8 Vegan and/or eco-conscious clothing brands for longboarders in 2019
In 2019 it seems that everyone is becoming more aware of something be it animal rights, environmental issues, the political scene, and the list goes on and on. I myself am a vegan, and I’m passionate about animal welfare and protecting the environment.
I’ve noticed that a lot of longboarders I meet somehow tend be on the same wavelength as me, being that a lot of us have concerns about animals, the environment, or the ethical treatment of people around the world. That being said, this chosen lifestyle can make finding clothes quite…challenging to say the least.
At least here in Leipzig, where I live, clothing options that meet the requirements of being vegan, environmentally friendly AND ethnically produced are very slim. I have to order a lot of stuff online, but this can take a lot of time to find brands and stores that meet my requirements.
So I took the question to our Instagram community, I wanted to find out what everyone with this sort of chosen lifestyle is wearing, and I’ve combined the options here so everyone can benefit from them. None of the brands here are dedicated “skate brands” per se, but their designs will still work with most of us just fine.
Clothing brands and online stores for conscious longboarders
1. Goat Organic Apparel
This is a company based in the Netherlands, and the brand was introduced to me by @lottegw. I haven’t bought anything from this company before, but their style is modern, clean, and minimalist. You’ll find everything here from t-shirts, to hoodies, to jogger pants, though I didn’t see any offerings for jeans or dresses. So if you’re looking for one of those things, you’ll have to dig a bit deeper.
Their what who we are is extremely transparent which I love. In a nutshell:
- Completely vegan company
- Production in Bangladesh, but company states living wages are at least 150-200% over the minimum wage
- All organic cotton
- Recycled materials such as denim and polyester is used in their collection.
- They even launch fundraising missions to support human welfare initiatives around the world, Blue For Sudan is an example of an initiative they’ve raised funds for.
At time of writing the company offers shipping from 7,95€ to Germany (free from 100€), and a plain color T-Shirt costs about 18€. They have a 30 day return policy (shopper has to pay return costs themselves), and their product line is physically available in stores across The Netherlands.
2. Recolution
This is a German clothing brand that I’ve seen personally in shops around the country, and was also recommended to me by @kaetsusan. Like Goat from the Netherlands, their style is very minimalistic, clean, and modern. But between the two, this one seems a bit more “longboarder-y” to me. I don’t know why exactly, but the designs here speak to me a bit stronger than the designs of Goat. As mentioned, I’ve seen their products personally, and can confirm that the products do look and feel extremely high quality.
Oddly enough, their site seems to be only available in German, so I’ll summarize some key points.
- Completely vegan company, they’re even a PETA Approved brand.
- 100% organic cotton, even certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
- Production occurs within the countries of Germany, Portugal, Lithuania, and Turkey.
At the time of writing this the company offers free shipping within Germany, a standard T-Shirt with a design on it will set you back about 30 Euros, they have a 100 day return policy (if you’re in Germany the return shipping is also free).
3. Ethletic
Another German company specializing in sneakers! This brand was also brought to my attention by @kaetsusan so big props to you for knowing the clothing scene in Germany well! They make sneakers that are very reminiscent of popular models by Adidas, Vans, Converse, and Doc Martens. If you need a new set of shoes for your longboard dancing, it looks like they may have many options that could work.
They’ve got a myriad of accolades when it comes to being a conscious brand. In nutshell:
- Completely vegan, also PETA Approved brand.
- Fair Trade Cotton certified.
- Their rubber is FSC certified.
- Safe, fair trade production facility based in Pakistan
- Slow shipping via ships to minimize carbon footprint
- They emphasize repairs over replacement
Their sustainability page is truly impressive, I don’t think I have ever seen a single brand doing this much to preserve humanity, animals, and the environment! I’ll definitely be ordering a pair of shoes from these guys in the near future.
At the time of writing, it seems they only offer their shoes to customers in Germany, The USA, The UK, France, Italy, and Sweden. Shipping terms and conditions vary from country to country, and a pair of shoes that resemble the classic Vans Authentics slip ons will run you about 60€.
