A Guide to Sustainable Fashion in East London
East London certainly has a reputation of being quite a cool area, with no shortage of amazing boutiques, bookstores, bakeries and cafes to back up that claim. One thing that pleasantly surprised me (a sustainable fashion and slow travel enthusiast) after spending a little over a month this side of town is how committed some local shops are to featuring up and coming ethical and sustainable brands. It’s always a treat to stumble upon some of my favorite brands in person since shopping sustainably so often means shopping online. So I’ve taken it upon myself to compile a short list of the East London boutiques you won’t want to miss next time you’re in town.
69b Boutique | Located right on Broadway Market in Hackney, this is a small boutique that packs a punch. They have a limited selection of menswear and a great selection of womenswear brands. A few personal favorites include New Zealand brand Kowtow, German denim brand ArmedAngels and Manchester-based unisex streetwear brand WAWWA. This spot doesn’t shy away from color or that off-beat, uniquely English style sensibility either so maximalists eat your heart out.
AIDA | The largest location on the list, located on Shoreditch High Street, this spot has an in-store cafe, shoe and homeware selection in addition to the many wonderful sustainable clothing brands stocked. A few favorites include activewear from Girlfriend Collective, underwear from Organic Basics and sustainable sneakers from Veja. They also have a beautiful display of colorful ceramics and glassware, along with a larger menswear selection.
Colenimo | One of the coolest shops I stumbled upon recently, located right on Columbia Road Market. This shop and design studio features a small selection of timeless pieces in that quintessentially English style, gorgeous Shetland wool knits, classic overcoats and Tartan prints.
Triangle | Another not-so-hidden gem right on Chatsworth Road in Lower Clapton is Triangle. This is the kind of boutique that makes you feel calm immediately upon entering, seemingly curated around a natural, neutral Scandi aesthetic. The clothing however is a nice mix of bespoke pieces and more casual brands such as Cawley Studio, Colorful Standard, Arq. Perhaps my favorite part of this shop is their selection of natural beauty, homeware and apothecary brands.
House of Vintage | Located off of Broadway Market in Hackney, this is one of the favorite secondhand shops for its selection of vintage, Levi’s, new brands like Le Bonne Shoppe and other homeware items.
VOUT | Next time you find yourself on Columbia Road be sure to stop by VOUT for a curated selection of vintage designer pieces, a beautiful selection of tailored pieces, outerwear and handbags.