A how-to guide for guys

Clothing and Men’s Health

By now we are well-aware of the sustainability craze in the fashion industry. But even with the abundance of new brands popping up daily with ‘sustainability’ claims, the one market that seems to be lacking is that for half of our population — men.

However, guys are not immune to all of the health implications of fast fashion (think: BPA in synthetics linked to decreased testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction, PFAS associated with increased risk of prostate and testicular cancers, and overall dermal exposure to toxins absorbing into the body from head to toe, to name a few). See more about toxins and men’s health here.

Luckily, there are select brands designing slow fashion pieces for men. Guys, read on to learn how to build your own sustainable capsule wardrobe and the top brands to shop.

Shopping Tips

Business casual

What to look for:

Organic cotton is a breathable fabric for long days in the office and traveling, layered with merino wool to combat that office AC.

Daily wear

What to look for:

Channel a sustainable, modern-day James Dean with jeans and a plain white tee made from organic, regenerative cotton. Into the Euro aesthetic? Swap out your organic cotton tee for a linen shirt. Layer in merino wool pieces from your workwear to extend the outfit choices!

Workout/Activewear

What to look for:

Organic cotton, Tencel, merino wool or alpaca fibers are all great fabrics — the higher the percentage of natural fibers and the lower synthetics (polyester, nylon, spandex, elastane) are best.

Avoid ‘sweat-proof’ and ‘water resistant’ pieces as those may include BPA and may be treated with PFAS.

See more details about BPA in workout wear here.

Lounge and Sleepwear

What to look for:

Organic cotton and Tencel are two of the coziest fabrics to choose, while silk will keep you cool all night long.

Underwear

What to look for:

Clean fashion is also about what you wear underneath, so opt for natural fabrics such as organic cotton or Tencel whenever you can.

See more details on shopping for men’s underwear here.

Outerwear

What to look for:

Sustainable outerwear made with recycled materials mixed with cotton and wool are the best options out there (it is hard to find any made from 100% natural fibers).

Footwear

What to look for:

Your feet combat the highest stress levels each day from daily movement. Also, as the body is designed to protect the heart, any toxins in the body are pushed away the heart and down towards the feet. Therefore, protecting your feet is a major component of achieving full-body health.

Opt for bio-based materials or responsibly sourced animal leather (look for the Leather Working Group (LWG) certification and chromium-free, vegetable tanned leather) whenever possible. Avoid “vegan” leathers, unless they are plant-based, as this usually means the product is made from Polyurethane (PU) or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) — two plastic-based fabrics whose production is highly toxic to consumers, garment workers, and the environment.

See more details on shopping for sustainable footwear here.

Accessories

What to look for:

Jewelry

Recycled metals are the best materials to look for; such as, recycled gold or sterling silver. Look for brands with transparency regarding how materials are sourced, as well as recycling options to promote circularity when a piece is beyond wear. Other sustainability aspects such as reducing emissions, supporting any labor workers involved in the manufacturing, and charitable initiatives are other positive aspects to look for.

Bags

Similar to outerwear, look for bags made out of recycled materials. If shopping for leather pieces such as a briefcase, follow the same tips as for shoes - look for LWG-certified pieces and/or pieces treated with cleaner choice tanning (such as, vegetable tanning), and avoid chromium tanned-pieces and synthetic leather whenever possible.

Brands

Brands to shop:

ASKET designs capsule wardrobe pieces in Earth-conscious fabrics. Their minimalistic approach to daily dressing is meant to decrease overconsumption by developing what they call a “permanent collection” — pieces that can easily be paired countless ways and will last a lifetime.

Shop: Business casual, daily wear

Price point: $$

The LESTRANGE philosophy page says it best, “LESTRANGE was born from a desire to design the very best version of a garment. The ultimate. A garment that is more refined, more timeless and more wearable than anything before.” Their modular pieces are a collection of essentials, to take you through everything your day may bring. They push the boundaries beyond sustainability, pioneering the use of regenerative agriculture — this is a brand you do not want to miss!

Shop: Business casual, daily wear, underwear, outerwear

Price point: $$$

ISTO. stands for “Independent thinking, superb quality”. They design luxury everyday essentials in one single permanent collection that fits your everyday needs. All of their pieces are transparently made in Portugal from 100% organic, natural & recycled materials.

Shop: Daily wear, outerwear, swimwear, accessories

Price point: $$$

Outerknown is “committed to protecting the environment and supporting fair labor”. They work with B Corp certified suppliers and promote labor standards in alignment with the Fair Labor Association. They also prioritize circularity to keep products out of landfills.

