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5 Ethical Toronto-Based Fashion Labels You Need to Know
Slow-made, sustainably sourced and highly wearable.
by : Jillian Vieira- Apr 19th, 2022
Instagram: @unclexstudios, @wear.wynn
We’re all striving for a world where fashion and sustainability can be a ubiquitous pairing. Turns out, that revolution is already happening in our own backyard — Toronto is home to a whole host of brands that marry contemporary clothing with ethical making. Read on as we detail some of the city’s super-covetable labels making a difference in the slow fashion space.
Good for Sunday
Good for literally any day of the week, this leisurewear brand nails the 90s-era aesthetic with a high-quality design approach to match. From oversized hoodies and tees to perfectly worn-in sweatpants, every single piece is designed then made in Canada by family-owned companies who prioritize fair labour practices. Plus, you can count on their collections to be made of sustainable materials (organic cotton, bamboo and Tencel among them).
Wynn
A need in pretty much every closet? Elevated basics. With Wynn, an undeniably cool line of gender-fluid garments designed by tailor and stylist Lynne Weare, you get those foundational pieces plus some. Asymmetric tanks, high-cut underwear and half-mesh-half-ribbed minis are made to order by a small team of seamstresses, meaning no extra waste. If you’re a Toronto local, you can even pick up your pieces directly from her studio to further reduce your carbon footprint (and bonus, save on shipping costs).
Sapodillas
Sapodillas is designer Dillea Himbara’s creative salve for climate anxiety. By making use of second-hand fabrics and discarded textiles (even 80s-era men’s ties — seriously), she’s managed to fashion a closed loop approach to creating clothes. Her limited-run collections are handmade for the style curious, those who defy today’s typical silhouettes and sartorial rules. Expect 70s-era, colourblocked sweatpants, body-con dresses with hip-height slits and a Caribana-influenced dress with adjustable drawstring cut-outs that must be seen.
Uncle Studios
The brainchild of big-name content creator Allegra Shaw and Shirin Soltani, Uncle Studios takes mid-luxury fashion and spins it with sustainable production practices. Besides selecting suppliers who have been awarded with industry-revered ethical certifications, the founders have also employed a third-party auditor that measures their environmental impact throughout the entire supply chain. Every product is deemed carbon neutral with the brand’s investment in offset initiatives like reforestation and renewable energy.
Boneset Studio
Like so many of us coming to terms with fashion’s impact, Stefanie Ayoub and Jade Cooling, the collaborators behind Boneset Studio, have been “reconsidering their relationship to clothing.” As such, the duo’s small-run collections of timeless essentials (think cotton poplin dresses, minimalist trench coats and silky trousers) are all cut, then sewn in their Dundas West studio or by a seamstress just up the street. In keeping with their ethereal aesthetic, the brand sources its natural, sustainable fabrics from dead-stock suppliers or small-batch mills.
Read more:
Adventure Harder With These 10 Eco-Friendly Canadian Companies
Can We Break the Cycle of Fast Fashion?
8 Actually Sustainable Fashion Brands to Shop
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