Dear VETTA Community,
It’s with a heavy heart that I announce that VETTA will be closing at the end of March. I am so grateful for our amazing team, suppliers, and customers, and so honored to have been a part of something so special.
We would love your support in this final chapter as we work to wind things down. I hope that you can find a treasured piece for your wardrobe to remember us by.
With Love,
Cara Bartlett
Founder & CEO, VETTA
]]>It’s with a heavy heart that I announce that VETTA will be closing at the end of March. I am so grateful for our amazing team, suppliers, and customers, and so honored to have been a part of something so special.
VETTA was created out of a desire to make fashion more thoughtful, intentional, and sustainable. We believed there had to be something better than the status quo of exploiting people and the planet to make clothes that ended up in a landfill. What if we considered the wellbeing of people, the planet, and animals in every decision, and tried our best to make garments that tread softly on the earth? What if we made clothing that was curated and versatile, so people could buy less and wear it more?
And so in 2016, VETTA was born. It started in my living room, sewing multi-wear pieces that could mix and match. Then we launched the idea on Kickstarter. There’s something vulnerable about putting your ideas out there, to be accepted or rejected, for the world to judge. When our customers came through in waves of support, it was incredible and surprising - and such a gift. To think that my designs could go out in the world, and live on real bodies – at your engagement parties and first dates and vacations – all those special and everyday moments. It's been the honor of a lifetime.
I’ve had the privilege of working with the most amazing team – truly kind, hard-working, and good-hearted people. We’ve had the most incredible customers, mindful and curious and caring, and willing to take a chance on a small brand. This community is the reason we’ve made it so far, and have continued to grow every year.
It hasn’t been easy being the sole founder running a growing company. I covered many roles - designed every capsule, ran every financial projection, and just never stopped. Eventually, I ran myself into the ground. As much as I tried, I was never able to make the company sustainable for myself. I’ve come to realize that I need to put myself first and focus on my health and wellbeing. I’m planning to take some time to rest, reflect, and decide what’s next. There’s a chance that VETTA could come back in another form, or maybe this is the end.
No matter what happens, I want to thank you so much for your support. I’m so proud of all we’ve built together. I will never forget this season of my life, and how you so generously poured out your support for VETTA. What an incredible thing for so many people to choose to buy sustainably and thoughtfully.
We will be open through the end of March, to sell the rest of our inventory, and our team will be here to answer questions and help with anything you need. We would love your support in this final chapter as we work to wind things down. I hope that you can find a treasured piece for your wardrobe to remember us by.
With Love,
Cara Bartlett
Founder & CEO, VETTA
]]>
From left to right:
Romona : Size 2 | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
Caitlin : Size 0 | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Maureen : Size 18 | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
Jessica : Size 16 | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Amy : Size 10 | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
From left to right:
Amy : Size M | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
Jessica : Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Caitlin : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Romona : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
Maureen : Size XL | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
Amy : Size M | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
Jessica : Size XL | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Caitlin : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Romona : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
Maureen : Size XL | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
From left to right:
Amy : Size M | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
Romona : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
Caitlin : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Jessica : Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Maureen : Size XL | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
From left to right:
Jessica : Size 18 | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Amy : Size 10 | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
Maureen : Size 16 | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
Romona : Size 2 | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
Caitlin : Size 0 | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Learn more about our girl gang for this shoot below!
JESSICA // Food photographer // Insta: @jessicaemarx // Fave VETTA Pieces: The Peg Pant and The Apron Jumpsuit
MAUREEN // Graphic designer // Insta: @mofodonnell // Fave VETTA Piece: The Boyfriend Shirt and The Wrap Top
AMY // Financial analyst and makeup artist // Insta: @amychongmakeup // Fave VETTA Pieces: The Wrap Top and The Apron Jumpsuit
RAMONA // Retail manager // Insta: @ramonagracee // Fave VETTA Pieces: The Wrap Jumpsuit and The Wrap Top
CAITLIN // Grad student // Fave VETTA Pieces: The Tapered Pant and The Boxy Blouse
Lia Selfridge is the founder of Digital Darlings, an online agency that offers lifestyle photography as well as content marketing services. Lia is an incredibly talented photographer and we can't say enough about her visual story-telling skills!
]]>
Shopping online can be difficult, we know. To help with that, we photographed five real customers (not models) wearing the Everyday Capsule ranging in size from 2 to 18, to give you an idea of how VETTA looks on different body types. We hope this helps make the VETTA online shopping experience a little easier for you!
From left to right:
Caroline: Size 18 | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
Aisha: Size 4 | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Miranda: Size 10 | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
Hiba: Size 14 | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
Mahema: Size 2 | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
From left to right:
Mahema: Size XS | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
Aisha: Size S | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Miranda: Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
Hiba: Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
Caroline: Size XL | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
From left to right:
Hiba: Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
Aisha: Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Miranda: Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
Mahema: Size XS | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
Caroline: Size XL | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
From left to right:
Mahema: One Size | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
Miranda: One Size | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
Aisha: One Size | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Hiba: One Size | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
Caroline: One Size | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
From left to right:
Caroline: Size XL | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
Mahema: Size XS | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
Hiba: Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
Aisha: Size S | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Miranda: Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
CAROLINE // Insta: @carolineandcats
AISHA // Insta: @aishtrxy
HIBA // Insta: @hibashakes
MIRANDA // Insta: @momodias97
MAHEMA // Insta: @mahemasinghs
]]>Shopping online can be difficult, we know. To help with that, we photographed five real customers (not models) wearing the Refined Capsule ranging in size from 0 to 18, to give you an idea of how VETTA looks on different body types. We hope this helps make the VETTA online shopping experience a little easier for you!
From left to right:
Aisha: Size 6 | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Caroline: Size 18 | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
Miranda: Size 10 | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
Mahema: Size 2 | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
Hiba: Size 14 | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
From left to right:
Miranda: Size 10 | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
Caroline: Size 18 | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
Mahema: Size 2 | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
Aisha: Size 4 | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Hiba: Size 14 | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
From left to right:
Miranda: Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
Caroline: Size XL | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
Mahema: Size XS | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
Aisha: Size S | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Hiba: Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
From left to right:
Caroline: Size XL | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
Mahema: Size XS | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
Aisha: Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Miranda: Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
Hiba: Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
From left to right:
Mahema: Size XS | Height 5'8.5" | Waist 24.75" | Hips 37" | Bust 32"
Caroline: Size XL | Height 5'9" | Waist 37" | Hips 48" | Bust 44.5"
Miranda: Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 31" | Hips 40.5" | Bust 36"
Aisha: Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 30" | Hips 40" | Bust 36"
Hiba: Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 32.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 38"
CAROLINE // Insta: @carolineandcats
AISHA // Insta: @aishtrxy
HIBA // Insta: @hibashakes
MIRANDA // Insta: @momodias97
MAHEMA // Insta: @mahemasinghs
]]>
From left to right:
Caitlin : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Amy : Size M | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
Maureen : Size XL | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
Jessica : Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Romona : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
From left to right:
Jessica : Size XL | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Amy : Size L | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
Romona : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
Maureen : Size XL | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
Caitlin : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Jessica : Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Amy : Size M | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
Caitlin : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Maureen : Size XL | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
Romona : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
From left to right:
Jessica : Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Amy : Size M | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
Caitlin : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Maureen : Size XL | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
Romona : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
From left to right:
Caitlin : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 24.5 | Hips 32 | Bust 31
Jessica : Size L | Height 5'4" | Waist 35.5 | Hips 44 | Bust 48
Amy : Size M | Height 5'9" | Waist 31.5 | Hips 39.5 | Bust 37.5
Romona : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 25 | Hips 33.5 | Bust 28.5
Maureen : Size XL | Height 5'6" | Waist 36.5 | Hips 46 | Bust 45
We were kind of obsessed with our team for this shoot. Check out some fun details about them below!
JESSICA // Food photographer // Insta: @jessicaemarx // Fave VETTA Pieces: The Peg Pant and The Apron Jumpsuit
MAUREEN // Graphic designer // Insta: @mofodonnell // Fave VETTA Piece: The Boyfriend Shirt and The Wrap Top
AMY // Financial analyst and makeup artist // Insta: @amychongmakeup // Fave VETTA Pieces: The Wrap Top and The Apron Jumpsuit
RAMONA // Retail manager // Insta: @ramonagracee // Fave VETTA Pieces: The Wrap Jumpsuit and The Wrap Top
CAITLIN // Grad student // Fave VETTA Pieces: The Tapered Pant and The Boxy Blouse
Lia Selfridge is the founder of Digital Darlings, an online agency that offers lifestyle photography as well as content marketing services. Lia is an incredibly talented photographer and we can't say enough about her visual story-telling skills!
