The Best Sustainable Winter Boots for Dry, Warm & Happy Feet (2024)

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Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Winter Boots for women

BECAUSE COLD FEET CAN RUIN A GOOD TIME…

Stay warm and eco-friendly this winter with our best sustainable winter boots selection. Whether hiking in the snow or strolling through the city, these boots are designed to keep your feet cozy while minimizing your environmental impact. Our carefully curated collection features eco-conscious brands that prioritize sustainability without compromising on style or performance.

You'll find options made from recycled materials, natural fibers, and innovative technologies that reduce waste and carbon footprint. These boots are not only built to last but also provide exceptional insulation and traction, so you can confidently venture outside this winter. There's something for everyone, from vegan-friendly options to brands dedicated to fair trade artisan crafts. Make a positive impact this winter by choosing boots that prioritize both your warmth and the planet's well-being. Stay warm, stylish, and eco-conscious this season!

Need a pair of boots for men? Check out this post - here -

WHAT MAKES A SHOE SUSTAINABLE?

When it comes to sustainable shoes, there are many things we look for - Who makes them? What are they made from? Can we wear them for years to come? Seeing transparency within the supply chain is very important to us at Sustainably Chic. We want to ensure the person making the shoes is treated well and makes a fair wage.

Now, Our Top Picks for Sustainable Winter Boots:

1. All-Weather Amalia Boot

Brand | Nisolo

Price | $260

Nisolo is a certified B Corp and Carbon Neutral company known for making ethical shoes. They have been leading the way in paying living wages and creating an ethical work environment. They publish their wages and are very transparent about who makes their products and where. This classic combat boot is designed to provide stability and structure in style in just about any environment - and it comes in 4 different colors!

Shop All-Weather Amalia Boot

2. The Weekend Boot

Brand | Thesus (Vegan)

Price | $198

I own a pair of their rainboots, and I haven’t bought a new pair for several years, now. They are my go-tos!

I’ve noticed recently they have a new boot called the Weekend Boot & it comes in over 10 different colors. It’s a 4-in-1 hiking boot that will be your new outdoor staple. Each pair is vegan, cruelty-free and made with recycled ocean plastic.

Shop The Weekend Boot

3. Caturi

Brand | Cariuma (Vegan)

Price | $129

The CATURI boot from Cariuma is water-repellent and crafted for total warmth - even the insoles are lined! They are inspired by classic mountaineering shoes and handcrafted using high-performance vegan suede and an ultra-plush vegan shearling lining made from recycled materials. Plus, for every pair purchased, they plant two trees!

Shop Caturi

4. Insulated Dock Boots

Brand | Will’s Vegan Store

Price | $132

These have been one of Will's Vegan Store's most popular boots since they launched in 2015.

The Insulated Dock Boot comes with ankle support, padding around the collar, and lace hooks to tighten them up. They are all made in Portugal, are certified carbon neutral, and can be returned to be recycled at the end of their use.

Shop Insulated Dock Boots

5. High Boots

Brand | Lanius

Price | $182

Made from vegetable-tanned leather, this classic boot is soft with a thin lining of wool fleece. An inside zipper makes it easy to take on and off, and the thick rubber sole makes the boot a perfect companion for wind and weather. Lanius has been creating fair & organic fashion since 1999!

Shop High Boots

6. Sea Shepherd Ankle Boots

Brand | Nae (Vegan)

Price | $123

These timeless ankle boots are free from environmental toxins and cruelty-free. They are made from piñatex, a vegan material created from pineapple leaves waste. There is also a cushioned lining made of organic cotton that is warm, breathable, antimicrobial, and prevents suffocation and bad odors.

Shop Sea Shepherd Ankle Boots

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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.

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Sustainable Valentine’s Day Gifts

If you’re in need of some positivity and joy to get you through the rest of January, it might be time to start thinking about, and looking forward to, Valentine’s Day! Now, maybe more than ever, it’s so important to celebrate the happy times of the year and surround ourselves with friends and family when we can. Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to remind your loved ones how much you appreciate them, but also to treat yourself with self-love and kindness. Whether you’re in a long-term relationship, dating someone new or just trying to show yourself some love, this is the perfect chance to express your feelings of love, gratitude and appreciation.

While it has been turned into an overly commercialized holiday, Valentine's Day does have deep historical roots. Also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, Valentine's Day is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, through ongoing folk traditions, became a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love all over the world.

What makes Valentine’s Day unsustainable?

