Stay Warm and Eco-Friendly: Discover the 12 Best Sustainable Winter Coats for a Greener Winter
 

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The Best sustainable coats & jackets For Winter 2023-2024

Winter is here, and it's time to bundle up in style while caring for the planet. Finding the perfect winter coat that combines warmth and sustainability can be a daunting task, but fear not! We've got you covered with our guide to the best sustainable winter coats. With a focus on eco-friendly materials and responsible manufacturing, these coats not only provide excellent insulation against the cold but also allow you to make a positive impact on the environment. From recycled polyester and organic cotton to innovative cruelty-free alternatives, these coats prioritize sustainable practices without compromising style. Whether you're looking for a cozy parka, a sleek puffer, or a chic wool coat, our selection will keep you warm and guilt-free this winter. Say goodbye to harmful chemicals, excessive waste, and unethical practices – these sustainable winter coats are the ultimate combination of fashion and eco-consciousness. Embrace the winter chill with confidence, knowing that your choice of outerwear aligns with your values. Stay warm, stylish, and environmentally friendly with our top picks for sustainable winter coats.

What are Sustainable Winter Coats?

When it comes to a sustainable coat, there are many things we look for - Who makes it? What is it made from? Can we wear it for years to come? Transparency is essential to us when shopping. We want to ensure the coat is made by someone paid a fair wage and has a low environmental impact.

Sustainable Materials Used in Coats

We want to find the warmest of the warm fabrics when it comes to winter coats. Some of the best eco-friendly fibers to look out for include recycled polyesters (great for making puffier coats, waterproofing and vegan alternatives to down), organic cotton (typically used for outward appearances rather than warmth), and responsible wools (either recycled or humane).

our top picks for sustainable winter coats & jackets:

1. Apu Lightweight Puffer

Brand: PAKA

Price: $279

If you travel a lot in the wintertime, this jacket is made for you!

The Apu Lightweight Puffer is packable, insulated with their signature alpaca fur PAKAFILL®, and lined with bluesign® Certified Nylon. This is the type of jacket you want for the outdoors!

Find it in Storm (pictured), Black and Rose.

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 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. Even the dyes are environmentally friendly (OEKO-TEX & GOTS certified), and the packaging is biodegradable. We love that PAKA is a certified B-Corp that works hard to create a better, sustainable future for the fashion industry!


2. LEAMINGTON Short Orange Puffer Jacket

Brand: culthread

Price: $271

Are you looking for a bold statement jacket?

The Leamington puffer, with its diamond pattern, matte finish, and vibrant orange color, will surely add something special to your winter wardrobe.

The jacket has a rain hood, is easily packable, a reverse zip and has inside / outside pockets.

All the fabrics used to create this jacket are sustainably sourced and feature a recycled rainproof outer-shell fabric, recycled lining fabric, post-consumer recycled plastic bottle insulation, and recycled zipper & buttons. Their jackets are very practical as they are warm and lightweight. You can also find this jacket in black.

Culthread also reuses its leftover materials in new designs, makes everything in small batches to avoid overproduction, and uses laser cutting technology to reduce material waste. They are a slow fashion brand that encourages sustainable consumption, and all products are ethically made in their own factory with 100% transparency. 

Plus, each of its products comes in a cool laundry bag made from deadstock fabric and production offcuts!


use code SUSTAINABLYCHIC for 15% off your purchase

3. Woven Safari Jacket

Brand: Pact

Price: $118

Pact is one of our favorite places for organic cotton clothing because it's more affordable & the quality is excellent.

Their cotton is GOTS certified & all of their clothing is made in a Fair Trade Certified Factory.

This style & color is a classic for your wardrobe and great for climates that experience mild winters.


4. Cloud Shell Packable Puffer

Brand: tentree

Price: $84-168

Made with 100% recycled polyester, this puffer is perfect for the travelers! The shell & lining are Bluesign certified, and the entire garment can easily pack into its included bag or within its own pocket. Every item you buy from tentree plants 10 trees as part of their target to plant 1 billion trees by 2030. In addition, tentree's partner factories are regularly audited to ensure they comply with the brand's Code of Conduct and international labor standards.


5. Johnson Coat

Brand: Sezane

Price: $405

If you are looking for classic, timeless coats, this is the brand to check out. This is their signature coat, which comes in black, camel & navy colors. We’ve only started adding this brand to Sustainably Chic over the last couple years because their sustainability efforts have increased significantly. They are much more transparent and use many sustainable certifications - and are a Certified B Corp Brand. We also think the quality is impressive!


6. Oscar Nipped Waist Coat

Brand: Reformation

Price: $398

Made from recycled wool, the Oscar Nipped Waist Coat will upgrade your everyday outfit to classic and chic in an instant. The brand Reformation initially sold vintage clothes in a small store in Los Angeles. It quickly expanded and now makes clothing, wedding dresses, and shoes for women - and has a great selection of coats & jackets! The company has been carbon-neutral since 2015, & aims to become carbon-positive by 2025. It also partnered with Bluesign and Oeko-Tex to ensure it safely manages chemicals in its supply chain.


7. Nano Puff Hoody

Brand: Patagonia

Price: $289

Patagonia is always a good choice for snow!! The Nano Puff Hoody is warm, windproof & water-resists.

Its PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco is made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester with P.U.R.E.™ technology, wrapped in a 100% recycled polyester shell and lining.

This jacket is ideal for traveling & adventures because it is very lightweight & compressible.


8. Teddy Vegan Fur Jacket

Brand: Bernardo

Price: $180

The perfect cozy, snuggly teddy bear coat for winter!

