We know how exciting it can be to find a package in the mail and start assembling new outfits with the pieces you got. We have also felt elated scrolling through new arrivals to find the perfect pair of pants and snag them for cheap. However, when we engage in these buying habits that ultra-fast fashion giants promote, we are buying into a culture of overconsumption and production that has dire consequences for people and the planet.
This is the case of SHEIN, one of the world’s biggest online fashion retailers and one of the most downloaded fashion shopping apps, competing with giants like Amazon. Founded in 2008 in Nanjing, China, it grew from a small online shop into an ultra fast fashion giant that brought in $41.9 billion in revenue in 2025.
23 Sustainable and Ethical Alternatives to Shein
However, we do not have to keep giving SHEIN our hard-earned cash. We can find newness, joy, expression, and kinship in our clothes by supporting businesses working towards having a regenerative impact on our planet and achieving social justice and equity amongst people.
There are ethical brands that offer similar products in all the ranges SHEIN offers: from underwear to loungewear, all the way to accessories and homeware, there are forward-thinking companies across the US and the world that do not use sweatshops to produce their clothes. On the contrary, some brands offer slow fashion options made by expert artisans, from upcycled or certified fabrics, that support the uplifting of communities by their leaders. We have made a list of these ethically and sustainably made options that you can feel good about while looking good in.
Ujo Shop is reader-supported. We only feature fashion brands that pass our sustainable brand criteria.Learn more here.
Shein Alternative for Underwear: Subset
Sure, you can order your undies on SHEIN, but they wouldn’t be ‘comfortable without compromise’, the ones from Subset are. Made with organic cotton that’s breathable and does not carry toxic chemicals you’d want anywhere near your skin (or your privates), Subset’s clothes are not only body-loving (of every kind of body), but also responsibly made.
Their suppliers are GOTS and Fair Trade certified. This means the whole cotton value chain is certified organic, not just the crops: from seed to textile it is free from fungicides, insecticides, harmful chemicals, bleach, and heavy metals.
The underwear itself that the brand makes is crafted in Fair Trade-certified factories in Tirupur, India. Factories that carry that certification require producers and manufacturers to promote safe working conditions for their employees, pay a premium for their work, and have it invested in collectively decided initiatives for wellbeing.
Subset also has a recycling program: you can send them your old bras, underwear, and socks, including the ones that are not from their brand. They’ll turn them into insulation, carpet padding, and furniture batting. This ensures they do not end up in a landfill or incinerated, producing more greenhouse gas emissions.
Shein Alternative for Activewear: prAna
prAna is a pioneer in sustainable activewear and outdoor apparel, offering everything from yoga leggings and performance tops to hiking pants and insulated jackets—all designed to move with you while minimizing environmental impact. The brand uses GOTS- or OCS-certified organic cotton, recycled polyester, hemp, and Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified down across its collections.
Since 2010, prAna has partnered with Fair Trade USA, and today most of their products are made in Fair Trade Certified factories, with a goal of reaching 100% by 2028. Since 2021, all of their packaging has been plastic-free: no polybags, just paper bags and rolled garments tied with twine. They also share their packaging approach with other brands through their Responsible Packaging Movement.
prAna also invests in carbon reduction and supply chain transparency, making them a leader in combining performance gear with ethical manufacturing. Whether you’re heading to the gym, stretching on your yoga mat, or lounging on a Sunday, prAna’s comfortable, versatile pieces deliver on both style and sustainability.
Our experience:We’ve reviewed prAna’s Stretch Zion Pants, and more recently two of their men’s shirts and a pair of shorts on our YouTube channel.
Shein Alternative for Work Staples: ASKET
ASKET was built on a single conviction that is the direct opposite of Shein’s business model: make less, make it right, make it last. Their permanent collection of work staples — crisp organic cotton shirts, tailored trousers, merino knitwear, and clean outerwear — never goes on sale, never follows seasonal trends, and never gets retired to make way for something new. What they make today, they stand behind forever.
What sets ASKET apart is their Impact Receipt — a transparent breakdown of every garment’s CO2 emissions, water usage, energy consumption, and cost, published directly on each product page. It’s the most granular supply chain transparency we’ve seen from any brand. Their garments are made in Europe from organic cotton, TENCEL™, and responsible merino wool, with Short, Regular, and Long sizing options across their range.
