Allora, do not despair! There is a world of sustainable fashion brands doing their part to offset waste, on both the production and consumption side of apparel. However, the average consumer doesn’t have time to dive into this impactful sect of fashion.
So we’ve compiled a list of the top five sustainable Italian brands redefining eco-responsible apparel.
Sourced and manufactured in Milano, Artknit Studios keeps its production close to home. Not only does this allow them to diminish CO2 emissions from shipping and transportation, but it also sews ethical materials across their mens and womenswear categories. Organic cotton, linen, and extra fine Merino wool keep garments luxurious and eco-responsible. The secret? Circularity. Artknit Studios thrives on reconditioning returned products, charging the industry in a cycle of reuse. Textile waste is practically non-existent, polishing Artknit Studios in the consumer-coveted zero-waste category.
Also from Milano, Shenty is a unisex streetwear line that utilizes organic cotton and recycled polyester. Quality over quantity produces small-batch collections with more time for meticulous detail and ethical craftsmanship. Inclusivity is Shenty’s angle, driving its approach to slow fashion. Through sleep, minimalist styles, Shenty’s streetwear can be worn by everyone on any occasion and reduces the chances of a garment being forgotten in the dark recesses of your closet or worse, getting chucked into a landfill. Orders are sustainable right to your doorstep; wrapped in biodegradable packaging, Shenty ships with Gogreen e-commerce and recycled materials, right down to the paper tags and internal labels.
Natural dyes, hand craftsmanship, and artisanal fabrics are synonyms with Italian production—and Turin-based slow fashion brand Kurunji. Plastic-free, hemp-based accessories, and GOTS-certified organic cotton are key components of Kurinji’s DNA. It collaborates with NGOs like the Keystone Foundation and Treedom. Peace silk is also a signature fabric at Kurinji. Unlike normal silk, peace silk does not interfere with the silkworm’s life cycle. Traditional sheep rearing in India provides the wool. Kurinji also adheres to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Decent Work and Economic Growth (8), Reduced Inequalities (10), Responsible Consumption and Production (12), Climate Action (13), and Life on Land (15). Not only do Kurinji’s slow-batch, eco-packaged collections embrace almost every element of sustainability, but they elevate traditional craftsmanship with the aari, zardozi, and chikankari processes. These intricate hand embroidery techniques date back to South Asia’s Mughal Empire. Today, they are woven into Kurinji’s exotic, ethical designs in a slow, dedicated approach to sustainable haute couture.
Based in Vicenzo, Gimmi Jeans are produced, fiber by fiber, with hemp in a small workshop that handworks the garment. This slow method of production packs each garment with traceability, letting the consumer dress confidently with jeans crafted with the dedication of human hands and eco-fibers. Plant-based dyes ensure natural materials that are easy on the skin, while hemp and cotton denim utilize organic resources that shun synthetics, polluting polyester, and microplastic-producing waste.
Made in Italy, Yvo et Moi is based in Lyons, France. Here, Italian and French expertise meet, exploding in a small-batch collection spun with delicate silk and Merino wool. How small-batch is Yvo et Moi? All Merino wool is sourced from a New Zealand spinner—who only produces once a year. The result? A drastically diminished eco-footprint for both the brand and the consumer alike.
Italian craftsmanship, known for its slow dedication to detail, blends seamlessly with sustainable fashion’s key elements. Quality over quantity, selective materials, and handwork define sustainable apparel. Overall, it cleans your closet with style that is not only ethical but high-quality and utterly inimitable.
.jpg)