Bernardo’s Teddy Vegan Fur Jacket is animal-friendly and insulated with their Ecoplume, created from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. This jacket is lightweight & layerable and great for multi-season wear. You can also find it in a beautiful cream color


9. Southport Overcoat

Brand: The Checkroom

Price: $895

Made to order in Chicago, The Checkroom is a line of classic-inspired statement coats for modern women. To make their overcoat line, they partner with American Woolen, which is one of the few remaining wool mills in the United States. These coats are designed to truly stand the test of time, not only in their design but in the quality of craftsmanship. This coat will last you a decade or more! Plus, The Checkroom’s outerwear line comes in 13 different sizes, including ones for plus, tall, and petite women.


10. Eco Down Jacket

Brand: Apricot

Price: $199

This jacket is made with a 100% recycled polyester RipStop shell and high-quality synthetic down made from recycled plastic bottles. Apricoat loves the planet, and knows you do too, offering stylish, sustainable and functional gear for any and every adventure. All products are made from 100% recycled materials with as much as 300 plastic bottles per jacket, and can also be sent across the globe with carbon-free shipping. Apricoat products are also produced based on waste reduction and spoilage free practices (pre-orders), & meets fair labor factory certifications.


11. Dorset Car Coat

Brand: Outerknown

Price: $128

The Dorset Car Coat is a double-breasted oversized cocoon sherpa coat made with 100% recycled polyester, which is created using raw waste like old water bottles.

This coat is perfectly oversized for easy layering across the seasons and has front pockets!

Pro surfer Kelly Slater is behind this Fair Labor Association-accredited brand which makes garments that, 90% of the time, are made of recycled, organic, and ‘regenerative’ materials.


12. Norseland Insulated Parka

Brand: REI

Price: $199

Not only is this coat super cozy and warm with a fleece-lining, but it’s a great price!

The materials used to make this insulated parka reflect their love for people and the planet through the use of recycled materials, bluesign®-approved materials, and down certified to the Responsible Down Standard. Find this coat in 5 different colors from sizes XS-3X.


use code: SUSTAINABLYCHIC for 10% off

BONUS: Reusable Hand Warmers

Brand: Aurora Heat

Price: Starting from $79.99

Inspired by Indigenous tradition, Aurora Heat offers reusable fur warmers to keep you warm throughout the winter. With natural insulating properties, they help to retain the heat your body naturally generates. Their body warmer and breast warmers are the perfect, discrete addition to your winter wardrobe: just wear the fur side facing your skin, and the grippy texture of the leather side will help keep them in place against your clothing.

If your extremities are also vulnerable to the cold, consider their hand warmers as well, which can be easily worn in your gloves, mittens, or tucked into your pockets for whenever you need cozy warmth.


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WANT MORE SUSTAINABLE BRANDS? VISIT OUR BRAND DIRECTORY!

Our Brand Directory is home to hundreds of sustainable brands, from makeup to cleaning supplies, from underwear to shoes. We have broken everything down by category for easy shopping, along with discount codes unique to Sustainably Chic viewers.


related reading you may also enjoy:

 
What Is Minimalist Fashion? (& Our Best Tips To Embrace It Today)
 

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MINIMALIST FASHION

Nowadays, the average American buys around 68 pieces of clothing every year. This number is all the more surprising when we think about how many clothes we already have in our wardrobes. 

Because of the boom of fast fashion and the production of cheap clothing, our closets are overflowing, and most of us do not even wear half of our clothes!

Thankfully, in the past few years, many conscious consumers have decided to stop overconsuming and accumulating more and more pieces. They have chosen to embrace slow, minimalist fashion. 

But what is it exactly? In this article, you will learn more about minimalist fashion, its benefits, and how to incorporate it into your life. 

WHAT IS MINIMALIST FASHION? 

Minimalist fashion is the practice of having a small number of clothes in your wardrobe. You usually only choose to keep your favorite pieces, all of which are functional, fit your body well, and suit your personal style. These are pieces you truly love, feel comfortable in, and want to wear over and over. 

Minimalist fashion is about letting go of excess clothing and shoes that no longer bring value to you, and cherishing the few pieces that bring you joy and make you feel confident. It is also about shopping intentionally, saying no to overconsumption, and not wanting to keep up with the latest trends all the time. 

When you embrace minimalist fashion, you believe that having fewer but better clothes is actually better than having more. You become aware of the terrible consequences fast fashion has on people and the environment, and you want to do something about it. 

What’s more, you start consuming slowly and thoughtfully while being happy with the pieces you already own.  

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MINIMALIST FASHION?  

Applying minimalism to fashion and your wardrobe can be truly life-changing as it comes with many benefits that you can reap immediately! 

Having fewer clothes to choose from means that you experience less decision fatigue in the morning, and you spend less time thinking about what you are going to wear that day.  

You also have less clutter in your closet, which helps reduce stress and overwhelm and makes cleaning a lot easier. Packing for a trip and traveling is a breeze, and moving houses is less chaotic when you have a smaller wardrobe. 

Not buying clothes all the time and becoming a mindful consumer is also incredibly good for the planet! It means that fewer resources need to be produced or extracted from the earth to make all these clothes, and less clothing ends up being discarded in landfills. Plus, when you have less, you usually take better care of your pieces, making them last longer.  

Another great benefit of not buying so many clothes is that you end up saving a lot of money, which can help you pay off debt quicker and be more financially secure. 

Decluttering the excess can also help you discover your personal style as you start to understand what you like wearing and feel comfortable in. 

Finally, having less teaches you contentment and to be grateful for what you have instead of always wanting more, thus contributing to your overall happiness in the long run. 

OUR 9 BEST TIPS TO CREATE A MINIMALIST STYLE

The following tips will help you embrace minimalist fashion and create a minimalist style!  

Stop buying clothes all the time 

When shopping is a hobby and we have gotten into the habit of buying clothes whenever we want, we start accumulating pieces and our closets become fuller and fuller over time. 

