15 Best Affordable Minimalist Clothing Brands To Fall In Love With
Switching to a more minimalist look You might want to get your hands on these 15 best affordable minimalist clothing brands.
You might be curious as to what’s exactly considered minimalist clothing. Well, it’s really defined by one major principle: keeping it simple.
This means sophisticated, streamlined shapes, a small selection of colors, and even fewer pieces in your closet. The best thing about having a minimalist aesthetic is that you can get away with wearing items from a carefully curated capsule collection, which will save you time, energy, and money.
The perk of minimalist fashion is that it encourages people to spend their money on items that they really love, instead of purchasing an excess of things that they just like.
Additionally, the benefits of choosing a minimalist style extend beyond the wardrobe itself. By investing in a few high-quality, versatile pieces, from high-quality clothing brands, you’ll develop better shopping habits and won’t be wasting money, time, or closet space.
Owning a minimalist wardrobe is also considered more sustainable as you’ll be wearing the pieces for years and years since they are timeless and won’t go out of style quickly. This means less clothing will end up in the trash, and the clothes you do invest in will serve you for a long time.
When it comes to the environment, the fashion industry is one of its worst enemies as the production processes make up more than 10 percent of humanity’s carbon emissions and carbon footprint. Fast fashion is also responsible for depleting the world’s water resources, along with polluting the ocean, rivers, and streams.
Even worse, 85 percent of clothing textiles get thrown into the dump each year, which is why it’s important to purchase basic pieces that you’ll wear for several seasons before dropping them off at the local thrift store.
So, if you’re ready to dive into the world of minimalist brands (who often also have much more sustainable business practices than your regular fashion brands) check out these 15 best affordable minimalist brands where you can find stylish clothing, footwear, and accessories.
The Best Affordable Minimalist Clothing Brands
1. Everlane
Everlane is an American fashion retailer that mostly sells its unique yet versatile minimalist pieces online. The company is best known for its comfortable, modern essentials that won’t make you cringe when you receive your bank statement after a shopping spree.
Everlane is a great place to look for simple cashmere sweaters, solid-colored long-sleeved tops, and denim. It also has a specially curated collection filled with business casual pieces that you can toss on when you’re running late for work.
Plus, the brand is working toward complete sustainability with ethical practices so it uses recycled materials and organic cotton as these have a low environmental impact.
2. Frank & Oak
Frank & Oak is a semi-sustainable fashion brand at reasonable prices that are easy to stomach. The company makes eco-friendly and good-quality pieces for men and women, using natural, organic/fair-trade and recycled materials, making it a really great place to get your basic pieces.
If you’re searching for an oversized, chunky knit sweater or a roomy shacket, there’s no doubt that Frank & Oak will have multiple options for you.
When it comes to its sustainable practices, the brand uses low-impact fabrics for all of its clothing and its implemented recyclable bags and packaging. They also sell reusable totes that customers can use when they visit the store every weekend.
3. ABLE
If you want to feel good about the clothing, footwear, and accessories that you add to your closet, ABLE will help you achieve that.
The fashion brand works with communities all over the globe to stop the cycle of poverty by paying women fair wages to create one-of-a-kind pieces you can purchase through its website, making this one of the best ethical brands in the market, and one of the best affordable minimalist clothing brands in our opinion.
ABLE is also incredibly focused on sustainability and uses eco-friendly fabrics and production methods. The brand started off by having women help make scarves in Ethiopia but it’s since expanded into leather bags, clothing, shoes, and even jewelry.
4. Encircled
Encircled is a Canadian clothing brand that’s concerned with creating versatile, essential pieces with sustainable materials and eco-friendly production processes.
The female-founded clothing brand promises comfortable, travel-friendly pieces that will last a lifetime, which means you won’t need to replace anything for at least a few years. The Toronto-based fashion brand creates several of its most popular pieces with a plant-based fabric called MicroModal.
The company knits and dyes its MicroModal at its headquarters and then uses it to make everyday staples that can be worn grocery shopping, to school, or when you go out on the weekend.
At Encircled, you’ll find tons of sleek, classic dresses that can be added to your minimalist capsule wardrobe and easily dressed up with a statement necklace or a belt.
5. PACT
PACT is an organic apparel company that’s trying hard to change the way clothing is made, making it much easier on our precious planet. Everything offered at PACT is organic so you can rest assured that you’re wearing something that didn’t harm the environment during production.
PACT also has collections for men, kids, babies, and the home. If you’re searching for organic cotton essentials like tank tops, hoodies, dresses, skirts, underwear, and bras, be sure to spend some time browsing the categories on PACT’s website.
6. Eileen Fisher
Eileen Fisher is a retail chain that sells womenswear online and in stores all over Canada and the United States. The company focuses on using natural materials that will keep our environment safe without having to sacrifice our own personal fashion and style.
Eileen Fisher has tons of versatile and timeless pieces including cashmere sweaters, soft cotton tank tops, outerwear, denim, skirts, dresses, and much more. These pieces are great if you’re looking to create a business casual capsule wardrobe, for example.
It also has a wonderful selection of sleepwear, footwear, and accessories that can be used to glam-up your minimalist outfits.
7. ADAY
This fashion label strives to build a better future by providing customers with a wardrobe that uses eco-friendly fabrics and that can be worn for longer. ADAY even has a collection of pre-selected capsule wardrobes that are perfect for those who like to travel or for fashionistas who don’t have the time or patience to create their own.
On ADAY’s online boutique, you’ll find cozy sweaters, pieces made with technical silk and plant-based modal, swimwear, loungewear, plenty of leggings, and more.
It also has an impressive selection of clothing for petite ladies as they too deserve well-made, eco-friendly fashion that will flatter their figure.
