Where To Shop

Jenn and I have had this post on our calendar for so long, but there really are so many good vintage stores in Portland that it’s hard to consider “the best”. We wanted to finally share it with you, so we’ll consider this a post-in-progress and continue to update as we know we’ve forgotten (and not yet discovered) many! The vintage shops below range from antique malls to speciality fashion stores to curated boutiques offering both new and vintage treasures. Hope you find your new favorite spot for vintage below!

the best vintage stores in portland, oregon

One of the trendiest vintage stores in Portland (with good reason), Artifact Creative Recycle is a consignment shop for all things vintage and very cool. They’ve evolved a lot over the years, and it seems like they’ve started to focus on fashion more than decor as of late but still offer both. I make a point to stop here every time I’m in the city, and it seems like I always walk away with one cool (and affordable) piece that I never regret! Once it was a big sparkly vintage overcoat and another time a black jumpsuit that actually fit my short legs.

House of Vintage PDX in Hawthorne is a collective of over 60 dealers selling their best vintage in a 13,000 sq ft space. They’re known for their vintage fashion and accessories ranging from antique 1920s to Y2K. On the Washington side of the bridge, you can also find a House of Vintage location in Vancouver! They specialize in mid-mod furniture, decor, and clothing.

Zig Zag Vintage is a curated vintage clothing store on NE Alberta, that also offers modern and locally made goods, as well as reworked vintage, some of which you can find for sale on their Instagram.

Psychic Sister (who also has a location in Olympia, WA) supports local vintage traders and local businesses with their consignment boutiques, which offer not just vintage but small batch and handcrafted lifestyle goods like books and zines, tarot, candles, and jewelry to empower your spiritual journey and creativity. Also, their logo features Orcas which is just so special!

I’m so happy to have a creative reuse on this list! Reclaim It! is a nonprofit storefront that salvages materials from the PDX metro transfer station so that the community can transform and reuse them for their own creative projects. In less than 10 years, their volunteers have extended the lives of over 700,000 pounds of reusable materials. They not only have a craft department, but used metal, wood, hardware, and tools, and even antiques.

If you don’t know, a creative reuse shop is a secondhand shop for DIY, craft and art supplies. Usually donation based and volunteer run, they help keep creative materials (whether unused or partially used etc) out of landfills. If you’re a crafter this is a goldmine for incredibly inexpensive creative supplies like yarn, paper, fabric, stickers, pencils, paints and so much more.

For Seattle friends: I go to Seattle Recreative, which even has gifting and some party supplies. For the home DIYer and builder, Ballard Reuse has building materials. Both shops accept donation of so many items you might otherwise consider trash!

Zero Wave is a vintage clothing store specializing in rare and “medium rare” vintage for all genders. It’s well curated and full of trendy fashion like Levi’s, graphic tees, and 90s tops, that you absolutely shouldn’t buy new — because you can get the real deal here. You can shop via Instagram here.

I shared my visit to Memory Den Vintage Mall in this Reel last year, and I’ll definitely be back (how cute are those kitty salt and pepper shakers?). One of the larger vintage stores in Portland, they feature booths from tons of different antique vendors selling clothing, homewares, decor, accessories, books and so much more. This is a two story antique mall that you could easily spend a couple hours perusing, so don’t rush! Also, they’re the local go-to for vintage radios.

Banshee specializes in trending vintage fashion and accessories as well as beauty and wellness from local and cult brands in the space. If you’re not local, shop a huge selection on their website!

The Portland Flea Market is the last weekend of the month April-October at two different locations in the city (one on Saturdays, the other on Sundays). They are more like a curated craft and vintage market than a traditional flea, offering not only vintage fashion and homewares but products from some of Portland’s best makers in ceramics, jewelry, and textiles. And of course, some good local snacks and drinks! It’s always a fun time. (Photo of Lowland)

Adorable vintage boutique OURstore features a mix of curated vintage wearables and handmade jewelry, much of which you can shop online. They also host Supermarket, a night market/block party featuring vintage vendors, with 5 dates from May through September (3rd Saturday of the month). Hope to be in town for one of those soon!