If you want to give minimalist fashion a try, refrain from buying clothes all the time. Set a buying freeze for a few months and only purchase things you absolutely need during that time. You probably already have everything you need in your wardrobe! 

Be honest with yourself and only replace things as they wear out or when you truly need something. 

Declutter clothes you never wear

Take inventory of everything you have in your closet, and declutter anything that does not fit anymore or is not your style. Also, get rid of anything you do not like or feel comfortable in, or things you simply never wear. 

Doing this will help you understand what you like wearing and what your personal style is. Plus, it will create so much space in your closet! 

But please, declutter clothes and shoes responsibly by selling, donating, or recycling them. 

Create a capsule wardrobe 

A great way to apply minimalism to your wardrobe is to create a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is a small, thoughtfully curated selection of interchangeable clothes that we love wearing every day. 

Decide on a number that works well for you, and build from there. If you do not know how many clothes are enough for your life, give Project 333 a try! It is a challenge that invites you to dress with only 33 pieces of clothing for three months. At the end of the challenge, add or remove some pieces according to your preferences. 

Of course, take your lifestyle into consideration. You might probably not need as many dress shirts if you work from home as if you went to the office every day. And remember what your priorities are. Do you value more comfort or style?  

Keep your favorite pieces and do what works best for you! If you need more help and inspiration, check out our article about capsule wardrobes and how to build one!

Choose a color palette and try to stick to it

When creating a minimalist style, see what colors you like wearing. Choose a color palette you love, ideally with colors that go well together, and try to stick to those colors when adding new pieces in the future. 

By doing this, you will make it easier for you to create outfits and mix and match pieces! 

Also, if you think neutral colors are boring, that is perfectly fine. You can have a minimalist wardrobe AND wear bright, bold colors! 

Prioritize versatile, multipurpose pieces 

The key to embracing minimalist fashion is to make sure the clothes you have are versatile, feature mostly classic silhouettes, and can be worn with most other pieces. You want to build your wardrobe around some solid basics, like white T-shirts, jeans, or a little black dress.  

For instance, it is great to have pieces you can easily dress up or down, or clothes you can use as a staple in the summer and a layering piece in the winter. 

Also, focus on having timeless clothes that do not go out of style over trendy pieces that you will not want to wear a year from now.

Become a proud outfit repeater

In today’s society, we are taught to think that we should wear a different outfit every day and that we should not wear the same shirt every week. 

But if you want to have fewer clothes, you have to be okay with becoming an outfit repeater. It is perfectly okay to wear the same sweater two or three days in a row or wear the same dress every time you go out with friends. 

Reusing your clothes over and over again is actually the most sustainable thing you can do to reduce their environmental impact! 

Learn to keep things interesting

When we have a minimalist wardrobe, it is important to try and keep things interesting so we do not get bored with our pieces.

So try to be creative! Think about different ways you can style your clothes and see if you can create new outfit combinations. You can also wear different accessories, like scarves, belts, and jewelry.

Also, keep out-of-season clothes stored away and out of your closet. That way, you will feel more excited when you take them out of storage. They will feel almost like new! 

When you need something new, invest in quality over quantity

Minimalist fashion is all about investing in quality pieces that are made to last for many years.

When we only have a few pieces to choose from, we want them to be well-made and durable. They need to stand the test of time because we are constantly reaching for them. Not to mention high-quality clothes are much more enjoyable to wear.  

Yes, they are usually more expensive, but they are worth it in the long run! 

If you need new pieces for your wardrobe, check out these sustainable clothing brands. They sell high-quality, timeless, and versatile basics you will love to have in your minimalist wardrobe! 

Make your clothes last 

Take good care of your clothes so they last as long as possible. Wash them less frequently, read fabric care labels carefully, wash them in cold water, and air dry them if you can. 

That way, you will not have to buy as many clothes over time. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Embracing minimalist fashion is a great way to make your wardrobe more sustainable. 

By slowing down your consumption and getting rid of the excess, you also create a wardrobe full of clothes you love and look forward to wearing each and every day. 

And that is a wonderful feeling.

Less is truly more! 


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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WANT TO FIND SUSTAINABLE BRANDS? VISIT OUR BRAND DIRECTORY!

Our Brand Directory is home to hundreds of sustainable brands, from makeup to cleaning supplies, from underwear to shoes. We have broken everything down by category for easy shopping, along with discount codes unique to Sustainably Chic viewers.


RELATED READING YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:

 
12 Organic & Natural Foundation Brands For Healthy, Flawless Skin
 

Image: Elate Cosmetics

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. Thank you for supporting the brands who are making the beauty industry a better place!

The Best ORGANIC & NATURAL FOUNDATIONS

Whether we choose to use it every day or occasionally, foundation is a must-have for many of us who wear makeup. It helps blur imperfections and cover blemishes, and it creates an even base for the rest of our makeup. 

Unfortunately, most foundations we can find at the store or online are full of toxic chemicals that are bad for our skin, health, and the planet. 

But thankfully, we do not have to buy those to have healthy-looking, flawless skin. Organic and natural foundations are a great alternative to chemical-laden ones, and the good news is that they are becoming more and more popular and easy to find. 

In this article, we have rounded up 12 clean beauty brands offering organic and natural foundations made with non-toxic ingredients! 

WHY CHOOSE AN ORGANIC & NATURAL FOUNDATION?

Conventional foundations contain many harmful chemicals and substances that clog our pores and cause our skin to break out. Even worse, exposure to those chemicals can lead to serious health issues in the long run as many of them are carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, or allergens.  

On the other hand, an organic and natural foundation is made with plant-based, non-toxic ingredients that are harmless to our skin and health. Not only that, their formulas even support skin health thanks to their moisturizing and nourishing ingredients. 

