Our Favorite Sustainable Fashion Brands of 2021 on Instagram
From tops made out of flour sacks and local weaves on jackets, sustainable fashion has never been this cool.
Again and again, we constantly search for alternative brands with green initiatives and ethical practices. Thankfully, most local fashion brands have stepped up to work against the fast fashion industry and improve the unfair working conditions of garment workers.
However, other companies capitalize on this need through greenwashing, where they attempt to sell a product in the guise of being environmentally friendly. To help you make better purchase decisions, here are 8 local fashion brands on Instagram that are making an effort towards creating sustainable high-quality apparel:
Hello Habi
As seen before on celebrities like Bela Padilla, we are still digging the flour sacks fashion! Hello Habi (from the root word: Habilin) is an eco-friendly and fashion-forward brand known for transforming upcycled flour sacks into cute halter tops and lovely corsets.
As if they could not get any better, this local brand outsources the flour sacks from local bakeries and aims to provide a livelihood to sewers affected by COVID-19. Shop their famous El Superior, Majestic, and Republic tops when you head over to their shop.
Katawhayan
Iloilo-based fashion brand Katawháyan (peacefulness) makes the most beautiful, naturally-dyed bandana scarves on cotton fabric. In fact, the hues from their natural dye palettes derive from the majority of the plant sources like sappanwood, mango leaves, Talisay leaves, and even onion skins.
Just in time, you can also accessorize more with their latest collection called Verdigris, featuring their Lin-ay wooden beadworks. Their Verdigris combines wood and locally sourced seashells which you can wear as a necklace, choker, or mask lace. Additionally, it comes with a native banig box!
Project PH
Want to look stylish while getting shade from the sun? Project PH prides on their best-selling garden brim hats from flour sacks! Hailing from Tagaytay, this sustainable fashion brand sells quirky and fun upcycled pieces, merch, and accessories, made for beautiful beautiful souls and happy people.
Apart from their popular hats, the local brand sells hobo flour sack bags, tube tops, eco linen halter vests, bralettes, and milkmaid headscarves. Not to mention, they previously sold limited patchwork tops too! Besides on Instagram, you can shop their available items on their Shopee account.
Phia the Label
Recently launched their first collection last November 1st, the upcoming brand Phia the Label sells clothing pieces inspired by romantic European clothing. Currently, they have three dainty dresses perfect for basking in the sun or a date night with your partner.
The owner, Sophia, strongly believes that creating her own pieces allows their brand to be more purposeful and meaningful. As an on-demand fashion brand, its made-to-order system prevents overproduction in fashion and textile waste.
Furthermore, most of their fabrics are bought in the PH and sewn by local seamstresses so you can shop guilt-free!
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KALINA
Perfect for the tropics, KALINA is the clothing brand for your go-to linen fits. Founded in 2020, this sustainable shop based in Bacolod offers these fresh and breezy clothing pieces suitable to the weather in the PH.
Through their combined efforts with the local seamstresses, they create pieces made out of different varieties of linen suitable for everyday wear. Surely, linen clothes are the next essentials you need in your wardrobe.
Nin and Yang
Yin and Yang? More like Nin and Yang. This fashion brand is all about finding the perfect balance between scraps and style. By creating clothes made of retaso (excess fabrics), Nin and Yang prove that they can breathe a new life into the discarded fabric.
With this in mind, the two innovative sisters produced original designs that find a balance between bold fashion style and comfort chic.
ALAKA’I
Did someone say summer all year round? ALAKA’I has the perfect outfits you can wear on your next beach trip!
Their lineup consists mostly of cute linen halter tops, wrap skirts, paper bag pants, and polos (available in different shades). Since it is a slow fashion brand, they follow a pre-order basis system. Make sure to place your order ahead of time!
HANAP HABI
Lastly, let us show our nationalistic pride by supporting genuine Benguet weaves at Hanap Habi. From the word hanap-buhay, this conscious Filipina brand aims to provide a livelihood for the women weavers in Benguet Province.
It also represents the materials used for their products, things found and things woven. Moreover, a portion of their profit from each collection goes back to their women workers.
Buying from this store not only means wearing stylish garments made out of local weaves and fabric scraps but supporting Filipina weavers as well.
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If you haven’t switched yet to sustainable fashion, what are you waiting for?