From the 20th Century, Valentine’s Day has become more about the ‘stuff’, and less about the sentiment. There is a big focus on the gifts, as well as cards, candy, flowers, and decorations. As the holiday grows bigger each year, so does the pressure on people to buy more for their Valentine! According to the National Retail Federation, Valentine’s Day 2021 saw $21.8B spent on gifts for partners, friends, and even pets in the U.S., with the average person spending $165.

From foil balloons that don’t biodegrade to the bunches of flowers thrown away days after purchasing, Valentine’s Day is riddled with unsustainable practices. For example, approximately 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year in the U.S. It takes 1 tree to produce 3000 cards, meaning over 48,000 trees are cut down to make Valentine’s Day cards each year for the U.S. alone. Another reason that Valentine’s Day is so unsustainable is due to the fact that many products are created purely for this one day, often as a novelty item, so they hold very little relevance for the rest of the year. This leads to people throwing away gifts after receiving them and adding to the extreme waste issue, which, in turn, adds to the climate crisis.

Can you have a sustainable Valentine’s Day?

Living a sustainable life shouldn’t mean that you have to miss out on celebrations with your loved ones and fun holidays. Taking a more mindful approach to the day can help you avoid unsustainable traditions and come up with more meaningful ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year.

If you ditch the one-day novelties, avoid buying too much, and really think about something your partner would love and treasure for a long time, you’re already on track for a much more sustainable Valentine’s Day!

While gifts are a wonderful way to show your love to the special person in your life, there’s nothing stopping you from coming up with something different this year. You could plan a romantic day trip together, make a home cooked meal to have on the day, or get crafty and make your partner something homemade!

Our top picks for sustainable Valentine’s Day gifts

If you’re looking for something special that will show your affection to your loved one, as well as showing some love to the planet, we’ve put together a list of sustainable gift ideas for Valentine’s Day. These gifts are eco-friendly and ethically produced, ensuring you’ll have a clear conscience and a full heart on February 14th.

1. Heart Necklace

$125

Jewelry makes a wonderful gift for Valentine’s Day, especially if it’s from an ethical, sustainable designer. The Laura Elizabeth Heart necklace is cast in 100% recycled brass, and can be either 14 karat gold or sterling silver plated, depending on your loved one’s preference. These necklaces are also ‘mama-friendly’ as the two-chain and double-looped design protects it from tugging toddlers! Plus, Laura actually makes each and every necklace by hand herself!

Shop Heart Necklace

2. Fair Trade Chocolate

Today, the average African cacao farmer only makes around $0.50-$0.84 a day. According to the Cocoa Initiative, an estimated 30,000 children and adults were subjected to forced labor somewhere in the cocoa supply chain over the five year period between 2013-2017.

Fortunately, we have a post dedicated to the sustainability of chocolate, so you know what you buy beforehand!

Read about Ethics of Chocolate

3. Weighted Blanket

$199+

A weighted blanket is perhaps not the traditional Valentine’s Day token, but is guaranteed to give your loved one what they most desire - a good night’s sleep! Bearaby have created these silky-soft blankets, naturally weighted to promote better, deeper sleep and describes them as “an all-over, calming cuddle”. Using only sustainable materials such as organic cotton and TENCEL, you and your partner can sleep soundly knowing your blanket is doing its part for the environment.

Shop Weighted Blanket

4. Reusable Water Bottle

$35+

How cute is this Klean Kanteen water bottle? This Limited Edition 20 oz insulated water bottle is made from 90% recycled stainless steel. It is leak-proof, dishwasher safe, and its Climate Lock™ keeps contents iced for up to 59 hours! Klean Kanteen is a Certified B Corp brand, Climate Neutral Certified, and Family and employee-owned. If you want a reusable cup, this is the brand to check out. They also have this adorable heart print coffee tumblr!

Shop Klean Kanteen Water Bottle

5. DIY ‘ Sand’ Candles

$36-281

Are you looking to create a romantic candle setup? Chameleon Sand Candles are the perfect way to bring that beautiful light ambiance to your evening in a non-toxic way. The sand-like mixture is plant-based and fragrance-free, allowing you to add your own essential oils to create a scent unique to your home. Another great thing about these candles is that you can use your own vessels repeatedly to avoid excess waste!

Shop Chameleon Sand Candles

6. Houseplant Subscription

$50+

Why give someone a bunch of flowers that only lasts a few days when you can give them a plant to own forever! As most millennials and Gen-Z’s know, what’s better than just one houseplant? Several. The Sill offers a monthly houseplant subscription box to help you bring the outdoors in and elevate your mood and space. Choose from classic or pet friendly plans, pick your ceramic planter and enjoy your monthly surprise easy-care houseplant!

