Are you looking to buy ethically made plus-size clothing? Here are the best sustainable and ethical clothing brands that cater for women up to a UK size 32.

Moral Fibres readers first asked me about sustainable and ethical plus-size clothing around about the time when I started the blog way back in 2013.

At the time, I planned to write a blog post, similar to my guide to ethically made clothing. However, after doing some fairly intensive research, it seemed there were only a handful of US brands and nothing UK-based. It was a truly woeful picture.

The average woman in the UK is a size 16, but for a long time, the UK ethical clothing scene was not representative of this at all.

Make no mistake, ethical fashion still has a long way to go in terms of representation. However, things are slowly changing. There are now more British sustainable brands catering for curvy women and diverse body shapes – offering extended sizes across a wide range of budgets.

Where To Buy Sustainable Plus Size Clothing

Wondering where to find them? Here are some UK brands producing ethically made and beautiful plus-size clothing for curvy women, and that cater to up to a UK size 32.

The price range key for this guide is:

 £ = Under £50 | ££ = £50 – 100 | £££ = £100+

Seasalt

• Caters up to UK size 28
• Price range: £ – ££

Offering inclusive sizing at really reasonable high-street prices, Seasalt is a solid place to look for plus-size clothing that is more sustainably made.

Much of Seasalt’s clothes are made from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified organic cotton and/or recycled fibres. In fact, Seasalt was the very first fashion company to achieve Soil GOTS certification back in 2005.

It’s continued to do great things by bringing sustainability to the high street, whilst catering for a wide range of sizes.

My only criticism is that despite catering for up to a UK size 28, it is tricky to find plus-size models on the Seasalt website. I’d love to see Seasalt do better on this front.

The Spark Company

• Caters up to UK size 26
• Price range: £

Size-inclusive and vegan-friendly sustainable apparel brand The Spark Company makes fun and funky T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and jogging bottoms with progressive feminist and LGBTQ+ messages. These are all made from organic cotton, and everything is reasonably priced – with every item coming in at under £50. T-shirts cost around £28, joggers are £44, and sweatshirts are £46.

The Spark Company say “We promise to manufacture ethical products with humane and fair work practices – absolutely no sweatshops or child labour, ever. We also promise to work sustainably and to keep finding more ways to do so. Whether it’s our zero-waste policy, using vegan dyes, or opting for biodegradable packaging.”

Every purchase you make includes a donation to Bloody Good Period – a charity that fights for menstrual equity on behalf of displaced people who are in need of period supplies.

Not Basics

• Caters up to a UK size 22
• Price range: £

Not Basics is another great brand to check out. Here you’ll find a good range of wardrobe staples, including underwear, tops, t-shirts, leggings, jumpers and trousers in sizes up to a UK 22.

Its underwear is particularly sustainable because it’s all made from unsold deadstock fabric from other manufacturers, brands or cotton mills. This approach helps to keep fabric out of landfill and tackle textile waste in the fashion industry.

Meanwhile, other items of clothing are made from breathably soft organic cotton, for the most comfortable fit without a cocktail of pesticides.

The Nearly New Cashmere Co.

• Caters up to a UK size 26
• Price range: £ – £££

For sustainable knitwear, try The Nearly New Cashmere Co. This Yorkshire brand sells preloved 100% pure cashmere knitwear that its team have rescued and restored to as good as new condition.

Find a cosy selection of jumpers, V-neck vests, polo necks, and cardigans, up to a UK size 26. There’s even a reasonably priced repair service so that your pieces can be part of your wardrobe for many years to come.

Lucy & Yak

• Caters up a UK size 32
• Price range: £ – ££

Lucy & Yak is another option when it comes to plus-size sustainable clothing. It offers a wide range of fun styles, including dungarees, jumpsuits, and trousers that cater up to a UK size 32.

Lucy and Yak prioritises a range of more sustainable fabrics in its collection. This includes:

• GOTS-certified organic cotton 
• Organic Content Standard (OCS)-certified organic cotton (although bear in mind that this isn’t as rigorous or as comprehensive as GOTS certification)
• Global Recycle Standard (GRS)-certified recycled polyester 
• LENZING™ ECOVERO™ Viscose 
• Dead-stock fabrics from its own production 
• Linen 

Lucy and Yak also makes all of its clothes in independently audited factories, and says that it’s dedicated to treating everyone within its supply chain with respect and fairness.

Get 20% off your first order when you sign up for the Lucy & Yak mailing list.

Girlfriend Collective

• Caters up to UK size 30
• Price range ££ – £££

If you are looking for inclusively sized and ethically made activewear, then look no further than Girlfriend Collective.

Catering for up to a UK size 30, and available in the UK at The Sports Edit, its activewear is made from recycled plastic. Meanwhile, its t-shirts and tops are made from Cupro. This is a fibre made from waste the cotton industry leaves behind.

Additionally, all of its clothing is made in SA8000-certified factories. This certification guarantees fair wages, safe and healthy conditions, and zero forced labour or child labour.

And there’s more to love. Through its ReGirlfriend Scheme, Girlfriend Collective takes back your old Girlfriend Collective pieces. Here they are recycled and turned into brand-new Girlfriend Collective pieces, rather than being downcycled into insulation products.

More Clothing Resources

If you’re looking for underwear, try my guide to plus-size ethical underwear. I’ve found lots of UK brands offering sustainably made underwear in extended sizes.

How To Make Ethical Clothing More Representative of Plus-Size Bodies

Sadly, there are many more ethical brands that don’t cater for plus sizes. Many go up to a UK 16 or 18 and no further. Some even stop at a size 14 – describing a UK size 14 as ‘extra-large’, even though it’s below the average size.

Brands tell me they cater to perceived demand. If there is a particular brand that you would like to shop from that doesn’t cater for you, do email them and tell them you would shop with them if they made clothes that cater to more representative sizing.

What If I Can’t Afford To Buy Plus Size Ethical Clothing?

I have aimed to cater to a wide range of price points in this article. However, if plus-size ethical clothing is still out of your reach, then it’s important to remember that you don’t have to buy ethical clothing to support the ethical fashion movement.

From supporting the rights of garment workers across the globe to pressing brands for greater transparency and calling out greenwashing when you see it, there’s much that can be done to support the movement and those most negatively impacted by fast fashion.

Wendy Graham