]]>
Shopping online can be difficult, we know. To help with that, we photographed five real customers (not models) ranging in size from 2 to 18, to give you an idea of how VETTA looks on different body types. We hope this helps make the VETTA online shopping experience a little easier for you!
From left to right:
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
Alexa : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
Mita : Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5.5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Porter : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
From left to right:
Mita : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
Alexa : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
Porter : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5.5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
From left to right:
Mita : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5'5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Alexa : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
Porter : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
From left to right:
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5.5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Porter : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
Mita : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
Alexa : Size XS | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
From left to right:
Alexa : Size XS | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
Porter : Size S | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5.5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Mita : Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
KAREN // Insta: @kmtr_n
ALEXA // Insta: @aawinnn
PORTER // Insta: @portahthexplorah
KERRINA // Insta: @kerrinarose
MITA // Insta: @chirasmitakompella
]]>Shopping online can be difficult, we know. To help with that, we photographed five real customers (not models) ranging in size from XS to XL, to give you an idea of how VETTA looks on different body types. We hope this helps make the VETTA online shopping experience a little easier for you!
From left to right:
Alexa : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5.5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
Mita : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
Porter : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
From left to right:
Porter : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
Mita : Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5.5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
Alexa : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
From left to right:
Mita : Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5.5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Alexa : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
Porter : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
From left to right:
Mita : Size M | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5.5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
Alexa : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
Porter : Size S | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
From left to right:
Kerrina : Size XL | Height 5.5" | Waist 37.5" | Hips 50" | Bust 44"
Porter : Size XS | Height 5'2" | Waist 26" | Hips 37" | Bust 34"
Karen : Size L | Height 5'3" | Waist 38" | Hips 42.5" | Bust 41.5"
Alexa : Size XS | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 36" | Bust 33"
Mita : Size S | Height 5'6" | Waist 28" | Hips 41" | Bust 34"
KAREN // Insta: @kmtr_n
ALEXA // Insta: @aawinnn
PORTER // Insta: @portahthexplorah
KERRINA // Insta: @kerrinarose
MITA // Insta: @chirasmitakompella
Victoria Romulo is the newest member of the VETTA team! Find her on Instagram @victoriaromulo
]]>Shopping online can be difficult, we know. To help with that, we photographed five real customers (not models) ranging in size from 0 to 18, to give you an idea of how VETTA looks on different body types. We hope this helps make the VETTA online shopping experience a little easier for you!
From left to right:
Ashley : Size M | Height 5'5.5" | Waist 31" | Hips 44" | Bust 39"
Kat : Size S | Height 5'0" | Waist 28.5" | Hips 36.5" | Bust 32.5"
Rania : Size M | Height 5'2" | Waist 31.5" | Hips 41.5" | Bust 38.5"
Karo : Size XL | Height 5'4" | Waist 42" | Hips 50" | Bust 45"
Emily : Size XS | Height 5'4" | Waist 26.5" | Hips 35" | Bust 32"
From left to right:
Rania : Size M | Height 5'2" | Waist 31.5" | Hips 41.5" | Bust 38.5"
Karo : Size XL | Height 5'4" | Waist 42" | Hips 50" | Bust 45"
Kat : Size S | Height 5'0" | Waist 28.5" | Hips 36.5" | Bust 32.5"
Emily : Size XS | Height 5'4" | Waist 26.5" | Hips 35" | Bust 32"
Ashley : Size L | Height 5'5.5" | Waist 31" | Hips 44" | Bust 39"
From left to right:
Rania : Size M | Height 5'2" | Waist 31.5" | Hips 41.5" | Bust 38.5"
Kat : Size S | Height 5'0" | Waist 28.5" | Hips 36.5" | Bust 32.5"
Karo : Size XL | Height 5'4" | Waist 42" | Hips 50" | Bust 45"
Emily : Size XS | Height 5'4" | Waist 26.5" | Hips 35" | Bust 32"
Ashley : Size M | Height 5'5.5" | Waist 31" | Hips 44" | Bust 39"
From left to right:
Emily : Size XS | Height 5'4" | Waist 26.5" | Hips 35" | Bust 32"
Rania : Size M | Height 5'2" | Waist 31.5" | Hips 41.5" | Bust 38.5"
Karo : Size XL | Height 5'4" | Waist 42" | Hips 50" | Bust 45"
Ashley : Size M | Height 5'5.5" | Waist 31" | Hips 44" | Bust 39"
Kat : Size XS | Height 5'0" | Waist 28.5" | Hips 36.5" | Bust 32.5"
From left to right:
Karo : Size XL | Height 5'4" | Waist 42" | Hips 50" | Bust 45"
Kat : Size S | Height 5'0" | Waist 28.5" | Hips 36.5" | Bust 32.5"
Ashley : Size M | Height 5'5.5" | Waist 31" | Hips 44" | Bust 39"
Emily : Size XS | Height 5'4" | Waist 26.5" | Hips 35" | Bust 32"
Rania : Size M | Height 5'2" | Waist 31.5" | Hips 41.5" | Bust 38.5"
ASHLEY // Insta: @ash.attak
EMILY // Insta: @emilyaikoman
KARO // Insta: @aspiringkaro
KAT // Insta: @kat.gunara
RANIA // Insta: @ran.krkasawi
Victoria Romulo is the newest member of the VETTA team! Find her on Instagram @victoriaromulo
]]>
The History
In order to understand the cost of a garment, we first need to talk about the history of fashion prices. While the price of consumer goods have steadily increased over the past 40 years, due to inflation and other factors, somehow the average price of clothing has actually gone down. Unfortunately it’s not because someone found a new technology to make clothes cheaply – it’s still people making clothes with sewing machines much like it was many years ago. So what is the cause for this change?
Photo from our NYC family owned factory
In 1980, 70% of clothing sold in the U.S. was actually made in the U.S. That number is only about 2% today, due to trade liberalization policies that encouraged outsourcing to other countries. But instead of providing fair and equitable jobs to people in developing countries, many apparel companies who moved their production overseas began the “race to the bottom” where they moved production to the cheapest location, caring little for the wellbeing of factory workers. According to the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), the prevailing wages in popular apparel manufacturing countries like China, India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam don’t cover even half of workers’ basic living needs. In fact, From 1989 to 2010, there was a 73 percent drop in the rating for workers’ rights, while multinational corporations paid 42 percent less for the apparel they imported. In addition, clothing made from synthetic petrochemical-based materials has been increasing at alarming rates.
This trend became even more destructive and prevalent with the rise of fast fashion. Companies like H&M and Forever21 drove prices down to previously unseen levels, with other retailers lowering prices to compete. Clothing that once sold for $100-$200, that a person would save up for and wear often, now costed $10-$20. Even if people didn’t shop at the fast fashion retailers, they felt the effects of this industry shift and came to expect lower and lower prices. People started viewing clothing not as an investment, but as something disposable. Companies made more money, people bought more clothes, but the ones that suffered and paid the price for this were garment workers and the environment. If you haven’t seen the documentary The True Cost it does a great job summarizing these issues, so definitely check it out.
In recent years, more consumers are recognizing that exploiting garment workers and polluting the earth is not something they want to participate in. More and more sustainable brands have entered the market, selling their clothing at a range of prices - but it’s always much more than the prices we’ve gotten used to. So how much should a sustainable garment cost? That’s a tricky question, as there is so much that goes into it – the quality of the fabric, the sustainability of the fabric (not necessarily the same thing), the location of the factory, the level of pay and benefits given to factory workers, the size of the brand (and ability to leverage economies of scale), whether a brand sells wholesale (which basically doubles the price), and other factors. These varying factors explain how one sustainable brand can charge a lot more than another. Even though we at VETTA work really hard to keep prices down because it’s something we’re passionate about, we also understand that some brands need to charge higher prices for these various reasons.
VETTA’s Pricing
At VETTA, we really care about making sustainable clothing accessible to as many people as possible – while still maintaining the highest standards of quality and sustainability – so we work hard to offer our products at the lowest prices possible. Many brands will price their products higher, knowing that they will need to eventually mark them down, or just because they need more money to run their business, etc. But we make small collections of things we really believe in, at the lowest possible price upfront, with the understanding that this means we can rarely go on sale. Generally if something costs $50 to make and ship for example, we need to sell it for about $100 to cover our business expenses (like rent, salaries, website, etc) and have a tiny bit leftover to reinvest into the business.
