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12 Great Affordable Brands For Sustainable Kids’ Clothing

Wish you could easily find better, more eco-friendly kids’ clothing and sustainable clothes for kids? These brands all offer high-quality sustainable basics for kids.

Primary is my favorite sustainable kids’ clothing brand for preschool and elementary-aged kids, and you get 20% off your first order at Primary.com with code AFF20PCT!

And BeyaMade is my jam for baby and toddler clothes. I share more details below, but this small yet mighty company has such a unique and incredible knack for making clothes that grow with your kids. How cool, right?

This post contains affiliate links, which have no impact on your purchase price.

Can anyone explain to me why it’s so hard to find high-quality, sustainable basics for kids? When I shop for clothes for my boys, nearly everything is covered in phrases like “Dad’s MVP” or “Mom’s Cutie Patootie”. Particularly when my boys were younger, I had the hardest time finding clothes for them that didn’t say something silly.

As they get older and more into sports, they gravitate toward clothes that are covered in sports logos and images. At this age, I still do most of the shopping for my 8 and 10-year-old boys when they need new clothes. I haven’t offered them too many choices yet.

We actually have a boy in our neighborhood with a similar taste and body type to my boys who is a bit bigger, so we inherit a lot of his hand-me-downs and it’s pretty stellar. But the boys still need new clothes from time to time, and I try my best to find affordable, sustainable options for them that are also comfortable.

In due time, I’m sure they will ask to be more involved in choosing specific brands for kids’ clothing. But for now, it’s smooth sailing, and the sustainable kids’ clothing brands below are some of my favorites!

12 Brands That Sell Great Sustainable Kids Clothes

Like many parents, I prefer simple and sustainable kids’ clothing that isn’t drowning in logos, embellishments, and glitter. Luckily, there are a handful of sustainable kids’ clothing brands that offer simple but stylish basics for kids made with eco-friendly materials and with ethical supply chains in mind. Here are a few of our favorite eco-friendly kids’ clothing brands.

Our Favorite Affordable Sustainable Kids’ Clothing Brands – Quick List

  • Primary | Check out the Shop
  • BeyaMade | Check out the Shop
  • Pact | Check out the Shop

Primary

Style Superpower | Gender-neutral everyday basics in a wide range of styles. Great quality; super comfortable. You can’t go wrong!

Age Range | 0 -14Y

Price | $

Shop Primary | Get 20% off your first order at Primary.com with code AFF20PCT

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We have many pieces from Primary that we’ve had for a while. The boys love them. I think they are great, and they’ve held up well to the wear and tear of two young boys. (That’s saying something.)

They also fit my boys well. Both my boys are quite thin, so I have a hard time finding clothes (especially pants) that are long enough but don’t fall down to their ankles. Primary clothes fit my thin little guys well, and the pieces have been great additions to their wardrobes.

Our Favorite Primary Products: We come back time and again to the pants and the boxers at Primary. We have had many pairs of the Joggers, and the FlexKnit Joggers are perfect for somewhat warmer weather when the heavy pants are too hot for midday recess for my boys.

I love Primary as an eco-friendly kids’ clothing option for a few reasons. First and foremost, they make seasonless, gender-neutral clothes that last. The most sustainable kids’ clothes our youngsters can wear are the things that are already in their closets, so long-lasting clothes that survive wear and tear are eco-friendly in and of themselves.

Further, Primary is actively striving to make its product lines increasingly more eco-friendly by using recycled materials in its swimsuits and denim and transitioning to organic cotton. They also have several products made of Certified Organic Cotton that are manufactured in Certified GOTS facilities.

I also love that Primary has a reasonable price point. Many eco-friendly kids’ clothing brands have really high price tags, often due to labor and materials costs. By keeping its products simple and entirely seasonless, Primary keeps its prices down relative to other eco-friendly kids’ clothing brands.

Primary also has a fantastic collection of Halloween ideas because their basic pieces make great bases for Halloween costumes that can be dressed up for the one-day celebration and then worn again on regular days. I’m always on the hunt for good alternatives to the cheap, junky Halloween costumes that end up in the trash not long after they are worn.

Last year, my boys both wore Primary basics as the foundation of their Halloween costume, which I shared about on the blog last year. FYI: I have a whole page of Halloween ideas if you’re interested. 

If you have not checked out Primary for sustainable kids’ clothes, I highly recommend popping over to see the Primary collections!

