Kristen Philipkoski covers luxury fashion, design, and lifestyle.
It's peak cozy dressing season, when there's really nothing better than a warm, fleecy sweatshirt.
Whether you favor the hooded, crew, or zip variety, these sustainable hoodies and crewnecks deliver quality and style, and can be paired with everything from a fancy skirt to a matching pair of sweats.
They make perfect gifts for a loved one or for yourself. Whether it's a small business starting its sustainable journey or a big B Corp certified outfit, you can feel good about purchasing from one of these brands.
This small brand out of Canada has become known for its plush, polyester-free fabric made of 95% cotton and 5% spandex. Mes Amies produces small, limited-edition drops to prevent overproduction, and uses packaging made of recycled materials.
The oversized crewneck ($60) comes in cloud or black, and is stretchy and soft but keeps its shape, even after multiple washes. Pair it with their cute cargo sweatpants.
This medium-weight sweatshirt ($68) is made of Tencel, organic cotton, and recycled polyester, making it soft and sustainable. It comes in four earthy colors, and will look as cute with high waisted leggings en route to Pilates as it will with dressy pants or a skirt. Don't miss the free holiday shipping.
Pangaia is not just a clothing company, it's also a materials science company. The brand is continually working to create new, sustainable fabrics, and this hoodie ($195) is just one example. It's made with organic and recycled cotton, natural dye, and treated with a peppermint finish developed by Pangaia called Pprmint. It keeps the garment fresh and allows you to go longer between washes, saving water and energy, and lengthening the lifespan of your hoodie.
Even the trims, labels and threads are either recycled or responsibly sourced, and the product packaging is part bio-based and compostable.
Velour is a seductive, soft-as-can-be fabric that harkens the 80s, all of which is to say I'm usually all in. But it's not easy to find velour that's made with organic cotton in a Fair Trade factory like PACT's version ($58), which comes in five colors. It also comes in a zip hoodie version. Pair either one with the velour drawstring shorts or pants.
Everything Amour Vert makes is sustainable and locally made, and this winter-white sweatshirt happens to currently be 60% off ($34 down from $85). It's made of 100% organic cotton and sewn in a San Francisco factory. The French terry cotton is super soft and perfect for stints on the sofa, running errands, or paired with khakis on a lunch date.
For the haute-designer aficionado, you can never go wrong with Stella McCartney for style and sustainability. This organic and responsibly- sourced, GOTS-certified cotton sweatshirt ($850) features a two-toned chain on the collar -- no further embellishment necessary. Packaging is also made with renewable and compostable materials.
How lucky are we to have two velour tops on our list? This one from prAna ($110) features a half-zip and a corduroy-like texture (although it's definitely velour). It's made of super-soft, weighty organic cotton, has tubular cuffs and a wide waistband.
Join the club with this classic crew neck from Helfrich Collective ($72 down from $89). The 100% cotton fabric uses no toxic substances or dyes when making this gorgeous blue hue. Pair it with the Capsule Sweats ($67 down from $83) for a head-to-toe team vibe.