An organic and natural foundation is also a better choice for the planet because fewer chemicals are released into the environment, air, and water. It is also often cruelty-free and vegan, and some are even refillable and packaged using sustainable materials! 

WHAT INGREDIENTS SHOULD YOU SEARCH FOR?

Always buy from a brand that discloses all its ingredients. Once you see the ingredient list, make sure it does not contain any parabens, phthalates, fragrances, formaldehyde, talc, silicones, sulfates, synthetic fillers, preservatives, artificial dyes, or any other toxic chemicals. 

An organic and natural foundation is usually formulated with clean ingredients such as fruit, vegetable, tea, or flower extracts, aloe vera, natural clay and waxes, corn starch, vegetable squalane, or different plant-based oils like jojoba, coconut, argan, or castor seed oils. 

If you can, buy a foundation made with USDA-certified organic ingredients. 

OUR TOP PICKS FOR ORGANIC & NATURAL FOUNDATIONS

1. ILIA’s True Skin Serum Foundation

Vegan / Dermatologist-tested / Safe For Sensitive Skin

Price: $54

ILIA is a clean beauty brand offering cruelty-free products, including a medium-coverage foundation available in 30 different shades. This foundation will give you a natural finish; you will not even know you are wearing it once it melds with your skin! It features potent skincare actives such as niacinamide, which helps smooth skin texture and refine uneven tone, & allantoin to soothe skin.

Both ingredients also visibly improve how your skin looks and minimize redness, pores, and lines. 

ILIA’s breathable formula also contains aloe vera, which hydrates and nourishes your skin, and other natural ingredients like jojoba oil and jasmine flower extract. Made for sensitive skin, it is formulated without parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, petroleum, or other harmful chemicals. 

The foundation was even named “Best Multi-Tasking Foundation” in PureWow Editors’ Pick in 2022! 

The brand is a member of 1% For The Planet, and its bottle is made of recyclable glass. You can also have the pump and cap recycled by ILIA’s partner, the Pact Collective, which provides you with a prepaid shipping label.


2. Elate Cosmetics

Vegan / Refillable / Carbon Neutral

Price: $32-37

Elate Cosmetics is a certified B Corporation that thoughtfully designs low-waste beauty products. You can choose between a liquid and pressed powder foundation, both of which are available in 10 different shades. 

The Refresh liquid foundation offers buildable, lightweight sheer coverage but is tinted enough to even out your skin tone. It is formulated with hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin and bamboo stem extract to restore elasticity.

It also contains argan shell powder, a 100% natural pigment, and radish root ferment filtrate, which is a natural antimicrobial preservative. 

We love that this foundation is refillable and packaged in a glass bottle with a recyclable plastic pump and ashwood lid!

You can also buy Elate Cosmetics’ pressed foundation formulated with bentonite clay, jojoba oil, and Vitis vinifera. It delivers medium coverage with a semi-matte finish and is designed to moisturize, protect the skin, and repair collagen while mattifying and absorbing the skin’s oils. 

Elate Cosmetics plants a tree for every order and donates 2% of its profits to social and environmental causes! 


3. RMS Beauty

Refillable / Water-Resistant (ReEvolve)

Price: $52-58

RMS Beauty uses non-toxic, skin-loving ingredients to create makeup and skincare essentials that nourish the skin & enhance your natural beauty. 

The brand has two liquid foundations available in 16 different shades.

Its Uncoverup foundation provides medium to full coverage with a luminous, dewy finish while smoothing, nourishing, and blurring imperfections. 

Very hydrating, it is formulated with wild-crafted buriti oil, organic coconut oil, and RMS Beauty’s signature herbal blend. Silica also boosts the coverage of dark spots and redness. Plus, it is contained in a glass jar with a recycled plastic cap. 

You can also buy the company’s ReEvolve water-resistant, anti-aging foundation, which delivers smooth, long-lasting medium coverage with a satin, natural finish. Made with moisture-rich vegetable squalane, organic aloe vera, and an herbal blend, it will firm, tone, hydrate, and soften your skin. Non-comedogenic, it won’t clog your pores. 

We also love that this foundation is refillable and its outer carton is made of 100% post-consumer recycled waste! 


4. Fitglow Beauty

Vegan / Gluten-Free

Price: $55

Fitglow Beauty is a small woman-owned company selling skincare products and treatment makeup formulated with plant-based ingredients that are free of silicones, waxes, and heavy oils. 

Its products are particularly made for skin facing challenges such as redness, premature aging, dehydration, and sun damage. The brand’s foundation sold in 18 shades is a lightweight and buildable foundation that seamlessly blends on your skin. It provides medium coverage while creating a natural, skin-like finish.  

Fitglow Beauty’s foundation contains organic ingredients and an herbal blend of skin superfoods, which helps target loss of elasticity and radiance. It detoxifies and clarifies the skin while soothing and protecting it from environmental pollution. 

The foundation is also formulated with vitamin C, heartleaf, artemisia as well as licorice and bearberry extract, which brighten and even out skin complexion. It comes with a practical built-in doe foot wand applicator, and it is ethically made in small batches in the USA. 

The brand is certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and gives back to charities like environmental nonprofits and local women’s shelters.  


5. INIKA Organic

Vegan / Organic / SPF

Price: $45-55

INIKA Organic offers natural and organic skincare and makeup products that are effective and completely free of synthetic and nasty chemicals. Its makeup is infused with rich mineral pigments and pure botanical extracts to provide skincare benefits to the skin. 

The brand has different vegan foundations, from a classic liquid foundation with hyaluronic acid to a loose mineral foundation in powder form.

They are made with certified organic and natural ingredients such as magnolia bark, hectorite, and sugarcane extracts, green tea, or argan oil. 

