Written by Rakelle Maurici in Brands on the 29th June 2016

More and more we're seeing social media posts and advertisements about caring for our planet and rightly so - we should, the planet doesn’t need us but we certainly need to look after it in order to survive. This is where we can apply ethics to clothing and be environmentally conscious at the same time - you’ll feel good on the inside too. Here’s some Earth Friendly brands inspiring us right now.

adidas x Parley

Runners amongst us, this could be a step into savouring our environment whilst getting your workouts done too. This limited edition adidas x Parley running shoe is part of Parley’s Ocean Plastic Program, with global footballing star and Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane partaking in the project. The upper shoe is made from plastic which is collected from coastlines in the Maldives through fibre technology to make Parley Ocean Plastic, which is changing the game for how sporting apparel used to be.

Fjallraven Re-Kånken  

Outdoor company Fjallraven believe that leaving no trace is the best way for outdoor enthusiasts - this means you should leave any campsite undisturbed for the next visitors. They work actively to protect people, wildlife and nature, so while offering durable and aimless outdoor clothing and equipment, they’re also kind to our environment. While their Re-Kanken bags are not quite available yet, it is earth friendly - having been made entirely from polyester, from recycled plastic bottles. It's durable and versatile, and after use it can be recycled again in future.

G-Star Raw For the Oceans 

It’s a heartwarming moment when celebrities get involved with saving our planet. Pharrell Williams’ contribution comes in a collaboration with G-Star RAW for the Oceans, Bionic Yarn. In this project they retrieve old plastic from the ocean shorelines and transform it into denim. We spend a lot of time by the sea on holidays, and we eat from the oceans but not enough of us are actively looking after it. It starts by breaking down that plastic into small chips and shredding into fibres, which is then spun into yarn and blended with cotton. This is then weaved or knitted into RAW for the Oceans, a collection of denim jackets and jeans that sea-life creatures will be most thankful for.

Patagonia Recycled Polyester

Patagonia were the first brand to transform rubbish into fleece. Their main products come from used soda bottles, unusable waste and worn-out garments, which then can be transformed into polyester fibres to make clothing. From this they have been able to make shell jackets, board shorts and fleece. In this process they are not only deferring their uses of petroleum but also prolonging landfill life, while reducing toxic emissions. By using recycled products they can keep many materials in circulation for years, so with this you can return any Patagonia product to them after use and they will recycle it into something completely new.

Shelter Suit 

Ever heard the expression, "I look like I’m wearing a tent"? Well this is the case with Shelter Suit, where their products are made from abandoned festival tents. While their body suits are wind and water resistant they can be transformed into a sleeping bag. With an idea to keep the homeless warm, to make sleeping outside more bearable. It’s as simple as making a donation via their website to provide those who need it with extra comfort and warmth.

Three Leaves 

New York based menswear brand Three Leaves believe in cruelty free and environmentally responsible clothing and shoes. Their clothing has to meet a certain strict criteria in order for it to be sold. They refuse to use sweat shops and clothing is made from organic cottons and plastic bottles, while footwear is made from vegan and leather free materials. To give the background on vegan leathers, leather tanneries are ranked among the top 10 toxic-pollution problems, due to the products used in production. Whereas vegan leather is cork or kelp-based, which is synthetic and kinder to our environment. Their collection includes button-down shirts, outerwear, trousers, socks and underwear.

We feature adidas x Parley, Fjall Raven Re-Kånken, G-Star Raw For the Oceans, Patagonia Recycled Polyester, Shelter Suit and Three Leaves in our guide to 6 Earth-Friendly Brands You Should Know.