P.S. If their sustainable kids’ clothing isn’t good enough, they also have pretty great adult clothing as well. They don’t offer a ton of different items, but I’ve been really happy with what I have. I own pajamas and a couple of T-shirts. Just remember that the adult sizes are gender-neutral so I had to size down one size compared to what I normally order in a “women’s” size.

Shop Primary | Get 20% off your first order at Primary.com with code AFF20PCT

BeyaMade

Style Superpower | Quality clothing made from incredible fabrics that last and grow with your child; including pants, shirts, rompers, overalls, and more. So adorable and fits (and lasts!) for years.

Age Range | 0 – 4T

Price | $$

Shop BeyaMade

BeyaMade is a small but mighty sustainable kids’ clothing brand that makes pieces that grow with kids. It sounds crazy, but it’s true. Laurel, the owner, creates pieces that have extra snaps or buttons or elastic to allow pieces to grow and expand as the child grows.

All the pieces are handmade with sustainable materials and are so adorable. Many are gender-neutral pieces. I’ve shared more about BeyaMade in the past and the adorable pink BeyaMade romper I gifted to my sister last year.

BeyaMade clothing is so gorgeous! It’s tempting to buy it for your own kids but makes a phenomenal, cherished gift for someone adding a new little one to their family. Although it’s not the least expensive sustainable kids’ clothing brand on the market, it’s a steal for the quality of construction and fabric as well as attention to detail and care of the design. Laurel uses amazing linens, cotton, and more that make for clothing that feels amazing and also lasts. She definitely wins on cost-per-wear!

We’ve had a few clothing pieces from BeyaMade as well as three face coverings I ordered from BeyaMade during that crazy time in the world (…ugh….). If you order a thing or two from BeyaMade, you won’t regret it!

Shop BeyaMade

Pact

Style Superpower | Simple styles made with organic cotton; collection includes bodysuits, pants, shirts, dresses, pajamas, socks, and more

Age Range | 12M – 12Y

Price | $

Shop Pact

Pact strives to make sustainable kids’ clothing affordable, and they’ve been quite successful in achieving this mission. Relative to most other ethical or sustainable kids’ clothing brands, they are less expensive. Despite using organic cotton and partnering with Fair Trade Certified™ factories, they keep their costs to customers down in part by creating really simple clothes and sustainable basics. They also sell basics in bundles to further reduce the cost per item.

Pieces from Pact are made with organic cotton that is GOTS certified. GOTS, or Global Organic Textile Standard, certification ensures that Pact products are meeting the criteria for being organic as defined by the international standard.

Pact also prioritizes fair treatment of those who make their clothes. By using Fair Trade Certified™ factories, consumers gain confidence that the people who make the clothes are working in safe, amenable conditions and receiving fair wages for their labor.

Shop Pact

Crann Organic

Style Superpower | Super soft, quality clothing made from sustainable fabrics that your children will love.

Age Range | 4 – 12

Price | $$

Shop Crann Organic

Crann Organic has the softest clothes that your kids are sure to love (at least mine do). We first tried their boxers. The very first time my boys put them on, they raved about how soft they were. The owner of the company, Karly, started the company to create kids her own kids would love that she couldn’t find on the market already.

Starting from the very basics, underwear, she focused on sustainable fabrics that were also incredibly soft to suit her children. Crann Organic uses fabrics that are OKEO-Tex® Standard 100 certified and made of sustainable materials like TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers and organic cotton.

Crann has expanded to include sweatshirts, sweatpants, dresses, shorts, skirts, and more, though my boys are partial to the boxers. I also love that the boxers are made in the United States and the rest of the clothes are manufactured in a GOTS-certified facility in India.

Shop Crann Organic

Mightly

Style Superpower | Durable, organic cotton clothes that incorporate designs from independent artists

Age Range | 2T – 14Y

Price | $-$$

Shop Mightly | Receive 20% off with code Honest20

Mightly is the product of moms with extensive experience in the apparel industry searching for well-made and comfortable clothes that could also endure tough play of active kids. The company makes organic cotton clothes that are Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified. GOTS certification ensures that our cotton is truly organic and that every step in the manufacturing process complies with safety and environmental standards.

Further, Mightly products are manufactured in Fair Trade Certified factories to ensure that the makers of their clothes have fair working conditions and earn a living wage. For every Fair Trade Certified product sold, Mightly pays an additional Fair Trade Premium directly back to the workers who make our clothes. Collectively, they vote on how to spend the funds on projects that address local needs, so that their families and children can thrive for generations to come.