Shop Houseplant Subscription

Read more about sustainability in flowers here!

7. Bouquet of Flowers

$35+

If flowers are more your partner's thing, you can opt for a sustainable alternative from Bouqs. They partner with sustainable farms that minimize waste, recycle water, and protect workers’ well-being. This also means their flowers stay fresher and last longer. Choose from roses, lilies, tulips, sunflowers, or even succulents to surprise your loved one this Valentine’s Day!

Shop Flower Bouquets

8. Fireside Favorites

$119

Are you a camping couple or love a beach BBQ? Spend Valentine’s Day doing what you do best with all the added perks this year. This gift set from Packed With Purpose has everything you need for cuddling up by the fire, including a polar fleece blanket made with 100% recycled materials, organic popcorn kernels, milk chocolate s’mores bar and gourmet hot chocolate mix!

Shop Fireside Favorites

9. Redwood Succulent Heart Kit

$59

Made in California, this succulent kit is perfect for DIYers and plant lovers. The kit features a heart-shaped frame crafted of reclaimed redwood and six succulents. Not only is it a gift that lives on through the years, but knowing it is eco-conscious and reusing reclaimed natural materials makes it even better!

Shop Succulent Kit

10. A Getaway for Two

$100+ per night

Getaway’s cozy cabins provide restorative stays in nature where your loved ones can take a break from work, wifi, and routines.

This is the perfect gift for those people who prefer experiences to things, are hard to shop for, enjoy the outdoors, or just deserve a little retreat from their busy life.

Shop Getaway Cabins

11. Non-Toxic Nail Polish Gift Box

$53

It took Sundays a whole year to develop the perfect 10-free, non-toxic, vegan, and cruelty-free formula that could still deliver high-shine and long-lasting brilliant color.

Their gift boxes allow you to choose three colors, making it a great customizable gift for your partner!

Shop Non-Toxic Nail Polish

12. Ethical Lingerie

Unfortunately, the majority of lingerie sets on the market are made unethically, at the cost of the planet.

They fall apart after a few wears and you quickly need to repurchase new ones.

The good news is that you can find undies & bras in line with your values.

Many brands are making fancy, more sustainable lingerie sets, produced with workers’ wellbeing in mind.

Shop Our Ethical Lingerie Favorites

13. Reusable Bags for V-Day Treats

It’s no secret we love Stasher bags here at Sustainably Chic!

Stasher is one of the best alternatives for resealable plastic bags. They have tons of sizes for snacks, sandwiches, fruits, and vegetables. They are microwave-safe, waterproof, and dishwasher-safe - plus, they make great for gift giving because who wouldn’t want to receive yummy treats in a colorful bag they can reuse?!

Shop Reusable Bags

14. Gift Card to A Sustainable Online Marketplace

Not sure what to gift this year for Valentine’s Day? Gift Cards are always a great solution to this dilemma! We have a list of amazing online marketplaces focusing on sustainable goods only. If your partner is interested in living zero-waste - or a bit more eco-friendly - then this is a perfect start for them!

See Online Marketplaces

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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where to find eco-friendly & sustainable toys for kids

Looking for eco-friendly toys that are both fun and sustainable? Look no further! In this article, we will unveil the top 13 eco-friendly toy brands for kids that will not only entertain but also promote a greener and healthier future. With environmental consciousness on the rise, parents are increasingly seeking toys made from sustainable materials, non-toxic & lasting. Our carefully curated list includes toys that tick all these boxes, ensuring your little ones can play without harming the planet. We have something for every age group and interest, from wooden puzzles to organic plush toys. These toys are safe for children and inspire their imagination, creativity, and love for nature. So, join us as we explore the world of eco-friendly toys and discover the best options that are kind to both children and the environment. Let's play responsibly and create a brighter future for our kids, one toy at a time!

While shopping secondhand is one of the best ways to get sustainable toys for kids, there are a few brands that are super planet-friendly and make amazing toys for babies, toddlers & kids!

Of course, we always recommend shopping at local stores, too, if you have them. It’s wonderful to keep small businesses thriving, especially when there is so much competition within the toy market.

What we Look for In a Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Toy

As many of you know, the majority of toys you find today are made with plastic and often of poor quality, making it hard to pass down to other children. When we add brands to this post, we ensure they use conscious materials that withstand many years of play. We also look at the brand as a whole to see other ways they implement sustainability - from their workers to their packaging and more.