Price Breakdown for The Belted Blazer Dress
To give you an example of the specifics, we've broken down the price of The Belter Blazer Dress above. We spend about $89 to manufacture and ship this garment. That includes about $60 in labor (paying the factory to cut and sew the garment), $16 in materials (including fabric, buttons, zippers, etc), and $13 to ship (packaging, postage, fulfillment costs, etc). This breakdown will be different for different products. In this case, the “out the door” cost of the garment is about $89. But if we sold the garment for $89 we would be in trouble – we still have to pay someone to answer customer service emails, pay rent for our warehouse and office, pay for the website and the product photography, etc. So in order to cover all of those things, we typically double the cost of the garment to get to the retail price (in this case it's $179). The difference between the cost of the item and the retail price is what we call “gross margin,” which in this case would be $90. Of our gross margin, 45% is spent on operating costs and 5% is profit. The small amount of profit we make, we’ve been reinvesting back into the business. This lean approach can be tough in challenging times (like a global pandemic!), because you have less money saved away for a rainy day and you also have less flexibility to put things on sale. In the future, to be responsible and to make sure we stick around long term, we need to increase this profit percentage. But for now, by keeping a very lean team and keeping expenses low, we’ve been able to make it work.
Because we only sell online and don’t sell wholesale to other stores, and because we operate with a lower gross margin, we’re able to charge $179 for a blazer instead of $360-$600. When you sell to retailers, typically they at least double the wholesale price, if not more. The brands that manufacture in our same factory sell their blazers for $500-$600. They’re sold at Saks Fifth Avenue and other high end retailers, so you can get an idea here of the prices. We’ve chosen not to sell wholesale, in order to keep our prices as low as possible. We would love for more people to be able to afford sustainable fashion, and it’s something that we’re really passionate about!
What This Means for You, the Consumer
Pricing can be confusing, and it’s not always clear why something costs so much or so little. The more you can understand about a garment’s cost the better, and we hope that this blog post has been helpful. In addition to price, we encourage you to filter your purchase through two other lenses – whether you really love an item and will get a lot of use out of it (a low cost per wear), and whether the item reflects your values.
All this being said, many of you may be thinking, $179 is still more than you could afford to pay. The explanation of what something truly costs is a different issue than whether a person can afford it. We understand and recognize that not everyone can afford sustainable fashion, and in many ways it is a privilege to be able to make these kinds of purchases. If you still are interested in supporting sustainable fashion on a smaller budget, some alternatives might be to shop second hand or to buy less items and wear them more often. Either way, this is a no judgement zone.
We’re grateful for all the people that have been able to support us over the years – we quite literally wouldn’t be here without you. We can say first hand that your purchases really do matter, and we hope that this has provided a little more insight into where your money goes when you shop with us. We’ve seen the fashion industry start to shift towards empowering people and protecting the environment, rather than abusing and exploiting them, and it’s because consumers like you have been voting with your dollars. We believe this shift will be better for everyone – for the planet and for your wardrobe too – and it’s just the beginning.
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We’ve categorized each company based on a focus on people, the planet, and/or animals – so you can shop by your values while making a difference.
People- brands that adhere to ethical labor practices including fair wages, safe facilities, or better benefits for members of their supply chain.
Planet- brands that use sustainable ingredients and materials, and seek to reduce their overall environmental impact.
Animals- brands are either cruelty-free, vegan, or made without animal products.
Golde, Beauty + Wellness (Animals + Planet)
Trinity Wofford co-founded Golde in 2017 in Brooklyn, with the goal of bringing good vibes to the wellness industry with products that “look good, taste good, and help you feel like your best self.” Golde currently offers products ranging from superfood latte tonics to face masks. Each of their superfood boosted essentials are organic, vegan, and cruelty-free, and bonus- no added sugars or sweeteners to any of their daily tonics. We love adding the Matcha Turmeric Superfood Latte Blend to our daily smoothies for an extra boost of energy and focus, as well as a boost for skin health and immunity wellness!
We love how transparent (and cute) the packaging is, so you do not have any questions about what you are consuming. Golde products can be purchased in kits on their website, and at a number of retailers- including Sephora and Urban Outfitters.
Founder Nancy Twine grew up helping her grandmother make her coveted homemade haircare products in West Virginia. When Twine moved to NYC, she found a gap in the natural hair care market, and thus founded Briogeo as a high-performance haircare brand that is naturally based, ethically sourced, and transparent about their ingredients! They are committed to avoiding an ingredient list of six chemicals that are controversial and potentially harmful, such as silicones, sulfates, synthetic dyes, and DEA.
On their site, you can take a quiz to find out which haircare products are right for you, making it easier than ever to transition to natural hair care products. Briogeo has become a cult favorite and can be found online and at Sephora.
Aurora James founded Brother Vellies in 2013 as a luxury accessories company that celebrates traditional African design practices and timeless design. With a passion for creating and sustaining artisanal jobs, the Brother Vellies collection is produced across the globe - South Africa, Kenya, Mexico Morocco, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Italy, Haiti, and at home in New York City. Their collections boast everything from Mermaid Doodle Mules to strappy grapefruit suede sandals, and hand-woven bags that make a statement.
Brother Vellies creates its products with careful attention to their artisans and the planet. Some of their accessories use by-product materials sourced from farmers, such as soiling from recycled tires and floral dyed feathers. You can check out their website if you are unable to make it to their Brooklyn location!
Galerie.LA, Clothing + Lifestyle (People + Planet)
Galerie.LA makes it easy to find chic, ethically made products at their LA store or online platform! Their team finds the highest quality sustainable products ranging from loungewear and accessories to home products. You can filter products by the values you are most interested in. Select ‘Local’ and you can find Botanica Candles made in the USA or Golden Paperbag Pants, made from one of our favorite sustainable materials, Tencel.
One of the biggest deterrents for consumers that are used to shopping for fast-fashion is the lack of information and access. Founder Dechel Mckillian has used her time in the entertainment and lifestyle industries to bring socially conscious fashion to the masses. We can’t wait to stop by their DTLA shop next time we are on the West Coast.
AcARRE is the perfect brand for the beauty minimalist, as their small-batch, multi-use products work in sync with the skins’ natural elements. They use ethically sourced materials focused on economic, social, and environmental commitments! You can find ingredients such as Baobab, Rosehip fruit oil, and Kalahari melon seed oil in their multi-use moisturizing oil, the Beauty Edit.
We love brands looking to minimize the number of beauty products we need on our counter that are honestly made with quality ingredients. We have our eye on their moisturizing beauty oil and Jade Gua Sha tool.
Omi Woods, founded by Ashley Alexis McFarlane, makes contemporary heirloom jewelry for everyday wear. Each piece is individually and ethically handmade, using fair-trade gold and conflict-free fine metals. We love their commitment to using small-scale, artisanal mines that focus on fair pay to make their pieces. Collections are named after the African country of inspiration or emblems of their surroundings.
You might have caught a look at her pieces on the May 2020 Issue of British Vogue, with cover girl Rhianna wearing pieces of their first collection of African Fair-Trade gold!
Two Days Off gets its name both from the ease and comfort of the designs and from the two days a week that founder Gina Stovall uses to build the brand while she continues her work as a Climate Researcher. The clothing is either made-to-order or created in a small batch in their Los Angeles factory, which ensures that they avoid overproduction and limit waste. Two Days off is also certified Climate Neutral and ships every item plastic-free.
Two Days Off also uses deadstock and natural fabrics to create their timeless, minimal pieces. Shop their site for some of made to order pieces, like the Safia Skirt or ready to ship pieces such as the Haruko Dress in Gingham!
Hanahana Beauty is an all-natural skincare and wellness brand that seeks to disrupt the beauty industry by focusing on increasing accessibility, transparency, and sustainability for their shea butter products. Founder Abena did not have to look far for inspiration, as her own mother used her unique concoctions of shea butter and cloves to help relieve family members' ailments, from migraines to dry skin. Their products are made with love by the Katariga Women's Shea Cooperative in Ghana.
In keeping with their core philosophies, Hanahan is able to offer the Katariga women above-average pay, health benefits, and leadership opportunities. Everyone needs to snag some of their best-seller: the Vanilla Lavender Shea Body Butter.
Tree Fairfax makes hand-made, minimal leather goods that classic yet unique. Based in Roanoke, Virginia, Designer Tricia Hash was inspired to make her own pieces after years of thrifting leather goods to make her own bags. She loved the distressed details found in each piece, so when she started her own line, she wanted to include any imperfections found in her leather as a way to eliminate any waste and make every bag unique.
