Hoodies are one of those ubiquitous clothing pieces. We all own one…okay, maybe two…
Fine—we all own a few of these.
Hoodies are everywhere, from high school memorabilia to that fast-fashion gift you got for Christmas last year—all the more reason to make them sustainable hoodies!
Being admittedly one of the coziest clothing items around, their popularity is understandable.
The problem is most are made from synthetic and petroleum-based fibers, which means they’ll be hugging landfills for hundreds of more years.
The sustainable struggle is real—but so is the sustainable snuggle!
In support of the sustainable fashion industry (and the planet), we’ve gathered the best sustainable hoodies that put the supple in ethical supply chains.
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do thishere.
Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Hoodies We Love To Wear
Pact makes ultra-cozy fair trade sweatshirts from organic cotton, each durable enough to withstand the toughest seasons.
Paka’s ethical sweatshirts are created from completely ethical and traceable alpaca wool—perfect for sustainable snuggles.
The women’s and men’s sustainable hoodies (and sustainable sweatpants, for that matter) from Outerknown each contribute both to worker well-being and NGOs working to preserve the health of the oceans.
How We Found The Best Ethical & Sustainable Sweatshirt Brands
We can’t discuss the importance of sustainable materials and fashion without discussing the hard truth about textile waste today.
The EPA says that in 2018, of the 17 million tons of textile waste produced in the US, less than 15% was recycled. This left 11.3 million tons of textile waste in landfills in one year alone.
Much of that is toxic material that will never decompose in our lifetime.
So, to find the perfect oversized sustainable hoody, we lifted the hoodie from over our eyes and separated the loose threads.
Materials:
Sustainable fabrics were the first thing we sought in finding the best sustainable sweatshirts.
Organic cotton hemp, wool, and other organic materials were our first choices.
While fabrics like polyester and rayon are common to a comfy, feel-good hoodie, we steered clear because they’re made of petroleum and aren’t biodegradable.
If we are going to wear plastic, it has to be in the form of recycled hoodies.
If we found some recycled polyester or elastane/ spandex, we wanted to keep it minimal to maintain the garment’s recyclability.
- Certifications: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), bluesign®, OEKO-TEX, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC),
Supply chain and labor practices:
After seeking sustainable materials, we turned to the supply chain. Transparency is one of our favorite things to snuggle up in—so we’ll peruse a Code of Conduct to ensure a brand is doing its best to protect workers’ rights.
The more ethical brands can share how they’re ensuring living wages, protection from harassment, safe work environments, and sweatshop-free and child-labor-free factories, the better.
- Certifications: B Corporation (B Corp), Fair Trade USA, Fair Labor Association (FLA),Social Accountability International (SA8000), Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), International Labor Organization (ILO)
Carbon commitments & green practices:
We like it when brands design eco-friendly hoodies to last. After all, once you find a favorite hoodie, you’ll wear it no matter the condition.
Beyond that, we’re also a big fan of carbon offsets, compostable or recycled materials for packaging, and localized supply chains.
Community & charitable giving:
Putting on a hoodie always feels good. But it feels even better when you know it helped someone or something.
While some brands are too small to give back (just yet), we’re excited that most here make hoodies for a good cause by contributing funds, time, or awareness to bring about positive social and environmental change.
Final Thoughts On Eco-Friendly Hoodies
“Winter is coming”—but that doesn’t mean you need to go stark raving mad trying to find better ways to bundle up.
This means hoodies are about to become a regular staple of your cold-weather uniform (along with sustainable boots).
Which is a bit of “glass half-empty”, because it is downright cold!
But on the glass-half-full side, it means warming up with the knowledge you’re wearing ethical and sustainable apparel.
But the question remains: what is the most sustainable hoody?
That is already in your closet, so start there and then opt for second-hand sweatshirts using online thrift stores.
But if you’re in need of some new ethical hoodies, support one of these brands or send this list of eco-friendly hoodie brands to any friends.
