Modern bridal brands are challenging the wedding industry by putting sustainability and environmental impact at the forefront of their design process.
Wedding dresses are a one-time-wear fashion piece. So by nature, they were never intended to be sustainable. But some modern perspectives are turning this idea around. And although previously loved bridal styles are one of the most sustainable things you can do as an eco-conscious bride - there are other ways to keep your wedding day look eco-friendly. So check out this list to see what modern bridal options are out there that will help you keep your wedding day look sustainable and eco-friendly.
01. Leila Hafzi
Leila Hafzi has been designing high-end ethical wedding gowns since 1997, when she launched her production in Nepal with the aim of empowering female artisans in a developing country.
Her luxurious design style is feminine, romantic and bohemian - but above all else, it makes a big, eco-conscious statement. Eco-friendly fashion and female empowerment - what bride wouldn't love supporting a company like this?
02. Stillwhite
Finding a eco-friendly bridal brand isn't the only way to sport a sustainable style on your wedding day. Shopping previous loved wedding styles is the perfect way to minimize your environmental footprint on your big day. Because nothing is more sustainable than giving a stunning dress a second life!
Fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world. And Still White is doing their part in changing that. "At Stillwhite we are proactively sustainable and believe that sustainable, pre loved wedding dresses should be available to every bride. The modern day Still White Bride is a conscious, intelligent consumer, who cares about the environment."
03. Leanne Marshall
Leanne Marshall challenges how traditional bridal gowns are produced with their made-to-order design process. Each gown is produced one at a time, by seamstresses receiving a fair wage. This made-to-order practice minimizes overproduction, surplus, and waste compared to other mass produced styles.
Leanne Marshall makes sure to source sustainable textiles and natural fibers, along with recycling any scraps and textile waste. It is easy to see why made-to-order, eco-friendly styles like this are loved by sustainable seeking brides.
04. Mother of Pearl
The fashion industry has a massive environmental footprint, and Mother of Pearl is looking to challenge that system with their sustainable bridal collection. Sustainability lies at the core of everything they do, and they believe that creativity and ethics should be able to co-exist within fashion.
Mother of Pearl believes in tracing from field to final - meaning that they are conscious of where their fabrics come from, and how they are produced. This responsible approach to bridal fashion is just what our eco-friendly brides out there are craving.
07. Indiebride
Indiebride is a London based bridal brand that takes pride in crafting sustainable bridal fashion. "It is important for us to not just create beautiful bohemian wedding dresses but also to take our nature’s wellbeing in consideration. The most important dress of your life can be made respecting the environment and people on it."
Instead of mass producing dresses in a factory elsewhere, Indiebride produces each made-to-order gown in house from the first cut to the final finishes. Indiebride is always on the lookout for new, sustainable fabrics to craft their eco-friendly styles with. And you can see the origin of the fabric used on each gown!
08. Larimeloom
Larimeloom produces individually designed and crafted wedding gowns in Italy. They believe in careful consumption - using quality, sustainable and long lasting materials. Using natural fabrics, and plant based dyes, Larimeloom is changing how bridal fashion is created.
The gown above is a statement of sustainable ingenuity. The skirt is crafted from all of the leftover scraps that are an inevitable byproduct of fashion production. These scraps are cut into thin strips to form this one-of-a-kind eco-conscious wedding style.
09. Christy Dawn
Christy Dawn honors Mother Earth with their sustainable approach to bridal fashion. "A dress can only be considered beautiful if the process used to produce it preserves the integrity and beauty of the Earth and her people. When deciding what to wear, we have an obligation to consider how it’s made and the impact of that process."
Each gown is handmade by local artisans in Los Angeles, CA with a focus on longevity. They use deadstock fabric to minimize their environmental footprint, while crafting just one dress at a time. It is easy to see why our sustainable seeking brides will love Christy Dawn.
10. Pure Magnolia Couture
A passion for sustainable fashion lies at the core of Pure Magnolia wedding gowns. They believe that as a fashion brand, they have a responsibility to ethical choices, that are about more than just the bottom line. "From choice of fabrics, to labour and quality of garments, we are committed to making gowns that stand the test of time, support our community, and are gentle to nature."
11. Tara Lynn Bridal
You can't help but love "eco-couture fashion designer" Tara Lynn. In the mountains of Vermont, she works by hand to design one-of-a-kind wedding gowns from natural, organic and re-purposed fibers. Tara's love for nature, and concern about the dark side of fashion caused her to launch her own eco-conscious clothing company that shows just how earth-friendly bridal fashion can be.
By Kathryn Schrotenboer
Lindsey