Some of the mineral foundations even provide chemical-free SPF 25 sun protection to protect your skin against harmful UV rays. 

INIKA Organic does not test on animals, and it won many awards in the clean beauty industry in the past few years! It is also certified plastic-neutral, meaning that for every kilo of plastic it uses, a kilo is collected and recycled. The plastic is turned into fence posts to help rebuild devastated farming communities.


6. 100% PURE

Vegan / Gluten-Free / Fruit Pigmented / Made in USA

Price: $46-48

100% PURE is a California-based company providing organic and natural skincare and cosmetics. It has five non-toxic, fruit-pigmented foundations that deliver medium to full coverage and a variety of different finishes, from satin to matte to dewy. 

You can choose from liquid and pressed powder foundations sold in at least half a dozen shades.

What they have in common is that their formulas are full of beneficial nutrients and made with clean ingredients such as organic aloe vera juice (to soothe and hydrate the skin), turmeric extract, eucalyptus, acai berries, chamomile, or goji berries. 

100% PURE sources its pigments from fruits, tea, and vegetables to avoid commonly used artificial colorants and heavy metal dyes. The formulations are entirely free of harmful chemicals, synthetic preservatives, and artificial fragrances. 

The brand is also certified carbon-neutral and does not test on animals. Plus, at checkout, you get to choose whether you want 100% PURE to donate the cost of a tree to Trees For The Future or a vegan meal to a shelter dog in China.  


7. Rituel de Fille

Vegan / Gluten-Free

Price: $42

Rituel de Fille handcrafts makeup products focusing on uniquely bold, lasting colors. You can buy its 3 Drop Weightless serum foundation in 24 different shades, and you will love it no matter your skin type.

It provides buildable medium coverage but it is so lightweight that you will forget you are even wearing foundation! Its formula is cruelty-free, vegan, and made with natural ingredients like organic marula oil and rosemary leaf extract. 

Rituel de Fille also makes its foundation with JD Phyto-Or 1%, a hyper-potent carotenoid active. This active combines pure fermented phytoene, produced through mycelial fermentation in a zero-waste process, with organic jojoba oil. JD Phyto-Or 1% is proven to protect the skin barrier and support radiance, elasticity, firmness, and evenness of skin tone. 

The brand’s foundation creates the perfect glowy, natural finish! It is also gluten-free and formulated without fragrance, parabens, synthetic dyes, talc, PEGs, and phthalates. 


8. Juice Beauty

Vegan / Certified Organic Ingredients

Price: $45

Juice Beauty sells clinically validated skincare and vibrant plant-based makeup products formulated with organic ingredients.

Its Flawless serum foundation has a weightless texture and provides a long-lasting, buildable medium to full coverage.

It is made with plant-derived phyto-pigments that are infused into a unique base of USDA-certified organic botanicals. 

Its age-defying formula contains smoothing coconut alkanes to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, pores, and lines. Crushed rose phyto-pigments (rich in vitamins and color) are also added in addition to antioxidant-rich, organic grape seed oil, which helps with skin protective benefits. 

Juice Beauty also makes sure to include vitamins C and E for antioxidant protection, and organic aloe vera juice to soothe and hydrate the skin. 

The foundation comes in a glass bottle and is shipped in packaging made from recycled and FSC-certified materials. 

The brand won many awards and its products are cruelty-free, vegan, and approved by the Environmental Working Group. 


9. Ecco Bella

Vegan / Organic Ingredients / Gluten-Free

Price: $27

Ecco Bella is a cruelty-free makeup and skincare brand making beauty products using organic, plant-based ingredients. 

The company sells a natural liquid foundation that provides buildable coverage and a smooth application. Its pure, clean formula contains organic aloe vera, which has anti-aging properties, lightens blemishes, heals, and moisturizes the skin.

Ecco Bella’s foundation also features light-reflecting pigments that help shield your skin from blue light and enhance it with a subtle luminosity. Plus, it is formulated with natural clay, honeysuckle flower extract, and saccharide isomerate, a natural sugar that binds water to the skin, acting as a reservoir for continuous moisture. 

The foundation is long-lasting, non-comedogenic, and helps protect the skin from the aging effects of the environment. It is also free of parabens, talc, gluten, and artificial dyes. 

Ecco Bella sources its ingredients from ethical suppliers and is a Green America-certified business. 


10. Kjaer Weis

Certified Organic Ingredients / Refillable

Price: $46-70

Kjaer Weis is a sustainable beauty brand that makes zero-waste its priority with its refillable and sustainably packaged products. 

It has two natural foundations, both of which come in a variety of different shades. Made to even and smooth the skin, its Invisible Touch liquid foundation offers breathable and buildable coverage from a sheer tint to more medium coverage. It is hydrating and long-lasting and it will give you luminous, bright skin! 

Its lightweight formula contains a blend of cold-pressed oils and natural waxes, hyaluronic acid for sealing in hydration, and certified organic chamomile water to soothe and calm the skin. The foundation is also formulated with Kjaer Weis’ proprietary brightening extract, which builds a dewy glow and gives diffused radiance to your complexion. 

You can also get the brand’s refillable Cream foundation, designed to perfect your complexion and provide buildable, velvety coverage. You can either buy a refill or get it in one of its beautiful cases made from an alloy of metals or leather-looking red card paper. 


11. Well People

Vegan / EWG Verified / Derm Developed

Price: $27

Well People creates clean, cruelty-free makeup and skincare products powered by plants. It sells two vegan foundations made with natural ingredients, both of which are verified by the Environmental Working Group. 

Its Bio pressed powder foundation will hydrate your skin while effectively controlling shine, absorbing oils, and smoothing your complexion.

