 thrifted  madewell fair-trade jeans          |            |   j. crew fair-trade jeans          |
Jeans are one of the most worn items of clothing today. Almost everyone would like to have a pair of jeans that feels like home...comfortable and familiar. Lots of us would also like those jeans to make our butts look great. :) I won't say that the search for a perfect pair of jeans is easy, but at least it can start fair.
First things first...do you or I really need another pair of jeans? We might want to take a look at refashioning, altering or mending a pair of jeans already in our possession. Swapping or thrifting are great options as well...because there are literal tons of great jeans out there already. The prices are amazing (like $7-$10 where we live), but a willingness to search is necessary. Thrift stores, flea markets, etsy + eBay are great places to find vintage denim. Find inspiration to see thrifted jeans as treasures by perusing Bliss + Mischief and B-sides. With a little ingenuity, almost any pair of jeans can be reworked into a masterpiece.
Each of the brands pictured above takes a different approach to ethical and/or fair practices. It would be amazing if every brand was committed to organic denim grown, manufactured + sewn locally...but many brands are being thoughtful, creative + innovative. There are various styles + sizes (plus + petites too) offered by most of the brands, so take your time and investigate.
The super adventurous may even want to try making a pair of jeans. There are some great jeans sewing patterns, along with in-depth tutorials, out there. Closet Case, Megan Nielsen, Anna Allen, Merchant & Mills, and Named Clothing offer jeans patterns. Thread Theory makes some incredible men's patterns too. Use some USA grown, organic denim from Houston Textiles or Sally Fox for the ultimate fair pair of jeans.
Quick reference for the fair jeans listed here:
organic denim + fair wages ::
industry of nations :: organic cotton :: fair wages :: natural dyes :: unisex :: $
j.crew fair-trade collection :: organic denim made in italy :: fair-trade certified factory :: men's too :: $
kowtow :: fair-trade certified organic cotton :: SA8000 certified factory :: $$$
madewell fair-trade collection :: organic denim made in italy :: fair-trade certified factory ::$
monkee genes :: organic cotton :: living wages :: GOTS :: men's too :: uk based :: $
nudie :: organic cotton :: made in italy + tunisia :: fair wear foundation audits :: repairs :: resells :: recycling :: men too :: $$
patagonia :: 98% organic cotton :: fair-trade certified sewing :: men's too :: $
people tree :: organic cotton :: GOTS :: fairwear foundation audited :: UK based :: $
outerknown :: organic cotton made in italy :: sewn in "the world's leading sustainable denim factory" in Vietnam :: life-time guarantee (repair or replace) :: recycling :: men's too $
organic or deadstock cotton + made in usa ::
agolde x amour vert :: organic + recycled denim :: made in usa :: $$
bliss + mischief :: deadstock cotton :: made in los angeles :: $$$
citizens of humanity :: organic cotton collection :: made in los angeles :: $$
jesse kamm :: made in usa :: deadstock fabric :: $$$
organic cotton ::
eileen fisher :: organic cotton :: sustainable emphasis :: $$
prana :: 79% organic cotton :: sustainable emphasis :: $
made in north america ::
arturo :: made in canada :: alterations + repairs (one year) :: men's too :: $
bluer denim :: made in los angeles :: men's too :: $
b-sides :: made + milled in the usa :: also re-worked vintage collection ($$$) :: men's too ::$$
doen :: made in the usa :: $$
emerson fry :: made in nyc :: $$
esby :: made in usa :: $$$
father's daughter :: made in los angeles :: $$
gamine workwear :: deadstock cone mill denim :: made in the usa by a single seamstress :: $
good american :: made in los angeles :: sizes for everyone :: $
ilana kohn :: made in nyc :: $$$
imogene + willie :: sewn in the usa :: $$
industry standard :: made in los angeles :: $
mother :: made in los angeles :: $$
prairie underground :: made in seattle (usa) :: $$
reformation :: made in los angeles :: $
renewal workshop :: reworked discards from the apparel industry :: $
the great :: made in the usa :: $$$
also: search "made in the usa" on Nordstrom
$ :: $150 + under
$$ :: $150-$250
$$$ :: $250 + over
This is just a sampling or fair denim, so search for "organic denim" or "Australian jeans" or whatever makes jeans fair to you...and then please let us know, if you find (or already know of) some fair jeans brands that you love! This post will be linked toward the bottom of the ethical brands page for reference. Happy jeans hunting!
