How to Create a Sustainable and Ethical Wardrobe for Kids

In my early years of motherhood, I didn’t give much thought to the clothes I purchased for my kids (or myself!). After simplifying my kids’ wardrobe, and bagging up the excess, I knew I needed to make some changes. I wanted my kids’ wardrobe to be more sustainable and ethical.

You may be wondering exactly what a sustainable and ethical kids wardrobe looks like? Is it a carefully chosen mix of organic or fair trade clothing? Sure, it could be.

In our home, an ethical and sustainable wardrobe has clothing that was acquired with consideration to its impact on people and our planet. My goal isn’t to curate a sustainable and ethical wardrobe perfectly. My goal is to practice ethically shopping, one choice at a time.

Designing a sustainable and ethical kids wardrobe can help you be and raise a more conscious consumerism.

In our home, conscious consumerism starts with conscious living.
By using what we have first and making more sustainable and ethical clothing purchases, we are showing our kids that we take notice and concern for the people who created what we purchase, and the planet we live on.

I want my kids to know that we vote with our wallet, money doesn’t grow on trees, and neither does clothing. Whether we purchase from the local thrift store or an online boutique, the way we spend our money impacts people and our planet.

Do you want your kid to be a conscious consumer? Then you need to be one too. It is tough to teach your kid something you’re not living. (Speaking from my own experience here ;))

Here are four factors for creating a sustainable and ethical wardrobe for kids.

(This post is not sponsored but it does contain affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you!)

Embrace minimalism

Minimalism is a filter that helps you create a wardrobe with just the items you really use and love. A minimalist wardrobe is a sustainable wardrobe. There is nothing sustainable about a cluttered closet. When we keep our kids closet minimalist, we can better maintain and plan for our purchases. Ready to create a minimalist kids closet like this one? Learn the steps here!

Embrace the buyerarchy of needs

The most sustainable wardrobe is the one they already have. The item has already been made, and the resources have been spent. Consider creating a “buyerarchy” of needs like this one. It doesn’t have to be exactly like this one, but having your priorities in mind will help you in the long run.

Shop second-hand

Rather than purchasing new clothing from the store, consider visiting your local thrift store first. If you don’t have one in your area, I recommend Swap.com, ThreadUp, or Schoola for gently used online kids clothes.

Shop Responsible Brands

Although you might have to do some digging, there are more and more kids clothing brands practicing ethically and sustainably popping up. Here is a short list of recommendations.

Hannah Andersson
This is one of my go-to places when I need to purchase a new item. Their shirts hold their color and shape well. My kids especially love their pajamas! I love their unconditional guarantee: if you’re unhappy with a product at any time for any reason, just send it back for a refund or replacement!

Jackalo
At Jackalo, they focus on durable design that strikes a balance between strong and comfortable. My boys would wear their pants every. Single. Day. if I let them.

They also offer a trade up program. When my boys have outgrown their Jackalo pants, I can send them back for a 20% discount on my next purchase. They will clean and repair (if needed) the old pair and then post it for sale on their website for a discount.

Primary
Tired of clothing with slogans on it. Primary is a great place for simple, well made and slogan-free clothes. Their clothing is also OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification which means that their fabrics have been tested for over 300 chemicals.

Finn + Emma
I really love the quality and style of Finn + Emma. The only thing I wished is that they made clothing beyond size 4T because my kids aren’t babies anymore.

Their clothing is produced in fair trade settings that focus on social and economic independence for local people, women especially, working to provide for their families in a safe and fair environment. You can get free shipping here on orders over $50.

Whether you prioritize sustainability (how the product impacts the earth) or Ethically made (how the product affects people), or some combination of both, there are small steps we can all begin taking.

Looking for the best places to donate or sell your clothing?

Get the Donate & Sell Clothing Guide!