With fast fashion on the rise, many designers push to have eco-friendly products on the market as the materials tend to last longer.
Eco-friendly products can be defined as products or materials that are not harmful to the environment but are easily recycled materials. Learning to shop for items with quality instead of getting more for less can make a difference to the environment.
These are the top 5 eco-friendly brands based in South Africa:
1. Tsepo Jeans
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Based in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, Tshepo Mohlala, created TSHEPO Jeans as a way to have accessible, durable and sustainable clothing where his focus was to make a steadfast staple material that gave everyone (rich or poor) the ability to feel well-dressed.
2. Sindiso Khumalo
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Sindiso Khumalo is a Cape Town sustainable textile designer who started her sustainable fashion brand in 2015 with the vision of creating sustainable clothing inspired by African history. With textiles and crafts at the heart of her collections to produce unique handwoven and hand-embroidered textiles, she works closely with NGOs and small workshops in South Africa and Burkina Faso for her collections.
3. Doc Deazy
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Ishmael Ndizeye popularly known as Doc Deazy, is a brand created in 2019 with pop-up collab events where he helps up-and-coming clothing brands to advertise their work. Doc thrives to create eco-friendly hoodies with a combination of street culture and elegance.
4. Lukhanyo Mdingi
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Lukhanyo Mdingi is a Cape Town-based designer and sustainable fashion brand known for its immaculate attention to detail and carefully considered, ethical production process. Lukhanyo often says that the motivating factors behind his timeless creations are honesty and love. In creating his trans-seasonal garments, Lukhanyo mostly works with natural fibres sourced in South Africa.
Also see: Looks styled by Phupho Gumede in 2023