Midnight Sunlight has been featured twice in ArchDigest’s top vintage shops in America because of their high-end designer collection of post-war decorative arts, modernist furniture and lighting, folk art and contemporary fine art as well. They offer a selection of furniture and objects on their website as well.

Part gift boutique, part vintage, Workshop Vintage offers womens fashion and quirky collectibles, along with handmade wares, accessories, and gifts from local designers. Get a feel for their boutique via Instagram.

Resale boutique Village Merchants has a little bit of everything, mostly in the home decor/wares and collectible categories. Fun if you’re looking for a quirky gift or a little flair for your own dining or decor collection.

Xtabay is Portland’s spot for beautiful vintage dresses from the 1950s, 1960s and more. Their brick and mortar is temporarily closed, so you can find the collection online. Give them a scroll if you have a special event on the books, or just love to look at all things vintage glam!

Wink Vintage is a boutique full of All-American vintage fashion like band tees, sweatshirts, ringer tees, and denim, some of which you can buy online through their shop.

Another hybrid handmade-and-vintage boutique, Hello Sunshine, offers up a whimsical collection of giftable goodies in fashion, home, lifestyle and more.

Portland really is one of my favorite cities that I’ve been to for shopping vintage, whether fashion or home. I bring home something beautiful every time I go. Let me know which vintage stores in Portland should make this list!

Who doesn’t love a good co-ord for spring? It’s does the work of a jumpsuit in providing head-to-toe cohesion without the bladder anxiety that comes with a one-piece. If you’ve curated a capsule wardrobe, you might have several two piece sets in your closet that also double as mix and match or layering basics. Either way, I love the versatility! And for spring, it’s all about dopamine dressing, because we could sure use an extra hit after that never-ending winter we all just endured. Below, my favorite spring sets making their rounds on the internet!

I am such a fan of Variety Hour’s artful prints. Their new Terra Flora design, which comes in a wide leg pant and tee you can purchase for a two piece set features a vibrant all-over floral. Pieces are 100% cotton and made in Melbourne.

This gorgeous green two piece linen set by OffOn is perfect for lounging or on the go. Love that the top can go from sleepwear to office wear (as if any of us are going in).

Speaking of dopamine dressing, the Ivy pant and button shirt from HERA equals a mood boosting look, both ethically made in Ecuador.

From by KVP, the Jen pant and Ingrid top in poppy make the most cheerful two piece pant set! I’ve also long loved the linen sunset robe also by KVP, which can be paired with the sunset pants.

The incredible Rujuta Sheth offers so many beautiful spring prints, most of which are available in different styles such as tops, skirts, and pants for you to mix and match to your delight. My personal favorite is Jupiter Chex; this is it in the Elizabeth top.

You can also get fancy with sustainable sets, and opt for a blazer co-ord like the Narwhal set by Little Things Studio.

Nettle Studios just launched their new spring collection, Tutti Frutti, which is possibly the most joyful line of linen dresses, pants, tops, and sets you’ll ever find. See the whole collection here.

French designer Lacerflabel upcycles fabrics from her travels. This lavender and green two piece pant set is made of linen sourced from Mexico.

This vibrant set by Indian fashion designer Varnika Sangoi, available at Plain Tiger is a sunset striped co-ord in red and orange with a crop top and wrap skirt.

Another linen clothing and home shop selling on Etsy, Linenlara lists this adorable, off-shoulder smocked crop top to pair with a linen palazzo pant. The best part? You can have it made in over 20 colors of Oeko-tex certified linen. Custom sizing is available when you send the seller your measurements too.

Tired of clicking on those “best sustainable fashion” brand lists only to see Reformation and Everlane over and over again and not learn anything new? You’ve come to the right place! 

While I love to focus on specific products for our ethical fashion guides, such as sustainable fanny packs, jumpsuits, or swimsuits, I know that a lot of you are looking for a simple list of brands you can feel good about shopping in general. I’m thrilled that there are so, SO many slow fashion labels out there to create such a list. Yet, the big blogs are all still talking about the same companies rather than helping you discover new solutions for your commitment to supporting small, slow, and sustainable. Whhhyy?!

