11 Sustainable Brands Selling Cozy Winter Accessories That Will Keep You Toasty Warm
image: Verloop
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SUSTAINABLE WINTER ACCESSORIES
During the freezing winter months, most of us cannot leave our homes without our good old friends: our trusty scarves, beanies, and gloves.
Winter accessories are essential to have around, especially for those of us who live in cold climates. They keep us warm and comfy and prevent us from catching a cold or getting frostbite.
Winter accessories are also nice additions to our outfits if we want to style them and add a little something to how we look.
Unfortunately, most fashion brands sell beanies, scarves and gloves made from synthetic, unsustainable fabrics. Their winter accessories are usually made unethically by workers who can barely survive and live on their tiny wages. Not to mention that they are so poorly made that they wear out pretty quickly!
But it does not have to be this way. Thankfully, some sustainable clothing brands are doing things differently and making shopping for eco-friendly winter accessories easy and accessible for everyone.
In this blog post, we have rounded up 11 of our favorite sustainable brands selling comfy winter accessories. Their beanies, scarves and gloves (and many more!) are so cozy and warm that you will want to wear them all the time!
WHAT MAKES WINTER ACCESSORIES SUSTAINABLE?
Above anything else, sustainable winter accessories are made to last for many years. They are made with high-quality yarns, and they should not lose their shapes over time.
To be ethical and sustainable, winter accessories also need to be sweatshop-free. They should be made by a transparent brand that makes its workers' well-being a priority. Buying pieces crafted in Fair Trade Certified™ factories ensures that workers in the supply chain are paid fairly and treated humanely.
Sustainable winter accessories are also made from eco-friendly fabrics using manufacturing processes that do not pollute or harm the environment.
WHAT ECO-FRIENDLY FABRICS SHOULD YOU SEARCH FOR?
Winter accessories can be made with a variety of eco-friendly fabrics.
Most sustainable brands produce them using GOTS-certified organic cotton, recycled polyester, recycled nylon, recycled cotton, or any type of recycled wool (including recycled cashmere). You can also find pieces made from deadstock fabrics, linen and hemp.
If you pick virgin wool, make sure it is responsibly sourced and cruelty-free. And if you can, go for yak wool, which is usually more sustainable than other types of wool.
NOW, OUR TOP 12 PICKS FOR SUSTAINABLE WINTER ACCESSORIES
1) tentree
Categories: Beanies, Scarves
Materials: Wool, Organic Cotton, Recycled Nylon, Recycled Polyester, Cork
Price Range: $25-70
tentree is a Canadian brand that plants ten trees for every item purchased. It has some good wardrobe staples for each member of the family, including beanies and winter scarves.
Sold in a few neutral colors, most of the company’s winter accessories are made with Responsible Wool Standard certified wool.
If you prefer to stay away from animal-based fabrics, tentree also offers some models made from organic cotton, or recycled polyester and recycled nylon.
tentree’s beanies and scarves feature fun details like pom-poms, unique logos, and the brand’s signature cork trim. You will also be able to keep your little ones cozy and warm as the brand has a kids’ beanie, all made of 100% organic cotton.
tentree is climate-neutral certified and a certified B Corporation, and it has planted more than 75 million trees to date.
2) Pact
Categories: Scarves, Beanies, Arm Warmers
Materials: Organic Cotton
Price Range: $15-38
Pact is an ethical fashion brand that has some of the most affordable organic clothes you can find. It has you covered with different kinds of scarves, winter hats, and arm warmers.
All these cozy pieces are super soft and made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton.
They are also produced in Fair Trade Certified™ factories, so you know your winter accessories are crafted by workers who are paid a fair wage!
You can choose between thin scarves and thicker ones for colder weather. Some are designed in lovely colors and stripes and feature cool fringe detailing.
For a complete look, pair Pact’s scarves with some of its beanies and arm warmers.
The company measures the carbon footprint of each product and offsets it through different projects supporting renewable energy, communities and reforestation.
Pact also ships its products in FSC-certified paper bags, and through its partnership with the Give Back Box program, it provides you with a free shipping label you can use to send gently-used clothing to local charitie
3) Patagonia
Categories: Gloves, Mittens, Beanies, Neck Gaiters
Materials: Recycled Polyester, Recycled Wool, Recycled Nylon, Recycled Cotton, Merino Wool
Price Range: $23-79
Patagonia has been crafting high-quality outdoor gear for the past 50 years. The brand’s gear and clothes are made using recycled and sustainable materials, and most are produced in Fair Trade Certified™ factories.