The Original Half-Moon Leather Waistbag seriously deserves a spot in your closet, and we recommend pairing it with the Mini Moon Wallet for the complete set. Hash makes every stitch, cut, and stamp of these bags which can be found on her website or Etsy shop.
Determined to do good from the beginning, Local European makes all of their pieces with deadstock fabric, to reduce waste, save energy, and lower their carbon footprint. Their clothing is made in Los Angeles, and they continue to improve their manufacturing processes and inspire their customers to consume mindfully. Since everything is made in small batches, they do not frequently restock items, making their sustainable pieces a more unique addition to your wardrobe.
We can’t resist the Merci Slit Wrap Skirt and the Noir Chiffon Blouse. Since they do not restock items as frequently, we recommend snagging any pieces you have your eyes on before they’re gone!
After seeing the conscious changes in the interior design and architecture industries to create sustainable designs and reduce their carbon footprint, Diana Adams noticed they were also simultaneously creating excessive waste. This led Adams to be inspired to make her own products using their leftovers into her a line of art and décor. Her collection of ceramics are made from upcycled pots, leftover marketing samples, and scraps from upholstery/buildings.
The pieces can be used to house your many plants, flowers from the market, or any odds-and-ends you have! We are obsessed with their brightly colored planters and her made-to-order bathroom vanity accessories!
During a trip to her native Ethiopia, founder Liya Kebede met with traditional weavers who no longer had a market for their craft. This inspired her to create lemlem, an artisan-driven collection of beautiful handmade goods made entirely in Africa. A portion of their sales goes to the Lemlem Foundation, a non-profit organization with the mission of connecting women artisans in Africa to healthcare, education, and jobs.
We love lemlem’s relaxed and ethereal aesthetic, and their beautiful lightweight cotton dresses and tops. You can find lemlem online, or at many retailers across the country including Fred Segal, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Intermix.
After years of sifting through vintage shops, founder Avry wanted to share her expertise with a bigger audience and opened NXC Vintage. Each new drop is anxiously awaited by her Instagram followers and shoppers, where she features many brightly colored blouses, skirts sweaters and accessories. Do not be surprised if a pair of cowboy boots or a floral evening gown make an appearance! Shopping with NXC means extending the life of each garment and they will shine brightly in your closet. We can guarantee no one else will be wearing the same outfit as you!
Zou Xou footwear is made using age-old techniques and premium leathers, for elegant, slow fashion footwear that lasts. After many trips to Buenos Aires, Katherine Theobalds had the connections and the courage to launch her own collection by partnering with local artisans. Every piece is ethically handcrafted by Argentinian shoemakers in small quantities. Their focus on ethical manufacturing processes that reduce waste and energy consumption make them a must-have in our wardrobes.
Zou Xou shoes are designed to make you feel like you are living your best (most comfortable) life! We especially love the Mules and Lagos Sandal- which pair perfectly with minimal and classic wardrobes.
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We’ve curated some of our favorite sustainable businesses above, but here are some resources to that feature even more Black-owned companies to support:
There are many ways to support Black-owned brands: purchasing their products, giving them a follow on Instagram, subscribing to their mailing list, and sharing their stories with your friends. We hope that this list is a helpful reference for shopping sustainably and supporting the Black community – now and always.
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We here at VETTA are passionate about helping you build a more thoughtful wardrobe, so in addition to creating mini capsule wardrobes each season, we've also developed some resources and worksheets to help you create a wardrobe you'll love.
Building a capsule wardrobe can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Take the steps below one at a time. You can even bookmark this page and come back once a week to work on the next section. We recommend setting aside an hour or so for each step. Make a cup of tea, put on some music that makes you feel energized, and dive in!
These steps are meant to accompany our capsule wardrobe guide, which you can download below.
Since nothing completes a look quite like the right piece of jewelry, we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite jewelry brands that use ethically sourced materials and sustainable practices. Similar to the clothing industry, the jewelry industry has historically been exploitative of people and resources along the entire supply chain, but there are brands that are working to make the industry more transparent and sustainable.
We’ve broken down our jewelry brands into two categories:
People: Brands that produce their pieces with responsible factories, source gemstones without any connection to conflict or human exploitation, or are committed to paying members of their supply chain a living wage.
Planet: Brands who use are dedicated to preserving natural resources by using sustainably sourced materials, such as recycled metals or alternatives to natural gemstones.
Meet our six favorite ethical jewelry brands that we’re loving right now! We hope you can use this list as a jumping-off point for adding long-lasting accessories to your capsule wardrobe.
Catbird Jewelry- People and Planet $$
This Brooklyn-based brand is a VETTA team favorite for vintage-inspired pieces. Catbird Jewelry uses recycled gold and conflict-free, responsibly sourced stones. They have been practicing sustainability and production transparency since their founding in 2004, and the Catbird line is entirely made in New York. They offer light-filled working spaces with new machines and incredible benefits (including a retirement plan) for local New York artisans. They minimize their carbon footprint by working together in a single warehouse, that houses not only the design studio, but the shipping and corporate offices, which ultimately lowers the environmental impact and avoids extra markups.
We love their Famous Letter Rings, and the Big Little Charm Collection which allows you to pair chains and charms to reflect your specific style.
Raven + Lily- People + Planet $$
Any brand that favors long-lasting pieces over fleeting trends is a brand we can get behind! Raven + Lily partners with artisans all over the world to produce their ethically made pieces. Working with women-led small businesses, Raven + Lily employs skilled craftspeople that are focused on investing in their communities. They often use recycled and upcycled materials and create timeless jewelry that’s designed to last.
Some of our favorite pieces are the Ellsworth Rings- which are great for stacking- or Nica Chain Necklace, both of which are made out of recycled brass by artisans in Kenya. Inspired by the subtropical environment around them, we think these chunky statement pieces pair well with natural and relaxed styles.
Bayou with Love- People and Planet, $$$
Lifestyle-brand, Bayou with Love, makes all of their jewelry in Los Angeles and sources their gold from an unlikely source- recycled computer parts in a unique partnership with Dell Technologies! By focusing on conscious sourcing and sustainable production, they have been able to find the beauty in materials that already exist and repurpose materials that have been previously discarded. Their partner factory recycles and reuses all of the water, wax-casting, and trace metals in order to be as close to zero-waste as possible!
Bayou with Love pieces are inspired by the desire to achieve a balance between nature, how we feel, and what we wear. We especially love their use of coral textures, floating diamonds, and Australian-sourced opals for a more bohemian, whimsical look.
Soko- People $
Soko is a women-led ethical jewelry line that believes in using business as a drive for good. They are a registered B-Corp, which means they balance business decisions with their dedication to positively impact artisan communities and the environment. They’ve created technology that uses mobile phones as a virtual factory to provide global market access to artisan communities in Kenya.
Soko’s Everyday Collection is the perfect place to shop for key pieces for your capsule wardrobe. We love the Capsule Collar Necklace, which is handcrafted in brass by artisans in Kenya using traditional techniques.
VRAI – People + Planet $$$
VRAI creates beautiful diamond jewelry with high-quality materials and timeless designs. Their diamonds are sustainably grown through a technology that recreates the conditions in which diamonds form in nature, and uses 100% renewable solar and wind energy sources. Their diamonds are atomically and chemically identical to mined diamonds, and they don’t carry with them the human and environmental toll of mining. All of VRAI’s jewelry is made in Los Angeles and New York.
While their pieces are pricey (due to…the diamonds), there are some simple styles that are beautiful, timeless, and won’t break the bank. We love their tiny diamond collection, especially the Tiny Diamond Ring.
Omi Woods- People + Planet $$$
Omi Woods, founded by Ashley Alexis McFarlane, makes contemporary heirloom jewelry for everyday wear. Each piece is individually and ethically handmade, using fair-trade gold and conflict-free fine metals. We love their commitment to using small-scale, artisanal mines that focus on fair pay to make their pieces. Collections are named after the African country of inspiration or emblems of their surroundings.
You might have caught a look at her pieces on the May 2020 Issue of British Vogue, with cover girl Rhianna wearing pieces of their first collection of African Fair-Trade gold!
We hope you're able to find a new piece of jewelry from a brand that you can feel good about supporting right now. Pair your new ethical accessories with a sustainable capsule from VETTA!
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When we launched VETTA in 2016, we decided to start by producing in the U.S., where we were confident in the quality and could avoid the complications of importing. Since then we've built strong relationships with our factories in the U.S. who have become like family, and we plan to continue working with them for years to come. But as we grow, we have more work to give to more factories, and I've felt a tug to fulfill the vision of providing jobs in developing countries as well. We had a collection that involved lace (not an expertise of U.S. factories), so it was a great time to seek out a factory in India, where they specialize in lace and embroidery.