Buying from ASKET isn’t just avoiding Shein — it’s rejecting the entire logic of fast fashion in one purchase.
Our experience:Our founder, Garik, has worn ASKET tees for over five years. He also has their scarf, chinos, and linen shirt. They’re the highest quality staples he owns. Watch our ASKET review.
Shein Alternative for Basics: KNOWN SUPPLY
Founded in 2007, KNOWN SUPPLY redefines wardrobe staples—tees, sweatshirts, hoodies—with strong ethical foundations. Their products aren’t just stylish; they’re Fair Trade Certified, GOTS-certified organic, produced in Fair Trade factories, and increasingly use regenerative organic cotton that enriches soil, conserves water, and avoids harmful chemicals.
Transparency isn’t optional—it’s expected. Every garment is signed by the maker and features a QR code linking you to the person and facility behind it. Made with natural fibers and minimal blends, their pieces are designed both to last and to be recycled easily at end-of-life.
Our experience:In 2022 we collaborated with KNOWN SUPPLY on custom organic cotton Ujo Shop hats, with the maker’s name on every tag. Garik owns one and wears it almost every day.
Shein Alternative for Winter & Outerwear: Cotopaxi & Patagonia
If you are looking for an ethical and sustainable alternative for your favorite outerwear or raincoats, look no further. Cotopaxi is a brand that makes colorful outdoor apparel, bags, and accessories. Cotopaxi earned a Gold rating in our review, proof that both people and the planet are core stakeholders for their business model.
They give 1% of their annual revenue to non-profits such as Escuela Nueva or Care Ecuador. And they also work hard to make sure their whole chain is fair and achieves a positive impact on our ecosystem: their line (Re)Purpose is made from leftover fabrics from other fashion retailers that would otherwise end up in the trash can; other products, like the Teka jacket, are made from recycled fabrics; and the rest of their products are made from materials that are third-party certified like Fair Trade Certified™ or Global Organic Textile Standard.
Patagonia is reshaping business-as-usual. In September 2022, founder Yvon Chouinard transferred full corporate ownership to the Patagonia Purpose Trust (all voting shares) and the Holdfast Collective nonprofit (all non‑voting shares). As a result, every dollar Patagonia earns—beyond reinvestment—goes directly into environmental protection, climate activism, and community resilience, amounting to about $100 million annually.
The brand continues to donate 1 % of its total sales to grassroots environmental groups and has already directed more than $50 million to conservation and climate initiatives in its first year under the new structure. Patagonia remains a certified B‑Corp and retains its commitment to sustainable production, durable design, and corporate transparency.
Our experience:Garik has owned a Patagonia organic cotton button-up for about 8 years, and it still looks nearly new. He calls his Patagonia jacket the best outdoor jacket he’s ever owned.
Shein Alternative for Size-Inclusive Fashion: Lucy & Yak
Lucy & Yak is known for colorful, playful pieces like dungarees, jumpsuits, and printed dresses, which makes it one of the closest matches to SHEIN’s style. Most styles come in sizes UK 4 to 32 (about US 0 to 28), and almost all of their materials are organic, recycled, or deadstock, with organic cotton leading the way. Their compliance teams have verified that the artisans making their clothes earn a living wage, and when you’re done with a piece, you can resell it on their marketplace or send it in for repair.
Shein Alternative for Organic Loungewear: Happy Earth
Happy Earth makes colorful, comfortable organic basics — hoodies, joggers, tees, and dresses designed to be lived in. Their loungewear is GOTS-certified organic cotton, and the brand is Climate Neutral Certified, a certified B Corp, and a member of 1% for the Planet, donating a portion of every sale to environmental causes.
Sizing runs generous on their comfortwear, with hoodies and sweatshirts going up to 4XL, though their women’s tops and activewear currently top out around XL. If you’re after cozy, everyday organic pieces with real certifications behind them, Happy Earth is an easy SHEIN alternative to feel good about.
Shein Alternative for Sneakers & Dress Shoes: Beckett Simonon, 8000Kicks, Adelante, and SAOLA
Beckett Simonon makes ethically handmade leather shoes for men and women — dress shoes, boots, sneakers, and loafers, all crafted in Bogotá, Colombia. Their made-to-order model means each pair is only produced once you order it, which meaningfully cuts the waste and overproduction built into traditional footwear.
