A Guide to Certified B Corporations (Plus, 15 B Corp Brands to Check Out in 2024!)
Imaget: Nisolo
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliated; we may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. We only ever add brands & products we truly believe in. This post is also sponsored in part by tentree and PAKA. Thank you for supporting the brands who are making the fashion industry a better place!
what is a b corp brand?
As we try to be more aware of what we buy and the impact our shopping habits have, we try to look for brands that are putting the planet first. But with so much greenwashing across so many industries, it can be difficult to tell if a brand is genuinely sustainable or just using clever marketing tactics.
B Corp brands offer a simple way to tell if a business is prioritising the planet and people over profit, allowing you to shop with confidence and support a business that aligns with your personal ethics. B Corp (short for Certified B Corporation) is a third-party certification for businesses that meet certain ethical and sustainable criteria, including the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
B Corp Certification is administered by B Lab, a non-profit organization committed to seeing business used for environmental and social good. Since launching in 2006, B Lab has built a network of over 4,000 B Corps in 70 countries and 150 industries.
For a brand to receive B Corp certification, they must take the B Impact Assessment, which is a questionnaire that examines every detail of how their company operates. Once they fill out the assessment, they are awarded a score out of 200 points. A score of 80 or higher is necessary for a company to be eligible for certification.
Why is it good to support B Corps?
The B Corp certification is a great way to identify a brand that is serious about protecting the planet and being socially responsible. According to the B Corp website, B Corp certified companies are "legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community and the environment".
With just 100 companies being responsible for 71% of global emissions, we know that climate action is largely dependent on the actions of big businesses, along with our governments. While individual actions are a great way to reduce your personal carbon footprint, it’s good to remember that most of the responsibility for reducing carbon emissions and waste lies with businesses across all industries.
B Corps are creating a global culture shift that is redefining success in business and building a more inclusive and sustainable economy. By supporting B Corp brands, you are casting a vote with your wallet for the type of world in which you want to live.
Here are 15 B Corp brands for you to discover!
On the B Corp Directory, you can search for brands across any industry and location in the world. But to save you some time, we’ve pulled together a few of our favourite compaines that are B Corp certified. From fashion brands to homeware companies, we’ve looked at businesses that are offering planet-friendly products and putting their environmental and social impact as their top priorities.
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Nisolo
Certified since: 2017
Overall B Impact Score: 115.4
Known for: ethically made shoes and accessories
Nisolo believes in a circular approach to environmental responsibility and implements this from the materials they pick to the design elements of their shoes.
Offering both women’s and men’s footwear, Nisolo has everything from sandals and sneakers to heels and boots, all made using Leather Working Group certified leather.
PAKA
Certified since: 2020
Overall B Impact Score: 124.8
Known for: basics & outdoor alpaca clothing for men and women
Founded in Peru, PAKA has created a natural, sustainable clothing line for those who love the outdoors. They believe using eco-friendly materials like their super soft Royal Alpaca that can connect consumers more to nature and sustainably support small communities. Their products are fully traceable from the fiber source, each product features a QR that shows the consumer the farm where the fiber was harvested.
tentree
Certified since: 2016
Overall B Impact Score: 124.6
Known for: sustainable women’s and men’s clothing, activewear
tentree’s sustainable essentials are created with the smallest possible environmental footprint, using eco-friendly materials like TENCEL, organic cotton, hemp, and recycled polyester. Every item you buy plants 10 trees as part of their target to plant 1 billion trees by 2030. tentree’s partner factories are regularly audited to ensure they’re complying with the brand’s Code of Conduct and international labour standards.
Patagonia
Certified since: 2011
Overall B Impact Score: 151.4
Known for: outdoor apparel, adventure gear
Patagonia recognizes that everything we make has an impact on the planet. 64% of the materials they’re currently using are recycled, and 100% of the virgin cotton they use is grown organically. Patagonia is transparent about its owned facilities and suppliers across the supply chain, so you know where and how the clothes you buy are made.
Eileen Fisher
Certified since: 2015
Overall B Impact Score: 96.2
Known for: sustainable women’s wear
Eileen Fisher is a womenswear brand committed to doing things differently in the fashion industry. Building circular design into all their products, their clothes are not only made to last but their simple, versatile silhouettes work together effortlessly, remaining timeless so you can wear the same pieces year after year. They aim to save their products from landfills when the customer no longer wants the item, reselling gently used garments and upcycling the imperfect ones.
KOTN
Certified since: 2017
Overall B Impact Score: 95.5
Known for: organic cotton clothing
Canadian-based clothing brand Kotn create timeless essentials made from Egyptian cotton at affordable prices. They work with family-run farms in Portugal and Egypt, ensuring direct-trade practices, fair pay, and safe working conditions for the people involved in their supply chain. From jumpsuits and dresses to everyday basics, Kotn creates simply designed, made-to-last clothes for women & men you can be proud to wear.
Poppy Barley
Certified since: 2019
Overall B Impact Score: 92.8
Known for: shoes, handbags, accessories
Poppy Barley is a Canadian brand and B-Corporation founded by two sisters in Edmonton, AB. Their company is committed to rethinking every step to create sustainably made, fairly-priced products designed to be worn on repeat. They make insanely comfortable footwear and well-designed accessories with inclusive sizing 5-12 and in medium and wide widths.
Organic Basics
Certified since: 2019
Overall B Impact Score: 92.8
Known for: underwear, loungewear, activewear
Well known for their eco-friendly underwear, Organic Basics puts sustainable thinking at the center of everything they do. Their underwear is designed with simplicity and function in mind and made using materials that are planet-friendly, such as recycled nylon, TENCEL, and organic cotton. Organic Basics only works with factories that provide workers with a safe space to work, a living wage, and access to childcare.
SOLIOS
Certified since: 2020
Overall B Impact Score: 89.5
Known for: solar-powered watches
SOLIOS watches combine elegance, minimalism, and solar technology, avoiding the use of batteries made with toxic chemicals and metals. Just two hours of sun exposure (or even indoor light!) gives them six months of energy reserves. Powered by clean, renewable energy, and built with planet-friendly, cruelty-free materials, SOLIOS watches are the perfect upgrade from traditional timepieces.
Allbirds
Certified since: 2016
Overall B Impact Score: 89.4
Known for: sustainable footwear
Allbirds claims to have created the world’s most comfortable shoes, which are also made naturally and designed practically. They use renewable materials like TENCEL, Sweetfoam made from sugarcane, and Trino made with responsibly harvested eucalyptus tree fibers and ZQ Merino wool. Allbirds makes shoes for women and men, including running shoes, everyday sneakers, boat shoes, and high tops, as well as a range of clothing.
Kane
Certified since: 2022
Overall B Impact Score: 84.3
Known for: footwear
Kane Footwear's Revive is the perfect workout recovery, travel, or everyday shoe that you can feel good wearing and purchasing. The shoe is built with a renewable, plant-based EVA foam alternative that's made from over 75% sugarcane byproduct. Their signature dual-density foam actually retains CO2 sequestered during the sugarcane's growth cycle, making it a carbon-negative material. In addition, the dual-density foam is 100% waterproof and easy to clean with a quick rinse – perfect for any adventure.
The Body Shop
Certified since: 2019
Overall B Impact Score: 82.6
Known for: skincare, beauty, bodycare
Founded in 1976 by Dame Anita Roddick, British-founded beauty brand, The Body Shop, is a pioneer in the world of ethical skincare. They specialize in producing beauty products, haircare, skincare, and more from ethically sourced and naturally based ingredients from around the world. They have recently announced that by the end of 2023, their entire product range will be 100% vegan and certified by The Vegan Society.
Frank and Oak
Certified since: 2019
Overall B Impact Score: 81.7
Known for: sustainable clothing
Canadian-based clothing brand Frank and Oak puts sustainability, transparency, and functionality at the core of everything they do. They create women’s and men’s apparel that is built to withstand modern life and the wear and tear it can cause. From the fadeproof technology in their jeans to wrinkle-resistant TENCEL shirts, Frank and Oak pieces will last a lifetime whilst keeping you looking stylish.
SOKO
Certified since: 2018
Overall B Impact Score: 80.1
Known for: ethical jewelry
SOKO is a female-led, ethical jewelry brand based in Kenya producing earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings. They use sustainable, ethically sourced materials like wood, ceramic beads, and recycled brass to create their unique designs. From their stackable necklaces to their statement cuff bracelets, SOKO pieces include sculptural details and distinctive textures that make them effortlessly stylish.
Dr. Bronner’s
Certified since: 2015
Overall B Impact Score: 177.8
Known for: soap, bodycare, haircare
Dr. Bronner’s is a family-owned and run bodycare company committed to making high-quality products that are socially and environmentally responsible. Currently the top-selling brand of organic and fair trade bodycare in the U.S., Dr. Bronner’s sells a range of soaps, haircare products, body creams, and toothpaste made with clean ingredients with no synthetic preservatives.
Conclusion
It can be difficult to sort through all of the information out there to determine which brands are on the path toward more responsible and ethical production when it comes to people and planet. The B Corp certification provides a great resource to help consumers identify the brands that are doing better.
About the Author:
Sarah is a freelance writer with a focus on vegan fashion, sustainability and ethically made clothes. She campaigns for change in the fashion industry through her blog and on her Instagram page.
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