Our Favorite Non-Toxic, Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Toy Brands:

1. Playper

Adventure awaits your kids ages 3 and up! Kids build, play, and unleash their imaginations in the Curious Kingdom, Playper’s new plastic-free playsets. Parents love the quality and velvety feel of the toys, and kids love the story-driven characters. Kids can enjoy a castle playset, a gnome catapult (it really works!), a dragon trainer set, and Story Starters, which invites kids to make up their own fun stories and silly tales. All the toys in the Curious Kingdom line come with tons of imaginative playtime and stories!

Shop Playper

2. Reusable Water Balloons

If you have children, I'm sure they have begged you for water balloons at some point.

My son loves throwing water balloons, but I can not stand how wasteful they are.

When I came across these Reusable Water Balloons from Soppycid, I thought, 'What an amazing alternative!'.

Soppycid is the inventor of Self-Sealing Reusable Water Balloons - the first reusable water balloons in the world that can be used over 1000 times.

It is the only reusable water balloon brand approved by CPSC-Accepted Testing Laboratories: SGS, UL, and TÜV Rheinland.

They are made of gentle silicone so that you can ensure safe play for children without any harm.

The mess-free water balloons are easy to use; just sink them in water, filling them up in 1 second!

Play it anywhere anytime, even with no taps. Find them in 4, 8, 12 or 16 pieces - and a pretty glitter option!

Shop Reusable Water Balloons by Soppycid

3. Lovevery

Lovevery is probably most famous for its baby play mat, which features activities and colors for a baby’s development in the first 12 months. However, they also have these fantastic play kits you can have delivered to your door every two months as your child grows. Every piece of wood that comes with The Play Kits is sourced from FSC-compliant sustainable sources, using soft, natural, 100% organic cotton. They also ship carbon neutral through projects that offset any carbon they emit while shipping.

Shop Lovevery

4. PlanToys

This lovely toy brand prides its business model on three pillars: Sustainable Materials, Sustainable Manufacturing, and Sustainable Mind.

PlanToys uses rubber trees and sawdust called “PlanWood,” made from surplus sawdust and wood chips from production reformed using a thermal process. They finish their products with a chemical-free kiln-drying process to ensure they last for years.

Shop Plantoys

5. Cleanable Splash Bath Toys

This is another excellent alternative from Soppycid to a problem we encountered in our home.

My son was gifted some splash toys, and I quickly realized there was no way I could truly clean the inside. I had heard of children getting infections because of mold within these popular bath toys and decided to throw all of them out because I could never be sure they were clean.

With these Soppycid bath toys, you can pull them apart and give them a genuine clean.

No more worrying about what is happening inside of your bath toys! Kids love splash toys in the tub, and these are so fun.

Shop Cleanable Splash Bath Toys by Soppycid

6. Clixo

For those who like to be more creative, Clixo is an innovative tool for kids to click and construct 3D creations from flexible 2D shapes and powerful magnets. The possibilities are endless for what you can create! Each piece is made from recyclable materials that are non-toxic and kid-safe. Plus, their packaging is recyclable, compostable, and made of bamboo pulp and kraft paper.

Shop Clixo

7. Cassarokids

We're sure you have seen this brand grace your Instagram and beautiful nursery photos on Pinterest. These play sets are made to last and created using sustainably-sourced wood from the forests of New Zealand. The beech and birch trees are cut carefully to preserve the ecosystem, and a new one is planted for every tree cut. Plus, they use only recycled cardboard and paper during shipping making their products plastic-free.

Shop Cassarokids

8. Micro Kickboard

Micro Kickboard is well-known for their kid scooters and fun helmets, but recently they released an ECO scooter made from recycled, discarded fishnets. The Mini Deluxe is $90 and is for 2-5-year-olds, and the Maxi Deluxe is $140 and is for ages 5-12. They both come with a gold standard 2-year manufacturer's warranty. Truly an excellent buy, and your children will spend years using them!

Shop Micro Kickboard

9. eco-kids

A family-based business from Portland, Maine, eco-kids started with one product - an eco-dough Cammie’s (the owner) mother used to make when she was little. They expanded on this product and created several different non-toxic arts and crafts supplies. The ingredients used are safe for children and made from things like non-GMO flour, vitamin E, and essential oils. They are some of the best kid’s art supplies around!

Shop Eco-Kids

10. Green Toys

This is one of our favorite sustainable toy brands for kids! Every Green Toys design is made from 100% recycled plastic, primarily from milk jugs. Everything is manufactured here in the USA, and the milk jugs are collected, cleaned, and reprocessed into raw recycled plastic before being mixed with food-safe, mineral-based color dyes. They have many different toys, but their bathtime ones are always a big hit!

