GUIDE: 8-WOMEN RUN/OWNED ETHICAL FASHION BRANDS FOR YOUR EVERY NEED

When you set an intention to find women run/owned fashion brands, you’ll find a never-ending well of inspiration. From the boardroom to the hospital, to outdoor adventures and everyday wear, here’s some of our favorite women-run ethical fashion brands!

Maybe it’s just me, but when I’m thinking about all the inspiring ladies out there, I can’t help but quote all my favorite girl power lyrics. I mean, we are in Music City after all...

I’ll spare you the full list and leave it with Joan Jett, who pretty much summed it up perfectly with, “You're living in the past it's a new generation, a girl can do and that's what I'm going to do.”

It’s no surprise that we haven’t arrived at equality yet, but we’re making some pretty exciting progress. This women’s history month, we’re celebrating the trailblazing girl bosses who are owning their power, building their own businesses, and helping move the fashion industry towards diversity, equality, and inclusion.

Here’s 8 of our favorite ethical fashion brands that are owned and/or run by women. 

Proclaim: For making “nude” more inclusive

“Proclaim is an inclusive nude lingerie line made in Los Angeles from recycled plastic water bottles. We are founded on the principles that fashion should represent all women and can be made in a way that does good for people and the planet.  Proclaim is expanding the definition of nude, one ethically made bra at a time.”

- Proclaim’s website, because I couldn’t have said it better myself

Citizens Mark: For giving Ethical Fashion a boardroom-worthy makeover

Founder Cynthia Salim started her career picketing for living wages as an activist in Los Angeles before finding herself as a public policy professional wearing ill-fitting suits walking the UN halls. She founded Citizens Mark to provide working women with a different, more ethical, option.

Three generations of her Indonesian family have worked in the apparel industry, and she set out to build a world-class brand with integrity. From sourcing sustainable fabrics to only partnering with factories that pay living wages, Citizens Mark is committed to doing good for both people and the planet.

Elizabeth Suzann: For timeless pieces that get better with age

There’s so much we love about our Nashville neighbor Elizabeth Suzann. They are reducing waste and creating long-lasting garments made of the highest quality, natural fiber cloth which is significantly more durable, feels better against your skin, and gets softer with each wear. They are also leading the game with body and size inclusivity, ensuring that every woman can find her perfect fit!

“By ultimately creating seasonless pieces that can be worn a myriad of ways, we aim to discourage the disposable view of clothing that has become increasingly pervasive.”

Know the Origin: For making traceability central to their business

We were recently introduced to Know the Origin and love how they’ve integrated traceability into their business. The founder, Charlotte, was inspired to start KTO after finding that the lack of transparency within fashion supply chains had led to abuses of human rights and environmental degradation worldwide.

FIGS: For changing the medical apparel game

FIGS is a medical apparel company founded by two women that is transforming the healthcare experience by creating innovative, fashionable, comfortable and supremely functional medical apparel for modern medical professionals. Their antimicrobial fabric reduces hospital acquired infection rates by 66%, and they’ve donated hundreds of thousands of scrubs to healthcare providers in need in over 35 countries through their Threads for Threads initiative.

For any of our medical professional friends, we recommend that you check them out!

Raven + Lily: For putting women first

Raven + Lily is a brand committed to women’s empowerment. All of Raven + Lily’s products are women-made and all of your purchases give back to a microloan program that supports female entrepreneurs in East Africa. Their other impact initiatives include a carbon neutral supply chain, eco friendly materials, and commitments to living wages.

Summersalt: For bringing sustainability to swimwear

Summersalt is a fashion startup that makes affordable designer swimsuits and uses recycled materials to create fabrics and product packaging. Their fabric is 5x stronger than average swimsuit materials and reduces manufacturing waste.

Patagonia: For putting their money where their mouth is

Patagonia is the biggest brand on the list and is one of our constant ethical fashion inspirations. Helmed by CEO Rose Marcario, Patagonia is leading the pack in addressing climate change, innovating sustainable clothing production, and public engagement.

"We need to work on solutions because we need to have an aspirational vision of the future and not this apocalyptic 'Waterworld' reality, you know? If you want to retain great people and have a great company, then you have to inspire the people to a greater, bigger purpose than themselves, and for us it's saving the planet."