Where To Buy Sustainable Maternity Clothes In The UK
Today I’m sharing my best tips for creating a sustainable pregnancy wardrobe, including 10 places to buy ethical maternity clothes in the UK
This post contains affiliate links to sustainable fashion brands
No matter how sustainable you are, there will come a time in your pregnancy when you need to buy maternity clothing.
It’s understandable - your body is doing something magical right now and comfort is a top priority.
I’m in the third trimester of my second pregnancy so I decided to share my top tips for creating a sustainable pregnancy wardrobe, including places to shop for eco-friendly maternity clothes when you need them.
PS - congratulations!
COMING UP
Why are sustainable maternity clothes more expensive?
Tips for creating a sustainable pregnancy wardrobe on a budget
10 places to shop for sustainable maternity clothes in the UK
Why are sustainable maternity clothes more expensive?
You may have noticed that many sustainable and ethical fashion companies are more expensive, this is because they pay their workers fair wages and use quality fabrics that don’t pollute the environment.
Because of their long, complicated supply chains, high-street brands that mass-produce clothing have no idea who is making it.
If a brand uses factories in countries where exploitation is high, there is a high chance of:
forced labour (people working against their will)
human trafficking
child labour
abuse and assault in the factories
See for yourself…
High street fashion brands will always deny it, yet are notorious for having complicated supply chains with wages so low that (mostly female) workers live in extreme poverty and face abuse and violence on a daily basis.
Sustainable clothing companies are often more expensive than fast fashion brands due to their focus on human rights and the environment.
Nobody wants to wear clothing that was potentially made using slavery, but not everyone has the budget to support ethical clothing brands that pay workers a living wage.
Luckily, it is totally possible to create a sustainable wardrobe on a budget using the tips I’m about to share with you.
5 tips for creating a sustainable pregnancy wardrobe on a budget
1. Declutter your pre-pregnancy clothes
Go through your wardrobe and put everything that is too tight, too short, or too uncomfortable for pregnancy into a box and store it for the future (it feels like new clothing when you go back to it in a year or two).
Doing this step allows you to see what you have left to work with. You will find getting dressed in the morning is a lot less stressful because you know everything in your wardrobe fits you.
2. Get inventive with your wardrobe
Lots of regular clothes can work well throughout pregnancy, but it will depend on your body shape. Jeans, tops and underwear can quickly become too small, but there may still be plenty for you to work with.
Winter: during my first pregnancy the unpredictable British weather sent rain and snow (in March!). I found using what I had easier in autumn and winter - tunics, thick cardigans, cotton leggings, loose dresses or jumpsuits, wrap dresses, and stretchy dresses all worked well.
Summer: During spring and summer, I’ve found it’s most comfortable wearing hemp and cotton harem trousers (not necessarily maternity - just loose-fitting with an elastic waistband). I also lived in a baggy cotton jumpsuit.
Eventually, it got so hot I stopped caring and lived in old stretchy shorts and tiny crop tops (see picture below).
It was a pandemic to be fair, no one was going to see me but the postman.
3. Identify what you need
Work out how many outfits you can create out of what you already own. Once you’ve done this, you can identify what you need and what other items you need.
If you focus on getting items that match each other, you can build a pregnancy capsule wardrobe.
4. Borrow clothes
Maternity clothes are expensive. Ask friends or family members if they have any items similar to what is on your list that they could let you have or borrow.
By saving money this way, you may be able to afford better quality items when you need to buy something new.
5. Buy second hand
The internet makes preloved shopping easy. In my first pregnancy, I bought maternity jeans on eBay. I wore my jeans for a year after my son was born, and I’m wearing them again this pregnancy too. Maternity tops are also easy to buy on eBay.
Certain items when bought from fast-fashion retailers, like leggings, don’t last as long before they get holes in so check the description of the listing for quality.
You can also find buy and sell maternity groups on Facebook which are ideal when you are looking for specific items.
Where to buy sustainable maternity clothing?
In the UK, maternity clothes are expensive which means it can be hard to buy second-hand. While I found some great preloved jeans and a couple of lovely dresses, a lot of the other items I bought on eBay made me look like I was wearing a pillowcase.
This is how I started looking into sustainable clothing brands.
Choosing ethical fashion brands means you are improving the livelihoods of people around the world. Ethical maternity clothes can be pretty hard to find depending on where you live.
Here is a list of 9 brands and retailers that care about their suppliers, don’t produce new clothing every week (fast fashion), and are trying to reduce their environmental footprint.
1. FRUGI
As one of my favourite sustainable children’s clothing brands, I was delighted to learn that Frugi did adult and maternity clothing.
Ethically made from GOTS organic cotton, Frugi has a maternity range created to last from pregnancy through to breastfeeding.
