Sustainably produced and ethically made in Europe, Beaumont Organic wants you to wear your pieces again and again. That’s why, for UK customers, the brand offers free repairs on all Beaumont Organic garments to extend your clothes’ lifespan and reduce textile waste.
If you fall out of love with your clothing, then Beaumont Organic also runs a circular resale scheme online. This allows customers to pass their preloved Beaumont Organic clothing items onto a new home. In return, you will receive gift vouchers towards a new garment.
Get 10% off your first order when you sign up for the Beaumont Organic newsletter.
Yes Friends
- Caters for: Men (XXS – XXL) and women (UK sizes 8 – 20)
- Budget: £
- Cotton accredited as organic by: GOTS
If you’re looking for organic cotton clothing on a budget, then Yes Friends is the place to go. This British brand, based in Bristol, buys Fairtrade and organic cotton clothing in bulk from solar-powered Fairtrade and GOTS-certified factories in India. It then sells the clothing directly to you, missing out the middle person and passing the savings straight to you.
Yes Friends also goes a step further by paying garment workers an additional bonus for every item made to ensure each worker is paid a living wage. It has even built-in a tipping feature so you can directly support the people behind your clothes – a first for a UK brand.
Find a wide range of organic, Fairtrade and vegan-friendly clothing for men and women – from t-shirts and jeans to undies and hats.
Colorful Standard
- Caters for: Men and Women (sizes XS – 2XL)
- Budget: £ – ££
- Cotton accredited as organic by: GOTS
Looking for an organic clothing brand that is anything but beige? Step forward Colorful Standard – available at Harvey Nichols. This organic clothing brand specialises in ethically made cotton wardrobe staples in a riot of different colours.
Colorful Standard says “We are that pop of colour you’ve been looking for to bring your wardrobe to life. With a diverse colour palette, we offer a shade for each unique personality“.
And true to its word, every single item in its cotton collection is made from organic cotton and available in a host of different colours. From organic cotton t-shirts at a reasonable £30 to organic cotton hoodies, sweatshirts, jogging bottoms, and more.
There are no compromises here. All of its clothing is ethically crafted in Portugal, using local suppliers. What’s more, Colorful Standard utilises zero-waste production processes, so that nothing goes to waste.
Concerned about the environmental impact of the dye? All of the dyes Colorful Standard uses are Oeko-Tex Certified. This means that they have been thoroughly tested by an independent third party for harmful chemicals.
Sign up for the Harvey Nichols newsletter and get 10% off your first order.
Plain & Simple
- Caters for: Men (size XXS – XXL) and Women (UK sizes 4 – 18)
- Budget: £ – ££
- Cotton accredited as organic by: GOTS
Looking for entirely plastic-free clothing? Plain & Simple is the brand for you. It promises that it uses 0% plastic – from the fabric right through to the labels – in all of its clothing. This includes its range of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and jogging bottoms.
Every item Plain & Simple produces is also made from GOTS-certified organic cotton. Plus it produces its clothing in ethical factories that sustain and promote fair labour practices, safe working conditions and environmental responsibility.
All items are designed to be recycled or composted when your item wears out. When it’s worn out, return it for free to be recycled or composted, and Plain & Simple will give you 15% off your next order.
Rapanui
- Caters for: Men (size S – XXL) and Women (UK sizes 8 – 18)
- Budget: £ – ££
- Cotton accredited as organic by: GOTS
On a mission to redesign the clothing industry, the Isle of Wight-based Rapanui makes its clothing almost exclusively from organic cotton. From t-shirts and shorts to vegan-friendly cotton knitwear, GOTS-certified organic cotton is the key fabric.
A high percentage of Rapanui products are made in the UK in Rapanui’s factory which is powered by renewable energy. While a made-in-the-UK label isn’t a guarantee that an item is produced ethically, Rapanui says the factory is also audited for a wide range of social and sustainability criteria.
What’s also to love about Rapanui is that every product it makes is designed to be sent back to them when it is worn out for recycling. Here the organic cotton is processed and spun into organic yarn, ready to make new products. Find a QR code on every wash care label which leads to instructions to send your products back for recycling.
Sign up for the Rapanui mailing list and get 10% off your first order.
TenTree
- Caters for: Men and women (sizes XXS – XXL)
- Budget: £ – £££
- Cotton accredited as organic by: No information available, but its organic cotton is Fairtrade Certified
TenTree is a Canadian ethical clothing company, now available in the UK at Cotswold Outdoor, that makes stylish ethically and sustainably produced outdoor and casual wear from eco-friendly fabrics.
It also plants 10 trees for every item you purchase – hence the name! This is carried out in partnership with various tree-planting charities, such as Trees for the Future, to ensure meaningful and sustainable replanting.
Of course, it’s not just about the trees. As a certified B-Corp, every TenTree item is ethically made using sustainable fabrics.
Organic cotton is a key element of TenTree’s range of clothing. Find organic hoodies, jogging bottoms and t-shirts in stylish designs that you’ll want to wear time and time again.
My only criticism is that I couldn’t find any information on whether TenTree’s organic cotton is certified organic or not. The only thing I have found is that its cotton is Fairtrade certified. I have asked TenTree for more information, and I’ll update this post when I hear back.
More Ethical Wardrobe Resources
As I find more organic cotton clothing brands I’ll be sure to list them here. In the meantime, if you need any more ethical wardrobe resources then I’ve got lots:
- Try my big guide to women’s ethical clothing brands, for heaps of UK brands.
- Similarly, my big guide to men’s ethical clothing brands has loads of UK brands too.
- And my vegan clothing guide covers more planet-friendly ways to dress.
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Hi Wendy! This is a great article :) It can be hard to find ethical clothing brands that you can trust! Thanks for creating such a great list. Have you ever done a post about green burial or eco-friendly after life planning?
Thank you! It’s not something that I have covered, but I will keep it in mind for future posts.
Did you look at Finisterre and Howies? Have stuff from both which is brilliant. Lasts for ever!
Thanks for the recommendations Sue – much appreciated!
Can I also shout out Unfolded. I bought hoodie and joggers for Christmas and the quality and ethos is ooutstanding.
Thanks so much for the recommendation Sas!
Are any of these brands sold in shops?
Hi Gina, I have seen some bricks and mortar shops selling People Tree and Thought Clothing in them before – they tend to be smaller independent shops.