4. Bohempia
This was as brand introduced to me by our Finnish Ambassador, Marjo. If you’re looking for a pair of shoes that is 100% European, this could be something for you! The Prague-based company makes shoes from hemp, all of said hemp is sourced from Romania, and production takes place entirely in the Czech Republic. The styles here, like everything on this list, are very modern and minimalist, and some of the designs even resemble very popular Vans models. Marjo dances with these on their longboard, so ladies if you want a pair here specifically for longboard dancing, be sure to hit her up for specific tips!
Their company in a nutshell:
- Completely vegan, also a Peta Approved brand.
- 100% European company, sourcing and production happens all in Europe.
- According to their about us page, hemp has huge environmental impact by needing 50% less water to grow than cotton and is also less damaging to soil.
- I cannot find specifics on their website regarding treatment of workers, but since they are 100% EU-Based, they will be subject to EU laws and governance.
At the time of writing this article a set of shoes similar in style to Converse Chuck Taylors will set you back about 80€, shipping is free for orders 150€ or more within the EU, and you have 30 days to return orders (Customer pays return shipping).
5. UNKOMMON (Up and coming)
This was introduced to me by its owner and fellow longboard, @cortez.cc who is actually also an ambassador for Alternative Longboards! UNKOMMON is his brand which he is currently further developing into a full fledge skate apparel brand.
The site is currently only available in French, but from what I can decipher, it features:
- 100% organic cotton
- Fear wear foundation certified
Let’s keep an eye on this brand, it’s made by conscious skater FOR conscious skaters, so as it develops further this may grow into the unicorn we’ve all been looking for!
At the time of writing this article, a hoodie will run you about 50€.
6. Manaliso
Another German company makes the list! Based in Berlin, this recommendation comes from @toebi , and Manaliso actually attributes some of its beginnings to the surf and skate culture (they even wrote a blog article about one of the AWHOU contests), so their designs definitely cater to what most longboarders rock on a daily basis. Their website is not as transparent and clear as some of the others on this list, but from what I gather they only use organic cotton, and are also committed to fair labor.
In a nutshell:
- It seems all of their production is based in Germany, Portugal, and Turkey.
- They use all organic cotton
- They also use some other variations of synthetic fibers that are more environmentally friendly.
- I have not been able to find anything on their site stating if they they are a vegan brand or not.
- You need to click the icons on every product page to read more about what they mean for that specific product. Different products have different “conscious features” that you can read about.
At the time of writing this article, a T-Shirt runs about 30€. Shipping costs vary depending on destination, though it seems that currently shipping in the EU is possible. I could not find any return timeframe information on the website.
7. The LD.World Official Store
Born in September of 2019, we can finally add our official Spreadshirt Store to this list! We’ve added some of our own logo designs to various T-Shirts and Sweaters which are now available for anyone to purchase. We wrote an entire article on why we created a store that generates no revenue and we go into detail on to the motives behind the online store there.
In a nutshell:
- Vegan
- Organic
- Fair Trade
- Ethically Sourced
We’re able to accomplish by only offering garments on Spreadshirt’s store that are provided by Stanley and Stella. They’re a brand committed to sustainable fashion, and basically hold every certification you can get. A T-Shirt from our store will run you about 19€, shipping is available at cost worldwide, and via Spreadshirt every purchase is entitled to a 30 day satisfaction guaranteed policy.
8. Koffi Company
Our Helsinki ambassador Marjo wrote a full piece on these guys, really cool brand based out of Mannheim in Germany that is dedicated to ethical fashion, their pieces have great longboard vibes, and the plant a tree for every purchase.
In a nutshell:
- Ethically produced
- Tree planted for EVERY purchase
- Produced in Germany
What are you wearing to longboard?
Are you also a conscious longboarder? If you are I hope this list has been useful for you! If there’s any brands you want to have added to this list, just let me know in the comments. I plan to update this list as time goes on to keep it as comprehensive as possible.
Hello !
Thank you for this tips ! I’m a vegan in Switzerland and this is useful for me 🙂
Nice, glad we could help out! If you have any brands you want featured, let us know!