25 slow fashion labels you haven’t heard of

In this list, we feature 25 brands that we bet most of you haven’t heard of, and a little about why you should check them out. I’ve made a couple quick notes such as where they’re based (all ship to US), their styles, and sizing, but be sure to visit individual websites for more details. I hope this supports your sustainable style journey! Not sure exactly what slow fashion is? See the end of this post for our take, then scroll back up for our reccs. 

1. Los Angeles slow fashion label Lovefool is a small WOC owned business producing flirty 90s inspired tops, bottoms, and dresses in sizes XS-4X. Look to them for cute crop tops, wrap tops, and vintage dress silhouettes.

2. Tuesday offers a gorgeous selection of completely handmade and hand-dyed kimonos, dresses, scarves, and tops. They’re based in here in the Pacific Northwest and since items are one-of-a-kind, sizes vary by product.

3. Oge Ajibe is a Vancouver, BC based size-inclusive slow fashion designer (XS-6X) who makes wardrobe staples by hand using natural and deadstock fabrics in beautiful vibrant colors (and neutrals too). She recently released a one of a kind collection made from special one-off fabrics you won’t find anywhere else.

4. IMPRM Studio in Poland is for the summer wardrobe with its beautiful linen dresses, sustainable swimwear, and floral tops in sizes XS-L. I hope they offer a better size range in the near future.

5. Jus Gudi is a slow fashion brand that offers colorful printed unisex clothing made in Australia. They use only natural and deadstock materials and everything is small batch. They also have fun bucket hats and scrunchies! (Sizes AU 6-20)

6. Vanhu Vamwe combines traditional craft + modern innovation to create their luxury macrame bags, sustainably woven in Africa by their artisan partners. 10% of total sales go directly to women for women initiatives. Materials like recycled para-cord (made from plastic bottles) create long lasting, luxury products. ⁠

7. Isabella Eve Apparel makes custom, colorful fashion for all bodies, in Grand Rapids, MI. Everything is handcrafted to order by owner Isabella using your custom measurements.

8. Based here in Seattle, The Waight offers stylish, cozy hand-dyed organic cotton loungewear produced in small batches for pre-order. Recently, founder Courtney has added a decor element with ceramics and hand-dyed napkins too.

9. Half Asleep Co is the sustainable sleepwear brand behind these silky soft PJ and loungewear sets and sleep masks using 100% Tencel™ Modal Micro. They say, “From our plastic-free packaging to our synthetic-free products, we take our global footprint into account in every decision we make.”

10. Camas Lilly Co specializes in upcycled bridal and bridal party robes made with beautiful deadstock fabrics, helping you have a more sustainable weddings. Customize them to your wedding palette!

11. Rosa, the designer behind Cada Todo creates limited drops of the most darling wrap dresses made exclusively from (gorgeous) reclaimed textiles. Cada Todo sticks to a couple of signature style dresses to make finding your fit easier (with cute size names like ‘Foxy Lady’ which represent measurements rather than a traditional S/M/L label. Another fabulous perk of ordering from this small business is that they aren’t hemmed until you order, so you can secure the right length (short people rejoice!). Custom sizing and styles are available too!

12. Lovanie is a made-to-order slow fashion brand for petite women. Based in Seattle!

13. By KVP produces gorgeous loungewear and relaxed clothing like oversized robes and pant sets, wrap pants, and shorts from linen.

14. Gina Cusachs is a Barcelona-based sustainable fashion brand offering laidback, colorful womens clothing. They’re known for their bold, vibrant prints that adorn everything from easy dresses to bucket hats to silk scarves. I love that they offer reversible pieces, making two outfits in one!

15. Cea makes sustainable athleisure brand using organic fabrics, natural dyes, and ethical production.

16. Based in Portland, OR, slow fashion brand Ersa Fibers is a one-woman studio that custom makes every piece to order, upcycling scrap fabric into one-off products. (Sizes XS-5x)

17. Another ethical fashion brand out of Australia (that ships worldwide), RŪPAHAUS handcrafts womenswear, menswear, accessories, and even decor out of beautiful natural materials. They are meant to be investment pieces that become mainstays in your wardrobe. I love the soft colorways of their handwoven cotton pieces. Most pieces are currently available up to size XL.

18. Dynasty George‘s sustainable cottagecore dresses are created from natural deadstock fabrics and ethically made in India. Sizes XS-XXL and mommy and me children’s dresses offered.

