9 Sustainable Summer Dresses For 2023
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As sunshine gets warmer, and the days get longer, we’re dreaming of flowy dresses and long afternoons spent at the farmer’s market. While not every day can be as luxurious as a Saturday afternoon, we can still sport some of our favorite summer styles without sacrificing our values.
These 9 brands prioritize fair trade standards and practice sustainable manufacturing through the use of deadstock fabrics or organic cotton. Many brands also have give-back initiatives that help empower the workers who create their garments. These dresses feel good to wear because they are good.
Here are our favorite stops for dresses this summer!
Best Overall | Most Affordable | Best Active Dress
1. Reformation
Best For | On-trend sustainable dresses
Ethics | Climate Neutral Certified, sustainable & regenerative fabrics, safe & fair working conditions, living wages
Size Range | XXS–3X; up to US 24
Price | Dresses starting at $98
Dress to impress yourself in a sweet little number from Reformation. Whether you’re looking for something perfectly fitted, a smocked back, or a ruffled neckline, there’s a dress with your name on it. Plus, their goods are made in Los Angeles from sustainable sources like viscose, a wood pulp-based fabric from sustainably managed forests.
2. Pact
Best For | Organic cotton dresses
Ethics | Fair Trade Certified, GOTS certified organic cotton, carbon-offset shipping, recycled & biodegradable packaging, donation program for used clothes
Size Range | XS–2XL; up to US 20
Price | Dresses starting at $54
Made using organic cotton, Pact‘s summer dresses are the breeziest. Choose from simple midi dresses or fun fit and flares or cozy boho-styles–––these clothes are so cozy, whatever you choose will be a favorite for summers to come. Details like tie-fronts and double-layered tops add the perfect amount of interest to elevate each dress to something special.
3. Christy Dawn
Best For | Flowy, romantic dresses
Ethics | Ethically made in the USA & India, organic & deadstock fabrics, regenerative farming practices
Size Range | XS–3X; up to US 24
Price | Dresses starting at $198
If you’re looking for a sheer, romantic dress to wear on a moonlit stroll, Christy Dawn has got you covered. The ruffle details, smocked bodices, and nostalgic floral prints will make any walk outside feel like a whimsical frolic. With charming prints and flowing silhouettes, choose a dress for a special occasion—or any time you feel like adding a little loveliness to your day.
4. Girlfriend Collective
Best For | Athletic dresses
Ethics | SA8000 certified ethical production, recycled & sustainable materials, circular & take-back initiatives, inclusive sizing, recyclable packaging, eco-friendly dyes
Size Range | XXS–6X; up to US 32
Price | Dresses starting at $88
Looking for the perfect dress to take you from the gym to brunch? Or maybe just something with some compression that isn’t your same old tired legging set (it’s summer–––it’s hot!). Girlfriend Collective has a whole line of workout dresses that are ideal for a busy day, whether you’re running errands or hitting the tennis courts. We especially love their Paloma dress, inspired by their best selling bra of the same name! A comfy, sustainable dress that we can sweat in while looking cute and skipping the bra? *Adding to cart…
5. LACAUSA
Best For | Slip dresses
Ethics | Ethical manufacturing, recycled & organic materials, secondhand shop, low-waste production, eco-friendly packaging
Size Range | XS–XL; up to US 12
Price | Dresses starting at $88
LACAUSA’s slip dresses create a complete look the moment you (sorry we have to!) slip into them.😉 In a range of silhouettes and sustainable materials like bamboo-derived viscose and modal-rayon from beech trees, it’ll be easy to cool down on hot days in these easy, gorgeous pieces. We also love that LACAUSA makes most of their clothing in Downtown Los Angeles using a low-waste design process and ships in eco-friendly packaging.
6. Sézane
Best For | Statement dresses
Ethics | Certified B Corp, fair labor standards, GOTS & OEKO-TEX certified organic & sustainable materials, recycled packaging, recycling program
Size Range | XS–XXL; up to US 14
Price | Dresses starting at $150
Summer is the time to wear bold colors and fun prints, and Sézane’s dress collection provides pieces that will help you stand out. These are dresses you will want to be seen in, whether you’re going to an office picnic or a romantic dinner date. Be a little daring in a structured, mini shirt dress or hit the farmer’s market in a romantic pleated skirt with fitted bodice and delicate tie spaghetti straps–––whatever you choose will be sure to turn heads!
7. Loud Bodies
Best For | Size inclusive dresses
Ethics | Ethical production, OEKO-TEX certified fabrics, nontoxic dyes, gives back, plastic-free packaging, carbon-neutral
Size Range | XXS–10XL
Price | Dresses starting at
Loud Bodies is making dresses for everybody, with a ready-to-wear line with one of the largest selections of sizes we’ve seen, from XXS–10XL. They also offer free custom tailoring to make sure that their garments will work for your body. So whether you have nontraditional measurements or a differently abled body in need of accommodation, they got you.
8. Gaâla
Best For | Vintage-inspired styles
Ethics | Sustainable materials and upcycled fabrics, preorder production model, fair wages & safe working conditions for their artisans & tailors, a tree planted with every order
Size Range | XXS–XL
Price | Dresses starting at €150,00
Slow fashion brand Gaâla creates high quality, vintage-inspired garments that are made-to-order. Their dresses tell a story, with classic yet nostalgic silhouettes that you will love for years. For old soul girlies living in our modern world, you will love the organic cotton and linen tea dresses, wrap dresses, backless dresses and more, beautifully handcrafted by fairly paid artisans and tailors in Europe.
9. MagicLinen
Best For | Pullover day dresses
Ethics | OEKO-TEX certified linen, ethically & locally made, small batch & made-to-order options, biodegradable packaging, low waste practices
Size Range | XS-XL
Price | Dresses starting at $83
MagicLinen makes breezy and sustainable linen garments for every day wear that are meant to last. Their dresses are exactly what a linen dress should be: easy, breathable, and with the kind of cut and draping that only looks better with wear. We are particularly partial to their pullover, beachy styles but we also love their more structured styles for special events.
Header image from Sezane