Shop Mightly

tentree

Style Superpower | Comfy clothing made of organic cotton; ten trees planted with each purchase.

Age Range | 1T – 5T

Price | $-$$

Shop tentree

tentree has a mission to protect the Earth through all facets of the company. They created the company with the goal to plant ten trees for each purchase and have added a sustainable kids clothing line made from organic cotton. The kids’ clothing collection is fairly small, but includes some cozy items like sweatshirts and t-shirts.

To ensure trees are planted in a way that is sustainable and helpful, they partner with various charitable organizations dedicated to restoring our forests and protecting the ever-important trees we already have on our planet.

The company is certified B Corporation, Climate Neutral certified, and prioritizes sustainable materials, so they are working to make sustainable clothing with a variety of tenets in mind.

Shop tentree

Jackalo

Style Superpower | Long-lasting and well-made playclothes; includes dresses, pants, tops, hair accessories, and more

Age Range | 4Y – 14Y

Price | $$-$$$

Shop Jackalo

Jackalo has a fun collection of unique pieces for boys and girls. Sustainability runs through the fabric of all aspects of this family-owned company. They use organic cotton to reduce the impact of pesticides and fertilizers on the communities where the cotton is grown. They also prioritize energy-efficient production processes and the reduction of material waste through their manufacturing and production.

Jackalo also offers a Trade Up program through which you can return your Jackalo pieces that no longer fit to receive a discount on new pieces from the company. When they can, they clean and repair these pieces and sell them in a pre-loved section on their site available only to email subscribers.

Their clothing is a bit more expensive than fast fashion due to the quality of the products as well as their focus on the sustainability of the manufacturing and production process. Organic fabrics are more expensive to produce, and products are more expensive when made by artisans being paid fair wages.

Not only do I love the benefits of their Trade Up program for family budgets, but I also appreciate that the company is increasingly taking responsibility for the end life of their products. Currently, most companies have very little skin in the game once their products are sold. They don’t care nor are they held responsible for the waste generated by their products or how the products are handled when no longer needed.

It’s important that companies maintain at least some of the responsibility for the life cycle of the products they put out into the market, and ensure those products don’t pile up in landfills. Consumers will almost always need to be part of the solution, but companies can play a big role in creating an easy infrastructure through which customers can close the loop on the life cycle of the products they buy.

If you’re looking for some great, high-quality investment pieces for your kids, Jackalo is a great option to build a sustainable wardrobe for kids.

Shop Jackalo

Organic, ethical kids clothes that you can send back when outgrown: Jackalo, shop now at hellojackalo.com

Or.Basics

Style Superpower | Soft, simple, gender-neutral clothes made from organic cotton; includes pants, tops, shorts, and more

Age Range | 1Y – 9Y

Price | $-$$

Shop Orbasics

Or.Basics offers a line of great, simple pieces that are gender-neutral, made with 100% organic cotton, and built to last. All of the organic cotton is certified under Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS).

GOTS Certification means that the cotton is grown without the use of genetically modified seeds, harmful pesticides, chemicals or toxins, which is great for the planet and also for our children’s skin. As the largest organ of our body, we often forget about the chemicals our skin may absorb from our clothes.

My younger son has a pair of OrBasics pants (he’s wearing them in the photo at the top of this post). They are a really durable material that feels great for kids and also will hold up to many washes and wears. As we think about buying sustainable clothes for kids, it’s important to think about the cost per wear. A while back, I shared more about this on the Or.Basics blog, and why cost per wear considerations matter.

After working with Or.Basics and getting to know some of their team, I was very impressed and think their small but simple line of clothing for kids makes a great component of any sustainable kids wardrobe.

Shop Orbasics

Hanna Andersson

Style Superpower | Pajamas and a huge variety of everyday styles for kids across a range of ages; super soft clothing in fun, bright colors kids love

Age Range | 0 – 14

Price | $-$$

Shop Hanna Andersson

Hanna Andersson is well-known for their pajamas and so many cute kids’ clothes. They also have a line of Bright Kids Basics. Nearly all of their clothes are made with fabrics that are Certified by OEKO-TEX® Standard 100.

The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is a worldwide consistent, independent testing and certification system that helps ensure various harmful chemicals are not included in raw, semi-finished, and finished textile products.

Additionally, in accordance with the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, they also share information about the Code of Conduct they use and the procedures they have in place to help ensure their products are not manufactured with child labor.

Hanna Andersson clothes are long-lasting and great to pass along as hand-me-downs. They’re gems to find in secondhand and resale shops because you can bet they’re in great condition.