The details hold up to scrutiny: all their leather is Leather Working Group certified, the rubber is REACH certified, and they avoid harmful chemicals through OEKO-TEX and REACH compliance across their supply chain. Workers are paid significantly above minimum wage with benefits like healthcare and maternity leave, and Beckett Simonon publishes its Code of Conduct and shares video of its factory conditions. You can even recycle your old shoes for free through their partnership with Soles4Souls.
Our experience:Our founder, Garik, owns the Beckett Simonon Maxwell Trainers (seen above). They’re his nicest sneakers, the pair he wears for dates and dressing up.
8000Kicks is another option if you like sneakers. They make theirs with hemp, coated with wax. And you do not have to worry about water and dust when you’re strolling with them, since they are repellent to both. Their soles are also vegan and climate positive, made from an algae bloom. Hemp requires about a third of the amount of water it takes to grow organic cotton, it is naturally pest resistant and can sequester up to 22 tons of CO2 per hectare per year, according to Defra.
Our experience:Garik has worn two pairs of 8000Kicks shoes, the trekkers and the runners. Both are super lightweight, comfortable, and durable, and the runners are his everyday shoe. Watch our 8000Kicks review.
Adelante crafts dress shoes made-to-order and ethically. The brand pays its craftsmen partners a living wage and sources its leather from a vegetable tannery in México that uses solar power and a pellet system that ensures 40 to 50 percent less water is used and hides waste that is turned into collagen for the beauty industry. They also offer transparent pricing.
Our experience:Garik owns Adelante’s Luca loafers and Havana boots, the highest-quality shoes he’s ever owned. They last 5 to 10 years and can be resoled. We’ve also visited where they’re made in Guatemala. Watch our Adelante documentary.
SAOLA designs stylish, planet-friendly sneakers made with over 70% recycled and bio-based materials. Their uppers are crafted from recycled PET—each pair repurposes 4–5 plastic bottles. The midsoles use BLOOM Foam, derived from algae biomass, reducing petroleum content and helping to clean waterways.
To further cut environmental impact, SAOLA uses dope-dyed knit fabrication, a process that saves 55–65% energy, 85–95% water, and emits 60–70% less CO₂ compared to traditional dyeing. Natural rubber, recycled EVA, recycled cork, and organic cotton round out the materials used across their shoes.
SAOLA is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, committing a portion of every sale to conservation initiatives worldwide. Their products are made in BSCI-certified factories that uphold strong ethical and environmental standards. With SAOLA, sustainability isn’t just a feature—it’s the foundation.
Shein Alternative for Party Looks: Reformation
When you need a dress for a wedding, a party, or a night out, Reformation is the better swap: flattering, current styles you’ll actually wear again. They’re one of the most transparent brands in fashion, publishing a detailed factory list with 100% traceability for their Tier 1 and 2 suppliers, and they’ve been carbon and water neutral since 2015. Sizes run XS–XL, plus extended sizes 1X–3X and petites.
Shein Alternative for Bold and Playful Patterns and Styles: Marimekko
Marimekko is a Finnish design house founded in 1951. Their mission is “to bring color and joy into lives and homes everywhere and encourage people to be happy as they are”. So far, their designers have created 3,500 prints. Born out of one printed dress, it has become a staple for exceptional people everywhere. The brand inspires people to be happy just as they are, and as such is rooted in inclusivity. Their designs are made to be worn by anyone regardless of age, gender, and size. Their printing factory is located in Helsinki and the headquarters are built around it. Some of Marimekko’s partners are the Better Cotton Initiative, and the amfori BSCI –which aims to improve the conditions of suppliers everywhere.
Shein Alternative for Casual Everyday Wear: Toad&Co
Toad&Co makes laid-back everyday clothes, like skirts, dresses, tees, and sweaters, that hold up for years instead of falling apart after a few washes. They donate 1% of every order to a cause you pick at checkout, and their ToadAgain resale marketplace sold over 8,000 pre-loved pieces in 2025.
Our experience:Our team has worn Toad&Co’s Marigold Tiered Midi Skirt and one of their women’s sweaters. The skirt is lightweight, super comfortable, and easy to care for and pair with outfits.
Shein Alternative for Jeans: Nudie Jeans
Nudie Jeans makes organic cotton denim built to last, and they repair their jeans for free at their Repair Shops, for as long as you own them. They publish the supply chain behind their products down to the factory, so you know exactly where your jeans were made.
