Clothes made from plastic bottles, recovered ocean plastics, and even other plastic clothes are becoming increasingly popular in sustainable clothing circles.
But is recycled plastic clothing really all that sustainable?
Like synthetics themselves, the answer can be stretched both ways.
On one hand, it’s utilzing existing plastic waste and preventing further petroleum needs.
But it doesn’t negate the fact that they still won’t ever fully biodegrade or stop the shedding of microplastics with each wash.
We love seeing brands make clothes from recycled materials, but ultimately, the onus is on us to wash them properly and keep the chain of circularity going once they wear out.
A (Re) Roll-Call Of Our Favorite Clothing Made Of Recycled Materials
Girlfriend Collective’s activewear is circular by design and sustainable by nature. Their clothing made from recycled waste can be recycled on repeat through their ReGirlfriend take-back scheme.
Every product Patagonia makes is audited on its environmental impact. They use almost entirely recycled polyester from plastic bottles in their fleeces and waterproof outdoor gear.
In over 150 years of plastic production, only 9% of it has been recycled. 19% of it has been incinerated and the rest has been dumped in landfills or ended up polluting the environment.
Since common synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon are derived from plastic, an increasing number of fashion brands have started to make clothes out of plastic waste.
PET (short for Polyethylene terephthalate) is a type of plastic which is used to make bottles and polyester for clothing.
This means single-use plastic bottles can find a second life as garments which keeps resources in circulation for longer and reduces the need to create virgin polyester.
The same goes for nylon, which is used in industrial things like fish netting and carpeting, but can easily be recycled back into wearable fibers.
Read on to find some of our favourite fashion brands that are innovating new ways to turn plastic waste into sustainable clothing then scroll to the bottom to find out how we chose them.
Our Curated List Of Recycled Clothing Brands
1. Girlfriend Collective
Price Range | $12–$214 | Shop Girlfriend Collective
Materials | OEKO-TEX-certified and BPA-free recycled polyester from PET plastic bottles, fishing nets and ocean waste, OEKO-TEX-certified safe dyes.
What We Love | Girlfriend Collective specializes in ethical high-performance activewear made from recycled plastic waste. It’s also made to be recycled on repeat with their ReGirlfriend take-back program.
Girlfriend Collective’s Clothing Made Of Recycled Plastic
Girlfriend Collective’s activewear includes leggings, sports bras, unitards, and joggers to suit a range of body types.
They also make sporty dresses, sweatsuits and outerwear that can take you from the gym to the couch in pure comfort.
Preferring timeless solids and block colors over prints, meaning the brand’s collections are easy to mix and match.
As for recycled fabrics, choose between four types—Compressive, Float, Reset and Luxe—each suiting a specific performance need.
Their bestselling Compressive Pocket Leggings give us the perfect flattering silhouette with plenty of support for even the most intensive workouts.
They’re squat-proof (even if you’re wearing lighter panties—we checked!), moisture-wicking, and breathable, with dual sided pockets that make it easy to keep our pump-up tunes on full blast no matter what exercise we’re doing.
We love the smoothe and buttery soft feel to the fabric, which is made of 79% recycled plastic bottles (RPET) and spandex.
Girlfriend Collective’s Sustainability
Certifications | SA8000, OEKO-TEX
Sourcing & Supply Chain | They source recycled plastic from Taiwan and use an SA8000-certified factory in Vietnam to make their clothes.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | XXS–6XL sizes and inclusive modeling—this brand is making fitness-wear accessible to most bodies.
Pay It Forward | 1% of every Girlfriend Collective purchase is donated to a community project of your choice. This can include Doctors Without Borders, medical care for Indigenous women or providing beds for dogs in no-kill shelters.
2. Patagonia
Price Range | $22–$999 | Shop Patagonia
Materials | bluesign®-approved recycled polyester made from plastic bottles, recycled nylon, and PFAS-free durable water-repellent finish. Non plastic garments are made of all natural fabrics like wool and regenerative organic cotton.
What We Love | Patagonia audits each product’s environmental impact and has committed to removing all virgin polyester fibers by 2025.
Patagonia’s Recycled Plastic Clothes
Patagonia makes outdoor gear with a positive impact on the planet.
