A Guide to Ethical Kids Clothing

A commitment to shopping for ethical kids clothing can be difficult to uphold. Many high street stores offer cheaply made, budget clothing for kids—but this can often compromise your ethical fashion values. 

Sustainability is higher on the agenda than ever, and children’s designer brands are striving to meet consumer’s increased demand for high-quality, ethical children’s clothing.

Why shop sustainably for children’s clothing?

The obvious benefit of kids sustainable clothes is that it helps to protect the planet for our little ones to enjoy.

According to data published by UNEP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the worlds’ carbon emissions each year and the consumption of 93 billion cubic litres of water annually.

Throwaway fashion is often made using synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon, which can take up to 200 years to decompose. By shopping ethically, you’ll have the peace of mind that your sustainable children’s clothing will naturally biodegrade at the end of its useful life.

Another key advantage is that sustainable children’s clothing is created using natural fibres, such as cotton, linen, organic wool and hemp. This makes for greener, more planet-friendly clothing that is kinder to our children’s skin.

To claim that their clothing is truly ethical, garments must be made by workers who are treated fairly and work in safe and healthy environments. Fast fashion brands cannot guarantee that their workers earn a living wage, and many operate in poor factory conditions in developing countries.

And of course, kids sustainable clothes are designed to be long-lasting, which means your favourite dresses, trousers and jumpers can be passed onto younger siblings, saving money in the long run.

Which brands produce ethical kids clothing?

If you’re thinking about making your next purchase of designer childrenswear a little ‘greener’, here are some of our favourite ethical kid’s clothing brands and garments to choose from.

Oilily

Clothing from Oilily is fun, vibrant and eco-friendly. 

The popular brand uses sustainable materials in their clothing, including recycled PET-bottles (polyethylene terephthalate). They also work with specialist ateliers from Lithuania and artisan embroiderers from India who specialise in producing the finest knitwear and ethical kids clothing.

We love this magical fairy-tale t-shirt, which is made using organic cotton and is ideal for summer days in the sunshine and is available to pre-order now.  For toddlers, this new season pink peacock onesie is super-cute—and super-comfortable—as it’s made from 100% bio cotton for total softness.

BOSS

This world-famous brand’s website states that BOSS is choosing to use more sustainable materials for their children’s clothing.  

They also strive to create ethical kids clothing, as Boss oppose animal testing and follow recognised animal welfare standards. Their Cotton Commitment ensures sustainable cotton cultivation and good labour conditions of cotton workers.

This BOSS short-sleeved jellyfish T-shirt forms part of the Spring/Summer Collection for boys, and the slim-fit style is 100% cotton. 

For baby boys, the BOSS yellow polo shirt and shorts set has a cotton striped polo shirt and a pair of branded cotton twill shorts.  

Both these outfits are available online as part of our summer season pre-order collection that Kathryn’s will deliver straight to your door once available.

Pinko 

Designer kid’s clothing brand Pinko’s HQ is an eco-friendly building with hanging gardens and electric charging stations in the car park to promote green mobility, making them one of the most ethical children’s clothing brands.

Pinko have even gone one step further as an ethical kids clothing brand, as they have created a whole forest full of banana, mango and avocado trees in Kenya to create a positive impact on the environment, and provide work on the plantations for the local community.

We stock a range of Pinko girls’ garments, including this 100% cotton cropped hoodie, designed for cool young teenagers, and this lemon-coloured t-shirt with a floral print motif.

Go green and save our planet

Purchasing clothing from sustainable sources is one way that eco-conscious shoppers can drive a real change—and show the big-name brands that consumers are serious about choosing clothes from ethical and environmentally friendly sources.

With increasing concern that we’re ruining our planet for generations to come, now more than ever is the time for fashion brands to deliver sustainable and ethical kids clothing to build a better future for us all.

Discover more about designer children’s clothing with Kathryn’s online store.