The Plastic-Free Clothing Brand Guide: Where to Actually Shop (and what I use)
You've read the research on why synthetic fabrics are a problem and what's actually in your clothes. Now the practical question: where do you buy the alternative?
This is the list I've built over the past couple of years. Every brand here uses natural fibers (organic cotton, hemp, linen, Tencel, merino wool) and most of them ship without plastic packaging. I've organized them by price range, because going plastic-free shouldn't require a trust fund.
What to Look For on Every Tag
Before we get into brands, here's the quick-reference checklist I use when shopping anywhere, including thrift stores and random online finds.
Green light fibers: 100% organic cotton, hemp, linen, Tencel/lyocell, merino wool, silk, modal (Lenzing only)
Check the fine print: Conventional cotton (not organic, but not plastic), blends with small amounts of elastane (under 5% is hard to avoid in some categories)
Put it back: Polyester, nylon, acrylic, spandex-heavy blends, standard rayon/viscose
Certifications that mean something: GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), OEKO-TEX, Fair Trade USA, B Corp, Responsible Wool Standard
Now, the brands.
BUDGET-FRIENDLY (Under $40 per piece)
Pact wearpact.com
The easiest entry point into plastic-free clothing. Pact uses GOTS-certified organic cotton across their entire line and manufactures in Fair Trade certified factories in India. Underwear, bras, t-shirts, leggings, loungewear, pajamas, kids' clothes. The basics you actually wear every day.
They offset their carbon footprint through a partnership with SimpliZero, and they're available at Target if you want to feel the fabric before committing. This is where I started when I first made the switch, and I still buy my basics here.
Best for: Underwear, basics, everyday staples, kids' clothing Fibers: GOTS-certified organic cotton Price range: $10 to $40
I wear pact underwear and legging!! I really love the leggings and the high waist cut of the undies… for me.
Quince onequince.com
Quince does "luxury at fair prices" by cutting out the middleman. Their organic cotton and European linen pieces are strong. Soft, well-made, and priced significantly below comparable quality from other brands.
One caveat: not everything at Quince is natural fiber. They sell cashmere, silk, and linen alongside some synthetic blends. Check the fabric composition on each product page before buying. Their organic cotton tees, linen pants, and linen shirts are the standouts.
Best for: Linen pieces, organic cotton basics, cashmere sweaters Fibers: Organic cotton, European linen, cashmere, silk (varies by product, check tags) Price range: $15 to $60
I love buying gifts from here for people because it’s easy. A pack of underwear is also very affordable compared to others. The bikini and thong underwear fit great, and are very breathable!
tentree tentree.com
Canadian brand that plants ten trees for every item sold. Their casual and loungewear lines use Tencel, hemp, and organic cotton. The aesthetic is relaxed, earthy, and outdoorsy without being performance-wear. Perfect for the days when you're not on the mountain but still want to feel like you could be.
Best for: Casual wear, loungewear, layering pieces Fibers: Tencel, hemp, organic cotton Price range: $25 to $70
MID-RANGE ($40 to $100 per piece)
Jungmaven jungmaven.com
If you want to understand what hemp clothing can be, start here. Jungmaven blends hemp with organic cotton to create t-shirts, sweatshirts, and basics that are softer than you'd expect and get better with every wash. Everything is cut and sewn in Los Angeles.
Beyond the clothes, they're serious about regenerative agriculture and transparent about their supply chain. Their resale platform means you can find secondhand pieces too.
Best for: T-shirts, sweatshirts, everyday basics with a hemp focus Fibers: Hemp/organic cotton blends Price range: $40 to $90
Mate the Label matethelabel.com
MATE's tagline is "Dress Clean" and they back it up. Everything is GOTS-certified organic cotton, made within a 10-mile radius of their LA headquarters, dyed with low-impact or plant-based dyes, and shipped with zero plastic. They're B Corp certified and Climate Neutral certified.
They've been outspoken about endocrine disruptors in clothing, which makes them a natural fit if the health research in the first post of this series resonated with you. Prices run higher than Pact, but the quality and fit reflect it. Their loungewear is the kind of stuff you want to live in on a Sunday with your cat and a cup of coffee.
