Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale: Sustainable Brands
As far as conventional retailers are concerned, Nordstrom has a surprisingly large selection of ethical and sustainable brands. Whether you’re shopping a seasonal sale, like the Half-Yearly Sale, or throughout the year, there are a few ways to find ethical and sustainable options, which I’ve outlined below,
Nordstrom has become a top retailer, weathering the storms of e-commerce far better than most department stores due to a combination of forward-thinking online strategy and unique partnerships with brands that typically don’t sell in multi-brand stores (think Madewell). They also offer a superb return policy and numerous perks – and I hear their credit card is a good one if you shop a lot at Nordstrom.
Any ethically-minded person who has been seeking out sustainable goods for long enough understands how frustrating it can be to purchase from an individual ethical brand, pay for shipping, and receive your delivery only to find that the item simply doesn’t work for you.
One perk of a place like Nordstrom is that you can buy from multiple brands at a time, reduce your shipping – not to mention fossil fuel and carbon environmental – costs, and more easily return what doesn’t work. It may not be as helpful to the individual brand to buy this way, but it’s an excellent way to find what works for you.
That’s why I would recommend using a site like Nordstrom for at least some of your ethical purchasing, particularly during the Anniversary Sale. In this post, I’m sharing:
- A sampling of items offered through Nordstrom’s year-round “Sustainable Style” section
- A long list of sustainable and ethical brands sold at Nordstrom
- Another place to find discounted ethical and sustainable goods
Sustainable Style Section
Nordstrom has recently created a Sustainable Style section on the site that allows you to narrow your search to only items Nordstrom has deemed “sustainable.” While this isn’t foolproof, it’s much easier than trying to do it alone. Nordstrom does a decent job of listing why they’ve marked something as sustainable or ethical, so make sure to check the product description.
Shop the Sustainable Style section here.
If that doesn’t work, you can also search by brand name using my guide below…
25+ Sustainable and Ethical Brands You Can Buy at Nordstrom
Eileen Fisher
Clothing made with sustainable and biodegradable fabrics in regulated factories.
Amour Vert
Clothing made with plant-based fibers in regulated factories. Trees planted with purchase.
Mara Hoffman
Clothing made sustainably.
Birkenstock
Shoes made with sustainable fabrics in ethical factories.
Girlfriend Collective
Known best for their leggings made with ocean plastic and other recycled materials, Girlfriend focuses on size-inclusive athletic and loungewear.
Patagonia
Athletic and casual wear made with sustainable practices and durability in mind.
TOMS
Shoes made in regulated factories with a social good mission (TOMS was originally on my “do not buy” list, but they’ve responded well to customer complaints and upped their ethics in recent years).
Levi’s
On the list because they are deeply committed to low water usage and overall sustainability even though parts of their line do not meet my ethics requirements.
Stasher
Stasher makes zero-waste food and packing alternatives, like a reusable food baggy that can hold anything from snacks to frozen items.
Alternative Apparel
Sustainably and ethically produced clothing.
Burt’s Bees
Organic baby clothing and other sustainable goods.
Michael Stars
Made in the USA and/or with fair labor.
Re/Done
Repurpose vintage denim and USA made new denim.
Threads For Thought
Ethically produced clothing with a social enterprise component.
Herbivore Botanicals
All natural, small batch skincare.
Splendid
Made in USA clothing.
The Honest Company
Sustainable and eco-friendly baby goods.
Matt & Nat
Vegan and ethically produced accessories.
Stella McCartney
High end clothing made ethically and with sustainability in mind.
Kork-Ease
Shoes made with cork and other natural fibers (check individual products for more details).
Mighty Good Undies
Fairly made underwear.
PLAE
Sneakers for kids and adults made with eco-friendly materials.
Rachel Comey
High end clothing produced sustainably, ethically, and sometimes in the USA.
Madewell (Fair Trade Denim only)
Madewell released a fair trade certified line. Search “madewell fair trade” to find it!
VEJA
Sustainable sneakers for women and men
Alterna
Gentle hair care made with eco ingredients
Kiehl’s
Gentle, naturally derived skincare
Faherty
Sustainably and ethically made clothing
Antonym
All natural beauty
Reformation
Ethically made with eco-friendly and deadstock fabrics
KUT from the Kloth
With decent ethical criteria and a commitment to factory audits, Kut from the Kloth specializes in denim.
Project Social T
Based in LA, Project Social T focuses on giving back to multiple charities.
Also, a tip from a reader: Nordstrom’s Clearance site, Nordstrom Rack, carries many of the same brands at a lower price point.
Shop Nordstrom Rack here
If you spot any others, let me know and I’ll add them. Nordstrom doesn’t have the most robust search tools when it comes to ethical keywords.
Interested in more posts like this? Check out my Ethical Alternatives series.
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.