Shop Green Toys

11. Le Toy Van

Another wonderful wooden toy brand, Le Toy Van is a small but big-hearted family company. They have been making wooden toys since 1995, and all are ethically made with sustainable materials.

They use and replant a by-product of the rubber industry, Rubberwood, which they, along with other woods, recycle into eco-friendly, high-quality toys. Many seem to LOVE Le Toy Van & they have won numerous awards.

Shop Le Toy Van

12. Tegu

The blocks are all specially designed to work together, and it’s amazing what you can build with them.

Tegu toys - all responsibly-made in Honduras - are known to help support childhood development from fine motor skills to story telling.

They make toys for babies to kids over 8, and you can find them at your local Target!

Shop Tegu

13. Cuddle & Kind

1 Doll = 10 Meals

The owners of cuddle+kind wanted to create a sustainable stream of giving that wouldn’t rely on donations. Since September 2015, the sales of their adorable little dolls have helped provide over 13 million meals to children in need! Every cuddle+kind doll is handmade, stitch by stitch, with much love in Peru. They are hand-knit, hand-loomed, embroidered & crocheted by traditional artisans.

Shop Cuddle & Kind

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The Best Ethical & Sustainable Jewelry

People have adorned themselves with jewelry and decoration for as long as 75,000 years. Today though, some jewelry is made at a significant cost to both the planet and the people making them. So, how can we continue to accessorize with sustainability and ethics in mind?

The jewelry industry is stepping up to the challenge in a world that is becoming increasingly aware of the need for sustainability. Sustainable jewelry is not only exquisite and beautiful but also carries a profound purpose. With a commitment to social and environmental causes, sustainable jewelry brands are positively impacting communities. Their efforts contribute to fair trade practices, support local artisans, and promote eco-consciousness among consumers. This article delves into the brands leading the way in sustainable jewelry, highlighting their unique designs and the stories behind the pieces. Discover how sustainable jewelry is not just about adorning oneself but also about making a meaningful difference in the world. Join the revolution of conscious consumers who appreciate the beauty of jewelry with a purpose!

What Makes This Jewelry Sustainable?

When it comes to sustainable jewelry, there are many things we look for - Who makes it? What is it made from? Can you wear the piece for years to come? Transparency within the supply chain is so important to us. We want to make sure the person creating the jewelry is treated fairly and the planet is kept in mind during the entire process.

What Sustainable Materials Should Jewelry Brands Use?

There are also several materials we like to look for, like recycled metals and lab-grown gems. We have enough gold and silver circulating on this planet to reuse and not mine for more, and these brands are taking advantage of that! Also, the mining of precious gems is full of unethical practices, so sustainable brands are starting to create their gems in labs, reuse old gems or work with Fairmined sourcing (as well as other sustainable certifications).

You can read more about ethics and sustainability within the jewelry industry here.

Also, click to check out all of our favorite earrings!

Many minimalist designs below are perfect for any outfit, and you can feel confident they are easy on the planet and fair to the makers.

Our Top Picks for Sustainable Jewelry Brands:

1. Bario Neal

Price: $130-$5K

The team at Bario Neal was inspired to create pieces of jewelry representing deeply felt experiences, loves, and losses—armor, glitter, and vessels for meaning and value. But from the very start, they were committed to doing things in a way that’s better for the earth, the people and communities within the supply chain, and their customers. An industry leader in ethical sourcing and mindful production, Bario Neals’s jewelry reflects individualism, gender and marriage equality, and conscious values rooted in ethical origin from mine to market.

Shop Bario Neal

2. Valley Rose

Price: $98 - 1,820

This stunning jewelry is designed and handcrafted by Northern California-based designer Brittany Groshong. Each design is made with a technique called lost-wax casting. Valley Rose uses the highest quality and ethical materials like Fairmined gold and traceable conflict-free gemstones. The mystery and beauty of the cosmos inspire the collection. Their new zodiac constellation pendants make for the perfect everyday necklace!

Shop Valley Rose

3. Truvai

Price: $80-411

Truvai is a conscious, luxurious jewelry brand that creates micro-batch collections handmade by master artisans around the globe.

Pronounced /tro͞oˈvī/, Truvai means a lucky find; a chance encounter with something wonderful — and their pieces are just that! The brand was founded by Canadian designer Jenny Lillian, who works with artisans in Kenya, Indonesia, and Afghanistan using traditional handmade techniques.