India has a special place in my heart, because it was the first country I visited outside of North America, when I was just 19 years old. I skipped a semester of college and lived with a family in the slums outside of Chennai. I fell in love with the people, the colors, the food, the spices - and I knew one day I would return.
This January I did a research trip to India, and visited with a factory we had been talking with, to see if they could be a potential partner factory for the more intricate lace collection we were planning. I met with the owner and his family, talked with the workers, and spent some time touring the workspace. The factory is family-owned (for two generations) and they are SA8000 certified, which means they get audited regularly for fair treatment of workers. They must meet strict standards of safe working conditions, living wages, and human rights. They’re one of the only factories I talked to that does not outsource anything but does everything in-house (physically on their property), and they have an amazing quality control process. They made samples of the pieces I had designed, and they turned out beautifully. We decided to partner with them for our upcoming Romantic Capsule, which is launching in June, and we’re so excited to be working with such talented people!
We're planning to visit the India factory again soon, and we also may be working with a new scarf factory in the same area. Our dream is for VETTA to be a force for good around the world, bringing high quality sustainable garments to our customers while empowering people through fair jobs. When we launched VETTA on Kickstarter years ago, we explained:
“It's one of our passions to support companies that treat their employees with dignity and respect, and provide job opportunities in the U.S. and abroad.”
That still rings true today, and we’re excited to be getting to the “abroad” part of our mission. We hope you love the beautiful garments of the Summer ‘19 Romantic Capsule coming out this month, made with care by the garment workers in our India partner factory. We're thankful for them, and grateful that you're with us on this journey!
xx
Cara Bartlett
CEO, VETTA
Oliva Youngs Simply Liv & Co | Insta
“I keep an ethical closet because I love that my clothes tell a beautiful story, not a hurtful one.”
Cat Chiang Restitchstance | Insta
"I keep an ethical closet because I want the clothes I wear to reflect my personal values. The majority of garment workers are women of color, so ethical fashion is one way that I can support my sisters around the globe.”
Dominique Drakeford Dom's Conscious Closet | Insta
“Because I believe that the epitome of fly style is having fashion that consciously and authentically speaks truth and represents the beauty of craftsmanship, people and culture.”
Anna Lisa and Porter Grieve Recess City | Blog
“We keep an ethical closet because there's no future in which we imagine we'll look back and say: our lives would have been better if we had thought of others less, had a bigger wardrobe, focused on accumulating more things, or cared more about the way that we looked than the planet we lived on. My husband, Porter, and I hope to inspire our audience to treat the fashion industry with the same degree of scrutiny many Americans have approached the food industry with for years. If you care about the chemicals that go in your body, you should care about the ones that go on it. We want to live in a world where people don't wear what's ‘in,’ but wear things out.”
Emilie Maine Maine Ethics | Insta
“I keep an ethical closet because I care about the future of our planet, and the treatment of the people making my clothes.”
Annie Zhu Terumah | Insta
“I keep an ethical closet to respect and appreciate my clothes, and all those involved in making them.”
Photo by Amina Touray
Elizabeth Stilwell The Note Passer | Insta
“Keeping an ethical closet aligns with my philosophy of avoiding harm — to people, to animals, to the planet — when possible. Secondhand and ethical brands help me do that.”
Whitney Bauck Writes: Fashionista | Blog: Unwrinkling | Insta
“I keep an ethical closet because I want to dress myself in things that I know are good for other people and good for the planet — and I love clothing that has a cool story behind it.”
Alli Cherry Youtube | Insta
“I keep an ethical closet because of the devastation the fast fashion industry has on people and the planet -- I simply cannot participate or stand by as the problem persists, which is why it's my goal to have the smallest environmental impact as possible while sharing the many benefits of a small, curated closet.”
Kasi Martin The Peahen | Insta
“I keep an ethical closet because style is a reflection of self. And my self says the people and planet should be treated equitably. So I keep a closet that balances both things, style and concern for how my clothes are made.”
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FOOD + DRINKS
These are our most-visited spots, and are each uniquely delicious. Some are independently owned, some have locally sourced ingredients, and others are vegan -- but all of them are a must-try!
ABC Kitchen | Union Square | American (New) | $$$ | Seasonal menu from sustainably sourced ingredients, in a beautiful setting. | Tip: reservations fill up fast, get one in advance or go on an off time and sit at the bar. Also, it’s attached to the most amazing sustainable/fair trade home store!
Buvette | West Village | French | $$$ | Locally sourced French café – there’s one in NYC, Paris, and Tokyo. | Tip: put your name in early to be sure to get a seat! Order a bunch of small plates, cheese, wine, and especially the chocolate mousse.
Five Leaves | Green Point | American (New) | $$ | Adorable café in Brooklyn with delicious sustainable and local food. | Tip: sit outside on a sunny day & try the truffle fries.
Peacefood Cafe | Upper West Side | Vegan | $ | Tasty vegan food in a casual atmosphere. Great for lunch or a snack. | Tip: get the chickpea fries!
Culture Espresso | Mid Town West | Coffee | $ | An independent and locally owned coffee shop with outstanding coffee | Tip: the chocolate chip cookie is phenomenal!
Dear Irving | Flatiron | Cocktails | $$ | Artisanal cocktails in an old-timey speakeasy with the best ambiance. | Tip: try the Vice Versa. Also, they offer cocktail classes.
Awoke Vintage | $$ | Small vintage shop with the best curation of items at reasonable prices. | Tip: Their vintage Levi's denim jackets and repurposed vintage leather jackets are amazing.
Brooklyn Flea | $$ | Flea market with booths for vintage clothing, home decor, and local artists. | Tip: this can be a super fun afternoon activity (also check out their sister company Smorgasburg for food trucks!). It is seasonal, so check their calendar online.
10ft Single by Stella Dallas | $$ | Amazing curation of vintage items that are organized by type of clothing. Think huge racks of vintage denim jackets, floral dresses, or t-shirts. Less digging, more finding awesome stuff. | Tip: there's a room in the back with more high-end vintage stuff.
Beacon’s Closet (Greenpoint location) | $ | This is more of your typical consignment shop, but it's really really big! They have tons of awesome (more current) second hand clothing at reasonable prices. | Tip: check out the shoe wall!
Dusty Rose Vintage Warehouse | $ | This is where you can buy wholesale vintage stuff, but it's open to the public certain days (and they have a retail area in the front that's really cute) | Tip: this is really off-the-beaten path, so just make sure you know where you're going and that you're up for a trek.
Clare V. | $$$ | Handbags | Made in USA
Erica Weiner | $$$ | Jewelry | Made in NYC
Everlane | $ | Basics | Focus on transparency
Coclico | $$ | Shoes | Made in Spain
Only Hearts | $$ | Lingerie | Made in the USA
In Support of | $$$ | Boutique with cool new local/independent brands
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For Courtney Carver, owning less is the key to living more. Courtney began working towards a simpler life after receiving a life-changing diagnosis in 2006. She later started her influential website, Be More With Less, and has established herself as a master of minimalism.
One of her most popular projects is Project 333, a minimalist fashion challenge. Every three months, participants are challenged to select 33 items - including clothing, outerwear, shoes and accessories - to wear for the next 90 days. With Project 333, Courtney has created a community of people who use minimalism to power their daily outfits.
With all of the tips and advice that lives on her website, it’s no wonder why Courtney’s guidance has evolved into a book. Soulful Simplicity is Courtney’s brand new book, in which she helps readers to improve their lives as a whole with the power of simplicity.
VETTA was lucky enough to have Courtney answer a handful of our questions and she was kind enough to give us more of her amazing insight. Take a look at our Q&A with Courtney below.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself! How did you get into (and so good at) living simply in the first place?
A: I started simplifying my life in an effort to reduce stress and feel better - inside and out. I figured out what worked best for me by experimenting, practicing and being open to the idea that this journey may take some time.
Q: Your website is "Be More With Less" - how does this idea of simplicity translate into the different aspects of your life?
A: As I was making changes to different areas of my life, I realized that as I lived with less on the outside, I became more me on the inside. Once I made that connection I simplified everything, including my career and wardrobe. I experienced better health, more clarity and so much more love and presence in my relationships.
Q: What does your daily routine look like?
A: I start my day with what I call my "meaningful morning routine" It started as a 5-minute yoga practice and over the years has turned into a 2-3 hour routine including writing, meditating, yoga, walking and reading. I try to do my most creative work in the morning and meetings, interviews, and administrative tasks in the afternoon. Because I like to wake up early, I usually go to sleep by 9:30, sometimes earlier.