Our experience:We’ve followed Nudie Jeans since our 2019 visit to their Los Angeles store. Our founder, Garik, owns their jeans and a cardigan (pictured), and both have lasted over 5 years.
Shein Alternative for Jewelry: SOKO and Astor & Orion
SOKO is a women-led ethical jewelry brand and technological brand born out of the need to connect expert Kenyan artisans to the global market. They are a certified B Corp that aims to build economic sovereignty in marginalized communities of Kenya by using mobile technology to create a transparent and working supply chain that ensures traceability. The artisans craft gorgeous gold-plated earrings, rings, and necklaces made to elevate your wardrobe.
Astor & Orion makes 3D sculpted jewelry from a technology used for VFX and gaming. They have a circular design process and 3rd party certifications so that you can look trendy with your accessories while knowing that they were made in a way that’s socially and environmentally conscious. Their forward thinking circular design method means that any of their items can be recycled at their end of life. Their manufacturing facility has a host of third-party certifications for the fair treatment of people and ecological management like ISO, Carbon Offset, and SMETA.
Our experience:We’ve given Astor & Orion’s Crescent Hoops, Paloma Threaders, and Calla Hoops as gifts, and all three became the nicest earrings the recipient had owned.
Shein Alternative for Accessories: Parker Clay, Warby Parker, Topiku, and Conscious Step
Parker Clay is the place to go if you are looking for sophisticated leather accessories: from bags to cable holders, they offer classic, long-lasting pieces perfect for your wardrobe and your workspace. Parker Clay accessories are made with the thought of investing in communities by empowering women. The company not only provides the women crafters with living wages and good working conditions but also with the skills and tools to end the chain of dependency –like financial literacy and career advancement– so that it is they who transform their home in Ethiopia. Parker Clay exists to face challenges like the fact that “150,000 women in prostitution in Addis Ababa, 26% of women are unemployed in Addis Ababa, 4.6 million children are orphaned in Ethiopia”.
If you require a pair of glasses, Warby Parker has been making direct-to-consumer eyewear since 2010. When you buy one pair, you give the gift of sight to another person. Over 10 million pairs of glasses have been distributed this way to marginalized communities. They also provide free vision screenings and eye exams through the Warby Parker Impact Foundation. Their work does not stop there, they also advocate for legislative changes at the local, state, national, and global levels to ensure access to vision services. They have an array of styles you can either try on digitally or try up to five styles via mail before making a purchase.
When it comes to getting a hat for your next hike or your summer river or beach adventures, Topiku is making upcycled ones that will not only protect you from the sun and make you look cool but also divert waste from going to landfill in Indonesia. Topiku was founded in 2014 when Monty Hasan happened upon artisans that were making bags out of upcycled materials. They upcycle buckets into brims, leather scraps are collected and cut into patches, and straps and fabrics are directly upcycled from other manufacturers. Topiku works with at-home artisans in the village of Desa Rahayu in Cigondewah, West Java, Indonesia. They also buy certified carbon offsets to mitigate the emissions they cannot reduce.
Our experience:Garik wears a Topiku hat: comfortable, stylish, and durable, a great everyday hat. Watch our Topiku review.
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To warm up your feet, look no further than Conscious Step. Their colorful socks are made from organic cotton from India. Their materials are GOTS, Fairtrade, and certified vegan. Every purchase you make with them ensures you are helping with a partner non-profit, giving back with meals, books for kids, water, or tree protection, among other great causes. So far, Conscious Step has donated $1,950,000+ with the help of its customers. They also offer candles and sweatshirts. Their candles are handmade in the US by a family-owned factory.
Our experience:We’ve worn Conscious Step socks many times over the years, and they’re still one of our favorite sock brands.
Shein Alternative for Homeware and Gifts: Ten Thousand Villages
Looking for a unique gift for your partner, friends, and family? There’s nothing quite like being able to tell the story of a unique piece you’d been given, that has been artisanally handcrafted. This is why you’ll like Ten Thousand Villages.
From rugs to stationery, to wall art, to low-waste lifestyle items, they have it all. Not only that, but they also offer kitchen, spa, and outdoor products: there’s something for every personality on your loved one’s list. The best thing? You know you are supporting a maker-to-market movement with your purchase that aggregates crafters from more than 10,000 villages.