Truvai focuses on creating the maximum positive social impact while using environmentally conscious & locally sourced materials. Their collections unite in a commitment to sustainability, empowerment, and cultural preservation — offering artisans a pathway out of generational poverty in Kenya, supporting Afghan jewelers affected by conflict, and preserving traditional Balinese techniques in Indonesia. If you love pearl earrings, we suggest checking out the gorgeous Fay earrings made with locally sourced mabe pearls. For a perfect everyday piece, look no further than the Margo Cuff bracelet, which contributes to the artisans' city's cleanup through upcycled local scrap metal. Truvai offers free shipping within the USA & Canada and affordable flat-rate shipping for international orders.

use code CHIC10 for 10% off your purchase

Shop Truvai

4. Aiden Jae

Price: $55-485

Aiden Jae creates beautiful everyday jewelry made for you to live in. This woman-owned jewelry brand uses 100% recycled gold and conflict-free, responsibly sourced gemstones. For fine jewelry, their prices are accessible, and their minimalistic designs make it perfect for pairing with every outfit.

We love their signature texture in the Banyan collection, inspired by the distinctive roots of the Banyan tree. For those who like a little sparkle, we suggest their Star Light, Star Bright collection, which features diamonds, white sapphires, and rainbow moonstones.

Aiden Jae’s manufacturing partners are certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council.

To top it all off, Aiden Jae uses eco-friendly packaging and carbon-neutral shipping, and they are a member of 1% for the Planet!

use code SUSTAINABLYCHIC for 15% off your purchase

Shop Aiden Jae

5. Aid Through Trade

Price: $15 - 62

Aid Through Trade (one of the founding members of the Fair Trade Federation!) is the original creator of the famous Roll-On® Bracelet. Now, the brand employs over 200 female artisans in Nepal. All of their Roll-On® Bracelets are made with the highest quality glass beads and hand-dyed cotton thread and come with a lifetime guarantee. They fit most wrists and come in a variety of colors.

code: SUSTAINABLYCHIC30 for 30% off

Shop Aid Through Trade

6. illi

Price: $195 - 625

All of illi’s gorgeous and minimalistic pieces are made from lab-grown gemstones, and 100% recycled solid precious metals. This is one of the few brands that offer not only lab-grown diamond jewelry but also other gems like alexandrite, ruby, and sapphire! In addition, they carry necklaces, earrings, and bracelets that have a clean, simple aesthetic for true timelessness. The team at illi is committed to sustainability and is constantly improving its processes every step of the way.

Shop illi

7. Laura Elizabeth

Price: $65 - 265

Austin-based Laura Elizabeth Jewelry is a timeless, elevated, and accessible jewelry line. Many of her designs are made directly from nature; whether it’s bark from an Austin oak tree, a starfish, or succulents, these organic pieces are classic yet unique. You can swim, sweat, shower, and sleep in your LEJ necklaces, and the rings are adjustable and stackable.

Shop Laura Elizabeth

8. Able

Price: $20 - 120

Able is a fashion brand that empowers and employs women to help them escape poverty. Initially, the company offered jobs to Ethiopian women from the commercial sex industry, but they have since expanded, and the jewelry is made in-house in Nashville, TN. Their jewelry collection is perfect for everyday wear and has several customizable options!

Shop ABLE

9. Obakki

Price: $22 - 102

Available in both 18K gold plated and silver plated, each piece from Obakki’s gorgeous jewelry collection is made by one of their artisan partners. The team at Obakki loves taking something forgotten and turning it into something beautiful and new, so almost everything is made from upcycled and locally sourced materials. Obakki also carries artisan-made and small-batch home goods, skincare, organic apparel, and more. You’ll love this shop!

Shop Obakki

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10. Ten Thousand Villages

Price: $5 - 210

More than just a store, this market-to-market movement connects us to some of the most talented artisans worldwide. Our purchase is directly contributing to sustainable livelihoods and keeping crafts original.

Every product celebrates culture and the planet, so you know not one is compromised for the other. They have an extensive jewelry collection for anyone’s taste - we LOVE these earrings!

Shop Ten Thousand Villages

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11. Made Trade

Price: $30 - 198

This online destination has you covered with almost any aesthetic within jewelry but has an extensive collection of minimalistic designs. While shopping through the collection, you can learn about each piece's values. Is it Fair Trade? Is it Made in the USA? Is it POC owned? It's genuinely a different experience, unlike anything else you find online. They have so many brands under one roof that you don't have to search far.

