In an industry dominated by high-markup fast fashion, Everlane has risen to fame as a down-to-earth brand with a consumer-first approach that doesn’t sacrifice ethical practices. Whether you’re looking for a stylish men’s pocket tee or crewneck sweatshirts of the best quality, you can rest assured they’ll have you covered.
One of the great things about Everlane is its transparency. Most brands will add huge markups to their end product and keep cards pretty close to their chest when it comes to the actual production costs. Everlane breaks that status quo by providing full cost breakdowns for each product on the Everlane website. You get to see how much is spent on aspects like materials, labour, transport, duties, hardware, and design, so you know what kind of value for money you’re getting.
The company is also very transparent about its ethical practices. Proudly advertising their approach that audits each factory meticulously for compliance with regards to fair wages, reasonable working hours, and acceptable working environments. When you buy a pair of Everlane’s top sneakers, you can be sure that no sweatshops were involved.
Despite their ever-growing catalogue of high-quality, ethical products, sometimes what they have to offer just doesn’t hit the spot. With that in mind, we’ve put together this handy guide on some of the best companies like Everlane that offer similar quality and business practices.
Buck Mason
If you’re looking for a brand that emulates Everlane’s versatile, timeless aesthetic, look no further than Buck Mason. This ‘digitally native menswear brand marries modern and traditional techniques with timeless staples of American fashion to produce a clothing line that can sit comfortably in your wardrobe for years without ever going out of style.
Buck Mason focuses on quality ‘ingredients,’ durable construction, and timeless style. The great thing about brands like Everlane is that they also don’t resort to cheap labour, and Buck Mason is no different. They produce a significant portion of their supply domestically in the U.S, where labour laws are quite reasonable. When they do make use of international labour, it’s for the specific international expertise that they can’t match at home.
Cross, or criss-cross lacing, is a nice semi-formal way to lace dress shoes that interlocks your laces in a rising or descending diagonal pattern, finishing with a final straight bar at the top or bottom of the shoe. This looks great on a pair of Oxford or Derby shoes used for daily office wear or worn to a fun formal occasion like an office dinner or wedding celebration. Not only is this one of the easiest ways to lace dress shoes, but it’s also great for those learning how to lace dress shoes with three eyelets, as it works well with odd-numbered eyelet counts.
First things first, as usual, pull the laces to be of an even length and insert them upwards through the lowermost set of eyelets. Cross the ends over in an X-shape, and feed them under the facing and upwards through the next set of eyelets up. Keep on crossing and upward-inserting the laces in this manner until you reach the top of the shoe. It’s as simple as that!
Alex Mill
Alex Mill was founded on the back of frustration we can all relate to, and that’s when looking for the perfect shirt or jumper, short-lived trends and unnecessary flourish can often get in the way of true, functional design. Put simply, Alex Mill is all about producing products with a straightforward design that is timeless and unique.
Alex Mill doesn’t concern themselves with jumping on the latest bandwagon, marketing buzzwords, or single-season looks. One of the few men’s brands like Everlane offers a catalogue that can be worn time and time again without ever going out of fashion.
J. Crew
J. Crew pride itself on being the expert on timeless design and manufacturing clothes that don’t just last a season or two. They last a lifetime. J. Crew has been around substantially longer than other stores like Everlane — 35 years to be exact, so the quality of those garments has had a much longer run in which to test their longevity. When you buy J. Crew, you know you’re not just getting a timeless design but also a high-quality product.
Von-Routte
If it’s specifically shoes you’re after, be sure to take a look at the products on offer from Von-Routte. Ran by a Sydney-based Brazilian couple Gus & Marina, Von-Routte is a footwear-focused playground for aesthetic and functional innovation.
This internationally-inspired shoe brand is embedded with a highly ethical approach that you wouldn’t find matched by the likes of Nike or Adidas. Taking extra measures to ensure the best labour standards throughout the production process, full transparency about the quality of their products, and a considered approach to durable and long-lasting footwear that’s not only kinder on your wallet but also the environment.
Outerknown
If there’s one thing OuterKnown, is known for (pardon the weird pun), it’s being innovators when it comes to sustainable fashion. This brand initially encountered a rocky startup due to the sheer challenge of finding partners and consumers who were willing to invest in sustainable apparel. Sure enough, their commitment to the cause paid off – and that’s something to be respected.
OuterKnown advertises impressive sustainability accolades like Fair Labour Association accreditation, 90% organic, recycled or regenerated fibre use, with 100% renewable or recycled fibres in their proprietary trunk range. Even so, with a product offering like S.E.A jeans that are guaranteed for life to keep them out of the landfill, you know their products have some real, tried-and-tested quality to them.
