When you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, comfort is of the utmost importance. But many new moms also find themselves increasingly worried about the environmental impact of their consumer choices. So, where can moms-to-be look for comfortable, stylish eco-friendly maternity clothes?
Knowing where to shop, in this case, is key– especially if you’re on a budget or simply want to make smart, non-reactionary choices.
Whether you’re looking to buy something fast and comfortable or to build a smart maternity wardrobe for future pregnancies, the below brands have you covered.
Ultimately, fast fashion is the way of the past. Despite what you may think, it *is* possible to get high-quality eco-friendly maternity clothing that is also comfortable and stylish. Just scroll down to see for yourself.
Shop our guide to the best eco-friendly maternity clothes brands, below.
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Boob (Cozy & Functional)
As the name might suggest, this brand is all about celebrating the female body by helping mothers stay comfortable.
Personally, I love their functional, stylish Amelia Jumpsuit (above shown), as well as the appropriately-named black Once-On-Never-Off Easy Pants, a soft harem jogger that’s a great staple for wearing over the bump. These can be worn in the prenatal or postpartum period, as well, and they still look stylish. Sizing is easy as well, as they provide conversion charts for EU, UK, US, FR, and IT shoppers, etc.
In terms of eco-friendly specs, Boob’s fabrics are made from GOTS organic cotton that’s certified by Ecocert Greenlife. They also only use sustainable materials traceable from fiber to the final garment. (The certifications are just a comforting guarantee for the consumer.)
As a result, all garments have a gorgeous, soft stretch. One of the top sell points is also that you can wear them from pregnancy through to post-partum. (A good value for your wallet and your wardrobe.)
^ Boob’s B Warmer sweatshirt, for example, accommodates a bump but ALSO has a secret flap for breastfeeding once your baby is born. It comes in nice, gentle colors, too– nothing loud or flashy, like the gaudy maternity bag dresses of yore.
We also LOVE that they design and make everything in Europe. Boob designs their garments in Sweden and manufacturers them in places like Portugal and Greece, where they pay a living wage. (It’s always better for the environment and people to avoid buying clothes made in China, for example.)
However, wash-wary consumers should be advised that some garments in the Book collection say “Do Not Tumble Dry”. (However, I tumble dry them anyways, and they’ve been fine. If you can’t handle that extra step, don’t sweat it. The clothes are resilient– just like moms.)
Overall, every item they make is super functional– as they put it, to “serve a purpose”. Accordingly, Boob’s clothing is only manufactured in factories that share their values. As their tagline says, the clothes are “Made with love for all motherkind.”
Ultimately, as the brand so eloquently puts it: “We think mothers are amazing, and it is our mission to make clothes that make them feel brave and beautiful. Clothes that multitask through pregnancy and nursing and bring ease to everyday life. Clothes that have future generations in mind. Just like mothers do.”
Enough said! 🙂
Storq (Great Basics)
Storq‘s eco-friendly maternity clothing is so, so soft! They make all of their garments in the U.S. and China at factories that emphasize worker safety and fair wages while minimizing environmental impact. (An independent third-party organization audits the factories yearly to ensure safety and accountability. This way, the brand has confidence even in the products manufactured in China.)
Accordingly, their vendors can have various environmental certifications, including Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and Bluesign. Storq, meanwhile, has become a stylish go-to for maternity wardrobe basics produced with social and environmental impact in mind.
The Anytime Overalls (available in basic colors black, cinnamon, and sage; above shown) and the Daily Tank, for example, are GREAT. <—- We love this super long, stretchy, but not-too-tight tank top, which is ideal for wearing under shirts you already have but might have gotten too short.
Available in staple colors (e.g. black and white), the Maternity Daily Tank Top ultimately allows you to extend your existing wardrobe so that you don’t peak out the bottom of your non-maternity shirts. (Especially helpful in the third trimester.) It’s also great for working out and doing movement activities like prenatal yoga, as well, because it always stays snug without feeling like it’s compressing your body.
Additionally, the brand gives customers the option to recycle their used, well-kept items. Storq works with an independent recycling company that determines the best use for items based on their preloved condition.
Some items get reused, some get reconstituted, others get turned into cleaning rags, and all proceeds from the pieces that Storq customers donate support The Homeless Prenatal Program, a San Francisco-based family resource program aimed at ending the cycle of childhood poverty.
Isabella Oliver (Stylish, Classic, & Cute)
Isabella Oliver makes adorable, stylish clothes to wear out, like curve-caressing knitwear and deceptively stretchy jeans that look good enough to wear even when you’re not pregnant. In that regard, their eco-friendly maternity clothes are a perfect investment for trend-conscious and eco-conscious consumers.
Some items from this London-based brand have a better carbon footprint than others, though, so if you are a stickler for not buying items made in China, for example, be sure to look at the specific material makeup of each piece before you buy.
Still, we love that they are a certified B-Corp, and one of the ~most~ eco-friendly of all of the maternity clothing lines on the market today. 100% of their styles are Low Carbon and Low Energy use. 92% of the styles are Low Water use and have a Low Biodiversity Impact, as well.
Most importantly, the designs here are low toxicity, as the company uses a new Ponte fabric they created with their partner factories. (It contains Ecovero and Recycled Polyamide, which reduces the water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions required to make each garment.)
They also use organic cotton wherever possible.
We love the super-soft maternity sweaters, like the Annora Intarsia Knit, which is as cozy as it is classy and fun. The Kelsey Maternity Dress is also lovely, made with specialty TENCEL cellulose fibers derived from renewable wood sources. It’s super soft, gentle on skin, feels cool and dry, and yet it looks just like khaki!