Shop Made Trade

12. Ana Luisa

Price: $30-250

Ana Luisa is a sustainable jewelry brand on a mission to show the world that high-quality jewelry should not cost the planet. It crafts beautiful earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets, which are ideal for wearing on a special occasion but will also spruce up your outfits if worn daily. Ana Luisa’s pieces are produced in limited batches and made of gold-plated brass (with a thick layer of recycled gold) or recycled Sterling silver.

Shop Ana Luisa

13. Clean Origin

Price: $225 - 35000

Clean Origin ensures their hand-picked selections are ethical and gorgeous. Available in various shapes and colors, Clean Origin specializes in lab-created diamonds and only sells stones that are independently verified and graded for quality using the same scientific standards applied to mined diamonds. In addition, clean Origin offers free resizing, lifetime protection, and financing options. With dozens of jewelry styles and designs available, Clean Origin aims to provide diamonds without compromise.

Shop Clean Origin

14. Aurate New York

Price: $40 - 6500

Aurate is based in New York and strives to change the jewelry industry. Aurate uses only sustainably sourced materials, all gold is 100% recycled, and pearls and precious gems are sourced from family-run establishments supporting local communities. You can choose between lab-grown or conflict-free diamonds, depending on your preference. Since there are no import taxes, no unnecessary middlemen, and pieces are made-to-order, Aurate jewelry is much more affordable than conventional jewelry.

Shop Aurate New York

15. Catbird

Price: $14 - 3500

Catbird has been creating ethical jewelry since 2004. They work almost entirely with recycled gold and diamonds, make everything in their Brooklyn studio with a minimum carbon footprint, and always consider their impact at every step. If you love colors or stones other than diamonds, we recommend checking out Catbird’s selection!

Shop Catbird

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What Are Microtrends?

If you, like most people these days, enjoy spending at least a few moments a day on social media, you might have noticed that, often these days, certain items and styles blow up all of a sudden.

Then their popularity grows even more, so much so that it looks like everyone loves them, and then give it some time, and they go back to relative cyber-obscurity, all in a few months at the longest.

Seemingly random items like the Clinique black honey almost-lipstick, the House of Sunny Hockney Dress, the Stanley cup water bottle, bows, or specific niche aesthetics like "Slavic bimbo" have been the protagonist of a special kind of social media frenzy: microtrends.

These trends might seem like another amusing or silly social media phenomenon, but they have an unexpected dark side. That's because while we might not be used to asking ourselves this question, it still stands: what happens to those trendy items when the trend gets left behind?

Microtrends vs. regular trends

Before we look at microtrends and how they might be more insidious than they seem, we first need to understand how radically different they are from regular fashion trends.

Trends have existed arguably as long as human societies have. If you were to look at a few 19th-century portraits painted in different decades, you'd immediately see how certain styles, silhouettes, and even colors went in and out of style. The closet of the characters of Pride and Prejudice (1813) and Jane Eyre (1847) would have looked widely different from one another.

In short, trends are nothing new, so much so that they arguably used to follow a pattern. Until recently, fashion trends rose and fell closely following Laver's Law. According to this fashion theory elaborated by Victoria and Albert Museum Curator James Laver in the '30s, fashion trends tend to follow a 20-year cycle.

In this cycle, they become popular, then said popularity dies down. A couple of decades later, it rises again, ready to be enjoyed and reinterpreted by a new generation.

A ton of fashion trends from the 20th century followed this pattern. For example, trademark trends of '70s fashion, like wide-legged pants and crop tops, were back in the spotlight in the '90s.

Unlike these "generational trends," microtrends barely come to define a few months, let alone a decade, but their emergence might have changed the game in fashion.

The trend cycle is now much shorter, with people looking back at the mid-2010s for trends and aesthetics to dig back out, despite those styles being less than ten years old, as social media has already grown tired of trends from previous decades like those from the Y2K.

The relationship between microtrends and disposable fashion

These internet-born trends, which are, as the name implies, short-lived and bound to become "cringe" at the drop of a hat once the internet grows tired of them, are, in fact, not only a symptom of how many people see fashion and clothing but also a potential catalyst for a further shift towards disposable fashion.

Like many social media phenomena, microtrends seem like something that sprouted out of nowhere. Still, their existence is one of the many results of the process that turned much of the fashion world into fast fashion.

Throughout the last century, clothing went from being custom-made to ready-to-wear to being the product of an industry characterized by big brands releasing multiple collections each year. In this process, fashion has turned into a faster and faster business that produces more items than ever, generating a massive and multilayered environmental impact.