Best for: Loungewear, activewear, basics you want to feel elevated Fibers: GOTS-certified organic cotton Price range: $40 to $100
People Tree peopletree.co.uk
UK-based and operating since 1991, People Tree was doing ethical fashion before ethical fashion was a marketing term. GOTS certified, World Fair Trade Organization member, and focused entirely on organic cotton. Their range leans more feminine with dresses, blouses, and printed tops compared to the basics-heavy brands above.
Best for: Dresses, printed tops, workwear-appropriate pieces Fibers: GOTS-certified organic cotton Price range: $40 to $120
Organic Basics organicbasics.com
Danish brand that earned B Corp certification, uses GOTS-certified organic cotton, Tencel, and recycled materials. Transparent about their supply chain and environmental impact down to the product level.
One thing worth knowing: Organic Basics was acquired by Delta Galil Industries in 2022, and some sustainability watchdogs have raised concerns about the parent company's track record. The brand's own practices still hold up on paper (certifications are current and product materials haven't changed), but do your own reading if parent company ethics matter to you. I wanted to be upfront about that rather than leave you to discover it later.
Best for: Underwear, activewear, Tencel basics Fibers: Organic cotton, Tencel, recycled materials Price range: $30 to $80
INVESTMENT PIECES ($80+)
Eileen Fisher eileenfisher.com
100% of their cotton is organic, including a growing line of Regenerative Organic Certified cotton. They also use Tencel lyocell and Responsible Wool Standard-certified merino. The designs are minimal, architectural, and built to last. This is the brand you buy when you want something you'll wear for a decade.
Their Renew program takes back used Eileen Fisher clothing for resale or recycling, which means you can buy secondhand from them at a lower price point too.
Best for: Work clothes, layering pieces, investment wardrobe building Fibers: Organic cotton, Tencel, responsible wool, organic linen Price range: $80 to $300+
Rawganique rawganique.com
The purest option on this list. Rawganique has been making organic cotton, hemp, linen, and merino clothing since 1997, entirely free of synthetic chemicals, toxic dyes, and plastic. They even developed their own plastic-free buttons (carved from tagua nuts and coconuts) and use organic cotton thread and natural rubber elastic.
Everything is handmade in the USA and Europe. They're the only brand I've found that makes underwear and socks completely without synthetic elastic in the fabric. Prices reflect the handmade, small-batch production.
Best for: Underwear, socks, bedding, and anyone who wants zero compromises Fibers: Organic cotton, hemp, linen, merino wool, all certified, all plastic-free Price range: $30 to $150+
Linenfox linenfox.com
Lithuanian brand that does one thing, linen, and does it well. Over 1,000 styles, all handmade, with carbon-neutral shipping and eco-friendly packaging. If you love linen and want variety beyond what the bigger brands offer, this is where to look.
Best for: Linen dresses, pants, jumpsuits, shirts, the full linen wardrobe Fibers: 100% linen Price range: $60 to $150
How to Start Without Replacing Everything
You don't need to overhaul your closet in a weekend. That's expensive and wasteful. Here's the approach that worked for me.
Start with what touches your skin most. Underwear, bras, undershirts, socks, pajamas. These are high-contact, high-sweat garments where chemical absorption is highest. Pact covers most of these categories affordably.
I literally only started with underwear for the first year, started thrifting more clothing that was cotton and wool, to replace the things I had. There is real guilt with knowing I got rid of clothing that was not at the end of it’s life, but my body and hormone’s are also important.
Replace as things wear out. When a polyester shirt gets a hole or a nylon jacket loses its zipper, that's your cue to swap in a natural fiber replacement instead of buying more plastic.
Read every tag before you buy. It takes two seconds. If the label says polyester, nylon, or acrylic, you know what it is now.
Thrift stores count. A secondhand organic cotton shirt is better than a new one from an environmental standpoint. Check tags at thrift stores too. You'll find natural fiber gems mixed in with the polyester. Literally all over, because they used to make clothes with natural materials!!!
My closet didn't change overnight. It happened piece by piece over a couple of years, and I'm still finding things to swap out. But every time I pull on an organic cotton tee before heading out for a ride or curl up in a linen blanket with Whitley, I know what's touching my skin. And that feels good.
This is the third and final post in the plastic-free clothing series. Start from the beginning: Why I Stopped Wearing Plastic and What Is Polyester, Actually?
Cailin + Whitley (the cat)