19. In a world of sustainable basics, AGAATI features special occasion womenswear as well as bespoke custom tailoring.

20. Jacaranda is a Calgary-based slow fashion brand specializing in sustainable active and lounge wear using organic pima cotton.

21. Handmade both in Chicago and a GOTS certified facility in India, Valani‘s clothing is fun and flirty with the smallest footprint possible.

22. Women’s clothing store Soluna Collective offers a range of ethically made and handcrafted styles from cargo pants and utility jackets to bodysuits and lounge pants. Some sizes only go to XL while others are offered up to 3X.

23. Neems Jeans is an amazing slow fashion brand featuring custom denim made in LA for women and men. Build your own jeans by choosing the style, rise, wash, and stretch, and even where you want them to hit (ankle, below, or above ankle). Then, you’ll upload your measurements and they’ll start on your custom order! They’re $199 which is right in the range of most quality denim brands, except that these are ethically made and totally custom! (PS I haven’t tried them myself yet, I’m just really jazzed up about this concept and hope to soon!)

24. JOYTOAST is a playful, size inclusive brand (S-7X and beyond) made in Chicago by plus size creator Amy Lynn. They’re currently stocking mostly accessories, including adjustable bag straps that you can attach to any bag with removable straps, and wear in different ways.

25. Lauren Chapman, slow fashion produced in Los Angeles in sizes XS-3X is offered in the online boutique Juniper, uses deadstock material for their limited dress collections.

what’s the difference between slow fashion, ethical fashion, and sustainable fashion?

Hope you like nuance. Slow fashion (or slow clothing), ethical fashion, and sustainable fashion can all be seen as alternatives to fast fashion, but they’re not all the same. It’s good to know their differences in order to avoid greenwashing while shopping. These terms aren’t regulated in any way, so it’s up to the brands themselves whether they want to label themselves any of these:

Slow fashion refers to clothing that is made in small batches. There’s no universal definition of how small these batches are made, but it’s understood that they are not mass produced. Usually these brands feature handmade clothing produced by either a small team or a single designer. It often includes custom and made-to-order fashion, which you’ll see a lot of below! Because of this, slow fashion is not always ready-to-ship and can take days or weeks for it to make it from the maker to the consumer.

Whether or not a slow fashion brand should also be considered sustainable is often up to the consumer. For example, most of the brands on this list upcycle vintage or deadstock textiles, use natural fibers, or opt for organic over conventional cotton. But does that mean if a designer uses virgin fabric or a synthetic material that they’re not sustainable? That’s up to you. Generally speaking it’s still more sustainable than a fast fashion brand, but it may not be totally up to your standards if you prefer to avoid certain materials.

Similarly ethical and sustainable fashion often includes slow made clothing, but it doesn’t necessarily have to. A sustainable and ethical fashion brand, such as Eileen Fisher, for example, may operate on a much larger scale and therefore not fall into the “slow” category.

Sustainable fashion is usually used to describe the materials or process, or environment. Questions to ask: What is this made of? Are the inks and dyes used harmful to people or the environment? Does the factory the clothing is made in adhere to environmental standards? What waste do they produce?

Ethical fashion defines the social aspect, most often referring to the people who made the clothing. Questions like who made this? What are their working conditions like? Are they paid fairly? are asked.

This is where I’ve seen some greenwashing come in. It’s easy to assume that because a company brands themselves as sustainable that their clothing is also ethically produced, and vice versa. Early on in my blogging journey I was often approached by ethical clothing companies that put pretty much zero consideration toward the environment in their practices. While no one is requiring that an ethical brand be transparent about their sustainability practices, I can see why consumers might assume if a company checks one box, it automatically checks both. So be sure to ask all the questions, if all of these factors are important to you!

On eco club we use sustainable and ethical fashion pretty much interchangeably — we rarely report on any brand that doesn’t check both boxes. That said, we also consider that small businesses often have to work up to certain sustainability standards (ie organic and fair trade certifications can be costly) so, it totally depends.

I hope this guide helped you! Please add any slow clothing brands you’d love to see added, in the comments! 

