Whether you need a sustainable formal dress for a wedding, co*cktail party, gala, holiday get-together, or any other special occasion, this guide has you covered.
These brands have eco-friendly formal wear that's as sustainable as it is stylish with dresses that can be worn as prom gowns, co*cktail dresses, bridesmaid dresses, evening frocks, and beyond.
This guide contains affiliate links, which means we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you choose to purchase through some of these links. This helps us continue to create these free resources for you! As always, we only feature brands we love (and that we think you'll love too!) and that meet CFC's strict sustainability criteria.
Another note: If you're looking for complementing jewelry, check out our eco jewelry guide here!
Rare + Fair
Rare + Fair has some seriously head-turning sustainable formal dresses that will make a statement at your next special occasion. The label works closely with artisan co-operatives and small family businesses who use traditional, slow, and sustainable practices.
Investment: $$$
The RealReal
Luxury consignment store The RealReal is an incredible mecca for all things pre-loved designer goods. You can filter dresses by categories like Evening, Gown, and co*cktail to find what you need for your event(s), plus there are also a number of suits + separates options on their site as well as heels and other formal accessories.
Investment: $-$$$$
ourCommonplace
WOC-owned conscious fashion marketplace ourCommonplace curates an exceptional collection of ethical formal dresses. Find statement pieces made out of upcycled materials from LAHIVE, sleek frocks from zero waste fashion brand Bastet Noir, ethically handmade feminine garments from Edward Mongzar, and dreamy timeless dresses made in small batches from Onrīck.
Investment: $-$$$$
Nuuly (US)
Nuuly is another rental fashion app, but there are a few differences. One is that they're based in the US. Secondly, it's more of a subscription service, so you pay a monthly fee of $88 to rent any 6 styles you'd like each month. So, this can be a good option if you're going to multiple events per month, but may not work if you just need a one-off formal dress.
Investment: $
By Rotation (UK)
If you just need a sustainable formal dress for one event, rental can be a great option! One really cool app to check out is By Rotation, which is a WOC-founded peer-to-peer social fashion rental marketplace. As part of the company's commitment to sustainability, By Rotation utilizes eco-friendly cleaning and enlists a repair service called Clothes Doctor to encourage users to mend + restore items.
Investment: £-££
HURR (UK)
One final rental platform for this list is HURR. This UK-based company lets you search by category, dress length, fit, style, size, color, price point, and even brand to help you find exactly what you need for your upcoming event.
Investment: £-££
LOUD BODIES
Believing that "real style has no size" and that everybody deserves to wear colorful and beautiful clothing, conscious fashion label LOUD BODIES has bold flowy dresses in sizes XXS-10XL. Additionally, the brand offers custom sizing free of charge. Each piece is ethically-made from OEKO-TEX 100 certified natural fabrics such as linen and non-toxic dyes.
Investment: $$-$$$
Hope for Flowers
Guided by three pillars: planetary health, people, and equity in profit, Hope for Flowers is dedicated to conscious business practices through and through. The Black- and woman-owned brand sources thoughtful materials like organic linen and Tencel, and sources from safe factories paying living wages.
Investment: $$$
Made Trade
Sustainable fashion and lifestyle retailer Made Trade has plenty of stunning sustainable formal wear for a variety of occasions. Find everything from sustainable bridesmaid dresses made from Tencel and organic cotton to fair trade formal dresses handcrafted by artisans from modal. Made Trade is also a 1% For The Planet Member and Carbon Neutral-Certified Business.
Investment: $-$$$
Whimsy + Row
LA-based label Whimsy + Row creates effortlessly cool clothing with the earth in mind. The brand produces locally in small batches using low impact fabrics like Tencel, cupro, linen, deadstock and upcycled fabric. Whimsy + Row has a beautiful selection of sustainable bridesmaid dresses!
Amour Vert
San Francisco-based eco label Amour Vert creates feminine dresses, jumpsuits, and other apparel made from conscious fabrics like beechwood modal, cupro (plant-based silk made from cotton waste), Tencel, and organic cotton. The majority of their production takes place locally in the Bay Area as well.
Investment: $$-$$$
Christy Dawn
Cottagecore chic brand Christy Dawn has the dreamiest dresses, great for summertime occasions. The brand's pieces are either made from deadstock fabric or regenerative cotton grown with traditional holistic farming practices. (Learn more about their farm-to-closet regenerative collection.)
Investment: $$-$$$
Mara Hoffman
Designer fashion brand Mara Hoffman has made impressive strides in becoming more sustainable. The label has committed to prioritizing eco-minded fabrics like hemp, Tencel, Repreve (recycled PET), ECONYL, and Climate Beneficial Wool. Mara Hoffman is also dedicated to fair production, creating long-term relationships with their suppliers and ensuring safe conditions and fair pay.
Investment: $$$
Vestiaire Collective
Another luxury resale online store worth checking out is Vestiaire Collective. They have a wide swatch of dresses, suits, and other formal wear from mid-tier brands and designer labels, plus they sell vintage options. You can also find pre-loved luxury accessories like handbags, shoes, and more.
Investment: $-$$$$
Eileen Fisher
Minimal and capsule wardrobe-ready brand Eileen Fisher has timeless pieces that can be worn to formal occasions and far beyond. The designer not only produces sustainably with eco fabrics and slow, ethical manufacturing practices but also has a take-back and resale program to extend the life of their garments further.
Investment: $$-$$$
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Cover image: Whimsy + Row
Guides, Clothing
kamea chayne
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