Patagonia has a very large selection of beanies, gloves, mittens, and neck gaiters for women and men. They are designed to trap warm air, dry fast and wick moisture, which is perfect for those who love exploring the great outdoors!
Most winter accessories are made of recycled polyester, but some also contain recycled wool, recycled cotton, recycled nylon, and responsibly sourced merino wool.
Patagonia also sells gloves, mittens, and incredibly cute winter hats for kids and babies (one beanie features the most adorable bear ears!).
The company is a member of 1% For The Planet, and it even has a platform on which you can buy and sell used Patagonia clothes.
4) Thread Tales Co.
Categories: Beanies, Mittens, Scarves
Materials: Cashmere, Wool, Recycled Cashmere, Yak Wool, Silk
Price Range: $93-458
Thread Tales Co. is on a mission to help resurrect and safeguard traditional skills in Myanmar and Nepal by working with workshops that craft unique handwoven pieces. While its signature fabric is produced using Lotus flowers, the brand offers all kinds of winter accessories made from natural fabrics like cashmere, yak wool, and recycled wool.
Thread Tales Co. has many styles of scarves for both men and women, all of which are knitted on hand-operated machines and embellished with a metal tab. Some models even feature tie-dye designs and beautiful embroideries.
If you want something more personal, several scarves can be personalized with an embroidered monogram. How cool is that?!
Thread Tales Co. also unravels unsold cashmere sweaters to create its gorgeous beanies and fingerless mittens, all made of 100% recycled cashmere.
Everything is colored using eco-friendly dyes that are free of toxic substances like formaldehyde, chlorine and mercury.
5) Eileen Fisher
Categories: Beanies, Scarves, Arm Warmers
Materials: Organic Cotton, Recycled Cashmere, Alpaca Wool, Silk, Wool
Price Range: $34-298
Founded in 1984, Eileen Fisher is an ethical fashion brand designing a circular system with its responsibly produced clothing pieces.
The company sells several winter accessories for women, all of which are very versatile and easy to combine with other clothes.
The scarves are generously sized so you can also wear them as wraps, and they will keep you cozy and warm all winter! You get to choose between different fabrics, including alpaca wool, organic cotton, cashmere, and hand-dyed silk.
Eileen Fisher also crafts two lovely beanies and arm warmers, each available in multiple colors. Incredibly soft, their fabric is either made of a cashmere-silk blend or a blend of organic cotton and GRS-certified recycled cashmere.
The brand makes sure to dye its pieces using Bluesign-certified dyes, so they are completely free of harmful substances. It is also a certified B Corporation, and it sells pre-loved Eileen Fisher pieces on its platform Renew.
6) prAna
Categories: Scarves, Hats, Headbands
Materials: Recycled Polyester, Organic Cotton, Acrylic, Hemp
Price Range: $18-35
prAna is a sustainable fashion brand selling Fair Trade Certified™ clothing for both women and men. It has various styles of beanies, from classic neutral-colored hats to fun models featuring pom-pom detailing or outdoor-themed embroidered patterns. While some winter hats contain acrylic, most of them are made from recycled polyester.
For those cool winter days, you can also keep your ears warm with prAna’s Marin headband, which is made with a 100% recycled polyester fleece lining.
The brand’s Ember infinity scarf is another winter staple you can throw on and wear with any outfit. Its elegance will elevate your looks all season!
prAna ships its clothing pieces in plastic-free packaging, and it is a Fair Labor Association-accredited brand. It is also very transparent about the factories it works with.
7) Faherty
Categories: Gloves, Beanies, Scarves
Materials: Recycled Cashmere, Recycled Wool, Leather, Merino Wool, Alpaca Wool
Price Range: $29-268
Faherty is a family-run lifestyle brand making high-quality, comfortable clothing pieces for women and men.
It offers a huge selection of winter accessories, all made using natural materials like recycled cashmere and recycled wool.
The company sells many minimalist-looking beanies that will keep you warm and stylish at the same time. For a more whimsical look, you can pick some of its pom-pom beanies featuring a unique colorful pattern.
Faherty also crafts high-quality leather gloves, which are great for wearing around the city as well as in the great outdoors. And it has several scarves with fun patterns that will make you stand out from the crowd!
