Ethical Fabric Suppliers
When I did my university dissertation on ‘Sustainability in Fashion’, it was a struggle to find suppliers of ethically made fabrics. But since then many more textile brands and suppliers are working sustainably and doing their best to implement much needed change in the industry, giving us a higher quality and more exciting choice of ethical fabrics to enjoy. During my research, I learnt about how damaging the textile industry can be. The excessive water use and toxic chemicals used in fabric production erode the land, kill off wildlife, and damage the health of the people working and living there. And the pressure to produce large amounts of fast fashion means that the factory workers who make our clothes are often underpaid, overworked and denied proper labour rights. It’s a way of working that just doesn’t work, which why it’s more important than ever to consider where the textiles we wear come from, and what impact they have on the environment.
I’m very happy to share with you a list of Ethical Fabric Suppliers that I have put together over the years, to help on the journey to be more sustainable. And if you’re interested in finding out more about sustainability in fashion, then I have also included a list of websites which have some great resources to learn more about ethical fashion, as well as common sustainable certifications to look out for when you are shopping.
The majority of the Ethical Fabric Suppliers listed below sell only ethical and sustainable fabrics, but I have also included some shops that sell smaller ranges of ethical fabric, (they are marked with a *). As well as some suppliers of deadstock fabric (fabric that has been left over from designer’s orders). It’s also good to remember second hand and charity shops, which often have donated fabrics or old curtains, that can be remade into something beautiful and unique.
Find out more about Ethical Fashion:
Good on You - rates how sustainable different fashion brands are.
Time to Sew - sustainable sewing and fashion blog.
Common Objective - sustainable business network for the fashion industry.
Fashion Revolution - campaign for sustainable and ethically produced fashion.
The Sustainable Fashion Collection - guidance and expert advice on ethical fashion.
Centre for Sustainable Fashion - research centre based at the London College of Fashion.
Ethical Fabric Suppliers
Australia
Bamboo Fabric Store - sustainable bamboo fabric.
Sustainable Textile Supply Chain - wholesale sustainable fabrics.
The Drapery - * small selection of hemp and organic fabrics.
Vivify Textiles - wholesale organic and recycled fabrics.
Belgium
Atelier 53 - eco responsible textiles.
Chat Chocolate - wholesale GOTS organic fabrics.
Canada
Bibs and Boots Fabric - organic knits.
Doriya - variety of wholesale organic fabrics.
Earth Indigo- organic and eco friendly fabrics.
Kinderel Organic Fabrics - organic bamboo, cotton and hemp.
Laura Chenoweth - ethically sourced organic fabric from India.
Organic Cotton Plus - organic cotton and peace silk.
Simplifi - variety of organic and eco fabrics.
Denmark
Metermeter - * beautifully curated selection of ethical fabrics.
France
Cousu Bio - GOTS certified organic fabrics.
Fil - Etik - ethical fabrics and haberdashery.
Hysope - 100% organic cottons.
Mars-Elle - colourful GOTs certified organic fabrics.
Monaluna - organic fabrics, threads, zips.
Naturellement Chanvre - hemp fabrics and threads.
Tissus Nature - organics fabrics and bias bindings.
Germany
Biostoffe - organic fabrics and haberdashery.
C. Pauli - big range of organic fabrics, lace, ribbons and trimmings.
Lebenskleidung - organic and sustainable fabrics and haberdashery.
Anita Pavani Stoffe - organic fabrics and designer deadstock.
Seidentraum - peace silk.
Siebenblau - big variety of organic fabrics.
Stoffbotin - colourful organic fabrics.
Stoffbiotop - GOTS organic fabrics and children’s fabrics.
Stoffonkel - Organic, ethical fabrics.
Netherlands
Biostoffen - organic fabrics and haberdashery.
Bo Weevil - wholesale organic fabrics.
Eco Fashion Fabrics - certified eco fabrics.
Ecological Textiles - wholesale organic fabrics.
Pure Coverz - organic fabrics and haberdashery.
Schone Stoffen - fabrics that are good for people and the environment.
Studio Spatz - colourful, certified sustainable fabrics.
Truecolours Textiles - organic, fair trade fabrics from India.
Spain
Nastasia - ecological fabrics and haberdashery.
Sweden
Evelyckan Design - certified organic fabrics.
Switzerland
Au fil del la Nature - organic fabrics and haberdashery.
Merci Les Abeilles - ecological fabrics.
UK
A Kind Cloth - sustainable fabrics & notions.
Amo Threads - deadstock fabric.
Bornella Fabrics - sustainable fabrics and haberdashery.
Courtney & Co. Button Makers - natural, environmentally-friendly buttons.
Dragonfly Fabrics - * eco fabric section.
Drapers Organic - organic hemp fabric and homewares.
Fabric Godmother - * small range of organic fabric and designer deadstock.
Good Fabric - certified organic and eco fabric.
Green Fibres - organic and natural fabrics and threads.
Hemp Fabric - sustainable hemp and bamboo fabrics.
James Tailoring - sustainable and ethical tailoring supplies.
Lamazi Fabrics - * selection of organic and Oeko Tex certified fabrics.
Offset Warehouse - ethical and organic fabrics.
Organic Textile Company - big range of organic fabrics.
Pigeon Wishes - wholesale ethical fabrics.
Rainbow Fabrics - deadstock fabrics.
Ray Stitch - * organic cottons, bamboo silk and european linen.
The African Fabric Shop - African fabrics sourced directly from the makers
The Hemp Shop - all sorts of hemp and eco-friendly dyes.
The New Craft House - designer deadstock fabric.
Sew Me Sunshine - * small selection of organic and deadstock fabrics.
Wild Orchard Fabrics - consciously sourced, ethically inspired fabrics.
William Gee - * haberdashery with a eco-friendly section.
USA
Alexa Organics - organic baby fabrics.
A Thrifty Notion - deadstock and second hand fabric.
Aurora Silk - organic and better than fair trade silks and natural dyes.
Bornella Fabrics - sustainable fabrics and haberdashery.
Bulk Hemp Warehouse - fair trade hemp incl. wholesale.
Honey Be Good - organic and sustainable quilting fabric and threads.
Monaluna Organic Fabric - organic fabrics.
Nature’s Fabrics - * selection of organic cottons, incl. wholesale.
Organic Cotton Plus - organic cotton and notions
Organic Fabric Company - organic cottons, linen and notions
Pickering International - wholesale sustainable and organic fabrics incl. lace.
Queen of Raw - deadstock fabrics.
Revival Fabrics - vintage fabrics from 1920s-70s.
Sew Organic Fabric - wholesale organic fabrics.
Simplifi - eco and organic certified fabrics.
Two Sisters Ecotextiles - eco friendly, certified upholstery fabrics.
ZS Fabrics - * selection of eco friendly fabrics with 10m minimum order.
Ethical Textile Brands to look out for:
Atelier Brunette - certified fabrics designed in France, made in India.
Birch Fabrics - 100% organic fabrics, GOTs certified.
Meet Milk - sustainable viscose and TENCEL fabrics.
Mind the Maker - Oeko-Tex certified fabrics designed in Denmark.