I can't lie, I've spent a lot of money on gifts for loved ones this Christmas. We can't help ourselves, the festive spirit kicks in and suddenly our purse strings are loosened and Christmas mania takes over. It got me thinking about my shopping habits though, and although it may be too late for this year I think I will take a different stance on my Christmas shopping next year.

Ethical fashion hasn't had the best rep in the past, I have to be honest when those words are said, hippy fashion comes into mind that isn't particularly trend led or fashion focussed. But times have changed, and with the high street slowly catching on there are an array of ethical and charitable brands out there that are producing stylish garments that not only benefiting your wardrobe but others (and not to mention the planet!) too.

Next year I plan to invest in ethical and charitable brands where my money will not only be purchasing gifts but helping those in need at the same time. It's a win win.

Credit: feedprojects.com/about-feed
Credit: feedprojects.com/about-feed

I've rounded up my top five stylish ethical fashion brands (yes those two words can go in the same sentence!) to hopefully inspire you too:

1. FEED

I only recently discovered FEED but I absolutely love the idea behind it! They design all types of amazing bags from totes to a more structured handbag. For each bag sold you provide meals to feed underprivileged children in third world countries hence the brand name. You can even see on the website how many meals your bag will be providing. It's an amazing concept and even better they offer international shipping, happy shopping!

2. Miki Moko

Stylish designer glasses brand Miki Moko have recently launched into the UK and are based on a very unique concept enabling customers to choose the price of their frames. Kind crazy right? The idea is you choose the price so that you're also then choosing your donation amount as 50% goes straight to their supported charity. Miki Moko currently supports the Nepal Youth Foundation which you can read more about here.

3. ASOS Africa

It's great to see a major e-tailer partaking in ethical and sustainable fashion. The capsule collection offers a seasonal range and is also really affordable too. The brand is currently on their 12th collection in collaboration with SOKO, a workshop which enables clothing to be produced ethically by local Kenyan women. The partnership aims to boost the local economy and offer long term employment for locals. Now if that's not a reason to buy a new top…

4. Toms

Now you've probably all heard of Toms and I can bet that espadrilles are the first thing that springs to mind. Yes you're right, they're famous for their range of charitable 'get one give one' espadrilles but Toms are not all about the beach footwear anymore. They now also produce everything from boots to bags so they're definitely a brand worth a re-visit plus they're offering free shipping right now too!

5. H&M Conscious Collection

H&M are pioneers for affordable sustainable fashion and it's refreshing to see a high street retailer producing ethical clothing that is far from drab. It has definitely helped in banishing previous misconceptions of sustainable brands and it would be great to see the store rolling this out amongst their main lines too but we'll see. The range is available year round and always has the best collection of basic tees so well worth a peep!

Do you shop ethically for your clothing, or is something you've ever considered? I would love to hear your thoughts. Here's to an ethical 2016!


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