We really love that Faherty partners with Native American artists to create its designs!
The brand is a member of 1% For The Planet and a corporate sponsor of the Surfrider Foundation. It also regularly supports A Second U, a program that has helped place many formerly incarcerated men and women in the personal training industry.
8) Happy Earth
Categories: Beanies, Scarves
Materials: Organic Cotton
Price Range: $15-46
Happy Earth is a social enterprise striving to make its clothes and accessories as sustainable as possible.
The brand crafts comfy unisex beanies that are all very affordable! Available in six different colors, these stretchy, warm winter hats are made of 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton. They are reversible, so you can wear them cuffed or slouchy, depending on which style you prefer.
To keep your neck protected from the cold, you can also choose between Happy Earth's four organic cotton scarves. The striped, herringbone or plaid patterns will add the perfect accent to any winter style! The scarves are very soft and breathable, and they can even be worn as shawls.
All of Happy Earth’s products are ethically produced in factories that are Fair Trade or WRAP certified. Plus, for every item you buy, the brand will plant 15 trees, offset 150 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions, or clean up 1 lb of trash (you choose!).
The company is a certified B Corporation and a member of 1% For The Planet, and it offsets its entire carbon footprint.
9) Frank and Oak
Categories: Neck Warmers, Hats, Balaclavas, Gloves, Mittens, Headbands
Materials: Recycled Polyester, Yak Wool, Merino Wool, Lambswool, Recycled Nylon, Wool, Oyster Shells
Price Range: $15-31
Frank And Oak is a Quebec-based sustainable fashion brand creating clothes that are thoughtfully designed using innovative fabrics.
It offers a variety of affordable winter accessories for both men and women.
For instance, Frank And Oak sells different kinds of beanies and headbands, and it even has two balaclavas that are perfect for those extremely cold winter days.
The brand also crafts several neck warmers, puffer mittens, as well as long gloves. All these pieces feature a timeless style and are made of responsibly sourced materials, like cruelty-free, non-mulesed merino wool, recycled polyester, yak wool, and recycled nylon.
Frank And Oak even has a cool beanie made from a blend of recycled polyester and upcycled oyster shells, which has great antibacterial properties!
It is also a certified B Corporation, so it meets the highest standards of environmental and social performance.
10) Verloop
Categories: Scarves, Gloves, Mittens, Hats, Balaclavas, Hoods, Arm Warmers
Materials: Deadstock Fabrics, Acrylic
Price Range: $27-95
Verloop creates the happiest and most colorful accessories and home goods I have ever seen!
From bold solid colors to fun checkered patterns, the brand has everything you may want if you are looking to brighten up your outfits.
On a mission to minimize textile waste, Verloop diverts excess deadstock yarns and fabric scraps from the landfill and turns them into quality knits. It has all kinds of winter scarves, gloves, mittens, and beanies, as well as hoods, balaclavas and arm warmers.
You will even be able to keep your children warm with the company’s kids’ collection, featuring pom-poms, adorable fuzzy faux fur, and fringe detailing.
Each piece is produced in a family-owned factory in the Philippines. Plus, I love that Verloop’s winter accessories are all equally fun and useful, and they make us stand out from the crowd!
11) NAADAM
Categories: Gloves, Hats, Scarves, Headbands
Materials: Cashmere, Modal, Merino Wool, Recycled Nylon
Price Range: $65-550
NAADAM works with herders from Mongolia’s Gobi desert to bring you sustainable cashmere knitwear that you will live in all season. The brand crafts many winter accessories, all of which are unbelievably soft and cozy! You can choose between different elegant scarves, two pairs of gloves, and many styles of beanies.
Each piece is made to last as it contains finer, longer cashmere fibers, which are of higher quality.
We love that NAADAM cuts out the middlemen and works directly with herders. It means that herders can be paid significantly more for their work (and you get to enjoy cashmere accessories for a lower price!).
The brand also gives back to the local communities through nonprofit work with the Gobi Revival Fund. It supports nomadic herding families and provides veterinary care to thousands of goats.
Finally, NAADAM ships all its products in sustainable packaging, using FSC-certified recycled paper inserts and recycled plastic mailers and bags.
About the Author:
Eva Astoul is a French freelance writer, specializing in content related to sustainability, simple living, and a growth-focused healthy lifestyle. She runs her own blog, Green With Less, to inspire people to live a more minimalist and sustainable life.
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