10 Best Upcycled Clothing Brands and Online Stores of 2023

Shopping for fashion from upcycled clothing brands is a great way to improve your style and CO2 footprint at the same time.

Driven by a deep sustainability and style uniqueness creed, these are the ten best upcycled clothing brands in 2023.

1/10
AMOUR VERT

French for ‘green love,’ Amour Vert is not just another upcycled clothing brand but an entire online marketplace for fair trade secondhand garments, sustainable clothes, and upcycled fashion.

Amour Vert stocks discounted clothes made from natural fibers such as hemp, ethical wool, certified organic cotton, and other sustainable materials.

Ninety-seven percent of Amour Vert’s pieces are made in small batch quantities within a few miles of the brand’s San Francisco office.

While some of their sustainable clothing is a little more on the pricey side (keep an eye on their special offers and sales), they do have a great collection of organic cotton tees that are more affordable.

2/10
BEYOND RETRO

Nowadays, a history-making store for vintage clothing, Beyond Retro has become a touristic spot in East London.

Launched in an old and disused dairy factory in East London, Beyond Retro has grown to have shops in Soho, Brick Lane, Dalston, Brighton, and abroad, in Sweden.

With an enchanting and unexpected in-shop experience, Beyond Retro’s online offerings are just as dreamy.

Also called a Brick Lane institution, this vintage clothing store stocks its fashion label and genuine vintage fashion from Adidas, Converse, Dr. Martens, and many more big fashion names.

3/10
URBAN OUTFITTERS

With a dedicated team of people that recovers, recycles, and revamps the brands’ headstock, unused or discarded outfits, Urban Outfitters has everything, from sports bras to casual wear and specialized cold winter outfits.

Like most big-name high-street brands, Urban Outfitters also has a relatively poor track record regarding past manufacturing practices.

To deal with the brand’s fast fashion facet, the label has introduced its own upcycled program comprised of a dedicated team called Urban Renewal.

The team sorts through deadstock and surplus materials that generally end up in landfills and turns them into recycled clothing.

In return, Urban Outfitters pieces are created in limited numbers, so if you’re looking for that original feel at a price that won’t break the bank, check out the Urban Renewal range by Urban Outfitters.

4/10
Wolf & Badger 

Home of independent designers who champion upcycled clothing, Wolf & Badger is the best online clothing store for unique finds.

One of my favorite finds is Julia Allert’s vegan leather trenches, and raincoats have tie-up belts to show off the waist and classic wide lapel collars that match perfectly with turtle necks in a slim, double-breasted silhouette,

Whether it’s over a pair of sweatpants or a knit dress, these Matrix-inspired vegan leather trenches and coats will have you look put together, even if just out of bed.

Leather trenches are very “VOU” right now, worn by worldwide celebs anywhere, anytime, from red-carpet events to neighborhood walks and streetwear parades.

5/10
Farm Rio

A tremendous clothing brand from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Farm Rio is known for upcycled garments of vintage-inspired boho-chic aesthetics, denim, and similar bohemian clothing in original stitching.

Launched by a group of creatives from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (that believe in the existence of happiness), Farm Rio is an apparel brand that Anthropologie carries on its official website.

More than an upcycled clothing brand, Farm Rio has been a leader in sustainable practices, fostering cultural movements since 1997.

The brand infuses vintage clothing with formal, feminine aesthetic outfits.

The brand supports the local culture, heritage, and craftsmanship.

The company plants a tree in the Amazon Rainforest for each piece sold via the official website.

6/10
RE/DONE

Rebuilding vintage jeans is an art, and each RE/DONE denim piece is a world of its own.

Stylish, unique, and handmade, these are the best upcycled denim pieces you can find online.

With its upcycled jeans, RE/DONE will revive your childhood memories, to the days when your mother had to repurpose the jeans of your older brother to fit you.

In those days, a necessity, upcycled denim was a slow fashion trend fighting against fast fashion as more people prioritized quality over quantity.

Specialists in clothing items from eco-friendly fabrics and organic materials, the label uses circular fashion to create superb clothing for women, often confused with Eileen Fisher and Mara Hoffman.

7/10
COLLINA STRADA

Collina Strada is an upcycled clothing label from New York City that aims to embody humor and youth while pursuing sustainable, transparent manufacturing for a cleaner, safer future.

Imbued with a fearlessly fluid attitude and unique stylistic details, Collina Strada’s signature upcycled pieces from deadstock materials and fashion waste are affordable, stylish, and able to transcend fashion trends.

Loud and expressive on the outside, the brand has a rare ability to look inward, season after season, with a goal that remains the same: to encourage self-reflection and kindness through upcycled clothing.

Above all, Collina Strada is leading the inclusive fashion movement, including androgynous clothing and gender-neutral fashion.

The label is loved and supported by an extensive cast of artists, LGBTQ+ activists, musicians, and creatives of all ages.

8/10
RAVE REVIEW

One criticism towards upcycled clothing brands from young fashionistas is clothes that look old, like just picked from a grandmother’s closet.

