9 sustainable celebs you need to know about

You know what’s great? Every day I stumble across one new stunning sustainable brand, soon it won’t be long until we’ve taken over the world! No more fast fashion, no more harmful materials, no more pollution, the earth will be a utopia of organic cotton and all of the ocean plastic will be recycled swimwear…Okay, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, but a girl can dream, right?

What I’m trying to get at is that sustainable fashion is THE TREND right now, but even though trends die, I’m sure sustainable fashion is here to stay. How can we tell that it’s so popular at the moment? Well because there’s been a load of sustainable celebrities showing their support for the movement! They’re using their platform for good to help spread the sustainable fashion word – and I’m living for it. Maybe one day we’ll see them walking down a green carpet at the MET Gala rather than red.

Here I’ve rounded up a few of the most influential celebrities out there who are supporting sustainable fashion and some of their favourite brands.

Michelle Obama

Although my favourite First Lady never really put fashion at the forefront of her discussions (understandably!), she definitely made some informed choices when it came to her outfits. One of her favourite designers, Maria Cornejo, creates clothing from dead stock, recycles her textiles, and makes sure to use manufacturing techniques with a low environmental impact. Michelle also made sure to work with a lot of American fashion designers, many who were lesser known, to celebrate local jobs and industry.

Favourite Brand: Maria Cornejo

Pharrell Williams

Here’s one I didn’t expect when researching for this article, Pharrell Williams does not just bless us with music, he’s also an advocate for sustainable fashion. He’s creative director of Bionic Yarn, a company which transforms recovered fabric into wearable materials. Williams is also co-owner of Dutch Denim brand G-Star Raw. He launched G-Star Raw’s sustainable line, Raw for the Oceans, which uses recycled ocean plastic to make jeans! Jaden Smith has also recently joined the brand. 

Favourite Brand: G-Star Raw

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman is a pretty famous vegan, but she’s not only ethical in the kitchen. You can always see her out and about wearing sustainable brands. In 2007 she announced a line of vegan shoes, Te Casan, with 5% of profits going to charity. She also wore shoes from Beyond Skin when she attended the Golden Globes, the Oscars, and even in the movie V for Vendetta (which is one of my favourite films, now I love it even more). In one of her lates films Vox Lux she requested that all her costumes are cruelty free.

Oh, and even her wedding ring is made ethically – it’s created entirely with eco-friendly recycled platinum and conflict-free diamonds.

Favourite Brands: Stella McCartney, Beyond Skin

Charli Howard

Charli Howard strikes me as one of the most down to earth models out there, I really look up to her for her consistent promotion of body positivity. She models for Girlfriend Collective, an inclusive athleisure brand that is totally transparent and creates everything from recycled water bottles. As well as many other celebs roaming LA, you can also see Charli wearing Reformation.

Favourite Brands: Reformation, Girlfriend Collective

Bono

Bono owns an ethical fashion brand, who knew? He co-owns EDUN, with his wife Ali Hewson. EDUN sources sustainably and encourages trade in Africa, working closely with skilled artisans across the continent.

Favourite Brand: EDUN

Stella McCartney

This one’s pretty self-explanatory but we couldn’t leave the queen of ethical fashion out! Stella McCartney owns her self-named fashion house that has always been committed to sustainability. As a lifelong vegetarian, Stella never uses leather or fur in her designs, but instead uses fabrics such as cotton and viscose.

Favourite Brand: Stella McCartney

Emma Watson

I couldn’t write an article about sustainable celebrities and not mention Emma Watson now could I? Just when I thought I couldn’t love Hermione any more, it turns out she’s a sustainable activist, too (I wonder if her wizarding robes were made from Tencel?).

When Emma was preparing for her role as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, she collaborated with costume designer Jacqueline Durran, Eco-Age and Disney to create sustainably made costumes. Belle’s iconic red cape? It’s upcycled, made from traditionally woven British wool and was dyed using only natural dyes. The rest of her outfit was also made from sustainable materials, you can see the full details on Emma’s Instagram that’s dedicated to promoting sustainable fashion!

What else? She collaborated with People Tree. Watson wanted to help spread the eco-fashion word to a younger audience and in 2016 she wore a stunning gown to the MET Gala, made entirely of repurposed plastic bottles through a collaboration by Emma Watson, Calvin Klein and Eco-Age.

Favourite Brands: People Tree, EDUN, Ronald Vanderkemp, Bree Layne

Sir Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson? Really? Yes! In 2014 Virgin revealed a makeover for their iconic red uniforms, designed by Vivienne Westwood. They didn’t just look different, they’re now made using polyester from recycled bottles and their matching handbags are produced through the Ethical Fashion Initiative in Nairobi.

Also, Virgin Australia recycles 1.2 tonnes worth of uniforms each month, and the material is used to make teddy bears for vulnerable children, as well as pillows and blankets for the homeless and those in need.

Favourite Brand: Vivienne Westwood