Its lightweight, talc-free formula is infused with clean ingredients like organic corn starch and olive-derived organic squalane. It also contains ultra-fine pigments that allow you to customize your coverage into a natural, semi-matte finish. 

You can also get Well People’s Bio Stick, a creamy multi-use foundation stick that blends into the skin and lasts all day. It provides a natural, satin finish and is designed to feel weightless on the skin. This foundation is formulated with castor seed oil, rejuvenating vitamin E, and safflower seed oil. Very versatile, you can use it as a foundation, bronzer, or concealer! 

The brand does not use any synthetic fillers, sulfates, fragrances, or preservatives. It also works with a Fair Trade Certified factory, and its boxes are printed on FSC-certified paper. 


12. Laws of Nature Cosmetics

Vegan

Price: $28-38

Laws of Nature Cosmetics is a black-owned cosmetics brand celebrating every shade and color of skin. It sells four foundations in diverse shades for your complexion needs.  

You can choose from two liquid foundations, a powder and a stick. They provide different coverages (from sheer to medium and full) and finishes (natural, semi-matte, and satin).

The brand formulates them with natural and organic ingredients and without silicones, talc, parabens, and artificial fragrances. 

Laws of Nature Cosmetics’ best-selling product is its Crème foundation, which blends easily and provides buildable medium coverage. This breathable, creamy formula contains vitamin E to help reduce UV damage to the skin. 

For a more multi-purpose product, choose the brand’s Complexion stick. You can use it as a foundation, bronzer, concealer, or contour stick! It is made with aloe vera and chamomile extracts and provitamin B5 to moisturize, soothe, and reduce skin inflammation.

Everything the company creates is handcrafted, vegan, and cruelty-free! 


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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14 Sustainable Vegan Shoe Brands for Cruelty-Free Fashion
 

Image: Bhava

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The Best Vegan Shoes That Are Also Sustainable

They’re the last thing we put on before heading out the door and yet they can make or break an outfit. Shoes are something that we put a lot of thought into before buying, and choosing the right brand to shop with is the first step in the process. 

We’re all trying to be more conscious about what we wear, and for some people, opting for vegan shoes instead of animal-based ones is the compassionate and environmentally friendly way of doing that. In this post we’ll take a look at what vegan shoes are made of, why they may be the more sustainable choice, and which brands are the ones to check out when you’re next shoe shopping!

Why should you shop vegan shoes?

The main reasons why people opt for vegan footwear are ethical and environmental. Animal welfare is a big issue in the fashion industry and choosing vegan alternatives is the best way to ensure you’re not contributing towards unnecessary cruelty towards animals. Cows, pigs, goats and sheep are commonly used to make leather shoes, and most of the leather produced today comes from countries with less or no animal welfare protections. 

The environmental impacts of using leather for fashion is also a key driver for people who are switching to animal-free alternatives. From the toxic chemicals used in tanning leather, to the high amounts of water and land use required to raise the animals, the damage caused to the planet by leather is no longer deniable. 

What types of materials are used for vegan shoes?

The main material used for footwear is leather, and so the vegan alternative to this would be any synthetic or natural-based leather that doesn’t include any animal ingredients. There are more vegan leathers coming into the fashion industry all the time, such as fruit waste leathers and bio-based materials, as well as some more traditional materials like cork, natural rubber and cotton. Even the glue used in footwear is sometimes made with animals, so vegan shoes will always use an alternative adhesive.

our top picks for sustainable vegan shoe brands

1. Nae Vegan Shoes

Materials: Piñatex, AppleSkin, Cork

Price: $39 - 248

Portuguese vegan footwear brand Nae Vegan Shoes (standing for No Animal Exploitation) was founded in 2008 and is well known for their beautiful animal-free footwear. Their sandals, sneakers, boots and heels, all with European-inspired designs, are made with Piñatex, AppleSkin, cork, rPET, and On Steam Bioeco, the first ecological microfiber obtained partially from corn and recycled polyester. 


2. Thousand Fell

Materials: Natural Rubber, Coconut Husk, Aloe Vera

Price: $125 - 135

Find your next pair of vegan sneakers with Thousand Fell. Created in different styles such as lace-up, slip-on, & court for both women and men, these shoes are known for their comfort as each sole is made from recycled yoga mats. Thousand Fell only sources materials that can either be biodegraded, recycled to make new shoes, or upcycled into materials for new projects. 


3. Matt & Nat

Materials: Recycled PU, AppleSkin, Canvas

Price: $18 - 250

Canadian-based vegan brand Matt & Nat has specialized in footwear, bags and accessories since it was founded in 1995. You can find every style of shoe here, from sandals and heels to sneakers and boots. Most of their styles are in black, cream or neutral tones, making it easy to pair them with nearly everything in your wardrobe.


4. Native

Materials: Bloom, Sugarlite

Price: $39 - 132

Native creates lightweight shoes and sandals in simple styles perfect for summer and boots that will keep you going through winter. Native uses innovative materials such as Bloom, made with algae and Sugarlite, a bio-based EVA made from sugarcane. You can even recycle your Native shoes and they’ll be turned into playground flooring!


5. Vivo Barefoot *

Materials: Bloom, rPET

Price: $120 - 230

Vivo make barefoot style shoes for both performance and lifestyle, including sneakers, hiking boots and even amphibian shoes - made for adventures along the shore! Vivo use animal-free materials in their vegan collection including Bloom (made from algae) and Vamp (made from rPET).  

*Vivo Barefoot has a vegan collection but is not wholly vegan


6. Stella McCartney

Materials: Alter Mat, VEGEA

Price: $550 - 1,895

Famously known for pioneering vegan fashion developments, British designer Stella McCartney has a huge range of vegan shoes if you’re looking for a touch of glamour. Check out their flats, sneakers, boots, wedges and heels in bold designs made with Alter Mat, a biobased vegan alternative to leather, and VEGEA, made from grape waste. 