On a mission to ban virgin plastics from their entire collection, the brand started selling clothing made of recycled plastic bottles as far back as 1993.
They’ve expanded the range to include waterproof jackets made from 100% recycled polyester, lightweight stashable pullovers from recycled nylon and recycled ocean plastic coats.
For practicality meets comfort, check out their Nano Puff® range with lightweight packable insulated jackets and vests made from 100% recycled polyester in both the ripstop shell and insulation.
The Nano Puff® Jacket is hands down our favorite Patagonia piece we own—and we own a lot of them.
No matter the season, this packable puffer is our go-to grab for everything from an after work spring hike to skiing. It’s so incredibly versatile, comfortable, and easy to layer both under and over other garments.
We’ve put ours through the absolute wringer over the last five years and it’s not showing any signs of stopping soon. And if it does, we know Patagonia’s IronClad Guarantee can help us restore it back to wearable condition.
Patagonia’s Sustainability
Certifications | bluesign®, ROC, Fair Trade, GOTS
Carbon | Patagonia finances energy and carbon audits to help partners throughout their supply chain improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon-intensive fuels.
Sourcing & Supply Chain | The brand partners with Fairtrade USA to offer more styles made in a Fair Trade Certified factory than any other apparel brand.
Pay It Forward | Co-founders of 1% for the planet, they support countless big and grass-roots projects, organizations, and pro-planet political movements. They’ve also made Planet Earth a majority shareholder in their business by investing profits into improvement and climate change fighting efforts.
3. Aday
Price Range | $38–$425 | Shop Aday
Materials | Custom-developed recycled scuba made with REPREVE® polyester created from recycled post-consumer plastic, recycled nylon and ROICA™ EF recycled spandex.
What We Love | Aday makes seasonless capsule clothing that’s designed to be worn on repeat. They’ve developed long-lasting, comfortable fabrics made from recycled polyester which can be washed on a cold setting to save CO2.
Aday’s Clothes From Recycled Plastic
Aday’s blazers, shirts, blouses, pants, jumpsuits, mock neck tops, tees, tanks and dresses are all designed to be worn any which way and can take you from the office to after-work drinks.
They feature block colors and classic, flattering silhouettes with fabrics designed to be breathable and odor resistant.
Their Like A Boss Pullover is made from OEKO-TEX-certified recycled polyester from plastic bottles. It features an elegant mock neck with a boxy fit and comes in four colors.
Wear it at work, on a trail, at a restaurant or on holiday. The outfit possibilities are endless.
Aday’s Sustainability
Certifications | Certified B Corp, bluesign®, OEKO-TEX,REACH, GRS, RWS
Carbon | Aday audits their suppliers to ensure they’re committed to monitoring their carbon footprint and working towards renewable energy sources.
Sourcing & Supply Chain | Each supplier is required to sign Aday’s mutually agreed commitments to human welfare, environmental welfare and animal welfare. Anyone can access a detailed list of suppliers.
4. tentree
Price Range | $35–$348 | Shop tentree
Materials | TreeFleece and TreeBlend fabrics are created using a blend of organic cotton, TENCEL™ Lyocell and recycled polyester from PET plastic bottles.
What We Love | tentree plants tens trees (get it?) for every garment sold. To date, they’ve planted over 100 million trees and you can track yours by registering your Tree Code in their Impact Wallet.
tentree’s Recycled Plastic Clothing
tentree’s Earth-First clothing features a blend of renewable natural and recycled synthetic materials.
Find everyday essentials for men and women, including T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, sweaters, pants, jackets and underwear. They also do a range of accessories from hats to backpacks and even candles for the home.
A good pair of joggers is a closet staple for anyone on the go. tentree’s InMotion Stretch Pant Light is made from 90% recycled polyester from plastic bottles.
They’re lightweight and designed to keep you cool and dry whether you’re hiking, trail running or lounging on the couch.
tentree’s Sustainability
Certifications | Certified B Corp, Climate Neutral, FSC
Carbon | As a Climate Neutral certified company, they offset their emissions through tree planting and energy efficiency projects. They also utilize Science Based Target emissions measuring methods to help reduce their carbon footprint, in addition to offsetting it.