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends! I love wearing a little something special for this Hallmark holiday. It’s nice to have a reminder to romanticize life a bit, not just with your partner but other relationships–most importantly, the one with yourself. While there are plenty of acts of self care that don’t require you to spend money, I thought it would be fun to share my own ethical fashion wishlist full of red and pink dresses and other Valentine’s Day favorites.

I’ve been coming across a lot of slow fashion brands from outside the US lately, and while I know it’s important to be mindful of our environmental impact when making overseas purchases, I think it’s really beautiful to see, share, and celebrate the ways companies outside our everyday are tackling the problems of fast fashion. So the styles below come from all around the globe, not just here in the States.

Plus, any excuse to wear pink, drink pink wine, and buy yourself flowers, right?

Petra pink dress in 100% linen from Mexico

es par ta handmade espadrilles in woven red and white, made in the Mediterranean

SESE pink handwoven tassel dress by Abiola Olusola, made in Nigeria

Deadstock leather bags from Studio Kyodai in London

Sofia mini dress with a pink bow back by Loud Bodies, made in România (photo by @thesandraduran)

Renee sweater dress and pant in cherry tomato from WRAY NYC

Naturally dyed red and pink gowns from GU SHU in Oaxaca

Pink and red oversized shirt by Pinklay India with dots and stripes

Mara Hoffman Sloan dress in colorblock red + pink

I honestly never saw myself getting this into the red and pink colorblock trend, since red isn’t usually my thing. But I’ve fallen for it and I don’t see breaking up with this aesthetic anytime soon.

I’m not sure about where you are, but we’ve had more extreme weather than normal this winter here in the PNW (hi, ice storm!). And so marks the longest coat-wearing streak of my life (and still going). Given my need to stay warm and to stay dry, I’m narrowing my search to the puffer. They’re pretty much all an investment, but we’re no stranger to expensive outdoor apparel in Seattle. If I am to spend the $$$, though, I want it to be high quality and sustainably made. I’ll probably never decide on one, but here’s the best ones I’ve come across so far.

14 sustainable puffer jackets for the cold and rain

Girlfriend Collective’s Crystal Packable Puffer is made from recycled plastic bottles. (xxs-6xl)

Bernardo Blush Belted Puffer Jacket is made of recycled polyester. I have a recycled rain jacket from this brand and am really happy with the quality and more affordable price point than many other sustainable coats (wait for a Nordstrom sale or try the Rack!). (xs-xxl)

I also love this Lite Quilted Coat from them! So many pretty colors and on sale. (xs-xxl)

Floral Explosion Bomber Jacket by State of Georgia is made from regenerated nylon derived from ocean waste. (xs-xxl)

Backcountry Raglan ALLIED Down Parka is made with 100% recycled polyester and Allied Feather Certified Down. Also in black! (xs-xl)

PE Nation’s Represent Jacket is a convertible crop puffer jacket made with 100% recycled nylon. Looks amazing as a vest too! (xxs-xxxl)

Their Direction Jacket is also recycled, this time with polyester, and is reversible! (xxs-xxl)

Frank and Oak The Lykke Puffer Coat in Purple (on major sale!) (xs-xl)

Quince Responsible Down Puffer Jacket comes in stone, blue, red, and black. This may not be the most sustainable puffer jacket on the list (a mix of different materials, some recycled; check product listing) but it is on the more affordable end as far as susty jackets go! (xs-xxl)

Cuyana’s stunning Balloon Sleeve Light Puffer is made with 100% recycled polyester. (xs-xl)

Pow Recycled Insulated Jacket from Passenger is 100% recycled right down to the insulation. (xs-xxl)

Patagonia Women’s Downdrift Jacket is fair trade and even features recycled down. (xs-xxl)

Patagonia also has a parka version for all the sustainable snow bunnies out there. BTW, we all know Patagonia is known for expensive outdoor gear. They are a sustainable company that makes products to last (they even share repair DIY videos to help you keep your clothing out of landfills as long as possible), and the price point really reflects that. Don’t forget to peruse their Worn Wear pre-owned site before buying new, which features secondhand Patagonia gear, in case there’s something for you there. (xxs-xxl)

All of Norden’s garments, like the Sky Blue Puffer Jacket, are made with recycled and repurposed materials. (xs-xxl)

I’d love to hear where you shop for sustainable puffer jackets. Let me know and I’ll add to this list! Hopefully we can edit our article soon to add more size-inclusive companies. So few of the ones I found went above a xxl. 