Photo by Sarah Dorweiler, Aesence
Q: Project 333 has taken social media by storm! Do you have any tips for those trying to adopt a minimalist wardrobe?
A: My first recommendation is to try the challenge. Dressing with less for 3 months teaches you so much about what you want and need in your wardrobe. There are a bunch of other powerful lessons too. Aside from that, I highly recommend dressing for the person you are today. Include items in your wardrobe that fit your body and lifestyle today, not last year or ten years from now.
Q: Your new book Soulful Simplicity will be released at the end of this year - can you talk a bit about why you decided to write the book? What was the process like?
A: Figuring out what the book was and then writing it was an incredible experience. It was challenging and nerve-wracking at times but overall, I really enjoyed the process. I love reading books so much, especially ones that encourage me to take action and make powerful changes. I wanted to write a book like that where I could share my stories, what I've learned along the way, and to remind people how alike we are.
Q: Can you tell VETTA Blog readers what they can expect from the book and how it's a new extension of your philosophy.
A: There are 4 sections in the book, each containing several short chapters + a chapter called "put your hands on your heart". This is where people can close the gap between awareness and action. The sections of the book represent the major categories of change I experienced; Making me, Making Space, Making Time, and Making Love. The book is more than an extension of my philosophy - it's a part of my heart. I don't say that in a cheesy way, but that it's a combination of the stories that have changed and moved me and the steps I took to move from overwhelmed, under-inspired, sick and tired, to happy, healthy, creative and content.
Q: What do you believe the keys to minimalism are?
A: Like any major lifestyle shift the key is remembering that there isn't one perfect way to do it. Being curious and finding out what works best for you is what makes it a valuable, permanent change.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who's looking to simplify but doesn't know where to start?
A: It doesn't matter where you start, but that you start. Don't get so overwhelmed by all the options that you do nothing. Instead, start with one small space in your home even if it's just a corner or countertop. Use the decluttered space as motivation to move on to the next.
You don't have to wait until you reach some magical version of simplicity or minimalism to start to enjoy the benefits of a pared down life. Don't wait. Celebrate each small step. You deserve happiness today.
For more, visit Be More with Less and be sure to get your hands on a copy of Soulful Simplicity, out now!
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People brands manufacture their products in responsible factories, and ensure that their employees are treated with dignity and paid fair wages.
Our favorite planet brands make their garments with the environment in mind. The fashion industry is the third most polluting in the world behind oil and agriculture, and these brands aim to reduce the negative impact we make on the planet caused by manufacturing clothing.
Make a choice to go sustainable with our top picks.
Brook There - Environment
Along with making their pieces from organic cotton and in the USA, Brook There emphasizes low impact distribution. That means the least amount of transportation possible: The majority of fabric is produced in South Carolina, goes to Pennsylvania for dying, then Massachusetts for cut and sew—then shipped to you. They also realize the wastefulness of individual plastic packaging, so they use recycled poly bags and recycled tissue paper for most orders.
Best for: minimal matching bra and underwear sets
Naja - People & Environment
Naja products are made for women, by women. Because each article is produced by single mothers or women heads of households, Naja provides above market wages, health benefits, and child education stipends and supplies. With each bra comes a wash bag hand-made in the homes of women in extreme poverty in Colombia. Their fabrics are also digitally-printed, meaning their water waste is next to none.
Best for: simple t-shirt bras, lacy bralettes,and a variety of underwear styles
WORON - Environment
A Scandinavian brand, WORON strives for comfort without sacrificing femininity, style, or sustainability. Their soft-bras and briefs are made of Modal, a beechwood pulp fiber that’s smooth and breathable. With minimal straps and seams, their bras won’t be the first thing you’ll want to take off when you go home.
Best for: monotone soft-bras with a bit more support
Azura Bay - People & Environment
Azura Bay donates a portion of proceeds of each order to restore and protect the environment as well as support human rights for women around the world. At checkout, you can choose from three organizations to donate to: Because I am a Girl, World Wildlife Fund, or the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Azura Bay also uses 100% recycled boxes, poly mailers, and white tissue paper as well as biodegradable shipping tape, all made in the United States.
Best for: comfortable, statement bras with more support and lace underwear
Blue Canoe - People & Environment
A women-owned and -run company, Blue Canoe creates fashionable but functional garments for their customers. Everything is made from organic cotton and organic bamboo with nontoxic dyes. It's all made in the USA to support American workers and leave a smaller transportation footprint.
Best for: comfortable, supportive bras without wires
Hanky Panky - People & Environment
All Hanky Panky pieces are made from 100% USA-grown cotton and manufactured domestically, reducing time, fuel, shipping costs, and carbon dioxide emissions. Philanthropy is also an active part of their mission, so their proceeds go to organizations such as American Red Cross and Girls Who Code. They encourage their customers to not only buy sustainable but also live sustainable by caring for their garments so that they last longer—washing in cold water and air drying are key.
Best for: organic cotton boyshorts and thongs
Proclaim- People and Environment
Founded on the principles that fashion should represent all women and can be made in a way that does good for people and the planet, Proclaim is a VETTA fave! They offer a size and color inclusive line of bralettes and briefs, ranging from XS- 3X! All of their pieces are made from Tencel and Repreve Recycled Polyester- which is sourced from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles, at their factory in LA. Founder Shobha Philips hopes that the larger lingerie industry starts taking note in posting body-positive images, inclusive sizes, and expanding the definition of ‘nude’.
Best for: Matching bralette and mid-rise briefs in a range of nude shades.
Boody - Environment
To create breathable, moisture-wicking and odor-resistant socks, Boody has a key ingredient: the viscose made from bamboo. Bamboo avoids the problems with growing cotton: it uses less water, doesn’t need pesticides, and actually prevents soil erosion. Because Boody strives for transparency, their products are also certified under Ecocert and SGS.
Best for: affordable, everyday socks
Thought - People & Environment
Organic cotton, recycled polyester, bamboo, and humanely sourced wool are what make Thought socks comfortable and durable. Thought was founded on sustainable fashion and has an environmental policy, animal welfare policy, and code of conduct that outline their company standards throughout the production process, from paying their workers fairly to transporting the finished products.
Best for: solid bamboo socks for everyday or fun cozy printed socks
Swedish Stockings - Environment
Each year, two billion pairs of tights are produced. Most are made from nylon, which comes from petroleum-based manufacturers and creates pantyhose that don't last. Swedish Stockings makes tights and socks from recycled yarn, only uses eco-friendly dyes, purifies water after the dying process, and uses solar energy to power most of the manufacturing process.
Best for: black pantyhose
]]>We've broken down our favorite makeup brands into three categories: People, Planet, and Animals.
Animal-conscious makeup brands are cruelty-free. Some go a step further and offer products that are vegan - without animal products.
People brands empower women by making them feel good in the skin they’re in, support other women-promoting organizations, or use non-toxic ingredients that don't negatively affect people's health.
Our favorite planet brands make their beauty products with the environment in mind. The beauty industry generates tons of waste from packaging and contaminates the planet with the toxins in their products. Planet-conscious brands aim to reduce the negative impact they make on the environment caused by producing (and using) makeup.
Here are our top 7 picks!
KORRES - Planet & Animals
KORRES was born out of a Greek homeopathic pharmacy, and their products are inspired by traditional remedies. Not only are all their products cruelty-free—their ingredients are natural and/or organic. The company’s agriculturalists carefully choose the ideal cultivation regions for their herbs that won’t disrupt the environment, and they also work to protect endangered herbs and plant populations. KORRES’s plant also uses more than 20 environmental management programs throughout production, packaging, and storage to minimize its ecological footprint. They also also run on 100% renewable energy, and 99% of its packaging is recyclable.
Their award-winning Vitamin C Active Brightening Oil will keep your skin bright and hydrated year round, and Lip Butter is a cult-favorite balm. KORRES can be found at Sephora.
Glossier - Animals & People
Since its founding in 2014, Glossier has rapidly gained a cult following, and for good reason: in reaction to the beauty industry profiting off of and emphasizing women’s insecurities, the brand was built on making women feel good in their own skin and creating “fun, easy, imperfect, and personal” beauty. All their products are cruelty-free, and their packaging is minimalist and baby pink—what’s not to love?
We’re all about makeup that enhances natural beauty. Our favorites include Boy Brow for feathery brows and Haloscope for a dewy finish. Glossier also has several vegan options, such as their Mega Greens Galaxy Pack and gentle Milky Jelly Cleanser.
