Cute Organic Clothes That Won’t Break the Bank
It was my husband who turned me onto organic food when we started dating. When I first saw him buy organic tomatoes for twice as much as conventional ones, I wondered why he would do that because my criterion was “the cheaper the better.” With time, as I studied the subject, I realized that for a truly healthy lifestyle it is not only food that should be organic, but also clothes. This post will introduce you to my favorite organic clothes brand that I love and use because it carries affordable organic clothing of high quality.
Ideally, you want to wear beautiful clothes made of material grown without toxic stuff. That is to say, toxins can find their way into clothes from pesticides, heavy metal-containing fertilizers, and sewage water. You would also like your clothes to be processed without any harmful substances that you can absorb via the skin, especially when you sweat. And, of course, you want to look good without breaking the bank. I might have found an organic clothing brand that meets all these requirements. Let’s talk about Wear Pact and what makes it special.
Organic Clothes: Know This!
What are organic clothes, anyway?
To begin, there is a way to make sure that the clothing material is truly non-toxic. What makes it possible is the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) which is a comprehensive certification of all the stages of fabric production. In other words, GOTS inspects the entire manufacturing process, from the harvesting of raw materials to the dyes, bleaches, and processing agents used in the finishes of the fabric. Also, it certifies manufacturing facilities. Most importantly, GOTS has certified Pact organic clothing, my favorite organic clothes brand, which sells a variety of stylish, affordable organic clothing items.
Two Levels Of GOTS
It is important to mention that GOTS certification has two levels, as shown in the table below.
Organic |
The product contains at least 95% certified organic fibers. |
Made with X percent organic materials |
The product contains from 70 to 95% certified organic fibers. |
For the second level, the remaining percentage can be non-organic fibers, including some synthetic and recycled fibers. Nevertheless, in both cases, the non-organic fibers must comply with GOTS requirements, which means that they should be free of harmful chemicals.
The best way to make sure that a clothing brand has a GOTS certification is to search for it in the GOTS database.
Why GOTS Certification Is Important
Before purchasing my super soft affordable organic clothing, I made sure that the brand had GOTS certification.
So, why is GOTS certification important? Because that way, we know that the raw materials used to make the fabric were grown without the use of toxic pesticides, fertilizers, and sewage water. Additionally, we know that they were processed without the use of hazardous chemicals, something we’ll talk about next.
Chemicals Excluded From Organic Clothes
In the table below you can see harsh chemicals that are best to avoid in clothes. Firstly, these compounds are known to be toxic, persistent, and bioaccumulative. Secondly, they are carcinogenic and mutagenic. Moreover, they are reprotoxic and act as hormone disruptors. Above all, their use poses risks for the environment and human health. The good news is that you will not find these chemicals in organic clothing.
Alkylphenols |
Azo dyes |
Chlorinated solvents |
Cadmium |
Phthalates |
Organotin compounds |
Chlorophenols |
Chromium |
Brominated flame retardants |
Perfluorinated chemicals |
Short-chain chlorinated paraffin
|
Mercury |
Chlorinated flame retardants |
Chlorobenzenes |
Heavy metals |
Lead |
In 2012, the European Union tested 9 national football jerseys. On the plus side, flame retardants, phthalates, arsenic, PAHs, formaldehyde, and azo dyes were either below the level of detection or were not there. On the minus side, the tests revealed that 6 jerseys contained lead and one jersey contained antimony, a toxic heavy metal. As a result, the organization recommended that athletes wash jerseys prior to wearing them. Additionally, they were to wear cotton shirts underneath the jerseys when participating in sports, as this partially prevents the absorption of lead. (Learn more in my post about chemical composition of polyester.)
Hence, purchasing affordable organic clothing from organic clothes brands gives me peace of mind that my clothes will have none of the chemicals from the table above.
The Dangers Of Lead
You might have heard that lead is toxic to the developing brain and nervous system in children. But it does more harm than that.
For starters, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified lead as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (source).
Further, recent epidemiological studies have shown that ongoing non-occupational exposure to lead is associated with higher death rates due to cancer (source). This is probably because lead causes DNA damage and inhibits DNA repair. Consequently, if you want to be sure that your clothing is lead-free, go for organic clothes.
Moreover, there is a link between lead toxicity and the increased risk of autoimmune diseases (read more here and here). (Learn about the link between my breast implants and one of the autoimmune diseases I was diagnosed with.)
My Favorite Organic Clothes Brand
So, my favorite affordable organic clothing brand Wear Pact carries GOTS-certified clothing articles from underwear to outerwear for women, men, and kids. Since I discovered them several years ago, I have bought quite a few items from them, including underwear. (First-time buyers can get 20% off with this link.)
For instance, I work out in Wear Pact organic yoga leggings and organic tops. (I use a non-toxic cork yoga mat and a BPA-free water bottle.) Also, I wear their organic cotton t-shirts almost exclusively around the house. My husband also wears their organic undershirts, especially under a polyester golf shirt or a dress shirt.
What I like the most is the fact that their organic clothing looks good, is comfortable, and is of good quality. Besides, none of the garments have unraveled over the years, and I often wear them. Thus, in the picture above, I am wearing my favorite leggings and a hoodie. The hoodie is super soft on the inside and so cozy.