You’re undoubtedly inundated with Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Thanksgiving, blahblahblah sales (should we all just call it “sale month” at this point?), so I know when you see a gift guide these days you really want it to be something special. I feel the same way, which is why I spend probably way too long hunting down the perfect products to add to articles like this! (But if it influences *anyone* to shop small rather than mass-produced, it’s worth it, I think.) Small Business Saturday is a big buzzword for blogs like ours, dedicated to independent makers and shops. But it’s really about spreading the word about these businesses so that people will think of them when making a purchase not just this week or month, but all year long.

Below, we highlight some of our sustainable directory members and their small business Saturday/holiday season promotions.

Clothing

Back Beat Co (pictured above) is offering 35% sitewide with code BFBONANZA

LA Relaxed is a slow fashion brand making women’s essentials all under one roof in Los Angeles. They’re offering 40% (even on sale items) with code FESTIVE. They sent me the Dream Fleece Hoodie a while back and I can confirm it’s as comfortable as it sounds. It’s perfect when you want a really light, relaxed layer.

Knickey, one of my favorite sustainable underwear brands, is offering 25% off sitewide from 11/24 to 11/28. If you’ve recently started transitioning your bras and undies to sustainable brands, both WAMA (also reviewed in that article) and Knickey are great places to start because they are on the more affordable end, and these sales can go a long way for your necessities!

WAMA makes undies for men and women, as well as bralettes, from hemp. (Fun fact, I’m wearing them right now…) They are offering 40% off sitewide all weekend!

New member Cea is offering up to 75% their line of slow fashion loungewear and basics including womens sweat sets and tees. Their pieces are all organic and naturally dyed.

Maika Goods is having their biggest sale of the year, with 20% off orders $50+ and 30% off orders of $100+. They offer sustainably made bags and have a great variety of sizes, styles, and prints.

Another new member, Isabella Eve Apparel, who specializes in made-to-order slow fashion in custom sizes, is offering 20% off sitewide now through Tuesday with code BLACKFRIDAY. Plus, a freebie will be included with all orders!

The Waight, who makes the most beautiful, cozy hand-dyed organic cotton loungewear, offers 20% your first order with code ORGANIC.

Looking for bridesmaid gifts? Camas Lilly Co (pictured below) offers gorgeous sustainably made bridal and bridesmaid robes crafted from deadstock fabrics. Buy two items and receive 30% off!

Home

Zuahaza is hosting their holiday sale all November long, with 15% off and free shipping with code Z15NOV. See our latest favorites from this artisan home decor brand here and here!

For our new member Nightshade, which is an amazing hybrid plant/tattoo shop in Seattle, you can snag 25% off everything in the plant shop using code CYBER2022 for one day only, beginning midnight on Monday the 28th.

TerraKlay‘s sale runs through 11/29 and includes 20% off of everything on their site! You might remember them from our DIY Furoshiki gift wrap or holiday tablescape last year when we shared their shibori dyed napkins and table runner.

New member ichcha (pictured above), who specializes in hand block-printed textiles, as well as clothing and accessories, is offering 30% off with GRATEFUL30 and free US shipping on orders over $75

Made Trade‘s Black Friday and weekend sale is 15% off sitewide with code GREENHOLIDAY. They’re also offering up to 60% off select sale items. This is definitely a one-stop shop for ethical gifts!

Last but not least, we recommend our own shop that Jenn and I launched a couple months ago! Enjoy 20% off of gifts, decor, artwork and more on wallflower. Learn more about us here!

Check out our sustainable directory and be sure to click on each thumbnail for more promotions (and just to discover amazing ethical brands and small businesses in general)–this list is far from exhaustive and we’ve only highlighted a few above before running out of time to post! 😌

A final note… Even when it comes to Small Business Saturday and other more intentional movements, my idea of shopping consciously still applies. This means I don’t just buy something just because it’s on sale, and I take a bit of time to get to know the brand and learn whether I’d actually recommend them to a friend.