Tact & Stone
Tact & Stone is another ethically-focused clothing brand that aims to disrupt the clothing industry and its growing impact on climate change. While most sustainable clothing brands advertise a ‘most-but-not-all’ statistic regarding sustainably-sourced materials, Tact & Stone proudly promise 100% natural, organic, and recycled materials, 100% ethical production, and the best possible quality. Not a small feat at all, considering that the last 5% can be the hardest bit.
United by Blue
United By Blue is more than just a name. It’s a community ethos that binds the company with its customers and partners in their promise to remove one pound of rubbish from the world’s oceans and waterways for every product purchased. It’s a unique proposition, but one that’s definitely needed. While sustainable sourcing is important (and another critical aspect of their practice), it doesn’t fix the issue of mass-production that is large-scale waste – much of which ends up in our oceans.
Regardless of their sustainable impact, United By Blue has a very compelling offering of men’s and womenswear that hints at the latest trends without ever deviating from design that can be considered timeless. That’s a feat in and of itself.
Madewell
Making their name most prominently in denim but certainly holding their own as they expand out into other apparel, Madewell brand themselves as “made for anyone who appreciates timeless designs that put you at ease.” Their products have a relaxed, modern approach that draws inspiration from age-old ideas in a fresh and exciting way.
Madewell is primarily a womenswear brand, but they do dabble in menswear, too, so don’t let the female-heavy storefront deceive you. They have something in their range for everyone.
Frank & Oak
Frank & Oak’s design philosophy is grounded in function above all else. If it makes your life easier, they’ve thought of it, and they’ve found a way to do it in the lowest-impact way plausible. With special (and sustainable) technologies that tackle problems like fading, thermoregulation, wind resistance, and effortless fastening, you’ll be surprised how well looked after you’ll feel wearing their products. Whoever would have thought the term “service with a smile” would apply to the very clothes you wear on your back? Not us!
American Giant
Dissatisfied at the mass-produced, overvalued, and insincere giants that dominate the clothing industry, the minds over at American Giant, decided to bring something they hadn’t often seen to the market – values-first business.
American Giant’s product line includes all the typical men’s and womenswear from tees to sweatshirts to coats and jackets, shoes, jeans, and accessories. They humble themselves on an approach that focuses on truly durable products, simplistic design, and a community-first approach.
Mott & Bow
Mott & Bow strive beyond the titles of jeans makers, and into a realm they dub ‘Denim Science.’ With an incredibly thoughtful approach that’s been refined from start to finish, they produce some of the highest quality jeans you’ll find at high-street prices. In the same vein as other brands like Everlane, they find themselves stunned at the unbelievable markups you see in the premium jeans industry. From that shock and awe and a little bit of good old-fashioned ingenuity, Mott & Bow was born.
Allbirds
Allbirds have quite a fascinating portfolio of initiatives that culminate in a thoughtfully-designed, minimalist clothing brand for men, women, and children. Allbirds commit to tracking every aspect of their carbon footprint from production to shipping, with a roadmap outlining each goal for improving their environmental impact. While many brands will make a commitment and stand by it, Allbirds regularly reviews and renews its approach for the most sustainable practice possible.
Mack Weldon
While many clothing designers approach product design from a perspective of two factors: form and function, Mack Weldon takes it a step further. This simplistic but design-first menswear brand thinks beyond just how it will fit, feel, and look into how the clothing you wear can affect your day-to-day business. Using custom-engineered technology and thoughtful design, they produce clothing that solves problems you didn’t even know you had but will be thankful to see the end of.
Bonobos
Specialists in upmarket men’s fashion, Bonobos, first made a name for themselves as an online-only retailer. While e-commerce in fashion is becoming pretty standard, it was considered a bit of a wild idea back in 2007, when the firm was first founded.
That pioneering approach in the world of online fashion-led Bonobos to become one of the most adept players in this industry. Their approach to design was led by this practice, learning from the now 14 years of lessons in what consumers want that simply couldn’t be matched by brick-and-mortar stores. If you’re looking for a menswear brand that knows you and knows you well. Look no further.
Rhone
Rhone was founded on a trifecta of admirable principles: performance, versatility, and progress. As such, their product line is stylish yet simplistic and capable of bridging the gap between athletics and leisurewear. They’re constantly revisiting their designs and technology to improve upon anything that can be improved. When you buy Rhone menswear, you’re getting the cutting edge in what you need and none of the unnecessary flourish.
