10 Brands with Sustainable & Ethical Shorts for Summer
With the warmer weather shorts are in season again! Finding sustainable shorts that are ethically made can be a challenge! Our ethical style guide is here to help!
Let’s explore some great eco-friendly materials to look for, some sustainable brands, and a few short recommendations that I’ve been loving this summer.
We’re chatting exercise shorts, denim shorts, style forward shorts, and more!
This post does contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase The Honest Consumer will receive a commission. Our commission is at no additional cost to you.
What materials should I look for when shopping eco-friendly shorts?
There are plenty of eco-friendly materials used to make shorts. A few of my favorite include linen, organic cotton, and TENCEL.
Linen Shorts
Linen is a classic summer fabric. Linen clothing creates a natural, earthy feel that is both breathable and comfortable making it great for summer. Linen is a plant-based fiber made from flax.
This natural fiber has been around for thousands of years and was popular in ancient Egypt. This fabric is moth-resistant, hypo-allergenic, antibacterial, and absorbent.
Organic Cotton Shorts
Organic cotton is better for the environment because it is free from some of the harsher chemicals.
Unfortunately in conventional cotton farming pesticides and fertilizers have been known to contaminate local water streams killing fish and making the water less usable for locals.
It’s estimated that organic cotton uses 88% less water and 62% less energy than conventional cotton making this an eco-friendly option. If you’re sensitive to sweating organic cotton is a great choice because it is incredibly soft and breathable.
TENCEL Lyocell Shorts
TENCEL lyocell is produced using eucalyptus wood, which one of the reasons why it is so special compared to generic lyocell, which generally uses other wood.
The eucalyptus is grown in sustainable forests, and as it grows so quickly, can easily keep up with demand. Used to a hot climate, it also needs very little water to grow, so doesn’t have the same environmental impact as other natural fibers like cotton.
10 Ethical Brand with Shorts for Summer
These ethical brands are crafting sustainable shorts that are perfect for summer. I’ve even included some shopping tips based on the shorts I’ve tried and love.
tentree’s Eco-friendly Shorts
tentree makes Earth-First essentials using sustainable (and comfortable) materials such as TENCEL, recycled polyester, organic cotton, and hemp.
Every time you purchase an item, tentree plants 10 trees. tentree is proud to be a certified B-Corporation and ethically crafts their clothing around the world.
Consumers can learn more about the certifications for each individual factory on their Ethical Manufacturing page. tentree features shorts for both men and women ranging from $45-$70.
I was recently gifted the Linen Offshore Shorts & Instow TENCEL Short which have been great.
The Instow pull on short is a casual and comfortable pull on that's both practical and durable with roomy pockets, and relaxed soft material. The Linen Offshore Short is a breezy and comfortable short perfect for spring and summer. I really love how light weight both these shorts are.
During the summer I usually spend my weekends outside at craft fairs. I’ve been wearing these shorts to work because they’re light weight, comfortable, and more with me during an active day.
I particularly love how roomy the pockets are in both of these shorts. The neutral colors of these shorts allow ethical shoppers to style with a wide range of the tops they already have in their closet.
The Linen Offshore Shorts are $58 and the Instow Shorts are $48. I think these will also be great for wearing to the beach later this summer.
known supply’s fun colored shorts for summer
KNOWN SUPPLY is humanizing the apparel industry through collaborative partnerships. This certified B Corporation is crafting ethical clothing while creating employment opportunities in Peru & Uganda through their partnership with Fair Trade Certified.
Cosmos Short. by KNOWN SUPPLY
KNOWN SUPPLY’S collection is made with GOTS certified organic cotton creating significant water savings during the production of their sustainable clothing.
I recently purchased the Carine Short and Cosmos Short. These have both been great for the warm weather. The Carine Short is light weight and features a fun multicolored pattern.
The wide range of colors makes this easy for pairing with a basic tank or graphic tee. I’m sad that the Carine Shorts don’t have pockets, but thankfully the Cosmos shorts do!
The Cosmo Shorts are a fun elderberry purple and feature a drawstring waist. Both of these shorts have been comfortable and well loved so far.
Passion Lilie’s Fair Trade Shorts
Passion Lilie’s bold style brings some fun patterns and colors to sustainable summer style with their organic cotton shorts. Passion Lilie provides sustainable employment opportunities and partners with artisans in India through the crafting of eco-friendly clothing.
