We've rounded up some of Germany’s most promising fair fashion labels in the world's of shoes, apparel, and accessories. These fair fashion labels make it easy to look good and do good at the same time.
- Black Velvet Circus
- People Berlin
- loveco
- Jyoti
- Karma Classics
- Folkdays
- Shoemates
- SelfNation
- Armed Angels
- EKN Footwear
(And, just because you asked: No, none of the stores mentioned in this article are paying us anything. We are doing this because we love fair fashion.)
Black Velvet Circus
This ready-to-wear collection for women features easy-to-wear dresses and tops, all perfect for day and night times. As the name suggests, BLACK VELVET CIRCUS is a little rock and roll, but still feminine, with a hint of mystery and its own sense of humor. Created with lots of love and respect for everyone involved. ♥
People Berlin
People Berlin is a crossover project where youth in difficult situations get the chance to return to a self-fullfilled life in society… and that only through the connecting power of design.
loveco
loveco is not a fashion brand itself, but a great shop in Berlin to find a collection of fair fashion, cosmetics, accessories and so on. Start shopping here.
Jyoti – Fair Works
Jyoti - Fair Works is a German-Indian social enterprise that works to empower Indian women through the production of fair-trade apparel and accessories. Offering disadvantaged individuals an agreeable working environment, freedom from harassment, independence from restrictive, unregulated working schedules, and the living standard improvements that accompany access to education and job stability, Jyoti – Fair Works claims to be committed to fairness for both seamstress and customer, transparency in the textile value chain, and a love and respect for humankind. Enabling Indian women to create and sustain self-determined lives, the company prides itself on providing fair wages and crafting goods from recycled, eco-friendly, and equitably produced materials, using the earnings to fund literacy programs that emphasize women’s rights, labor regulations, and the provision of health insurance.
Read the full Jyoti - Fair Works story, and browse their collection of crafts, here.
Karma Classics
Karma Classics encourages you to fight back against the exploitative methods and implications of standard mass production in a globalized supply chain by co-designing and co-producing sneakers and bags with a high eco-social impact.
Shoemates
Shoemates – founded by friends Marc and Obaid - operates on the philosophy “get one, give one.” That is, for every pair of shoes sold, Shoemates donates a pair to an Afghani school child, between the ages of 5 and 15, in need. Not only are the donated shoes made of breathable, durable leather, but also each is padded and stitched for lightweight, long-lasting support. Hoping to strengthen the Afghani economy, the company sources the donated shoes from Afghanistan, where their local partners hand the shoes directly from the manufacturer to the children who need them most. Why shoes, you ask? To protect the feet against the infection and disease that accompanies cuts and scrapes from the dirty, bumpy roads schoolchildren must walk each day. Fighting poverty and deadly infirmity abroad? Now that's a slam dunk.
Selfnation
Committed to sourcing the denim in a manner that is both environmentally and socially conscious, Selfnation prides itself on its local production and custom approach (each pair of jean is made specially for the customer). With short transport routes – the materials are imported from just north of Milan and the jeans themselves are produced in Germany and Switzerland - the company seeks to create and maintain employment opportunities in Europe while protecting both the natural environment and the rights of local workers. At the core of Selfnation’s mission lies a dedication to quality, appreciation for the unique, and conscious consumerism.
Brush up on the Selfnation story, and browse their collection, here.
Folkdays
Folkdays produces high quality, handmade, fair trade accessories from original sources in more than 10 developing countries across the globe. Made for consumers who appreciate a forward-thinking, equitable, and socially conscious lifestyle, the company seeks out handcrafts with authentic back-stories, combining traditional craft style with modern simplicity for a look that’s truly innovative, refreshing, and aesthetically pleasing. Folkdays focuses on artisans who are experts in their respective crafts, working to create and sustain equal and lasting partnerships, purchasing and selling their products at a fair price while keeping the traditions of their work alive and providing them with increased income that can help foster the financial stability of their entire community.
Spy - and buy! - the entire Folkdays collection here.
ArmedAngels
“Organic is not a trend, but an attitude!” the ArmedAngels website proclaims. Environmentally friendly production - aimed at protecting both man and nature – paired with high quality and a trendy aesthetic, are how this company claims they intend to change the world; one tee at a time! Not merely a fashion label, it boasts, ArmedAngels markets itself as a reminder that the textile industry can produce beautiful, wearable products without child labor, worker exploitation, ecological damage, or the perpetuation of social inequality. Providing an alternative to starvation wages, ArmedAngels ensures safe and fair working conditions for all its employees, as well as fun, fashionable apparel for all.
EKN Footwear
Produced in a small factory near the city of Porto, Portugal – a country which derives more than 70% of its energy from renewable resources – EKN footwear employs only 70 local workers, each deeply committed to the high ethical and non-toxic manufacturing standards of the factory. Not only are the work hours reasonable and the factory policies non-discriminatory - EKN footwear claims - but also the working environment itself is safe, hygienic, and supports the recycling of almost all the factory-produced waste. In addition, EKN uses only environmentally conscious materials, sourcing organic, recycled, and sometimes vegan cork and leathers locally from Porto and its surrounding areas as often as possible, and otherwise from the larger Portugal region. Recognizing sustainability as a "journey," the company constantly strives to shrink its carbon footprint and find breathable, vegan alternatives to leather for their future lines.
Originally published April 2, 2017
