The nights are drawing in, the weather is getting chillier, and we’re all making the transition from summer to winter wardrobes. This is a great time to dig out your old knitwear and rediscover the joy in the clothes you already own. Having said that, we all like something new from time to time; maybe you need another sweater to wear on laundry day, or perhaps you’re looking for something a little different to jazz up your winter wardrobe.
If this is you, we at Beagle would recommend checking out your local charity and vintage shops, which are often a treasure trove for sweaters and knitwear. From vintage sports sweatshirts to warm guernsey jumpers, you’ll add character to your wardrobe while helping the circular economy.
Once in a while, though, you might want to treat yourself to a brand-new item – and there are lots of good brands in the ethical fashion space where you can find great sustainable sweaters.
Make sure you look out for high-quality, durable materials and care for your jumpers to make sure they have a long and happy life. Sustainable wool sweaters, for example, may need to be hand-washed. Make sure you check the care instructions before you buy and ensure you can give the materials the care they need!
Read on for our round-up of the best brands around – and remember to sign up to their mailing lists; many offer a discount for doing so on your first order.
Just to let you know, this blog post contains affiliate links – so if you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission.
Thought are a well-established brand in the sustainable fashion space, having been in business since 1995, initially under the name Braintree. They offer a range of knitwear made from natural materials: organic cotton is a good staple, but wool is best for maximum warmth.
Embrace your inner minimalist with this stone white lambswool knit or, with the festive season approaching, go for a classy Christmas vibe with this organic cotton fairisle jumper.
Prices range from around £60 for a basic cotton jumper (although they’re often on sale!) to £99 for a lambswool knit.
Everlane have become a real staple for the stylish conscious consumer, worn by fashion influencers who wax lyrical about the quality of their clothes.
From a sustainability perspective, they aren’t perfect but, crucially, Everlane are radically transparent about their progress and where they need to do better. For example, some products do contain plastic, but 97% of the polyester and nylon in their clothing is now from certified recycled fibres.
You can buy an Everlane cotton knit for £105 or invest around £200 for their patented recycled sustainable cashmere sweater, ReCashmere.
People Tree offer a range of knitwear in a neutral, sophisticated colour palette: navy, black, and cream mixed with burgundy and olive. Picking neutral tones is a clever way to make sure that everything in your wardrobe goes with everything else, and People Tree are a great place to shop if you’re working towards a capsule wardrobe.
Try a longline cardigan to keep you warm and toasty all the way down to your knees, a merino wool rollneck for throw-it-on style, or a wool vest: perfect for transitional dressing when you’re not quite sure what the weather is going to do.
Prices range from £79 for People Tree’s cream ribbed jumper to £179 for this organic merino wool jumper with wooden buttons.
If you like a bit of dopamine dressing, Colorful Standard are the brand for you, with good-quality basics – crewneck sweaters, quarter-zips and hoodies – in all the colours of the rainbow. Go for monochrome colour-blocking or mix and match contrasting hues: the choice is yours.
Colorful Standard make all their products from 100% organic cotton and 100% recycled merino wool, and we love that they opened their own manufacturing centre in Portugal, rather than partnering with factories, to ensure an ethical supply chain.
Their crewneck sweater will set you back £60 or you can buy a quarter-zip or unisex hoodie for £70.
Komodo are another long-running sustainable brand, founded in 1988. They offer a small curated selection of sweatshirts and knitwear, but their styles range from tiger patterned sweatshirts to classic rollnecks – so whatever your style, Komodo have you covered.
Their products use a mixture of natural fibres and innovative fabrics such as green PU coating and recycled PET from plastic bottles, and Komodo have eliminated single-use plastic from their supply chain.
An organic cotton rollneck is £60, with prices ranging up to £90 for Komodo’s patterned sweatshirts.
Cariki’s aim is simple: to bring sustainable fashion into the mainstream and make it more appealing to millennial audiences – and it looks like they’ve succeeded, with features in national newspapers and their products stocked on well-known marketplaces.
With an aesthetic that is urban yet pared back, Cariki offer a selection of unisex hoodies and sweatshirts, made from a combination of natural fibres and recycled materials.
Their prices range from around £30 for a basic sweatshirt to £65 for their ‘desert wanderer’ hoodie with mountain motif.
Are you in the market for some extra layers to keep you warm this winter? Do you want to protect people and the planet while shopping? Download our browser extension to find sustainable alternatives to products you’re looking for online, making it easier than ever to buy better.