7 Best Affordable Minimalist Clothing Brands for Sustainable Style
With clutter linked to higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that controls mood, motivation, and fear, it’s no wonder that minimalist lifestyles have gained traction.
While minimalism originates from the world of art and design, referring to that which is spare or stripped to its essentials, minimalist lifestyles often refer to physical clutter.
Recently we’ve seen a rise in minimalistic living through popular shows such as Marie Kondo and the Minimalism documentary.
However, living as a minimalist is not only about cutting back on physical stuff. It’s about living with intention.
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Minimalism is different for everyone. For some it may mean decluttering an inbox by unsubscribing to newsletters.
For some it may mean deleting apps, cleaning out the garage, or canceling subscriptions. For some it may mean decluttering their closet and ditching impulse buys.
Let’s explore what a minimalist wardrobe might look like and affordable minimalist clothing brands that value quality clothes and sustainable practices.
What is a Minimalist Wardrobe?
How often have you stood in front of a packed closet and declared, “I’ve got nothing to wear”?
It’s a relatable scenario and the issue is hardly that there’s nothing to wear, but that there are too many choices to make.
Despite all this choice (or perhaps because of it), we tend to wear only 20% of our wardrobe, making it an ideal space for a minimalist approach.
With less to wear, you’ll have fewer choices to make, while increasing your creativity as you find new ways to mix, match, and accessorize.
If you’ve scrolled through minimalist fashion blogs before, you may have noticed a predominance of muted tones or adherence to a specific number of clothes such as with Project 333 or The 10x10 Style Challenge.
However, there is a distinction between a minimalist aesthetic and a minimalist approach.
A minimalist aesthetic usually focuses on those muted tones, with the occasional burst of color.
A minimalist approach to fashion is about intention and purpose as opposed to color and number.
While a specific number or palette can keep things focused, it’s ultimately about curating your wardrobe with items you need, that suit your lifestyle, and will last for years.
A minimalist wardrobe can start with decluttering it, sorting everything into what you wear all the time, some of the time, and never.
Once you’ve sorted your closet, take note of patterns, colors, and fabrics that recur. This will speak to what you love wearing and help define your style.
While you may wish for a simpler wardrobe, perhaps you’re not willing to let go of too many clothes.
Capsule wardrobes can also help define style as they build focus and ignite creativity.
Curating a capsule usually consists of selecting a few loved and versatile items and challenging yourself to wear only those for a specific period of time.
Capsules are often curated around seasons, but you can also curate it around a personal theme or intention, such as work outfits, making the “what to wear today” decision easier and quicker.
Is Minimalist Fashion Sustainable?
Minimalist fashion has the potential to be sustainable. After all, the minimal in minimalist fashion can refer to minimal impact in the production of the clothing – whether it’s less of an impact on the environment or not supporting brands that exploit workers.
However, it also has the potential to be the opposite.
Minimalist fashion is not sustainable when you get rid of items just to follow a trend. By all means declutter your closet and think hard about whether you’ll ever wear something again or whether you’ll really shed those extra pounds to fit back into that little black number.
Is Minimalist Clothing Sustainable Made More Expensive?
Items purchased for a minimalist wardrobe might be more expensive, but it’s worth the cost if it lasts longer than cheap items that need constant replacing.
This doesn’t mean expensive items are high-quality by virtue of their high price and that cheap items are not, but a steep price tag may point to thoughtful and limited production as well as sustainable and ethical practices.
As fast fashion increasingly goes out of style, countless brands are stepping up to become both more responsible and sustainable.
Typically sustainable materials and paying employees livable wages is going to cost more which is why sustainable brands are known for having a higher price point.
However, I definitely think there are options for everyones price range whether that's exploring some of the ethical brands below or finding secondhand items creating a minimalistic wardrobe can be budget friendly.
Can Minimalist Fashion Save You Money?
Absolutely! By investing in good quality clothing that lasts a long time, you won't have to replace you clothes as often.
While most sustainable fashion brands feature a higher price point upfront it is with good reason because the garment is crafted for years to come.
No more holes or immediate pilling from poor quality clothing!
Now, your favorite pieces can last longer. Think how much money you'll save!
7 Affordable Minimalist Clothing Brands
These ethical fashion brands pay fair wages, use sustainable fabrics, and have reasonable prices.
These are some of the best minimalist clothing brands featuring basic pieces and a few bold versatile pieces as well.
This list is a great place to start when looking for affordable brands that have a positive impact on the fashion industry (and your closet).
LA Relaxed Minimalist Style Made in the USA
LA Relaxed uses sustainable natural fibers to craft high quality clothing.
All of their clothing is made in their own factory in Los Angeles and they pay garment workers a livable wage and have healthy work conditions.
