Top Five Ethical Summer Dresses

Tempting as it is to raid Topshop as soon as the weather warms up, there's really no need with the selection of affordable and chic dresses from ethical labels. Start by browsing Adili or my current favourite, the LaLesso website. Yes, you may have to order online, but at least this keeps you away from the lure of the high street.

The sultry madam on the left is wearing a Tiwi dress from Lalesso, a label that is one of ethical fashion's best kept secrets. It offers dresses and skirts made according to fair trade principles. This one is £34, made by one of 22 workers at the workshop on Diani Beach, Kenya, each of whom is paid over three times the average manufacturer's wage. To find out more, click here.

The Marianne Dress, a lightweight number for the beach or lounging around on hot days, is inspired by free-spirit pop princess Marianne Faithful. It is made from organic cotton by Organic Stereo, Brighton-based designers of 'progressive clothing'. Newcomers on the ethical fashion bloc, the company uses eco dyes for its garments, which are made in a factory in Portugal.

This organic shift dress from the Natural Collection might not dazzle immediately, but it strikes me as one of those dresses you end up wearing day in day out, sometimes over jeans, and in winter, over tights. Best of all, it's reduced to £30. It's made by a French label called Ideo that recognizes the need for affordable ethical fashion. French speakers should check out its website here.

Behold this clever design that manages to be both a dress and a skirt. It's called, predictably, a skirt dress top. The elastic top has straps that can be tied up if you wish. It comes in three different colours, for the unbeatable price of £17.50. Its ethical credentials are impressive. Read here about Nomads Clothing's fair trade and environmental policy.

Made in New Zealand, this splotch print dress (below) makes up for in style what it might lose in transport emissions. And remember, it is organic cotton. I love the fact that it can be worn back to front to create a V-neck, and that it's callled 'splotch print'. Sounds as if a mucky barbecue wouldn't worry it, which makes it my kind of summer dress.

Comments

[urban cowgirl]

Oooh! Fabulous dresses. But here is my 'challenge' to you: where can I buy pretty ethical fabric to make my own things with?

[Paige]

I love the splotch dress!

[Eco Worrier]

Urban Cowgirl - are you in UK? It's a good point. I've yet to find a certified Fairtrade fabric shop, but I like the transparent ethical approach of online retailers such as africanfabric.co.uk.

[Ben]

What about us boys? I'm a fan of howies jeans. for shirts and other stuff, I often trawl second hand clothes shops. few men do so I get all the best deals!

[angelas]

thought I would have a look at the adil site.. jeez, its impossible to read the info and the ordering.. unless you have hyper sight.

[devotchkaa]

Also, there are various sites that showcase eco fashion stores in one place. Just came across a couple the other day -- This one has for both guys & us gals-
http://www.istorez.com/m/shop/eco-fashions

This ones celebrity style.
http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/photos/0,,20185803_20201430,00.html

Thanks for the lovely article.

[devotchkaa]

Also, there are various sites that showcase eco fashion stores in one place. Just came across a couple the other day -- This one has for both guys & us gals-
http://www.istorez.com/m/shop/eco-fashions

This ones celebrity style.
http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/photos/0,,20185803_20201430,00.html

Thanks for the lovely article.

[Aquanian]

Nice information about ethical summer dresses..!

[Chris]

Changing the world starts with changing our daily habits, and one habit that urgently needs to be changed is people's consumption of bottled water. It's ridiculous that countless amounts of oil and energy are used to sell WATER when great tasting, healthy water is available free from the tap! I think you should write another story about this issue. One great place to start is tappening.com, which includes important facts about bottled water use, and this video describing the bottles the company sells to promote drinking bottled water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVM3mY3gMpg

[Aiko]

Thanks for top five ethical summer dresses..!

[Brien Comerford]

Any dress designed by Stella McCartney is humane, ethical and splendrous.