Best Winter Sustainable Gloves For Everyone
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Brrrr… the cold weather is officially upon us and I don’t know about you but I have to be bundled up in the winter! Canadian winters can be unforgiving and making sure you have a super warm ethical winter coat, a cozy fair trade sweater, warm boots, and a fluffy pair of socks are an absolute must.
One thing that I can’t live without though, is my sustainable gloves, whether it’s taking a walk on a warmer winter afternoon, or hoping into my car in -21, those guys come with me everywhere!
Our Top Recommendations For Sustainable Gloves
Best ethical glove brands to keep your warm
Shopping for eco-friendly gloves can sometimes be challenging, what certifications should you be on the look for? What are the best fabrics? We've got a comprehensive guide - what we look for when shopping for sustainable gloves- at the end of this post to help!
1. French Knot
Founded by Lindsay Mason, her love for antique shops attracted her to vintage textiles and shaped her personal style. She releases a new line for all every year from her hand-drawn designs that highlight intricate embroidery with a vintage feel to it.
She sells super cute beanies, headbands, scarves, slippers, and yes, of course, gloves! You can choose between mittens, gloves, hand warmers, and also convertible mittens, all featuring beautiful embellishments that are hand knitted on.
You can pick between subtle styles with very few embellishments, or you can stand out and get bright colors like pink, blue, red, and green that come with a lot more design to them. They retail between $39 - $84.
French Knot’s fabric and materials
100% merino wool is used in the gloves making these truly ethical wool gloves.
French Knot’s ethical sourcing
They work with artisans in Nepal to generate samples and once those are rendered, they are put into production raw fibres are sourced from India and South Africa and shipped to Nepal where the fabric is hand spun into continuous strands. From there the wool is hand-dyed and the artisans craft together the pieces.
French Knot’s corporate responsibility
Lindsay made her first visit to Nepal where she personally made sure that fair trade principles were being upheld and that she employed female artisans. The artisans can either work from home or together in a knitting circle, giving them time to care for their families.
2. Outerknown
Outerknown might be a familiar name to you if have read our article on men’s clothing, we love this brand because founder Kelly Slater has created a sustainable clothing brand that really cares about its people. Everything they sell is coastal inspired with vibrant colors and unique patterns, the products are built to last and to be loved for years to come.
Outerknown sells one kind of glove the Project Vermont which will vary in pattern as the materials are all from recycled fabrics. They are a classic style glove that has been made popular by a cold Bernie Sanders! These retail for $106.
Outerknown’s fabric and materials
The sustainable gloves made by Outerknown use 100% upcycled fabric which means that no pair will be alike, the fabric that is upcycled comes from reclaimed wool sweaters and recycled polyester polar fleece.
Outerknown’s ethical sourcing
As part of the Fair Labor Association Outerknown is committed to fair wages and regulated labor laws, they are also part of Fair Trade USA which is invested in the livelihoods of all workers under Outerknown.
Outerknown’s corporate responsibility
Outerknown has a huge goal of being 100% circular by 2030, they will accomplish this by recycling and taking back products they have already made from consumers and remaking them into something new like their mittens.
3. Patagonia
Patagonia is known for its clothing that is built for the outdoors and they have a long-standing history of providing consumers with sustainable items. They have built years of trust with its customers and is the go-to brand for adrenaline junkies and avid campers.
There is a whole lot of variety here for ethical winter gloves from them, even kids' ones! Depending on what you need they have a combination of mittens and gloves varying in all types of needs.
The Capilene™ is a midweight liner for gloves and comes in dark solid colors like black and deep brown. There is a daily glove that is great for everyday use, and yes they have Yulex® gloves that keep water out while you surf in the cold.
They offer four styles in the Yulex®, three-finger, mitt gloves, mitts, and gloves. You can also get your hands on baby gloves and kids' gloves, these come in more vibrant colors like pink and blue. Prices range between $45 - $105.
Patagonia’s fabric and materials
87% of their line uses recycled materials and the gloves are no different, they are made from 100% recycled polyester, 100% recycled polyester fleece, 100% recycled nylon, and Yulex® natural rubber.
Patagonia’s ethical sourcing
89% of fabrics used this season are made from preferred materials and all their cotton and down are ethically sourced and organically grown.
They also work with over 550 farmers for their Regenerative Organic Certified™ Pilot Cotton program. They are also a Fair Trade company and uphold the highest level of standards when it comes to the treatment and working conditions of its employees.
Patagonia’s corporate responsibility
Patagonia is part of 1% of the planet which preservation and restoration of the natural environment, and they are also a part of the California Transparency Act.
Patagonia ensures that every step of the process from crafting to selling is transparent and traceable, they are always ensuring that everything they do is ethical and sustainable.
4. People Tree
Based in the UK, People Tree started in 1991 and quickly became a pioneer in sustainable Fair Trade fashion. You will find contemporary styles that are affordable made by hand weaving, knitting, printing, and putting on embroidery. You can shop for sustainable basics, sweaters, athleisure, and bras.
The wool gloves are the most affordable ones on our list, they retail for $27.30 or $30.10. These are more mitten style and come in three variations, the Fairisle comes in cream and has a diamond pattern towards the base, the Diamond grey mitten is a solid color and has a diamond stitch in it, and lastly, they have the Patterned which is a solid blue color.