This race to overproduction means that for these fast fashion companies to make the enormous profits they wish to make some trend has to always be on the way out while new ones are on the rise.

Social media, too, are built around speed and short-term popularity. Unsurprisingly, if you marry these two, the result is disposable fashion content that banks on an item, brand, or style's short-term and robust popularity.

An independent designer might develop an innovative design that many people like, just for its low-quality imitations, to get mass-produced and sold on Shein or Amazon and other fast fashion retailers for a few weeks before said microtrend gets labeled as "basic" and promptly forgotten about. Then another rolls around, and then it's "rinse and repeat".

On social media, microtrends are like summer hits; to most people's ears, they don't have the same ring to them a few months later when their season has passed. Still, while these items' popularity might be fleeting, the environmental impact connected to their production and end-of-life certainly isn't.

Microtrends, duping culture, and cheap fashion

At first, a microtrend-induced implosion of the traditional trend cycle might seem like something that has nothing to do with you and me. Why should we care if Laver has to eat his hat?

Much of what fashion brands sell us these days is intentionally not built to last but manufactured as cheaply as possible and designed to be replaced as soon as possible.

In addition to the planned obsolescence of these garments, trends put further pressure on consumers to buy new clothes and promptly retire their old ones so as not to look unfashionable or unsophisticated.

The proliferation of microtrends, as they come and go much faster than regular fashion trends, has been adding fuel to the fire in this regard, with certain items and styles ending up feeling outdated and overdone within a few months.

While it's true that most people cannot afford to purchase every new trendy item at the drop of a hat or change their entire style every other season, the proliferation of mass-produced, lower-quality "dupes" of many viral products, much like fast fashion as a whole allow even people with less disposable income to partake in these microtrends and overconsumption.

Let's take, for example, the viral Strawberry Midi Dress Lirika Matoshi that became extremely popular online in 2020 at the peak of cottagecore mania. Most people couldn't afford to purchase or discard a garment that costs hundreds of dollars. Still, a simple online search would allow any potential buyer to find dozens of cheaper, mass-produced imitations.

As the endless amount of these "dupes" proves, microtrends and careless consumption can go hand in hand in many tax brackets.

Not to mention that many other viral fashion items are far from expensive and are produced by fast fashion companies, like the viral nylon crossbody manufactured by fast fashion giant UNIQLO.

The overlooked environmental impact of microtrends

While, of course, there is nothing wrong with adding a bow to your hairstyle because you saw it in some hairstyle inspo online or digging out some of your old mid-2010s clothes to give the "indie sleaze" aesthetic a go, there is no denying that microtrends don't do anything to keep clothes out of trash cans and donation boxes or shift many people's perception of fashion from something disposable to something to be cherished.

Given the climate crisis, any further shift to overproduction and a disposable fashion model can be problematic as the Global North generates a mind-boggling amount of textile waste.

The European Union, for example, produces 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste each year on its own.

To make matters worse, most of the clothes produced by fast fashion companies in recent years are made of petroleum-derived, non-biodegradable synthetics like polyester, fabrics that fuel and, worse, the issue of microplastics in our oceans and sustain the fossil fuel industry.

Should we get to "enjoy things" at the cost of the planet and people?

While the people who regularly partake in and promote these microtrends on their platforms on social media are not responsible for designing a fashion industry built on the exploitation of nature and people, it cannot be denied that this thirst for what is new and trendy feeds into a relentless cycle of production and disposal that is consuming valuable resources, contributing to the ongoing climate crisis, and putting people at risk.

As consumers, we should ask ourselves: is the irreversible damage being done to our environment and our money going to companies who exploit people worth temporary excitement?

An excitement that might be cheap for many in the Global North but that is heavily paid for by the people living on the frontlines of climate change and the garment workers in the Global South who are fighting for their rights to a living wage and safe working conditions.

While people's individual choices cannot change the way the fast fashion industry sees clothing as discardable and people as exploitable, they can change the way they see clothes and engage with fashion in their lives.

The key to this evolution is putting our fellow humans and the planet first rather than short-term shopping-induced thrills and genuinely centering marginalized voices rather than our habit of using shopping as a short-term fix.

The fashion industry can move away from the current unsustainable cycle and shift towards a responsible production model if consumers and institutions keep it accountable.

About the Author

Roberta Fabbrocino is a journalist specialized in climate change and sustainability-related topics. Her articles have been published in several international eco-publications. Roberta also works as a content writer for sustainable companies.