Ultimately, these and other innovations from Isabella Oliver continue to define a new standard of sustainability and natural comfort. The Kelsey dress, for example, has the perfect above-bump tie for maximum elegance and comfort. The Intarsia sweater, meanwhile, is so insanely soft it’s hard to believe you can feel so good about its carbon footprint.
The brand, simply put, really knows what they’re doing. They’ve also recently launched a pre-loved section that allows people to recycle their clothing after use, to get even more value out of it (and save others money, in the process).
Shop the Isabella Oliver maternity collection, here.
Pact (Organic Comfy Clothes)
Pact’s new line of cozy maternity staples includes great basics like slouched joggers and the most comfortable maternity underwear we’ve seen on the organic market. We love that they offer organic, comfortable nursing bras (more important than you might realize if you plan to breastfeed) as well as organic foldover underwear.
Leggings, joggers, and tanks are buttery-soft, and they even have maternity nightgowns and very simple pocket dresses for those who like to avoid patterns.
Overall, the collection is functional, understated, and infinitely comfortable– exactly what you want in clothing that should comfort you when you need it most. (Plus, many of the basics can be worn with a more relaxed fit after pregnancy, as well!)
Read more about this brand in our article on the Best Eco-Friendly Comfy Clothing Brands for Working From Home.
Majamas Earth (Affordable Staples)
Majamas Earth– whose motto is, “care what you wear”– has a great, affordably-priced eco-friendly maternity line. They make cozy, environmentally-conscious wrap sweaters, comfort bras, and other pajama-like clothing perfect for indoor snuggling on a budget.
The style here tends to be basic, like the Everyday Cozy Cami, which easily transitions to breastfeeding. See also their popular Lacey Cozy Dress— an ideal “little black dress” for moms-to-be and the newly initiated. (It, too, has discreet lift-up nursing flaps for breastfeeding.)
Ultimately, what the brand lacks in variety it makes up for in durability and consistency.
Shop here for staples that can be re-worn again and again without ever losing their signature lived-in softness. They also frequently have sales!
thredUP (Pre-Loved, Upcycled, and Vintage)
Arguably, recycled maternity clothing is the MOST sustainable maternity clothing option. Buying one used clothing item reduces a garment’s carbon, waste, and water footprint by up to 82%!
Accordingly, online consignment & thrift store thredUP sells a wonderful collection of “pre-loved” maternity and baby clothes at great prices, with the goal of mitigating fashion waste and environmental impact.
Perfect for moms in their final pregnancy or simply those who don’t want to shell out on clothes that will only be worn for less than a year, thredUP is fast, convenient, and low-impact. They even allow you to re-sell your own maternity clothes. This way, you can close the loop and recoup some of your maternity clothing budget after pregnancy.
ThredUP allows buyers to search according to size, brand, material, color, price, pattern, condition, and more. This ensures that you are shown all of the options that appeal to your personal taste. If you only want to wear silk or cotton or cashmere during pregnancy, for example, so be it. 🙂
Best of all, they even have steeply discounted used items from high-end fashion maternity brands like Hatch, at a fraction of the price. Granted, all sizes and availability are on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you happen to be the first past the post, you can get some incredible deals here. Some items sell for up to 90% off of retail price!
Simply create an account, add items to your shopping cart, and check out as you would at any normal online retailer. All thrifted clothing arrives pre-washed, clean, and bagged for easy integration into your wardrobe.
Today, thredUP has a dedicated, almost cult-like following. Deal-hunters and sustainable fashion enthusiasts ultimately love the variety and scope of choice; the company features over 35K brands, and they’re constantly adding a wide variety of new items, listing up to 2.4 million items at any given minute. As a result, the brand tends to attract repeat customers.
And if you’re looking to sell back your maternity clothing after your pregnancy journey is over, well, they can help you with that, too.
Knickey (For Sustainable Maternity Underwear)
Knickey originally made a name for itself selling organic cotton intimates that are carbon-neutral certified and come in plastic-free shipping. Now, they’ve also launched a cozy line of sustainable maternity-specific underwear, and we are here for it.
Like their original line, Knickey’s maternity collection is made from moisture-wicking certified organic cotton, which keeps you cool and dry without bunching, pinching, or cutting off your circulation (something that is particularly important as you start to get bigger towards the end of pregnancy!).
They offer an Above-Belly Brief for those wanting more support, as well as a stylish Below Belly Brief (above shown) for those who want their maternity underwear to sit low on their hips, more like a traditional bikini cut. What’s great about the latter, of course, is that it doesn’t cling, and you can wear it before, during, and after pregnancy and it’ll be just as comfortable.
Ultimately, both styles have their merits and we love the fact that this material is certified organic. The last thing you want when you’re swollen and uncomfortable is another source of unwanted chemical exposure, especially in such an important, sensitive area. This is underwear you can feel good about, inside and out.
~ Honorable Mention ~
- While it might not be entirely eco-friendly, select pieces in the Hatch Maternity collection are made with sustainable materials like Tencel and organic cotton. Some of their stylish “4th Trimester” postpartum clothes, like the “Back in the Game Nursing Jumpsuit” or the “Softest Gauze Nursing Jumpsuit” are also made with organic and sustainable materials, as well. Just be sure to check the label details if you only want to buy items made with environmentally-friendly cloth. They’re in there; you just have to look for them.
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Related: 8 Comfortable, Stylish Shoe & Sandal Brands Ideal for Pregnancy, Travel & Beyond
5 Great Eco-Friendly Comfy Clothing Brands (for when you’re not pregnant, or not yet showing).
6 Non-Toxic Rug Brands For Making Your Home Extra Cozy.
The 5 Best Eco-Friendly, Hypoallergenic Down Alternative Comforters.