Shop Hanna Andersson

Colored Organics

Style Superpower | Super soft, organic cotton basics; they have pajamas, pants, shirts, overalls, dresses, tights, and lots more

Age Range | 0 – 6

Price | $-$$

Shop Colored Organics

Colored Organics makes all of its clothing with 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton and also places an emphasis on ethical working conditions for its employees and makers. The company only works with factories that provide fair wages and appropriate working environments for their employees. They also use a portion of their proceeds to help a featured non-profit organization each month. (They are based in my hometown, so that might hold a special place in my heart.) 🙂

Shop Colored Organics

Mini Mioche

Style Superpower | Organic cotton basics in super cute styles, including an adorable gender-neutral cardigan; collection includes many accessories not available at other sustainable kids clothing retailers

Age Range | 0 – 12Y

Price | $$

Shop Mini Mioche

Based in Toronto, Canada, Mini Mioche makes a host of basics in lovely colors that are gender-neutral. All of their pieces are made from organic cotton and manufactured locally. They have a wide range of styles that expanded over the last decade from an initial collection of nine items.

Mini Mioche uses fabrics that are knit locally and ethically in Toronto using GOTS organic cotton. All of their fabric dyes are non-toxic and come from natural sources. Further, all of their clothing is made in local Toronto factories, so it’s easy for them regularly visit and monitor the factories to ensure the makers are fairly paid and work in safe conditions.

The company extends its sustainability commitment to its packaging as well. Orders are shipped with no plastic in packaging that is either recyclable or compostable.

Shop Mini Mioche

Burt’s Bees Baby

Style Superpower | Affordable organic cotton basics that are widely available online and in-store

Age Range | 0 – 7Y

Price | $

Shop Burt’s Bees Baby

Burt’s Bees Baby uses organic cotton for its affordable and readily available lines of apparel and other textiles designed for babies and young children. Throughout their collection, they use recycled materials and GOTS-certified materials,

They also note that they use factories that prioritize sustainable manufacturing processes as well. Their factories recycle water supplies, use renewable energy sources, and reuse byproduct where possible to limit non-renewable resource consumption.

Shop Burt’s Bees Baby

Note: This post was originally published in October 2018 and updated in April 2021.

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33 Comments

  1. I’m not sure I understand why Primary is listed as an ethical brand here. They source from India, Vietnam, and China, where companies are not always known for their human rights/fair working conditions advancements (I realize that this doesn’t mean there aren’t ethical companies within these countries). When I inquired on the Primary support chat, my question about the sourcing of clothes was answered with the 3 listed countries above and my query about attention to ethical sourcing was entirely ignored. I want to like primary, but if I’m going to pay a decent amount for items, I really want the website to share with me how they make a good effort to ethically and sustainably source.

    1. Hi Sarah – Thanks for the question. When I prepared this post, I did much of the same research it sounds like you did. I chose to add Primary to list for a couple of reasons. 1) They use OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification for their fabrics, which gives me a bit more comfort that the fabrics aren’t loaded with chemicals that are bad for our kids bodies and the environment. 2) Based on our experience, the clothes last for a long time, aren’t seasonal or trendy and don’t need to be constantly replaced. I liked their longevity which I believe helps sustainability in general. Most clothes in this price point fall apart after just a few washes, which didn’t seem to be the case for us with this brand. When considering investing in clothes for my kids, many small brands that have more “pure” sourcing and production are really expensive (more than Primary), so this feels like a good compromise for us in terms of high-quality clothes that will last, reduce waste, focus on quality, and aren’t trying to be encourage excessive consumption. I completely agree that there are many ways a company can be sustainable and suspect Primary hasn’t made the traditional ‘fair wages, fair labor conditions’ their top priority (though that’s not to say they are supporting anything wrong, like you say). But when thinking about the big picture of being a responsible consumer, this brand seems to be a good option for us and also something that is reasonably priced with respect to many of their non-fast fashion alternatives.

      1. So Primary doesn’t use Oeko-tex anymore (they used to) I was disappointed to find out. I’ve been buying their clothes for a while but can’t anymore. They don’t have any certifications anymore except for pajamas (and nothing regarding dyes), unfortunately.

        1. You can try another brand Eotton from Canada. They have an online store at eottoncanada.com and their products are all made of Certified organic Cotton and Naturally coloured cotton.
          Dawei

  2. Thanks, what a lovely list. OceanBluu would be a great addition as they offer GOTS and Fairtrade ( rare find!!) certified clothing for kids ages 1-12yrs. Great jammies & underwear. Definitely long lasting!