Sourcing & Supply Chain | tentree audits all suppliers in line with their Code of Conduct and international fair labor standards. They use traceable factories in China, Turkey, India, and Vietnam.
Thoughtful Packaging | Committed to eliminating single-use plastics and using FSC-certified recycled paper, items are wrapped in recyclable paper twine and biodegradable recycled plastic mailer bags.
5. Outerknown
Price Range | $14–$348 | Shop Outerknown
Materials | Recycled polyester (from post-consumer polyester plastic bottles), ECONYL recycled nylon, and non-recycled natural fabrics like organic cotton and wool.
What We Love | Outerknown makes recycled clothing that further supports circularity via their preloved Outerworn program. Their partnership with Project Vermont keeps valuable materials like denim out of landfills.
Outerknown’s Circular Clothing
Founded by professional surfer Kelly Slater, Outerknown uses materials based on their sustainability and circularity potential, including recycled polyester and organic cotton.
Their range for men and women includes shirts, sweatpants, jeans, sweaters, polos, dresses, and swimwear. Buy new or have a look at their pre-owned section for stylish secondhand gems at a discount.
We all know that versatility is key to a capsule wardrobe and Outerknown’s Original Shacket has got you covered whatever the weather.
Designed to be a transitional layer, it can be worn under an overcoat or bundled over a sweater. It’s made from 100% recycled polyester and features snap closures for windproof insulation.
We haven’t tried this one ourselves, but if it’s as cozy and durable as the natural fiber pieces of theirs hanging in our closets, you won’t be disappointed.
Outerknown’s Sustainability
Certifications | FLA, Fair Trade USA, GOTS
Sourcing & Supply Chain | Fair trade from day one, Outerknown works with Fair Trade-certified factories and their compliance program is FLA-accredited by the Fair Labor Association. See their full list of suppliers on the Open Apparel Registry. They’ve invested $133,000 into improving workers’ livelihoods.
Pay It Forward | They have partnered with Bergman Rivera to help support farmers implementing Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) practices. They also regularly support pro-ocean organizatiosn like Ocean Conservancy.
6. prAna
Price Range | $16–$370 | Shop prAna
Materials | ECONYL® regenerated nylon and REPREVE® recycled polyester, alongside renewable materials like organic cotton and hemp. Not all their synthetic fabrics are recycled, however, so read descriptions carefully.
What We Love | While they’re still working on improving their sustainability journey (aren’t we all), prAna incorporates an increasing amount of recycled plastic content in their styles to keep valuable materials out of landfills.
prAna’s Recycled Material Clothing
prAna’s clothing is designed for active lifestyles and adventurous spirits so they’re practical, comfortable and versatile.
Find activewear for yoga, hiking and climbing or browse their collection of clothing designed for the every day, including pants, dresses, jumpsuits, skirts, tanks, and tees. They also sell fleece and swimwear.
The Chakara™ Crop Top is a versatile V-neck crop tank top with compressive support and a built-in bra (with removable padded cups, in case you’re like us and hate those pesky things).
We’re not kidding when we say we wear ours at least once every single week—year round.
Made from recycled nylon, it’s also moisture-wicking and designed to handle any heart-pumping activity from HIIT workouts to hiking.
At the same time, it looks nice enough that we just as often don it with leggings for a yoga session as we do with jeans for a day out on the town. This is thanks to the bust that’s supportive yet also shaping and flattering, not flattening like most sports bras.
prAna’s Sustainability
Certifications | Fair Trade, RDS, RWS, FLA, GRS, bluesign®
Sourcing & Supply Chain | prAna are transparent about their supply chain. They work with certified factories in Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. You can find a full list of suppliers on their website.
Thoughtful Packaging | prAna’s consumer packaging is 100% plastic-free. They roll clothes instead of using polybags and they use recyclable paper tape, FSC-certified paper bags, paper twine, and labels.
7. Tree Tribe
Price Range | $19–$49 | Shop Tree Tribe
Materials | Activewear made from upcycled polyester blended with spandex. Other materials throughout their range include cotton and plant-based leaf leather.
What We Love | Tree Tribe is a mission to restore nature with every sale. They plant forest gardens to help communities build resilient income streams and food systems.
Tree Tribe’s Clothes Made Out Of Recycled Materials
Tree Tribe’s handmade garments feature nature-inspired prints and patterns.