Stila - Animals, Planet, & People
Stila strives to make women look and feel amazing, supporting empowering charities such as Women Helping Women, Foundation for Living Beauty, and the EMA. The company also reduces their ecological impact by using 100% recycled packaging and offering refillable compacts and palettes. Also, all of their products are cruelty-free.
Stay All Day® Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner is one of the best on the market, and their Eye Shadow in Kitten can be used for both the inner corners of the eye and as a highlighter. Stila can be found at Sephora.
Physician’s Formula - Animals & Planet
Like the name suggests, Physician’s Formula has provided what they call “healthy beauty:” clinically tested and doctor-recommended. Their products are all cruelty-free, and they also have a line called Organic Wear that is free of preservatives and harsh chemicals and packaged consciously with 90% less plastic than traditional compacts. With products ranging from $5-$20, this line is also budget-friendly compared to many other organic makeup brands.
Organic Wear has several award-winners: their Natural Origin Mascara was an Allure Readers’ Choice Award Winner in 2015, and their 100% Natural Origin CC Color + Correction Cream SPF 20 was a Fitness Beauty Award Winner in 2014.
Milk Makeup - Animals
Milk caters to the spunky, on-trend gal. Want to rock holographic highlighter or bold eyeshadow (or both)? Their multipurpose products may be your new go-tos. They’re made with carefully selected ingredients: hydrating jojoba, coconut, orange peel, and grape seed oils; fruit and vegetable butters like mango and shea. Plus, they’re cruelty-free, and over 60% of their line is vegan.
Their vegan products include their best-selling Blur Stick and CoolingWater, which make your skin feel and look smooth and hydrated. Milk Makeup can be purchased at Sephora.
BeautyCounter - People
Beauty Counter's goal is to get safer products into the hands of everyone. Over the past two decades, the European Union has banned more than 1,300 chemicals in personal care products, while the United States has only partially banned 30. Beautycounter is committed to banning the use of more than 1,500 questionable or harmful chemicals through their "Never List" —all while ensuring their products are as indulgent as any other luxe shampoo, lipstick, or oil you can find elsewhere.
Their best-selling products are the Charcoal Cleansing Bar and their No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil, which won Best of Allure Beauty for 2017.
The Lip Bar- Animals
Melissa Butler created the vegan, cruelty-free makeup brand Lip Bar because she found that the lipsticks available on the market were full of chemicals and required spending a lot of money if you wanted to get your hands on a long-lasting product. The Lip Bar began with a line of lipsticks that are made with ingredients such as avocado oil, shea butter, and vitamin E and formulated to look gorgeous on every skin tone.
Since its launch in 2012, the brand has expanded to a full line of cosmetics and continues to expand. We love their Fast Face Kits, which combines 7 products to give you a full face of makeup in 6 minutes!
Want more of our favorite ethical brands? Read our blog posts on swimwear and shoes.
]]>Similar to what we did with our top ethical shoe brands, we've broken down our favorite swimwear brands into categories: People and Planet.
People brands manufacture their products in responsible factories, and ensure that their employees are treated with dignity and paid fair wages.
Our favorite planet brands make their garments with the environment in mind. The fashion industry is the third most polluting in the world behind oil and agriculture, and these brands aim to reduce the negative impact we make on the planet caused by manufacturing clothing.
As we always say, you don't have to sacrifice style for responsibility - and you don't have to forgo a gorgeous swimsuit for it either! Take a look at eleven of the coolest brands in conscious swimwear.
Bikyni - People
For any minimalist who prefers to own one classic suit over three statement bikinis, we have your new favorite brand. Designed and produced in LA, Bikyni is focused on quality and minimal design without traditional price markups. They source their fabric in Italy from a mill that's been knitting beautiful, innovative fabrics for over 50 years. Just like VETTA's capsule collections, Bikyni's pieces are best worn mixed and matched with each other.
We love how the Long Line top pairs with the Cheeky Hipster as well as the versatility of the Plunge top and the Racerback one piece.
Faherty - People & Planet
A brand truly inspired by the little outdoor moments that make life big, Faherty creates clothing and swimwear made from unique and sustainable fabrics. Faherty works closely with manufacturers to craft the highest quality apparel, including classically cut swimsuits in fun prints. Shop Faherty online or in one of their six U.S. stores.
As capsule wardrobe enthusiasts, we're big lovers of reversible pieces which is why the St. Barths One-Piece and Tahiti Bottom are among our favorite Faherty pieces.
Summersalt - Planet
Summersalt focuses on comfort, fit, and earth-friendly practices, making them a VETTA favorite! Known for their colorful one-pieces, they also offer bikinis, coverups, and other comfortable travel-essentials.
Each swimsuit is made from 78% recycled polyamide and has proven durability- 5x stronger than ordinary brands- meaning you’ll need to replace your favorite piece less-frequently! For a swimsuit that will go the distance, we love the Sidestroke!
Vitamin A - People & Planet
Ethically produced in sunny California, Vitamin A is committed to both sustainability and quality. Some suits are made with their very own EcoLux™ fabric, a superfine jersey made with recycled nylon fiber that's locally produced in California. They also use XTRA LIFE LYCRA® fiber to extend the life of each swimsuit. Finally, Vitamin A takes the time to ensure that the people who produce their fabrics and collections are treated well.
Vitamin A's love for the environment accompanied by the clean-cut styles of their suits makes us admire them that much more. The Neutra Bralette, Ballerina Wrap Top and Luna Bottom, are a few of our must-haves. Check out their site to see the endless styles and prints they have to offer.
Alyned Together- Planet
This New York-based and female-led brand is perfect for those who love swimsuits with bright prints, cut-outs, and honest sustainable materials. We are fans of Alyned Together because, in addition to using recycled materials and being size-inclusive, they host ocean clean-ups and contribute 1% of their total sales to environmental non-profits.
We love the look of the Samantha, a classic-looking black and white one-piece, with a super cute tie detail.
Mara Hoffman - People & Planet
After graduating from Parsons in NYC, Mara Hoffman started her lifestyle brand consisting of Women's Ready To Wear, Swimwear, Childrenswear and Bridal. The company was not initially founded upon the principles of sustainability. Rather, Hoffman evolved it into an eco-friendly brand after gaining more awareness about the impact that the fashion industry has on the planet. Read more about their commitment to social and environmental responsibility here.
Mara Hoffman's distinct geometric prints and pastel colors will never be overlooked on the beach this summer. Our favorites include the Tank One Piece, Cutout Bandeau One Piece and Triangle Bralette Bikini Top.
Nu Swim - People
Nu Swim is summer simplicity at its finest. Sourcing materials from the U.S., Japan and Italy, the brand designs their pieces in a California studio and manufactures them in two family-owned production facilities.
With an eclectic, yet minimalist mix of simple pieces to choose from, our pieces of choice include the Straight Top and the Low Low Bottom.
Abysse - People & Planet
An unprecedented swim brand, Abysse produces the trendiest, contemporary wetsuits on the market. Fit for scuba diving, surfing and beyond, the brand's Tahiti-born founder, Hanalei Reponty, works in the cross-section between fashion and function. Abysse is 100% made in California and uses the most eco-friendly wetsuit material available.
For a super simple style, the Billie suit is your go-to, and for something bright, check out their Lotte wetsuit. If you're looking for slightly less industrial swimwear but in the classic Abysse fashion, their bikinis follow the same athletic theme.
KORE Swim - People
A modern take on the symbolism of an ancient goddess, KORE represents the strength, power and allure at the core of every woman. Made in America to ensure its quality and longevity, each suit is a wear-everywhere staple to last.
Whether you're looking for an eye-catching or understated style, KORE has both simple print and solid suits. We love the clean-classic look of the Calypso and Nyx.
Beth Richards - People
Beth Richards is our favorite athletic-chic ethical swimwear brand. Engineered for athletes with Italian fabrics, each and every garment is made in Canada where they believe in ethical treatment and first world wages for their employees.
We're obsessed with the Ines One Piece, as well as the Knot Top. If you feel like making a statement, try out the ultra-bold Bond Suit.
AMARA Tulum - People & Planet
Toronto-native and now Tulum-local, Lisa Jackson, is the creative mind behind the sustainable, socially-responsible brand, AMARA. Utilizing Italian fabrics that are made up of 78% recycled post-consumer materials, AMARA works with local artisans in Tulum, Mexico, to craft their elegant swimwear pieces.
Delicate straps on practical styles make up the signature AMARA look. The Astronaut Top, Mustang Sally Bottom and All of the Ways One Piece are on the short list of pieces we need.