  3. Great comprehensive list here. Glad to see the rise of sustainable kids options out there for mindful parents. We just launched our kids brand – Smaller Things! With Smaller Things, we are making sustainable and ethically made clothes built with the planet and its people in mind.

  4. It’s a happy day to be able to read an article that is so clearly researched and written. I have very much enjoyed this informational content. Your layout is excellent. I will come back again.

  5. I think Primary no longer certifies its clothes with OEKO-TEX anymore. Search their website, and you won’t find any clothes with this certification except a few items on clearance. I’m concerned because the toxic aspect of clothing impacts both the environment and my child’s health. Do you have any information about Primary and Oeko-Tex certification?

    1. Hi Winter – This is a good question. I reached out to Primary to ask about this, and they said the following: “Our fabrics continue to be OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, but with transparency and safety being a part of our core values, we are excited to create our own standards for our products that we will be able to share more openly with our customers.” It sounds like they are still certified even though it’s not disclosed in each of their descriptions. I’ve actually worked with OEKO-TEX in the past, and know that they have a lot of customers who use their certification but don’t disclose it for a variety of reasons. Hopefully, this helps, and I look forward to the additional transparency they’ve committed to in the future. – Jen

  6. Hello Jen, I enjoyed your helpful article! With hundreds of mass-produced kids’ clothing brands on the market It’s refreshing to see these brands featured. I would love to introduce you to another one — Lander!

    Lander was founded by parents who value original design, impeccable quality, and maximum versatility and comfort. Call us parent pioneers paving a new way for adventurous kids to get the ultimate wearability out of their clothes. We aim to maximize the life of our clothes by working closely with our family-owned workshops to ensure superior construction and the highest quality double-knit interlock cotton.

    We are the first multi-wearable, ultra-durable clothing brand deliberately designed for versatility with our All Ways Wear™ reversible styles.

    We would love to hear what you think.

  7. Thanks for providing a comprehensive list, it will be helpful for new parents and would-be parents to select quality clothes for their babies. One can never compromise with the clothing quality for babies as skin is very sensitive till 5 years.

  8. t’s a happy day to be able to read an article that is so clearly researched and written. I have very much enjoyed this informational content. Your layout is excellent. I will come back again.

  9. I am very excited to know it uses organic cotton for its affordable and readily available lines of apparel and other textiles designed for babies and young children. Throughout their collection, they use recycled materials and GOTS-certified materials,
    thanks for get information

    1. Hello – None of these brands pay me to promote them. In some cases, I received a free product to try to ensure I liked the brand before adding them to the list. In most cases, I purchased the product myself without any relationship with the brand to ensure I like it before posting about it. In some cases, I earn an affiliate commission if someone buys something. That is disclosed in the post. In all cases, all reviews are my own and the brands have no influence over what I write and share. And of utmost importance, I want to be sure I’m honest. If I promote junky products, people won’t trust the reviews, and that’s not good for the site or for readers. Hope that explanation helps.

  10. Thanks for sharing with us these and would you please give us some more information about organic cotton and bamboo products? when recently I bought one nice baby sweater romper for my 6months boy, I found this new brand Eotton. Their quality is perfect and much much better than the bamboo baby clothes I bought before. Why?
    I bought the organic cotton sweater romper online store at eottoncanada.com
    Jennifer Booth

  11. Very nice blog post; it is informative, and I subscribed to this blog for all its future posts. There is some helpful information I think I must share here. At Earthy Tweens, we believe that your little ones deserve the best! Our organic baby clothes are made from the softest organic cotton to keep your baby cozy and comfortable all day long. We also offer a wide range of organic kids’ clothing for eco-conscious parents who want to make a positive impact on the environment. Shop our collection today!

  12. Hi Jen!

    I’ve been meaning to send a quick thank you for this blog post! Last year, we came across your post while researching brands to carry at our children’s clothing store and were so inspired by your post that we decided to bring in a small shipment of Or.Basics to Canada and carry Tentree Kids! The quality is incredible. Thank you!

    Danielle

    1. I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing. And glad to hear that the store seems to be going well. 🙂

  13. I completely concur with your enthusiasm for locating eco-friendly and sustainable children’s apparel! Finding high-quality fundamentals free of logos and other decorations can be difficult, especially for growing youngsters. But for environmentally conscientious parents like myself, your well curated list of 12 affordable brands for sustainable children’s apparel is a godsend!

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