While leggings are one of my essentials, I’m a little in love with their summer dresses and pretty prints.
Frugi’s maternity clothing also includes swimwear so you can feel comfortable on the beach or in a pool.
View their full maternity range here.
2. ISABELLA OLIVIA
Isabella Olivia is a UK fashion brand that has got creative with sustainability in its business. Not only do they create beautiful clothing out of sustainable fabrics, but they sell preloved clothes and offer rentals too!
Their preloved collection prevents clothing from going to landfills by giving it a second life. Buying secondhand also saves customers money which is beneficial if you’re looking for organic clothing on a budget.
Isabella Olivia’s clothing subscription allows you to choose your favourite items and swap them whenever the season changes or you need a different size.
Isabella Olivia is a zero-waste B Corporation; their clothes are made from sustainable fabrics, like Tencel and organic cotton.
QUICKLINKS:
3. MODIBODI
Lots of women start leaking from their breasts or experience incontinence during pregnancy and postpartum. Modibody has designed a range of products to help make pregnancy more comfortable.
Breastfeeding Cami
Modibodi’s unique pregnancy and breastfeeding cami can replace a bra and breast pads for ultimate convenience (you will appreciate this if you decide to breastfeed - nobody mentions how often you will wake up drenched in milk).
If you leak colostrum during pregnancy (many women do but not all) the cami grows with your bump and the built-in breast pads prevent awkward surprise patches.
This cami (seen in the photo above) holds 25ml per cup and has clips to make it easier if you decide to breastfeed. It is made from bamboo viscose and is comfy enough to sleep in.!
Maternity Briefs
Modibodi’s maternity briefs are made from super soft bamboo viscose and designed to sit underneath your bump. They are perfect if you get any pregnancy (or postpartum) incontinence or heavy discharge. View them here
View Modibodi’s maternity range
Modibodi fights period poverty by donating reusable period wear to global charities and women’s shelters. So far in 2020, they have donated over 2000 pairs to people in need - including frontline workers and people in marginalised communities struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.
4. THOUGHT
Thought is a well-known sustainable fashion brand in the UK that has created a range of stylish maternity dresses.
They create clothing from eco-friendly fabrics like hemp, organic cotton, bamboo viscose, and Lenzing Ecovero. Lenzing is produced using renewable wood and uses 50% less energy and water.
Browse Thought’s maternity range
5. THE B-SHIRT
Founded by two mothers, The B-shirt is a vegan-friendly British brand that creates maternity and breastfeeding-friendly clothing from organic cotton.
Their clothing is made in India and Bangladesh but holds Fairtrade and GOTS organic certifications to prove they are protecting human rights and the environment. The Bangladesh factory uses a method that makes it possible to clean 100% of its wastewater.
6. MORI
MORI are an ethical children’s brand that also offers a range of maternity basics, like leggings, tops and pyjamas. Its clothing is made from eco-friendly fabrics like organic cotton and modal.
Modal is a silky soft, stretchy fabric derived from wood pulp. MORI uses branded modal by Tencel, so it can be traced back to sustainable European forests and is produced in a sustainable way.
7. BEAUMONT ORGANIC
Beaumont Organic are a UK brand with ethical production practices. Their clothes are made in a family-run factory in Portugal using renewable energy.
While they are not specifically maternity clothes, Beaumont Organic have lots of floaty dresses and tops that are perfect for a growing bump.
8. BOOB
Boob is a Swedish company (with international shipping) that place a high demand on its suppliers to ensure they are following strict environmental and social codes. They provide information on who made each product and include photographs of their garment workers.
Their luxury maternity bras are made from sustainable materials such as recycled polyamide, organic cotton and Tencel.
9. BELLES AND BABES
The best way to be zero waste is to reuse what already exists (and so many clothes already exist). If you are struggling to buy second-hand and don’t want to buy new, a maternity rental might be for you.
With Belles and Babes, you can rent a small capsule wardrobe and when you’re done you get to send it back.
Not only are their clothes lovely and stylish, but they make finding comfortable clothing so much more convenient.
10. TIFFANY ROSE
If you want a beautiful dress for a special occasion, Tiffany Rose has got you covered. Although their fabrics aren’t all eco-friendly (I’d avoid polyester!), I’ve added them to the list because their dresses are made in the UK which means you can avoid child labour. Their carbon footprint will also be lower than high street options.
Tiffany Rose sells stunning dresses for baby showers and maternity shoots. It also has a bridal range so if you’re getting hitched with a bump, you can be sure you’ll feel beautiful on the day. Their wedding range includes bridesmaid dresses and evening wear.
Have you managed to make a pregnancy wardrobe out of what you already owned or did you need to buy a couple of things? Let me know your favourites in the comments.
Sophie xx
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