7. Bhava

Materials: Italian Vegan Leather

Price: $95 - 289

Committed to protecting the victims of the fashion industry (the animals, the planet and the people), Bhava only uses animal-free leather for their boots, clogs, heels, sandals and flats. Their shoes are handmade in Portugal and each pair is tested for durability on the streets of New York. 


8. Rothy’s

Materials: Natural Rubber, Algae-Based Foam

Price: $119 - 189

Rothy’s creates shoes for women, men and children using various vegan materials, including natural rubber, algae-based foams, rPET, and TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane). Discover their flats, sandals, loafers, sneakers and mules in bright, colorful prints and versatile neutral tones.  


9. Will’s Vegan Store

Materials: Bio-based vegan leather

Price: $58 - 124

The online vegan department store that makes shopping vegan shoes as easy as anything! Find classic brogues and sleek loafers, perfect for office wear or special occasions. Will’s Vegan Store uses a vegan leather made from bio oil sourced from organic cereal crops grown in Northern Europe in a carbon-neutral process.


code: SUSTAINABLYCHIC10 for 10% off

10. Veerah

Materials: Apple Peel, Bamboo, rPET

Price: $100 - 498

Veerah uses sustainable vegan materials to create its shoes, including alternatives using apple peel, bamboo, and recycled plastic bottles. Shop their sandals, pumps, flats, mules, and boots in gorgeous prints, bright colors and unique styles. We adore the bridal collection they’ve put together to help you find the perfect pair for your special day!


11. Oka-B

Materials: Bio-based Material

Price: $38 - 78

For the cutest sandals and ballet flats, look no further than Oka-B. Originally made as a spa shoe, they feature arch support and massage beads to keep your feet pampered 24/7. All Oka-B shoes are made with a bio-based material that contains 45% soy by weight and is BPA, latex, rubber, and phthalate-free. Oka-B shoes are made in the USA & when you return your well-loved & worn shoes, they recycle them & send a 15% off coupon toward your next purchase. 


12. Etiko

Materials: Natural Rubber, Organic Cotton

Price: $20 - 95

Australian brand Etiko specializes in organic, vegan, feel-good fashion and has a range of footwear, including sneakers, flip-flops and flats. Using natural rubber and 100% organic cotton, they create Fairtrade footwear that you can feel good knowing your footprints are that much lighter on the planet!


13. Okabashi

Materials: Bio-based Material

Price: $24.99 - 35.99

Okabashi makes vegan flip-flops, sandals, and ballet flats designed with circularity principles so they can be recycled at the end of their life. The shoes are made in the USA and are molded from a proprietary, recyclable material that is 40% US-grown soy by weight. Comfort is key to Okabashi, and each shoe is designed to last a lifetime - unlike your usual flip-flop.


14. Thesus

Materials: rPET, cork

Price: $138 - 209

Thesus is a socially and environmentally progressive brand of outdoor footwear and accessories. Find weekend and rain boots, and stylish clogs in earth tones and bright yellows, greens and reds. Based in Canada, Thesus is BIPOC woman-owned and women-led, and they manufacture their footwear in Portugal, ensuring the workers are paid a living wage.


About the Author

Sarah King 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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15 Meditation Apps for Sleep, Anxiety & Mindfulness
 

the best meditation apps

Meditation has been proven to reduce stress, improve sleep and encourage a healthier sense of self overall. Despite these benefits, however, meditation remains challenging for most people. Our busy lives lead to busy minds, and it can be hard to quiet our thoughts and sit still to reap the benefits that mindfulness and meditation have to offer.

Fortunately, there are many apps designed to help guide you through a meditative moment. Whether you’re brand new to meditation or you’re looking for something different, the wide range of options available means there’s something for everyone. In this list, you’ll learn about 15 popular meditation apps for sleep and anxiety — including what types of meditations they have, how much they cost, and how their offerings stack up against the rest. Simply choose the app for you, press play, and prepare for all your stressors to fall away.

our top picks for Meditation Apps:

1. Insight Timer

Best for: All-in-one app for sleep, meditation, and education

Price: Free for basic access, $9.99/month for Member Plus

Insight Timer is one of the most popular meditation apps, meaning it also has one of the largest content libraries.

In addition to daily meditations and relaxation, this app offers a wealth of sleep-specific meditations, bedtime stories, and soundscapes that can help you sleep better and wake up feeling more relaxed. If you’re looking for more insight around the art of mindfulness, this app has an insightful talks and courses section with topics ranging from beginner spirituality building sustainable happiness habits, some of which require a Member Plus membership.


2. Balance

Best for: A tailored meditation experience

Price: First year free, second year starting at $11.99/month

Balance is a meditation app with a unique premise: it adapts to your preferences and growth over time. Every time you log in, you’ll be prompted to answer questions about how you feel, what your goals are, and more.

That information is used to tailor your experience over time, so that you’re given specific meditations selected from their vast library of content. Balance also offers fresh experiences, such as vibration-based immersive meditations, and detailed tracking that shows how far you’ve come and which skills you’re strengthening.


3. Waking Up

Best for: Grounding meditations, but also philosophical insights on the practice of meditation

Price: $19.99/month

Touted as “A new operating system for your mind,” Waking Up goes beyond the practice of meditation by offering tangible knowledge and thought-provoking conversations about what meditation is — and why it matters.

Created by neuroscientist and author Sam Harris, this app also has a daily mindfulness reminder that grounds and inspires you for the day ahead. By understanding the purpose of meditation, Waking Up helps you cut through the fluff to see real progress in the areas of mental health, sleep, gratitude, relationships and so much more.