8. Los Angeles Apparel
You may have already guessed it but Los Angeles Apparel is an LA-based clothing designer and retailer that was started by the original founder of American Apparel. The brand prioritizes paying a living wage to its employees and creating pieces that are innovative and minimalist, for both men, women, and kids.
It also has a unisex collection that’s great for comfortable crew neck hoodies, t-shirts, sweatpants, and other cozy essentials. On its online boutique, you’ll find tons of simple styles made in neutral and bold colors
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9. COS
COS has several collections of eco-friendly pieces that are made from long-lasting fabrics and sustainably sourced materials. It has all of the essentials and basics that a woman or man could ever ask for. COS provides a classy and chic alternative to the usual high-end clothing but at a more affordable price.
The online boutique is filled with leather items, matching sets, leisurewear, cashmere sweaters, comfortable cotton t-shirts and tanks, dresses, and more. It’s also an awesome place to shop for birthday or holiday gifts for others as there’s a huge selection of high-quality accessories like beanies and jewelry.
While it’s not the most sustainable brand on the list, it has still done well with a reported 86% of its materials being sustainably sourced in 2021. Regardless, we think it’s one of the best, most chic affordable minimalist clothing brands for its androgynous designs and timeless pieces.
10. Cuyana
Cuyana is the go-to shopping destination for those who are looking to own fewer things that are of great quality and will last forever. The American fashion company has some clothing and tons of accessories for the modern woman who appreciates sustainability, style, and quality.
At Cuyana’s online boutique, you’ll find leather bags and other small accessories that can be added to your minimalist capsule wardrobe. While the brand doesn’t carry an abundance of pants and tops, it does have luxurious cashmere sweaters and beautiful, minimalist leather bags like the Zippered Satchel.
11. Epoque Evolution
Epoque Evolution has all of the brand new, essential items you could ever imagine but it also has a marketplace where you can purchase gently worn Epoque pieces for a fraction of their original price.
The idea of purchasing preloved items will help create a circular economy while reducing the amount of textile waste in your community. In terms of prices, Epoque Evolution is a little on the higher side but everything is made with sustainable fabrics and care.
Almost everything found in its online fashion boutique can be worn into the office as a lot of it is considered business casual.
12. Tradlands
If you’re an environmentally conscious fashionista, you’ve definitely heard of Tradlands as it prioritizes responsible manufacturing, flipping preloved items, and using high-quality fabrics. The brand’s style is effortless and Tradland’s clothing can be worn for years; it won’t go out of style or become damaged.
Tradlands encourages people to limit their impact on the environment by purchasing quality goods that are long-lasting and everything at Tradland’s will most definitely stand the test of time.
On Tradland’s website, minimalist enthusiasts will find comfortable sweaters, coats, pants, and dresses all made from eco-friendly materials and fabrics.
13. Universal Standard
Universal Standard feels strongly that everyone deserves to embrace style and express themselves through clothing, no matter what their size or body shape. The Seattle-based fashion retailer carries sizes 00 to 40 so there’s really something for everyone. If you’re a plus-sized lady, this is definitely one of the best affordable minimalist clothing brands for you;
Universal Standard offers several loungewear capsule wardrobes for those who have holes in their current pair of sweatpants. In order to reduce its environmental impact, the company encourages customers to trade in their old clothes by giving them cash incentives.
Universal Standard will turn the old cotton into yarn to create new pieces and polyester into pellets used to make household items. Instead of tossing your old clothing into the trash, send it into Universal Standard and get up to $100 off of your next purchase at its online boutique.
14. Amour Vert
Amour Vert is a sustainable American retailer that offers classic staples like leggings, tank tops, and t-shirts in neutral colors like beige, cream, black, gray, and navy. But if you’re really feeling playful, opt for one of the striped t-shirts found on Amour Vert’s website.
Even though Amour Vert carries lots of pieces in solid colors, it also embraces funky prints and patterns. The fashion brand has specific collections for sustainable pants, sustainable tops, and sustainable dresses, all of which deserve a spot in your new capsule collection.
Along with selling through its website, it also has several retail locations in the United States. When it comes to sustainability, Amour Vert has been ahead of the movement, prioritizing eco-friendly materials and production methods since 2010.
15. KOTN
KOTN’s best known for making comfortable pieces that you won’t want to take off but thankfully, everything has been designed so you never have to. Its loungewear essentials are thoughtfully crafted and produced in Portugal and Egypt from high-quality Egyptian cotton.
If you’re searching for formal clothing or business attire, KOTN probably isn’t the place as it specializes in loungewear. On KOTN’s website, you’ll find cozy knitwear, t-shirts, leggings, sweatpants, long-sleeved tops, and much, much more.
KOTN also has collections for men and the home, where you’ll find the softest cotton bed sheets that have ever graced your queen-sized bed.
What Pieces Should I Include In My Minimalist Wardrobe?
Every minimalist wardrobe should contain classic pieces like three or four long-sleeved shirts, a few casual dresses that can be dressed up or down in different ways, basic tees, a couple of sweaters, a little black dress, and a business appropriate outfit. These are the basics, but of course, you can add to them depending on your personal needs.
It also helps to have a neutral color palette in your wardrobe so it’s easy to match with other pieces. You should also consider purchasing a couple pairs of athletic leggings, some basic t-shirts, a white button-up blouse, a pair of crisp white sneakers, black ballet flats, a pair of neutral-colored boots, and a leather or denim jacket.
Make sure they are high-quality pieces too so they won’t break down easily. Of course, there are a few other things you’ll want to add but when you’re shopping, just remember to KEEP IT SIMPLE!
If you are feeling a little lost, make sure to check out our curated collections of capsule wardrobes, which include seasonal clothing suggestions, French-style capsule wardrobe ideas, work capsule wardrobe ideas, and more!
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