Summary: Why I like Wear Pact
Wear Pact has a variety of clothing options depending on how much organic cotton you want your clothes to contain.
In sum, Wear Pact is my favorite clothing brand that offers GOTS-certified clothes. (First-time buyers can get 20% off with this link.) I believe these affordable organic clothes are not more expensive than those by high-quality conventional clothing brands. Moreover, the company has a clearance section and runs frequent sales, especially during holiday seasons. So, check them out!
Speaking from the standpoint of cotton content, Wear Pact carries mainly three types of clothing, made with:
- 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton
- 95% GOTS-certified organic cotton
- 70%-95% GOTS-certified organic cotton
Therefore, please read each product’s description page for more information on each garment. Also, Wear Pact assured me that all the products made of at least 70% organic cotton are GOTS-certified as well. In addition to clothes, Wear Pact carries GOTS-certified organic towels and GOTS-certified organic sheets.
Browse the I Read Labels For You blog for other useful information on products and ingredients, visit my non-toxic products shop, and book a consultation with me for help with making informed purchasing decisions.
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I’ve been buying wear pact for a couple of years and I feel like their quality declined significantly.
Even in the past, I’ve had leggings and underwear come apart after a couple of washes. I have a pair of shorts that came apart after one wear. And the styles are hit or miss, not very flattering. Just ordered 6 dresses and all are going back unfortunately.
Thank you for your comment, Nat, – good to know! (even though we haven’t had such experience with Pact wear).
Me too! I was so disappointed in the last few pairs of leggings I purchased! One pair had holes near the ankle within a few washes.
I found the brand Danish Endurance to have a lot of very affordable options for non-toxic clothing, I know their cotton is GOTS certified, I have not determined the toxicity of other materials they use in their clothing. Might need a more experienced eye with more time to contact the company. Thanks for this website. It’s hard to become an informed consumer who wants to live a non-toxic life with the business of a day job, it can take hours to find good brands and products you’re comfortable with. Are there any other websites you’d recommend in terms of healthy living/compressed research and brand comparison?
Hi, Leif! We appreciate your kind words! When Irina started this blogpost, nobody else was doing this kind of research. That was the reason she made her move. Some names have appeared since then, such as Lara Adler (offers costly classes), Gimme the good stuff, and Nontoxu by Lisa Powers. Please, note that we don’t agree with all their product recommendations. We hope this will help!
Irina: I took your suggestion and ordered Pact waffle jogger pants and henley tops to wear as PJs. They laundered well without loss of dye and didn’t even shrink. The pants run large and aren’t very flattering, but they are comfy and I’m keeping them. As I googled other organic cotton brands, I noticed a tricky use of language where they would say they manufacture to GOTS standards, rather than using the word “certified.” I find this misleading and I’m sure if the products were actually GOTS certified, they would advertise that!
Hi, Sheri: The best thing is to go to the GOTS database directly and look up brands there. Here is Wear Pact certification in GOTS: https://www.global-standard.org/public-database/search/database/search_results.html But I agree their website is confusing. ~Irina
What about the dyes?
Some Organic brands mention that they are using only organic, low impact, natural dyes.
Does “100 got certified” is enouch? or should I search for the mention “organic low impact natural dyes”?
Thanks! 🙂
Hi, Shay, there is no such thing as organic dyes unless you are referring to organic chemistry. But you are right in an ideal world we want to look for GOTS-certified clothing or fabric. That way we know what it is the dyes are as safe as they can be, which will be low impact. You can also look for dye-free baby clothing. It exists. Let me know if you need further assistance. ~Irina
Oh, I didn’t realize they weren’t certified. But I’ve purchased from them for several years and they do have info about fair trade and being organic. And the cotton is very soft. But if you wan’t GOTS certified there is disana for babies and children’s clothing. It is certified here: https://www.disana.de/en/about-us/ecology/ I believe all of their items are made in Germany.
For adults there is also Engel. It is GOTS certified. All of the items I have purchased of theirs was made in Germany. I think all of their items are. They are really well made and I love them. If washed carefully they seem to last a long time. I have a zip up fleece, a sleeveless vest fleece and lots of underclothes. And they have a lot for children. They also sell baby blankets which are really nice too.
The other company I have purchased from and have been happy with is Living Crafts. They are also GOTS certified and a German company. At least some of their clothing is made in China. So far I havent’t had any concerns once I read their info. They use 100% wind power. (I’d have to verify this, I read it on a different site – not theirs). They have baby, children, and adult clothing. They also have bedding and towels. I have purchased directly from their company in Germany and also from a few different retailers in the UK. (I live in the USA but often purchase from the UK). I’m pretty sure retailers in the USA sell their clothing also.
Of all of these I prefer Pact, Bgreen and Engel but am happy with the other brands too. Best wishes & happy holidays.
Thank you, Lisa! Happy New Year to you! ~Irina
I love this company’s clothes. There is also a brand called bgreen that I like though it’s getting harder to find their products.
Thank you for letting us know, Lisa. In an ideal world, I prefer GOTS certified clothing but we can’t too picky. ~Irina
I love pact clothing! thank you for recognizing them. I think their clothing is very inexpensive considering they’re organic and good quality, especially comparing to other companies selling organic clothing. I buy Hanna andersson clothing for my son and their prices for women’s organic clothing is very expensive although very good quality.