This ethical brand aims to minimize waste in the production process by making in small batches, reducing fabric consumption, and using leftover fabric for other goods.
Their minimalist styles feature both neutral and colorful options with a price range from $30-$118.
Sustain by Kat’s Natural Clothing Dyed with Plants
Sustain by Kat creates high-quality, timeless basics made from 100% natural materials including organic cotton and linen.
They source and craft all of their products ethically and with care, ensuring that each naturally-dyed piece contributes to helping both our planet and the people in it.
Their colorful clothing is ethically made in India. Sustain clothing ranges from $16-78 featuring t-shirts, shorts, and more.
ABLE's Fashion Forward Minimalist Clothes
Supporting ABLE means supporting a brand dedicated to creating opportunities for women in fashion, with 95% of the staff comprised of women.
ABLE believes in transparency and accountability, becoming one of the first fashion brand to publish their lowest wages.
Working with leather, denim, and organic cotton, ABLE is continuously seeking ways to improve the sustainability of their apparel.
Each piece of clothing is carefully crafted and features great style. ABLE features classic pieces, minimalist style, and a few bold prints & colors.
Their apparel ranges from $24-$150 with higher end leather jackets at $300+.
While they definitely have some items on the pricier side a lot of their tops fit into the $24-$50 price range.
The Good Tee's Fair Trade Minimalist Clothing
The Good Tee is an ethical clothing brand focusing on high quality Fairtrade Certified organic cotton basics.
This socially responsible brand allows ethical shoppers to easily learn about the transparent supply chain and trace the manufacturing process through videos and resources highlighting The Good Tee’s production processes and the materials used.
Not only are their garment factories, Fair-trade certified, but also the actual cotton is Fairtrade.
That means they've gone the extra mile to ensure fair treatment and payment of the farmers AND garment workers.
The Good Tee's sustainable clothes feature organic cotton t-shirts, dresses, and basics for men, women, children, and babies, The Good Tee strives for sustainability with classic designs; low-impact dyes; the use of organic, fair trade cotton, and eco-conscious packaging.
Their minimalist pieces range in price from $17-$79.
KNOWN SUPPLY'S Organic Cotton Clothing
KNOWN SUPPLY is humanizing the apparel industry through collaborative partnerships.
This certified B Corporation is crafting ethical clothing while creating employment opportunities in Peru & Uganda through their partnership with Fair Trade Certified.
KNOWN SUPPLY’S collection is made with GOTS ertified organic cotton creating significant water savings during the production of their sustainable clothing.
KNOWN SUPPLY carries clothing for men and women with prices ranging from $35-$65 including pants, dresses, t-shirts, jumpsuits, and more.
PACT's Affordable Clothing Made with Organic Materials
PACT Apparel specializes in affordable basics. PACT Apparel is made with organic cotton and created in Fair Trade Certified factories.
PACT's minimalist essentials for men, women, and children range from $20-$90 featuring t-shirts, polos, shorts, leggings, and more.
Tentree Earth-friendly Minimalist Fashion Brand
tentree makes Earth-First essentials using sustainable (and comfortable) materials such as TENCEL, recycled polyester, organic cotton, and hemp.
Every time you purchase an item, tentree plants 10 trees. tentree is proud to be a certified B-Corporation and ethically crafts their clothing around the world.
Consumers can learn more about the certifications for each individual factory on their Ethical Manufacturing page.
tentree featuring clothes for men, women, and children ranging from $20-$90. Ethical shoppers will find dresses, shorts, tops, and more when shopping this sustainable brand.
Tips for Your Minimalist Wardrobe
Don’t get rid of clothes just because someone’s told you a minimalist wardrobe is about containing exactly ten or fifty items or has to follow a certain palette.
This only creates unnecessary waste and could put you in a position where you suddenly need something you gave away, forcing you to buy something new.
Maintain a sustainable minimalist wardrobe with the following tips:
Invest in timeless, quality pieces that will last.
Invest in versatile and classic items (e.g. a white shirt, tank tops, jeans, knit dress, leggings).
Buy less and buy better.
Value the clothing in your closet.
Buy ethical and fair trade.
Support sustainable clothing brands.
Shop with intent to prevent impulse buys.
Beware the temptation to create a new capsule every season.
Dispose of items responsibly: donate, reuse, or recycle.
If you’re throwing something out, ask why. Does the item not fit? Is it damaged? If so, can you mend it and wear it again?
Unsubscribe from those fast fashion brand so you're not tempted by a great deal
Hopefully this guide helped show you that there are ethical clothing brands that feature affordable price points and minimalist style!
And if you're still not seeing the price point you're hoping for consider looking for some simple pieces at your local thrift shop.
For more ethical & sustainable fashion tips be sure to follow The Honest Consumer on social media, subscribe to our newsletter, & check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory.