10 Ethical & Fair Trade Sweaters For All Occasions
Here at The Eco Hub, we are committed to finding the very best sustainable brands. We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more here.
I love the fall! The trees' changing colors are so beautiful, and it's also the best time of year for slow fashion. Along with sustainable boots, ethical coats, scarves, and gloves, ethical and fair trade sweaters are what we turn to when the temps start to dip below zero.
A good sustainable sweater can make or break an outfit, and this year's assortment of knitwear is bound to have you "adding to cart."
Top Considerations
What To Look For When Shopping
1. Fabrics and materials
Opt for sweaters made from ethical wool, ensuring humane treatment of animals. Look for certifications like Responsible Wool Standard, ZQ, bluesign®, OEKO-Tex 100, GOTS, RCS, and GRS. Prioritize natural materials like organic cotton, linen, hemp, cashmere, and wool, which are biodegradable, or semi-synthetic options like Lyocell or Modal.
2. Ethically Sourced
Seek brands that use sustainable and ethical production methods. Certifications like Fairtrade, B-Corp, WRAP, and BSCI indicate responsible practices, though smaller brands may lack these due to cost. Transparency is key to avoiding greenwashing.
3. Corporate Responsibility
Evaluate a brand's commitment to social and environmental responsibility. This can include plastic-free packaging, carbon neutrality initiatives, or B-Corp certification.
Top picks for ethical and fair trade sweaters
1. tentree
Tentree, a standout on The Eco Hub, is your go-to for cozy, ethical sweaters. From ribbed to turtlenecks, their range fits any minimalist wardrobe. They use sustainable organic cotton and recycled polyester, partnering with REPREVE® to upcycle plastic bottles.
Committed to ethical practices, tentree's production is certified by WRAP, BSCI, SA8000, and others. Plus, as a B Corp, they plant a tree for every purchase.
Pair a cute sweater with a cozy pair of socks.
Size Range: XS–XL
Price: $$-$$$
2. Frank and Oak
Frank and Oak offers fashionably sustainable clothing, including a range of ethically-made sweaters in necklines like turtlenecks, Johnny Collars, and crewnecks. Their palette features earthy tones like evergreens, amber browns, burnt siennas, and orchids.
Fabrics include organic cotton, non-mulesed wool, and innovative materials like Sea Wool and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ Viscose, all GOTS certified.
Ethically sourcing materials, especially yak wool, they support animal welfare and environmental preservation. Committed to carbon neutrality and minimal waste, they collaborate with Earth Day Canada for a tree-planting program to offset their eCommerce emissions.
Size range: XXS–XL for women and XS– XXL for men.
Price: $$-$$$
3. Kotn
Kotn is a beloved brand for its ethical t-shirts, sustainable undies, and stylish, durable fair trade sweaters. They offer everything from rugged crewnecks to luxurious merino and chic cardigans.
Their main fabric is organic cotton, and they are committed to becoming 100% organic in five years. They practice direct trade to ensure fair pricing and transparency. As a B Certified Corp, Kotn actively builds schools in the Nile Delta, significantly impacting education, especially for girls.
Size range: XXS–XXL
Price: $$-$$$
4. Patagonia
Patagonia excels in ethical fashion, offering a range of sustainable sweaters including sweater tanks, vests, quilted cotton pullovers, eco-friendly crewnecks, and fleece snap necks for all ages.
They prioritize organic cotton, recycled polyester, and RWS-certified wool, with a significant portion of their materials being recycled.
Their Footprint Chronicles promote transparency, and most factories are fair trade certified. Patagonia's dedication to regenerative farming and organic cotton underlines its environmental and social responsibility commitment.
Size Range: XXS–XXL
Price: $$$
5. Sézane
Sézane offers stunning, sustainable women's sweaters, known for their feminine and chic detailing. Their knitwear gallery is a must-see, with a tempting array of colors like pink, green, grey, and sea green, and styles including cardigans, lace, and puffy sleeves.
Three-quarters of Sézane's materials are eco-friendly, boasting certifications like GOTS, Oeko-Tex, FSC, RWS, and RMS. They emphasize organic cotton, recycled polyester, and vegetable-tanned leather.
Sézane ensures ethical sourcing through third-party audits and offers transparency by introducing their ateliers on their website.
As a B Corp-certified company, they've recycled over 13,000 clothing items and use recycled cardboard for shipping. Their commitment extends to renewable energy for their locations, partnerships with charities through Demain, and a dedicated repair guide on their website.
Size Range: XXS–XXXL
Price: $$$$
6. Nadaam
Nadaam, a standout in sustainable fashion, offers fantastic sweaters and cardigans for both men and women.
Their ethical cashmere sweaters, perfect for fall fashion, are a highlight, especially the $75 Sweater, available in 13 colors with over 50k reviews.
They use 75% organic cashmere, wool, cotton, and recycled cashmere, all certified by GRS, GOTS, OEKO-Tex 100, and Responsible Wool Standard.
Nadaam's ethical approach includes “cruelty-free cashmere”, sourced from herders using traditional hand-combing methods, ensuring a living wage, insurance, and healthcare for herders. They've also provided clean drinking water to over 700 Gobi Desert families.
Nadaam works on anti-desertification projects and aims for carbon neutrality through emission reduction, renewable energy, and sustainable packaging.
Size Range: XXS–XXXL
Price: $$-$$$$
7. Everlane
Everlane offers a stylish and sustainable range of sweaters, including wool cardigans, vests, and chunky knits. Their fabrics include wool, alpaca, cashmere, cotton, and recycled materials, highlighted in their ReNew collection, which has upcycled a significant amount of textiles.
They focus on ethical sourcing and animal welfare for their wool and alpaca products.
The brand is committed to sustainable practices, holding certifications like Bluesign, GOTS, GRS, and RWS.
They prioritize transparency, ethical treatment, and environmental responsibility, which is evident in their LEED-certified factories and "Zero-Waste to Landfill" program. Everlane's partnership with Happy Returns also showcases their effort to minimize environmental impact.
Sizes: XXS to XXL
Price: $$$-$$$$
8. Pact
Pact offers versatile sweaters that pair perfectly with jeans or leggings, including chunky styles, crews, dresses, and ponchos.
These stylish and colorful pieces are ideal for a minimalist wardrobe. Known for its sustainable fabrics, Pact's collection primarily features GOTS-certified organic cotton, which uses 81% less water and is free of toxic chemicals.
Emphasizing ethical sourcing, Pact collaborates with Fair Trade Certified™ factories, ensuring safe working conditions, community empowerment, and environmental protection.
Their commitment to corporate responsibility includes offering carbon footprint offset options for shipments and encouraging clothing donations through packaging.
Size Range: XS–2XL
Price: $$-$$$
9. Outerknown
Outerknown, founded by surfer Kelly Slater, offers a range of stylish, sustainable men's sweaters perfect for chilly days. Their collection includes boyfriend cardigans, wrap-over styles, slouchy crew necks, and turtlenecks from luxurious cashmere, merino wool, and recycled fibers.
In their commitment to sustainability, 90% of Outerknown's fibers are organic, recycled, or regenerated, and all their trunks use eco-friendly materials to support clean oceans.
They partner with Fair Trade USA to support over 5,000 workers, adhering to the Fair Labor Association's high labor standards. Outerknown is also working towards making 75% of its fabrics and 50% of its products circular by 2030, with a long-term goal for all products to be circular.
This commitment and their partnerships with ocean conservation charities underscores their dedication to environmental and social responsibility.
Size Range: XS–XL
Price: $$$
10. ABLE
ABLE offers a cozy and chic collection of women's sweaters, including organic sustainable cardigans, tunics, pullovers, and unique pieces like the "touchably textured" Alexis Boucle Sweater.
In terms of materials, many of ABLE's sweaters are crafted from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, ensuring eco-friendliness and sustainability. They also offer pieces made from viscose and a blend of BCI cotton with recycled polyester and nylon, providing a range of textures and styles.
Their sweaters are produced by women artisans in India and China, focusing on fair wages and safe working conditions. The brand participates in the Lowest Wage Challenge for industry transparency and is moving towards 100% recyclable packaging, emphasizing its dedication to environmental sustainability.
Size Range: XXS–3XL
Price: $$-$$$
A final word on fair trade sweaters
All the brands featured above will give you an excuse to layer up. I mean, this collection of sustainable knits is absolute perfection!
Don't forget you can also find some great ethical and fair trade sweaters in online thrift shops! Thrifting can be overwhelming, but these tips will help steer you in the right direction.
After all, I want you to feel cozy and look ca-ute all season. Check out this blog on the best affordable, ethical fashion brands.
If you have a ton of old sweaters you want to find a home for, try selling them online.
If you found this post helpful, please help someone by sharing this article – Sharing is caring 🙂!