Designed for the outdoor nature lover, you’ll find t-shirts, leggings, hoodies, muscle tops, sports bras, swimwear and yoga shorts.
The brand uses sublimation printing which allows high-resolution to be printed all over the material so they won’t fade or peel over time.
The perfect all-rounder for all your summer adventures, the Yoga Shorts are some of our favorites.
Of their many prints on offer, we went with a fun, leafy floral print and they brighten up every workout, yoga session, or morning run we take them on.
Available in high waist or natural waist styles, these shorts are made from comfy, upcycled polyester. We prefer the high waist for a little tummy supporting action that helps remind us to keep our core engaged while exercising.
Tree Tribe’s Sustainability
Sourcing & Supply Chain | All clothing is printed, cut, sewn and shipped from the US. We will be asking them where they source their fabrics from.
Pay It Forward | Tree Tribe works with Trees for the Future, Eden Reforestation Project, American Forests and Cirenas to plant trees in 12 countries. So far, they’ve planted over 400,000.
Our Considerations For Choosing The Best Recycled Plastic Clothing Brands
Clothes made from recycled materials are unfortunately subject to a lot of greenwashing—just look at those from H&M’s ‘conscious collection’.
Many fashion brands have adopted the use of materials like recycled polyester as a way to market themselves as more eco-friendly.
However, the fashion industry is unregulated, so it can be overwhelming to sift through brands that A) are actually using as much recycled content as they claim; and B) are actually doing OTHER things to reduce their footprint, too.
Our criteria helps us sort those using plastic waste for good from the ones that bottle it.
Certifications:
Fair Trade, Responsible Down Standard (RDS), Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), Fair Labor Association (FLA), Global Recycle Standard (GRS), B Corporation (B Corp), Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROD), bluesign®, OEKO-TEX, Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), Social Accountability International (SA8000), Climate Neutral, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
Fabrics & Materials:
Brands using recycled polyester or nylon should consider the longevity and circularity of the materials.
While recycled content from plastic waste keeps valuable materials out of landfills, it shouldn’t be used to encourage consumers to buy more clothes because they’re easier to recycle.
Clothes should still be made to last and brands should consider their end of life to prevent those materials ending up in landfill at a latent stage.
Carbon Goals & Achievements:
Plastic-derived synthetic materials like polyester and nylon are made from non-renewable and carbon-intensive fossil fuels.
Manufacturing recycled polyester and nylon can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70% which is a good start.
We would still like to see brands take an active step to reduce their carbon footprint across their supply chain.
This could look like adopting renewable energy sources, setting science-backed emission reduction goals, and switching to less carbon-intensive materials.
Sourcing & Supply Chain:
It’s a non-negotiable for us that ethical brands are transparent about their supply chain. They should conduct regular audits from third-party certifiers to ensure factories and suppliers adhere to ethical standards.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:
Sustainable fashion should be inclusive to all. We want to see ethical brands offer a broad range of sizes and price points. There’s still a lot of room for improvement here by most of these brands.
Thoughtful Packaging:
Even though there’s recycled plastic in clothing, we prefer it if there isn’t plastic in packaging.
Brands using recyclable or biodegradable materials or finding ways to reduce the amount of packing overall get a thumbs up from us.
Pay It Forward:
Donating to charity isn’t essential for sustainable brands as we know it can be costly. Still, it’s nice to see brands show us what they stand for by supporting the causes they believe in.
Closing Thoughts On Clothing Made From Recycled Materials
Plastic pollution is a problem. While the most sustainable solution is to use less of it, making clothes from plastic waste keeps resources that already exist in circulation for longer.
Brands launching lines of clothes made from recycled materials doesn’t make them sustainable. Many fast fashion brands are guilty of this.
So, how can you tell?
If the recycled content of clothing is used as an excuse to buy more clothes or throw them out sooner, you can be sure it’s nothing more than misleading marketing.
Luckily, the brands on this list innovate recycled content to make durable, ethical clothing that lasts—and most importantly, pairing this with plenty of other eco-efforts.
Help spread the word about brands using recycled materials for clothing as a means of real change rather than another marketing gimmick by sending this article to a friend or two.
