The best clothing brands that are 100% plastic-free

What’s the problem with plastic clothing?

As the demand for cheap and fast fashion apparel has grown, the quality in materials and manufacturing processes has subsequently been sacrificed. By 2020, synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic had been present in nearly two-thirds of all clothing produced and sold worldwide.

Synthetic fabrics are undeniably less expensive to produce and scale, but at the cost of our health and the environment.

When plastic-based clothing is created, worn, and washed, ‘microfibers’ are shed by the millions onto our skin, into our water supply, and even into the air we breathe. The best way to avoid exposing yourself to microplastics, as well as contributing to the greater microplastic pollution problem, is to do what you can do replace your synthetic wardrobe with natural alternatives.

If you're not sure where to begin, not all plastic-based clothing carries the same level of risk. Some items are far more urgent to replace than others based on how and where they contact your skin. We've started out list with underwear and bra brands exactly for this reason.

Clothing brands that are 100% plastic-free

In this list, there are no compromises. Every item in the catalogs of these brands are made from completely natural fabrics and materials.

KENT (underwear and bras, men and women)

Most underwear is made almost entirely from synthetics, but KENT set out to fix that with 100% GOTS-certified organic pima cotton basics for both men and women. No spandex, no elastane, no polyester thread. Even the dyes are either GOTS-certified or made from fruits, flowers, minerals and spices for their small-batch colors.

The other thing that sets KENT apart is what happens when a pair wears out. Every piece is fully compostable, breaking down in about 90 days. They call it "Plant Your Pants." The packaging is compostable too.

For women, KENT offers briefs, thongs, and bras. For men, briefs, boxers, and boxer briefs.

The Very Good Bra (bras and underwear)

Finding a truly plastic-free bra is one of the hardest challenges in building a synthetic-free wardrobe. Nearly every component in a conventional bra relies on plastic in some form. The Very Good Bra has spent years solving that problem piece by piece. The result is a bra made from organic cotton or Tencel, with natural rubber elastic knitted into cotton, cellulose sewing thread, and custom hardware that is fully compostable at end of life. They also hold B Corp certification and offer sizes up to a G cup.

They make matching briefs and sleepwear under the same standard.

Industry of All Nations (basics)

Industry of all Nations is focused on re-introducing the modern world to truly sustainable clothing manufacturing processes, prioritizing ancestral farming and production techniques, and investing in countries were these natural fabric apparel industries originated.

IOAN not only boasts a extensive selection of plastic-free shirts, jackets, pants, shorts, underwear, and socks (to name a few of the many items), but also makes use of beautifully colored and natural, non-toxic dyes.

Earlier in May we had the pleasure of interviewing Juan, one of the founders of IOAN, and was met with overwhelming passion about their long-term goal - to invite and lead other clothing companies to follow in their plastic-free and eco-friendly footsteps. There’s no doubt that IOAN will remain a pioneer for years to come in the battle against plastic clothing.

Wayve Wear (activewear)

The age of plastic gymwear is coming to an end, and Wayve Wear is one of the companies bringing merino wool and cotton into the weightroom.

Their shorts, shirts, and sweaters are only made from natural materials.

Mover Plastic Free Sportswear (hiking and outerwear)

The Swiss-based company Mover is doing what was considered the impossible.

Most outerwear with water repellent properties, such as GORE-Tex ski jackets and pants, are almost universally plastic-based and coated with harmful forever chemicals in order to achieve favorable performance properties. Mover, on the other hand, is creating completely plastic-free solutions for hiking and skiing applications.

One of their incredible advances in natural fabric performance gear is their proprietary high-density waterproof 100% cotton Ventile® technology in some their jackets - no chemical coatings or plastic-based fabric needed.

Rhizal (shoes and sandals)

Footwear is one of the most overlooked clothing items when attempting a 100% plastic-free wardrobe. Outside of reducing microplastic absorption, non-synthetic footwear has another benefit, a phenomenon called 'grounding'.

Rhizal's shoes and sandals are made from different types of leather with metal contacts to balance your body with the Earth's electrical charge, promoting health.