4. Calm

Best for: Sleep stories

Price: $14.99/month ($399.99 for life)

Calm is another popular meditation app with a huge library, and in recent years, they’ve expanded their offerings to include more sleep-specific content.

Aside from basic breath-focused meditations, their greatest differentiator is their sleep stories, in which beloved actors like Kate Winslet and Idris Elbra narrate stories that take you to fantastical, relaxing worlds as you drift asleep. They also have many soundscapes, such as rainforest noises or beach noises, that can calm your busy mind.


5. Slumber

Best for: Sleep meditations

Price: Free

Slumber is a sleep-focused app that offers a few different content types for falling asleep. For one, their dream stories immerse you in specific experiences, such as going for a dive in the ocean, that help you stop worrying before falling asleep.

Their sleep meditations also have the same effect, yet with greater focus on breathing techniques and relaxation as you’re encouraged to let go of your previous day and focus on peacefully drifting off.


6. Headspace

Best for: Beginners

Price: $69.99/year or $12.99/month

Headspace is known for having a wide range of accessible, beginner-friendly meditations. Choose from goals like more focus, better sleep, and more gratitude, then decide on your length of commitment and narrator of choice.

Headspace makes it easy to start small, with short meditations that aren’t overwhelming and helpful reminders for when to meditate, what to try next, and how far you’ve come on your mindfulness journey.


7. Healthy Minds Program

Best for: Science-backed meditations and philosophy

Price: Free

Similar to Waking Up, the Healthy Minds program app emphasizes its scientific foundations and is based on four decades of neuroscience research.

It offers podcast-style lessons on what it means to be well in our modern world. Additionally, you can find seated and active meditations ranging from five to thirty minutes in length, making it great for busy people. Lastly their Healthy Minds Report gives you a quick overview of how far you’ve come and what skills you’re gaining.


8. Smiling Mind

Best for: Programs to do with kids, short meditations

Price: Free

Smiling Mind is an Australian-created meditation app designed to offer easy, family-friendly meditations. This evidence-based app has programs for goals like stress, relationships, wellbeing, mindful eating, and much more, so there’s something for everyone.

They also have a section just for teens, which is an added bonus given the current youth mental health crisis. They suggest using their app for just ten minutes a day to see lasting change.


9. iBreathe

Best for: Programs to do with kids, short meditations

Price: Free

iBreathe is a minimalist app focused specifically on helping you and your family reap the benefits of focused breathwork. This simple app has classic breathing exercises (like the 4-7-8- breath), but also allows flexibility to create your own breathing methods based on the foundational skills you learn.

It also has an option for adding alerts that remind you to take deep breaths throughout the day, which shows you just how much a small change can have a major impact.


10. Sleepiest

Best for: A mix of sleep stories, sounds, and meditations

Price: $9.99/month

Sleep sounds, sleep stories, and relaxing meditations make up the bulk of content available on the Sleepiest app, which has a library of over 1130 programs.

This award-winning app is known for its creative, soothing bedtime stories for people of all ages. Their sleep sounds include everything from ocean waves to white noise, so you can use this app to try out different sleep experiences and find the best for you.


11. Ten Percent Happier

Best for: Bite-sized wisdom about mindfulness and life along with meditations

Price: $8.33/month, billed annually at $99.99

With Ten Percent Happier, you’ll find a wide library of meditations — and so much more. Started by Dan Harris, who decided to transform his relationship to stress after he had a panic attack on live TV, the content here is made to help you overcome life’s daily challenges.

This means you’ll find insightful courses and challenges designed to help the everyday person excel at meditation, no matter how new you are to the practice.


12. BetterSleep

Best for: Sound-mixing and personalization

Price: $9.99/ month, $59.99/year, or $249.99/life

BetterSleep is one app that delivers on its name. Like other sleep-focused apps, you’ll find meditations and sounds designed to foster better rest. BetterSleep differs from other apps, however, with its personalization experiences.

For example, you can mix sounds to create the perfect soundscape — whether you’re adding binaural beats with river noises or cranking up the white noise crackle in the background. This sound-mixing element is a great way to find the perfect sounds to help you drift off in peace.


13. Simple Habit

Best for: Busy people who need a quick, effective reset

Price: $11.99/month, $89.99/year, $299.99/life

While most meditation apps have short meditations, Simple Habit is created with busy people in mind. They specialize in five-minute meditations that can be done in the morning or at night.

They also have daily motivations and inspirations that can encourage you to start your day with the right mindset. There are also quick, sweet meditations for kids. Featured on Shark Tank, Simple Habit has tens of thousands of ratings that show just how beneficial it can be.


14. FitMind

Best for: Science-backed mindfulness skill-building

Price: $19.99/month $99.99/year 

Backed by neuroscientists, FitMind offers a 30-day meditation program that helps you strengthen your mindfulness abilities in just one month. Users can access mental fitness charts that score their progress, as well as scientific techniques that boost their understanding of mindfulness along the way.

FitMind takes mindfulness to the next level by seeing it as a skill that anyone can learn and strengthen with the right tools.


15. Breethe

Best for: Dealing with daily frustrations, hypnosis

Price: $12.99/ month

Breethe is a meditation app that targets the daily frustrations of normal people. For example, you can find meditations that muse on ideas about the difficulties of doing taxes or the frustrations of dealing with a rude boss.

Additionally, Breethe offers multiple mindfulness courses, including 7-day, 30-day and 90-day courses that hone your focus skills. At the same time, you can find a range of one-time meditations, sounds, bedtime stories, and even hypnotherapy courses.


About the Author

Michelle Polizzi is an independent writer and storyteller with 7 years of experience creating content online. Her writing has appeared in leading publications like Bitch, WELL+GOOD, Insider, and Healthline, and she covers topics like sustainable living, mental health, and intersectional feminism. Currently, she's pursuing an MFA in creative writing.


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