Young fashion buyers love a semifinalist of the LVMH Prize, Rave Review, as the label does more than just introduce them to a more accountable future.

You’ll be amazed by Rave Review’s wide range of floral corsets, tailored plaid coats, and posh dresses in the brand’s infamous mix of prints and fabrics that have made this label a symbol of modern fashion.

Yes, the brand’s initiatives speak to a growing awareness across the fashion and luxury sector while reflecting the values of environmentally conscious fashion.

Above all, Rave Review’s upcycled clothes are what you’d call modern, mindful, thoughtful luxury fashion.

9/10
COLVILLE

Established in 2018 by the ex-design director of Marni and the ex-fashion director of British Vogue, Colville’s collections are romantic, adventurous, bold, and uplifting.

Empowered by re-purposing and re-conditioning clothes and accessories, the label creates unique artisanal pieces while supporting social projects for women from Dakar to Columbia, and back to Morocco.

Driven by an innovative and experienced team, Colville’s creation from recycled fabric expresses contemporary women’s feelings and values.

In some ways, Colville is the antithesis of fast fashion: the brand’s passion lies in designing clothes with individuality and longevity that appeal to the wearer’s eye, imagination, conscience, and heart.

10/10
ETSY

Etsy is a global marketplace for unique and creative upcycled clothing, accessories, and similar goods; from upcycled clothing and accessories to rare aesthetics and decor pieces for your unique style and wardrobe, Etsy has them all.

A universe of handmade clothing, accessories, and collections that can’t be found anywhere else, Etsy is the home of ethical fashion and the marketplace to check when you want something unique.

Moreover, Etsy is one of the best online stores and is heaven for creators and individuals seeking to sell their own upcycled clothing pieces.

What Is Upcycling In Clothes?

Upcycling in fashion and clothing refers to the process of taking old, worn-out, or damaged clothes (sometimes even antique textiles) and repurposing them into new garments.

The method was introduced by outdoor clothing brands, initially as lining or fabric scraps for internal padding.

The apparel industry quickly adopted the method to ensure the preservation of natural materials and raw material reserves.

The process turns secondhand fabrics and discarded pieces of clothing into stylish, sustainable products that require less water usage, fewer chemicals, and generate far fewer carbon emissions.

Upcycled clothing exists in stark contrast to fast-fashion one-season pieces that end up in land waste.

Why Upcycled Clothing?

According to the BBC, over 92 million tons of textiles are wasted every year as massive amounts of clothes end up in landfills, polluting the planet in the process.

Despite the stigma attached to the word ‘upcycled,’ upcycled clothes are re-made by reusing and repurposing materials from old, worn-out, and damaged clothes.

These materials are then transformed by brands working with upcycled clothing into new garments you can buy at discounted prices from upcycled clothing wholesale sites.

Also referred to as repurposed clothing, reused clothing, and recycled garments, upcycled clothing is an innovative and affordable option in the contemporary fashion landscape.

There are many benefits to purchasing and wearing clothes from upcycled clothing brands, such as less water usage and landfill waste, fewer chemicals and carbon emissions, and the uniqueness of each style as a bonus!

Is Upcycling Clothing Sustainable?

Similar to recycled apparel, upcycled clothing is sustainable and eco-friendly.

Upcycling clothing is sustainable by reducing raw material and water consumption, reducing textile waste, and giving garments a new life.

What Other Clothing Companies Are Upcycling or Recycling?

More recently marketed as re-style-cling, these garments combine upcycled and recycled fashion.

The ideal approach to creating ethical clothing – a method employed by top fashion brands – is creating beautiful pieces from upcycled cotton and sustainable apparel from carbon-neutral textiles.

Below are other clothing brands that have mastered re-style-cling worth mentioning:

• Outerknown
• Arielle
• Broken Ghost Clothing
• Green Market Vintage
• Synergy Organic Clothing
• Elvis & Kresse
• Bethany Williams
• Zero Waste Daniel
• Fanfare
• Picture Organic Clothing
• Preloved
• Alexandra Hartmann
• Christopher Raeburn

Conclusion

It’s not easy to be an environmental activist who loves the latest fashion trends.

First, you all know that ‘fast fashion’ destroys the planet by creating cheap apparel from energy-intensive materials, using toxic bleaches and dyes, and discarding tonnes of unused garments daily, clogging the planet with landfills.

Fortunately, the number of upcycled clothing brands rejecting fast fashion in favor of ‘slow fashion’ and sustainable clothing is rising fast.

Also known as eco-friendly clothing brands, these labels create new clothes from upcycled organic wool and cotton from broken garments, polyester from plastic bottles and fishing nets, and cellulose from discarded trees.

In making new clothes, recycling apparel brands use less-toxic dyes, less water and reduce the overall carbon footprint.

Using upcycled materials is one of the most powerful ways to stay sustainable and trendy, especially in a fashion industry thirsty for change.

Now it’s your turn…

Which one of these upcycled clothing brands and online stores is your favorite and why?

Are there any other upcycled clothing brands you’ve tried and want to add to this list?

Comments below, please!