Sign up for our email list at the bottom of this page to stay up to date with the latest at VETTA. In the meantime, shop our latest collections here.
Cleaning out your closet can be tricky, frustrating and maybe even a little annoying but there are a number of ways you can sell, donate and recycle your old clothes.
]]>Cleaning out your closet can be tricky, frustrating and maybe even a little annoying - but how's this for a little incentive? There are a number of ways you can sell, donate and recycle your old clothes and even make some cash or score a new piece that you do love along the way.
While it might be easy to throw a cheap, well-worn t-shirt into the garbage, something as simple as this can have detrimental effects on the environment if done by millions of people on a larger scale. A 2013 report by the Environmental Protection Agency stated that Americans created 15.1 million tons of textile waste, of which, 12.8 million tons of textiles were discarded.
Knowing this, instead of throwing out your unwanted clothes, you may be wondering what the next best options are. Check out our best tips on purging our wardrobes from the clothes we really don't need.
If your clothes are in good condition, there's a high chance that you'll be able to sell them. There are a number of channels through which you can sell your gently used pieces for cash, both physically in-person and online.
Swapping your clothes is the perfect way to get something new, essentially for free! Beyond that, clothing swaps allow you to rid your closet of the clothes you don't wear anymore.
If you don't have the time or patience to sell all of your unwanted pieces, you can donate your clothing to a second-hand charity shop. Donating your clothes to a charitable organization is a way to give back to your community, while gaining awareness of the cause you're aiding.
Clothes that are stained, ruined or otherwise unwearable and unsellable should be recycled. Used undergarments and old rags you have around the house also fall into this category. These items might be most tempting to throw out with the rest of your household trash, but consider these earth-friendly alternatives.
Not sure what to do with an item you know you don't wear anymore? Use our fool-proof flowchart to figure out where your unwanted item should go!
Now that you know your options, get out there and help make the planet a little bit greener - and maybe earn a reward while you're at it.
Stay connected with VETTA! Sign up for our newsletter below and shop our capsule collections here.
That's why we're obsessed with brands like Nisolo, Marais USA and Coclico, that make the chicest ethical shoes for us to pair with our capsule wardrobes. When we think about these brands, we like to think of them in terms of three categories: people, planet and animals.
People brands manufacture their products in responsible factories, and ensure that their employees are treated with dignity and paid fair wages.
Our favorite planet brands make their shoes with the environment in mind. The fashion industry is the third most polluting in the world behind oil and agriculture, and these brands aim to reduce the negative impact we make on the planet caused by manufacturing shoes.
Animal-concious shoe brands are cruelty-free and are made with alternative materials, without animal products. Other brands will use the leather that was already a byproduct of the meat industry to eliminate as much animal-cruelty as possible.
Meet our top nine ethical shoe brands - maybe one of our favorites will end up being your new go-to staple!
Coclico - People & Planet
At Coclico, their motto is, "luxury isn't the ability to purchase endlessly, but the privilege of choosing wisely." See why we love them? Materials for Coclico's shoes are sourced locally in Europe near their family-run factory in Mallorca, Spain. Coclico is heavily invested in environmental integrity, partnering with Native Energy to track its annual in-house carbon usage and offsetting that amount by investing in renewable energy projects.
Their shoes are perfect for the minimalist who loves a quirky twist. Our favorite style is the Bask Sandal, a thick-strap wooden heel with color-block details.
VEERAH - Planet
VEERAH is a sustainable, luxury shoe brand that's female-founded and made for the modern woman. We love that VEERAH uses more unconventional materials such as apples, algae, and renewed plastic, to create their vegan leather shoes.
We are fans of the Vicky, a pointed-toe flat that comes in multiple colors ranging from black to a shimmery gold! Each pair saves 11 gallons of filtered water & keeps 8 balloons of CO2 out of the atmosphere.
Everlane - People
Everlane may one of the biggest names in socially-conscious fashion. With a dedication to radical transparency via minimalist styles, Everlane is one of our favorite responsibly-made brands. The company spends a hefty amount of time searching for the best factories around the world to ensure its integrity.
Beyond the clothing basics that Everlane is known for, they craft their shoes with the same philosophy in mind. We can fully get behind the versatility of Everlane's shoe selection and think each one would be a great addition to any lean wardrobe. The Modern Loafer, for example, can easily be worn in the office or to Sunday brunch, while the Heel Boot is another dress-up or dress-down staple.
Fortress of Inca - People & Planet
At Fortress of Inca, they believe that the people who make their shoes are just as important as the people who buy them. By working with and closely auditing several workshops and factories in Peru, they maintain the shoemakers' excellent working conditions as well as provide health care, paid maternity leave and social security benefits. Beyond the social responsibility that Fortress of Inca takes on, the leather that they use for their shoes is a byproduct of the meat industry that might otherwise have been turned into harmful waste.
Their shoes are heavily inspired by typical South American footwear, combining pops of color with Incan textiles. Our favorites styles include Carmen, Miko and Adriana Coco, each a modern take on Peruvian styles.
Marais USA - People & Animals
Haley Boyd, designer and owner of Marais USA, fuses the "confidence and practicality of the New Yorker" with the effortless sophistical of the "Parisienne." And we think she nails it every time. Many of Marais' styles are made with vegan materials, as they are determined to offer as many eco- and animal-friendly options as possible. Boyd is committed to ethical fashion the entire way through, which includes in-person quality-control inspections in their responsible Los Angeles factory.
Marais' NYC-hustle meets Paris-chic styles can be found in an array of pastels and simple styles. Their vegan styles are among our favorites, like the Bessette Pump and the Jardin Heel.
Veja - People & Animals
Veja's tomboy sneakers are the product of a push for fair trade and ecologically-conscious efforts. Each and every shoe is made in Brazil and respects the standards of work put forth by the International Labour Organization. A handful of the trainers are made from organic cotton, vegetable-tanned leather and wild rubber from the Amazon (the only place in the world where rubber trees grow in the wild!)
With sneakers that look as if they're fresh out of a retro editorial, Veja combines heavy-duty styles with pastels and unique color combinations. The Holiday Silk shoe serves as the ideal staple sneaker for the girl on-the-go with a monochromatic wardrobe. For a classic white shoe, check out their vegan Wata Canvas sneaker.
Nisolo - People
Determined to create a healthy work environment for those who make their shoes and accessories, Nisolo pays fair trade wages and provides benefits for their factory employees in Peru. They also carefully partner with factories in León, Mexico as well as independent artisans who help to craft Nisolo's high-quality products.
With a wide range of styles from heeled slides to patent leather oxfords, Nisolo's shoes come in neutral colors for a variety of personal aesthetics. We're into the simplicity of the Isla Slide Sandal and the business-casual chic tone of the Ava Ballerina Flat.
Nina Z - People
Swedish designer, Nina Z, launched her namesake shoe label in 2008 because of the lack of clogs she saw while living in New York City. Nina Z strongly believes in ethical sourcing and labor, primarily focused on how and by whom the brand's clogs are made.
After growing up in Sweden and being married to her husband who is of African decent, the brand pays homage to both cultures' overarching styles with a modern twist. Besides their clogs, Nina Z makes sandals and boots that are also influenced by the classic clog.
Sseko - People
Sseko Designs aims to use fashion to create opportunity for global women through employment as well as scholarship opportunities. The brand hires women in Uganda to make their sandals to enable them to earn money through dignified employment. The money these women earn goes directly towards their college education funds, and as a result, Sseko has helped 60 women to continue on to university so far.
With their relaxed styles, Sseko's sandals are footwear staples for a beach vacation or for a warm, laid-back day. We love how the Crossover Slide Sandal and the Ribbon Sandals is easily integrated into any comfy-casual wardrobe.
Zou Xou - People
Zou Xou footwear is made using age-old techniques and premium leathers, for elegant, slow fashion footwear that lasts. After many trips to Buenos Aires, Katherine Theobalds had the connections and the courage to launch her own collection by partnering with local artisans. Every piece is ethically handcrafted by Argentinian shoemakers in small quantities. Their focus on ethical manufacturing processes that reduce waste and energy consumption makes them a must-have in our wardrobes.
Zou Xou shoes are designed to make you feel like you are living your best (most comfortable) life! We especially love the Mules and Lagos Sandal- which pair perfectly with minimal and classic wardrobes.
We hope you're able to find a new pair of shoes that you love from a brand that goes beyond the call of duty in the modern day fashion industry.
Pair your new ethically-made shoes with VETTA's new capsule collection!
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