Shop: Daily wear, swimwear, bags

Price point: $$

MATE is all about keeping chemicals out of our wardrobes. Their certified-organic and Tencel pieces are super soft for all-day (or night) wear, while still looking put together. Netflix and chill, anyone? ;)

Shop: Daily wear, loungewear

Price point: $$

Use code 15LYDIAD for 15% off your MATE order

LUNYA is on a mission to elevate lounge and sleepwear (goodbye, college t-shirts!). Their washable silk is super luxe and cooling (and does not need dry cleaning) and is treated with clean chemistry, bluesign-approved dyes.

Shop: Loungewear, underwear

Price point: $$

Use code LYDIADUPREE for 15% off your first order ($100 minimum)

Pact partners with Fair Trade USA (ensuring garment workers are treated fairly), GOTS (certification to ensure all pieces are truly organic), and SimpliZero (monitors carbon usage) to ensure their products and processes support both people and planet.

Shop: Loungewear, underwear

Price point: $

*Affordable option!

NADS is on a mission to revolutionize the way men dress, starting with the most essential piece of them all — underwear. Their pieces are made from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton, a much healthier alternative to the synthetic underwear currently on the market! See a spotlight on NADS here.

Shop: Underwear

Price point: $$

Use code LYDIA15 for 15% off your order

PAKA is an all-natural brand innovating alpaca fiber into all-purpose clothing, promoting outdoor adventures, conscious consumption, and creator support.

Shop: Active and underwear

Price point: $$

Pangaia is a materials company leveraging a science-backed approach to designing clothing in harmony with our health and the health of our Earth. They have some of the most innovative pieces I have ever seen — from treating fibers with peppermint to a flower and plant alternative to down feathers, you can be sure no one will match your style.

Shop: Workout/activewear

Price point: $$

Definite Articles designs BPA-free and PFAS-free athletic wear (they even test the final products for these chemicals to ensure none are present). Their OEKO-TEX certified performance wear is optimized to withstand low to high impact workouts, while still looking good. The use of CiCLO enables synthetics like nylon and polyester to behave like natural fibers and biodegrade in two to three years rather than centuries.

Shop: Workout wear

Price point: $

20% off discount with this link

Patagonia is the OG sustainable brand. The use lower-impact materials, as well as have good policies to monitor their suppliers and ensure garment workers are treated well.

Shop: Activewear, outerwear, backpacks

Price point: $$

Allbirds is all about sustainable material usage — from FSC-certified Tencel lyocell to Merino wool, their products are made from consciously sourced, renewable fibers. Their current sustainability mission is focused on transitioning to regenerative agriculture and offsetting carbon usage (and they have the sustainability reports to prove it!).

Shop: Footwear for daily or activewear

Price point: $

SANS MATIN translates to “Without Morning”, personifying the ‘Work Hard, Play Hard’ concept. It challenges the traditional work-place norms, providing a casual, sturdy yet stylish alternative for day-to-night dressing. All of their products are ethically handmade using locally sourced, premium leathers. And (bonus!) 2% of your purchase goes to their charities to protect the Amazon Rainforest (amongst other charities).

Shop: Footwear for daily wear

Price point: $$

Use code LYDIA15 for 15% off

The Zen Running Club is pioneering the world of biobased materials, developing running shoes out of eucalyptus, sugarcane, and castor beans (so you know you have a low environmental footprint!). Their mission, “Made from good decisions™” is at the core of everything they do.

Shop: Footwear for workout wear

Price point: $$

Use code LYDIA30 for 30% off your order

Mejuri is the top sustainable jewelry brand. They use recycled materials and are upping their traceability measures. They also offer recycling programs for worn out pieces. Check out their rings to add an edge to your look (and get something for your girl while you’re at it ;).

Shop: Jewelry

Price point: $-$$$

Parker Clay crafts premium leather bags designed by hand to last a lifetime. They use sustainable tanning practices without harmful artificial chemicals and work directly with local Ethiopian providers that treat their animals well to source their leather. They also offer prime fair-trade prices to local farmers.

Shop: Bags

Price point: $$

Stubble & Co prioritizes the use of recycled materials, and ensuring durability for long-term usage. They are a B Corporation, Climate Neutral certified, and members of 1% For The Planet.

Shop: Bags

Price point: $$

Allegorie is combatting food waste by upcycling discarded fruits from grocery stores and juice factories. Their pieces are made from materials from apple skins to cactus fibers.

Shop: Bags

Price point: $$