Honor Earth Month By Shopping These 11 Sustainable Brands

One thing about us is that we love to shop, but one thing about the fashion industry is that it’s incredibly wasteful. That’s why we were so excited to discover Pact’s comfortable, elevated-casual clothes made with twin commitments to ethical labor and responsibly sourced materials. Pact uses significant amounts of certified organic cotton, which is produced without harmful chemicals and uses 81 percent less water than conventionally grown cotton, and each item is made in a fair trade certified factory. The end result is breathable wardrobe staples like dresses of all lengths and pants for every occasion. Our personal favorites include the Coastal Daily Pant and the Relaxed Slub Patio Dress.

Paper towels are irresistibly convenient, but as a major cause of deforestation, their convenience is harmful to the planet. Papaya’s reusable paper towel is the perfect sustainable swap: It holds liquid like a paper towel, effectively picking up spills and crumbs without leaving annoying streaks on your countertop, and dries faster than a typical dishcloth. Plus, each towel lasts between two and three months and replaces 17 rolls of paper towels. Simply rinse, hang to dry on the included hooks, and repeat. Buy them in a 2-pack, 4-pack, or 6-pack to meet your household’s needs.

We talk a lot about Line in the Sand, and for good reason: Katie loves the comfortably chic, sun-protective swimwear that doubles as activewear, and the company has an incredible mission to boot. Founder Lynne O’Brien started LITS after being diagnosed with leukemia eight years ago and struggling to find swimwear that truly protected her from the sun. Line in the Sand’s swimwear is all made right in New York City using 100 percent recycled nylon fabric, and 100 percent of their profits go to organizations that fight cancer and protect the oceans year-round. Katie spends a lot of time in the cozy Afternoon Zip Hoodie, and the Jump In 3/4 Leggings are just the right length for a summer day.

Inspired by founder Jana’s childhood on the coast of Maine, Captain Blankenship’s botanical hair products incorporate ethically sourced and sustainably grown ingredients that are naturally beneficial for your scalp and hair. We’re huge fans of the Sea Salt Spray for a boost of texture and volume, and the innovative Dry Shampoo is our go-to on those days when you just can’t fit a shower in. It’s a sprayable powder that instantly refreshes your scalp without harmful aerosols, and it comes in a version for dark hair as well.

We love a brand that wears its mission on its sleeve, and tentree fits the bill: The company plants 10 trees for each item of sustainably made clothing it sells, and even provides you with a registration code so you can see the status of your planted trees. With the help of their customers, tentree has planted 100 million trees around the world, and they’re not slowing down. In fact, tentree has added a recycling service and carbon offsets to its offerings, so you can help counter deforestation and wastefulness in the ways that work best for you. So go ahead, buy that cozy cardigan or fresh pair of joggers — the planet will thank you for it.

Odds are high you’ve gone through a few pairs of white sneakers in your time on this earth. But when your beloved go-tos get worn out, they end up in landfills where they take decades to break down. After seeing the level of waste that results from the shoe industry, Chloe Songer and Stuart Ahlum set out to overhaul the sneaker lifecycle — from production to consumption to disposal — with Thousand Fell. The duo successfully created the first pair of 100 percent recyclable sneakers using reusable, repurposed, and compostable materials like used water bottles, sugarcane, natural and recycled rubber, coconut husks from food waste, and more. Thousand Fell offers a free recycling service and even gives a $20 discount on your next pair when you use it, so you can both ensure your worn-out shoes are repurposed for good and replace them for less. We recommend the Lace Ups for a classic look you can style with any and all outfits.

When a pregnant Cyndi Prince started preparing her home for her newborn’s arrival, she learned that dryer sheets contain chemicals that are potentially harmful, particularly for young children. She came across wool dryer balls as an all-natural solution for eliminating static and softening clothes but was disappointed that many of them fell apart after a few spins. Determined, she sourced wool from a local sheep farm and started making her own, iterating her method until she landed on a dryer ball durable enough to last through hundreds of loads. More than a decade later, LooHoo continues to manufacture its products in Maine using American wool, creating a cost-effective and safe laundry solution for every household.

After years of working in fashion, For Days founders Kristy Caylor and Mary Saunders got sick of the industry’s wastefulness and teamed up to build a more sustainable model. Everything sold through For Days, including items from other brands in its marketplace, meets strict circularity criteria: You can wear your clothes for as long as you want, then return them in any condition to be recycled into something new. In exchange, you’ll receive credit to spend on new finds. For Days isn’t picky either — with the Take Back Bag, you can send in clothes from other companies to be recycled for credits, too. During our next return, we’ll be snagging the vacation-ready Linen Cabana Shirt and comfy-yet-sophisticated Forever Wide Leg Romper.

Step aside, pods — there’s a new laundry detergent in town. Founded by Angie Tran and Bernard Law, Kind Laundry makes powerful, eco-friendly detergent sheets that help cut down on the millions of plastic jugs that get thrown away every year. The sheets are made with just a few simple ingredients that won’t irritate sensitive skin, like tea seed oil and plant-derived glycerol. Beyond their zero-waste appeal, they’re convenient, too: They’re easily packable, there’s no sticky mess or measuring guesswork when doing a load of laundry, and there’s a subscription option to make restocking easy. It’s a new-and-improved approach to laundry we’re totally on board with.

Fun fact: All synthetic activewear is made out of plastic. But Girlfriend Collective’s high-quality pieces — from sports bras to ultra-soft sweats — are made of plastics that’d otherwise sit in a landfill. (Including bottles, fishing nets, and other discarded materials.) The brand’s commitment to slow fashion shines through in every detail — from how it sources recycled textiles to partnering with factories in Vietnam that guarantee fair wages and safe working conditions. Plus, all the brand’s packaging is 100 percent recyclable — they’ll even buy your old GC apparel back from you and spin it into something new. To top it all off, Girlfriend Collective prioritizes size inclusivity: Their clothes are available from XXS to 6XL.

“Sustainable” probably isn’t the first word that comes to mind when you think of charcuterie, but it’s one of Mercado Famous’s biggest goals. After moving to the U.S. from Spain, founders Carmen and Aaron missed the flavorful meats that graced Spanish charcuterie boards, but they missed the community that came with them even more. On a mission to bring people together over good food, the two created Mercado Famous. They partner with Spanish farmers to bring fresh jamón, chorizo, and more from sustainably raised pigs to any of those who want to partake. Katie Couric Media’s Katie Pittman — who lived in Spain for a bit in college — says she’s so happy to have found a way to enjoy the jamón she’d been missing stateside.