People Tree’s fabric and material
The gloves are made from 100% wool that comes with a cruelty-free label with a strict anti-mulesing policy.
People Tree’s ethical sourcing
They participate in Fair Trade practices and their mission to enhance economic independence and control over their rights. Fair living wages are paid to the producer partners and People Tree ensures environmental responsibility by using natural resources.
People Tree’s corporate responsibility
They are part of the Organic Soil Association, and World Fair Trade Organization, and are also vegan-approved. They produce all their items in small batches so typically once the item is sold out, it won’t come back in.
5. Frank and Oak
Frank and Oak is a familiar brand here at The Eco Hub, you can find them in Canadian sustainable clothing brands. They were founded in Montreal in 2012 and quickly became Canada’s leading lifestyle brand for sustainable fashion.
Their affordable pieces are great for any occasion and can be easily added to any wardrobe, currently, 78% of their products contain either certified low-impact labels, cruelty-free certification, organic, biodegradable, or recycled products.
There are three different types of gloves to choose from, lambswool gloves that feature touchscreen-friendly fingertips that come in a heathered blue or beige.
The mittens have the most variety, these come in either lambswool or Yak wool, the lambswool comes in heathered grey, black, or beige, and the Yak wool comes in solid colors grey, purple, and dark brown. If you’re looking for something warmer, they have the Puffer mittens that come in three colors that are water resistant and thermal lined. These retail for $22.99 - $28.99.
Frank and Oak’s fabric and materials
The gloves are made from 100% wool from either yak or lamb and are hand-knitted, it is cruelty-free and has an anti-mulesing policy. They also use recycled nylon, recycled polyester, and Thermore® Insulation.
Frank and Oak’s ethical sourcing
As certified B-corp, they pledge to meet the highest social and environmental performance standard. They have a responsible denim lab that follows sustainable practices and is made from post-consumer waste, their wool is recycled or ethically sauced with naturally dyed fibres.
Frank and Oak’s corporate responsibility
Their packaging is all made from recycled paper and compostable polybags made with a biodegradable polymer.
You can also purchase a canvas tote bag from them to reuse. As for their stores, the furniture is locally sourced and upcycled as much as possible, if they update their stores, they do it with the least amount of modifications possible.
6. Sartoria
Sartoria is based in Toronto and makes made-to-order handmade knit goods, these beautiful organic products mainly feature lingerie.
The owner runs a very small business made up of her and two seamstresses who are committed to making slow fashion a priority and giving you exceptional products. You can buy Satoria products right from Etsy, they have a five-star rating and over 2,000 sales to date!
They have a beautiful set of arm warmers that come in merino wool or cashmere, they feature a thumb hole and reach to the elbow. They have small cut-outs along the arm and you can choose your color.
Satoria’s fabric and materials
The hand warmers are made from ethical cashmere due the fabric being upcycled and upcycled merino wool.
Satoria’s ethical sourcing
As Satoria uses upcycled materials it reduces the impact of textile waste by reusing products that have already gone through production and been disregarded.
Satoria’s corporate responsibility
They have two seamstresses working in the company and due to them all living in downtown Toronto it gives them the ability to cycle to pick up completed products from the seamstresses. They are also a slow fashion brand which means that they have better quality items so they can last much longer than fast fashion brands.
What we look for when shopping for sustainable gloves
Thrifting items will always be the most eco-friendly option when it comes to anything, but I think we can all agree that sometimes it’s nice to buy yourself something new, or gift someone something new. If you are planning to buy new, here are our buying guidelines that we look for.
1. What kind of fabric is it made from?
Is it recycled fabric? Is it a synthetic fibre? Does it come with any certifications proving that it truly is organic? These are all questions that you want to ask yourself before buying products that are labeled organic or sustainable.
Greenwashing is on the rise and it’s important to be able to trace how your fabric is made and sourced. Look for certifications like OEKO-TEX, GOTS, OCS, or Fair Trade, you can also look for fabrics like TENCEL™ Lyocell, hemp, organic cotton, wool, or linen.
2. How are the fabrics sourced?
It’s important to know not only how your fabric is made but where it comes from and under what working conditions. There are a lot of brands out there paying much less than livable wages and under harsh working conditions that violate tons of labor laws and human rights laws.
3. What is the brand’s corporate responsibility?
What extra measures do they use to ensure sustainable practices? Companies that are really passionate about change often give back to their communities and enrich the towns and villages where they employ citizens from. They go the extra mile and offset their carbon emissions, the packaging is biodegradable or recyclable, or they reuse and repurpose pre-loved products they have already sold.
A final word on sustainable gloves
We live in a world where consumerism is at an all-time high, with everything being readily available at the click of a button and a vast variety of options… it can be really hard to find products that do not take a hefty environmental impact.
Gloves are a necessity, they keep your hands safe from the elements and can also make a super cute addition to your winter wear, ensuring that they are ethical and sustainable is high on the list of needs when it comes to picking out your next pair.
We hope this list helps you find your next favorite pair of organic gloves and that maybe there is something you can take away from this. If you found this article to be helpful, please pass it on to your friends and family and share the love!