The relationship Ten Thousand Villages build with their makers is a longstanding one, their average one with each village is usually 20 years, a span that allows them to truly co-create and witness the artisans thrive and transform their communities with their access to the market. They have had an impact so far in 20+ countries, 75+ partner artisan groups, and 20k+ makers, of which 60% are women.
Our experience:We’ve given Ten Thousand Villages jewelry, soap, and socks as gifts many times over the years. Every item has a story and it’s fun to see the recipient excited about receiving a gift with impact.
How Sustainable is SHEIN?
The short answer: not very. SHEIN took the fast fashion business model to an extreme. Zara made weekly drops famous, but SHEIN adds thousands of new styles to its site every day, using real-time data on what’s trending to decide what to make more of. That speed drives overproduction and overconsumption on a scale the industry hadn’t seen before.
Most of SHEIN’s clothes are made from polyester, a fossil-fuel fabric. In 2025, polyester made up 82.7% of the materials in SHEIN-branded products, and only 9.2% of that polyester was recycled. SHEIN’s own sustainability report shows its value chain emissions were 20% higher than in 2023.
SHEIN haul videos on TikTok encourage buying dozens of cheap pieces at once, and the microtrends behind them fizzle out in weeks. The result is a trail of textile waste, much of it shipped to the Global South, where it pollutes the land and undercuts local businesses.
SHEIN doesn’t respect creators either. It has been accused of copying independent designers and artisan communities, including the Mixteca people of Oaxaca.
The clothes themselves can be toxic, too. When Greenpeace tested 56 SHEIN products in 2025, nearly a third (18 products, including three children’s items) contained hazardous chemicals above EU legal limits. Some jackets contained PFAS, the “forever chemicals,” at up to 3,300 times the legal limit, and six products had phthalates at 100 times the limit or more. It was worse than Greenpeace’s first SHEIN test in 2022, when 7 of 47 products broke EU limits.
For a deeper dive, read our investigation into the environmental impact of SHEIN.
Is SHEIN an Ethical Company?
No. SHEIN scored −39/100 in our 2026 review of whether SHEIN is ethical, among the lowest scores we give.
Investigations have repeatedly found sweatshop conditions in its supply chain. In 2022, Channel 4’s documentaryUntold: Inside the Shein Machinereported workers at two supplier factories working up to 18 hours a day with one day off a month. SHEIN admitted the hours broke local regulations and pledged $15 million to improve conditions. But when the Swiss group Public Eye returned in 2023, workers still described weeks of more than 75 hours. By SHEIN’s own count, nearly half of its 2025 supplier audits in China earned a grade of C or lower, with excessive working hours, missing social insurance, and health and safety problems among the most common violations.
There are forced labor concerns too. In 2022, lab tests conducted for Bloomberg News linked cotton in SHEIN clothes to China’s Xinjiang region, where forced labor of Uyghurs is well documented.
SHEIN’s growth also leaned on a US customs loophole. For years, it shipped orders directly to US customers under the “de minimis” rule, which let small packages skip import duties and most customs checks. The US closed that loophole for Chinese imports in 2025.
For the full breakdown, see why SHEIN is so bad.
Is SHEIN Fast Fashion?
Yes. SHEIN isn’t just fast fashion; it operates at such a scale that it belongs to a newer category known as ultra fast fashion. As the biggest and boldest evolution of the model, it’s responsible for a large share of the fashion industry’s environmental and social harm.
The consequences reach the people who make the clothes and the planet alike: worker exploitation, exposure to toxic chemicals, poverty wages, rising greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and resource and soil depletion. If you want to know more, check out our guide to why fast fashion is bad.
Where to Find More Ethical Brands
To avoid supporting the havoc SHEIN wreaks on our planet and our people, you can find sustainable fashion options in a myriad of brands. But since we know it can be confusing to split the greenwashers from the companies that make an impact, we made a directory of the best ethical and sustainable brands.
You can browse and filter by categories such as the type of product, the sizes, location, values, and our rating. We rate brands on a scale from Certified to Silver to Gold and consider their transparency, ethical labor practices, and ecological sustainability when we rate them.
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Editor’s Note (Updated October 2026): Ujo Shop founder Garik Himebaugh replaced four brands, added notes on the brands our team has worn, and updated our SHEIN rating.
Adela is a Colombian storyteller, content maker, strategy consultant, & event producer, specializing in sustainable fashion, mental health, and gender issues.