All photos via links.
Love,
Jane
First things first...do you or I really need another pair of jeans? We might want to take a look at refashioning, altering or mending a pair of jeans already in our possession. Swapping or thrifting are great options as well...because there are literal tons of great jeans out there already. The prices are amazing (like $7-$10 where we live), but a willingness to search is necessary. Thrift stores, flea markets, etsy + eBay are great places to find vintage denim. Find inspiration to see thrifted jeans as treasures by perusing Bliss + Mischief and B-sides. With a little ingenuity, almost any pair of jeans can be reworked into a masterpiece.
Each of the brands pictured above takes a different approach to ethical and/or fair practices. It would be amazing if every brand was committed to organic denim grown, manufactured + sewn locally...but many brands are being thoughtful, creative + innovative. There are various styles + sizes (plus + petites too) offered by most of the brands, so take your time and investigate.
The super adventurous may even want to try making a pair of jeans. There are some great jeans sewing patterns, along with in-depth tutorials, out there. Closet Case, Megan Nielsen, Anna Allen, Merchant & Mills, and Named Clothing offer jeans patterns. Thread Theory makes some incredible men's patterns too. Use some USA grown, organic denim from Houston Textiles or Sally Fox for the ultimate fair pair of jeans.
Quick reference for the fair jeans listed here:
organic denim + fair wages ::
industry of nations :: organic cotton :: fair wages :: natural dyes :: unisex :: $
j.crew fair-trade collection :: organic denim made in italy :: fair-trade certified factory :: men's too :: $
kowtow :: fair-trade certified organic cotton :: SA8000 certified factory :: $$$
madewell fair-trade collection :: organic denim made in italy :: fair-trade certified factory ::$
monkee genes :: organic cotton :: living wages :: GOTS :: men's too :: uk based :: $
nudie :: organic cotton :: made in italy + tunisia :: fair wear foundation audits :: repairs :: resells :: recycling :: men too :: $$
patagonia :: 98% organic cotton :: fair-trade certified sewing :: men's too :: $
people tree :: organic cotton :: GOTS :: fairwear foundation audited :: UK based :: $
outerknown :: organic cotton made in italy :: sewn in "the world's leading sustainable denim factory" in Vietnam :: life-time guarantee (repair or replace) :: recycling :: men's too $
organic or deadstock cotton + made in usa ::
agolde x amour vert :: organic + recycled denim :: made in usa :: $$
bliss + mischief :: deadstock cotton :: made in los angeles :: $$$
citizens of humanity :: organic cotton collection :: made in los angeles :: $$
jesse kamm :: made in usa :: deadstock fabric :: $$$
organic cotton ::
eileen fisher :: organic cotton :: sustainable emphasis :: $$
prana :: 79% organic cotton :: sustainable emphasis :: $
made in north america ::
arturo :: made in canada :: alterations + repairs (one year) :: men's too :: $
bluer denim :: made in los angeles :: men's too :: $
b-sides :: made + milled in the usa :: also re-worked vintage collection ($$$) :: men's too ::$$
doen :: made in the usa :: $$
emerson fry :: made in nyc :: $$
esby :: made in usa :: $$$
father's daughter :: made in los angeles :: $$
gamine workwear :: deadstock cone mill denim :: made in the usa by a single seamstress :: $
good american :: made in los angeles :: sizes for everyone :: $
ilana kohn :: made in nyc :: $$$
imogene + willie :: sewn in the usa :: $$
industry standard :: made in los angeles :: $
mother :: made in los angeles :: $$
prairie underground :: made in seattle (usa) :: $$
reformation :: made in los angeles :: $
renewal workshop :: reworked discards from the apparel industry :: $
the great :: made in the usa :: $$$
also: search "made in the usa" on Nordstrom
$ :: $150 + under
$$ :: $150-$250
$$$ :: $250 + over
This is just a sampling or fair denim, so search for "organic denim" or "Australian jeans" or whatever makes jeans fair to you...and then please let us know, if you find (or already know of) some fair jeans brands that you love! This post will be linked toward the bottom of the ethical brands page for reference. Happy jeans hunting!
All photos via links.
Love,
Jane
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