Passion Lilie carries women’s shorts ranging from $40-$50. Passion Lilie’s shorts are beautifully block printed with unique patterns and perfect for adding some fair trade fashion to your wardrobe.
Ministry of Supply’s Chino Shorts
Ministry of Supply is a Climate Neutral Certified brand that creates clothes for motion, comfort, easy care, and the planet.
Their clothes are made with recycled and bio-based fabrics through 3D Print-Knit production, an on-demand, zero waste production technique. Ministry of Supply featuring sustainable clothing for both men and women.
I was recently gifted their Pace Chino shorts which I’ve been loving. These shorts are great for dressing up or down depending on where you’re going.
The length is perfect and the fit is flattering. With the neutral colors offered in these shorts, they are sure to match a wide variety of your summer tops.
The fabric is comfortable, durable and crafted to last. The women’s Chino shorts are $95 and the men’s Chino shorts are $105.
PACT’s Organic Cotton Shorts
PACT Apparel specializes in affordable basics. PACT Apparel is made with organic cotton and created in Fair Trade Certified factories. PACT features women’s biker shorts and chambray shorts. PACT’s sustainable shorts range in price from $35-$55.
ABLE’s Demin Shorts
ABLE is challenging the culture of the fashion industry by creating transformative opportunities for women through livable wages. While best known for shoes and accessories, ABLE also has a clothing line.
Gyli Nautrical Denim shorts by ABLE
ABLE apparel is made using viscose, lyocell, and different forms of cotton. ABLE carries a few different types of women’s shorts including the high waisted Paper Bag Shorts made from cotton, the denim Karina Slouch Shorts, the Gyli Nautrical Denim shorts, and the Guadalupe Cutoff Denim Shorts. ABLE’s shorts range from $65-$68.
Allbirds Hemp Shorts
Allbirds is a certified B Corporation best known for their shoes! However, this company focuses on natural materials and recently expanded into clothes.
I was recently gifted some of their Camp Shorts which I LOVE!
The shorts are made from earth-friendly hemp mixed with Tree fibers. These light weight shorts are breathable and have amazing pockets. These shorts are $58 and I will definitely be purchasing another pair.
Wolven’s Sustainable Athletic Shorts
Wolven is a BIPOC, female-founded brand whose mission is to promote environmental protection, community, and inclusivity through stand out clothing that not only lets you look good, but feel good while wearing it.
Wolven prides itself on designing stand-out styles that are made from recycled materials. Their fabric is made from BPA-Free recycled bottles that are transformed into soft, sexy sustainable clothes that you can be proud to wear.
Wolven also off-sets their carbon footprint and donates 1% of their annual revenue to environmental and community organizations.
Wolven’s shorts feature joggers, biker shorts, high waisted shorts, and more. Their sustainable shorts range in price from $43-$64.
Tradlands Linen & TENCEL Shorts
Tradlands focuses on creating pieces customers can wear with everything and live in for years to come.
Their timeless pieces are ethically made with natural materials like cotton, silk, and TENCEL. Tradlands carries both a variety of neutral style and bold dresses perfect for fun fashion.
I was recently gifted their Plum Long Glenn Shorts which feature a unique color and high waisted style.
These vintage inspired long shorts pull style from classic track uniforms featuring a drop hem, curved side detail, deep pockets, and soft elastic waistband.
These shorts are made from a combination of linen and TENCEL making them comfortable and can easily be dressed up for going out. Tradland’s Glenn Shorts sell for $127.
Girlfriend Collective’s Shorts Made from Recycled Materials
Girlfriend Collective is known for their bold, size inclusive, sustainable activewear made from recycled materials. Girlfriend Collective’s ethically made shorts feature a wide range of styles including biker shorts, trail shorts, and more.
These shorts would be great for working out. Their shorts range in price from $48-$58.
Tips for Shopping for Shorts
Invest in quality shorts that will last for years to come
To avoid returns be sure to look at the size chart as sizing is different between companies
Consider the shape of your body and search for styles that will flatter your shape
Be sure to read the inseam measurements if you’re looking for longer shorts
Don’t be afraid to go for something bold. Bright colors are a fun way to add a pop to your outfit
Hopefully this guide gave you some ideas where to look for the type of ethical and sustainable shorts you’re looking for!
For more tips & tricks on sustainable living be sure to follow The Honest Consumer on social media, subscribe to our newsletter, & check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory.