11 Ethical & Sustainable Shorts for Soaking Up Summer in Style
A quality pair of eco-friendly shorts will be a staple for many years of summer capsule wardrobes to come. We love the cute and comfy pairs from these 13 brands made from earth-minded fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and linen.
As always, the most sustainable garment is the one you already own and another fantastic choice is to browse secondhand! Check out your local thrift stores or browse one of these online secondhand shops. Once you've looked through these options, take a look at the brands below for your next favorite pair of sustainable shorts.
Note that this guide includes affiliate links, which means we may earn commission on sales made through these links. As always, we only feature brands that meet our rigorous sustainability criteria.
Toad&Co
Toad&Co has cute, casual eco-friendly shorts made with performance fabrics for maximum comfort, no matter what adventure you wear them on. You can find shorts made from a moisture-wicking blend of hemp and Tencel or a soft + stretchy blend of organic cotton and recycled polyester.
Size Range: XS-XL Women's / 30-38 Men's
Linen Handmade Studio
Made in Lithuania from OEKO-TEX Standard certified linen, this Etsy shop has expertly crafted linen shorts designed to last a lifetime. The brand's shorts are classy, yet casual, meant to be treasured as summer wardrobe staples that can be easily dressed up or down.
Size Range: S-XL
MATE
Crafted from natural materials like organic linen and GOTS-certified organic cotton — including undyed options! — MATE's non-toxic sustainable shorts will be your ultimate warm-weather companion.
MATE is also committed to creating non-toxic essentials, and has a list of banned substances across their supply chain.
Size Range: XS-XL
Outland Denim
Eco-friendly jeans brand Outland Denim has sustainable denim shorts made with the same thoughtful fabrics and low-impact production practices. The brand has shorts made from 100% organic cotton as well as shorts made from a mix of organic and recycled cotton + lyocell for a bit of stretch. (Use code CONSCIOUS10 for 10% off your order at Outland Denim)
Size Range: XS-XXL
notPERFECTLINEN
Slowly handmade in Lithuania from OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified European linen that is pre-washed to minimize shrinkage and maximize softness, notPERFECTLINEN's linen shorts may, in fact, be the perfect sustainable shorts! The small brand's high-waist shorts are roomy and comfy and come with multiple pockets and a matching belt.
Size Range: XS-XL
Check Out notPERFECTLINEN's Shorts
Amour Vert
Amour Vert's eco-chic shorts are functional with feminine details and are made from a luxe blend of organic cotton, linen, and Tencel. Each pair of shorts is cut locally in Oakland, CA and sewn in San Francisco, both in small factories with 10 or fewer employees.
Size Range: XS-XL
OhSevenDays
Creating "slow fashion from fast fashion's leftovers", OhSevenDays' eco-friendly garments are made from surplus deadstock fabric in Istanbul, Turkey. The brand's shorts are made from upcycled fabrics like modal and linen, and feature unique yet timeless designs.
Size Range: S-L + made-to-order
Harvest & Mill
Crafted from super soft 100% USA-grown, milled, dyed, and sewn organic cotton jersey, these shorts from Harvest & Mill are naturally comfy and breathable. The brand also offsets any emissions through reforestation and wind energy projects.
You can get these shorts in unbleached undyed natural or in a low-impact fiber reactive dyed black.
Size Range: S-XL
ABLE
Fair trade fashion brand ABLE has ethical denim shorts made from a synthetic-free blend of cotton and lyocell. This blend is non-stretch but gives a soft and worn-in feel. On a mission to ensure living wages for 100% of their supply chain, ABLE publishes their lowest wages on their stie as part of the "Lowest Wage Challenge".
Size Range: 24-32
Kordal Studios
Kordal's sustainable shorts are responsibly-made in fair trade and local workshops from natural, organic, and recycled materials. The shorts pictured here are made from organic color-grown cotton, meaning the colors are all-natural and not dyed! (Read more about naturally-colored cotton on our Instagram page.)
Size Range: XS-XL
Patagonia
Using majority recycled and organic fabrics and sourcing over 80% of their products from Fair Trade Certified™ factories, Patagonia is a fantastic resource for finding eco-friendly shorts in women's and men's sizes. You'll find shorts made from fibers like hemp, organic cotton, and recycled nylon.
Size Range: XXS-XXL
Note: Sustainability-driven companies take different approaches to this common goal and are all in different parts of this journey. At Conscious Fashion Collective, we celebrate, respect, and honor this diversity in values, expertise, and context of craftsmanship on the supply side, and we also encourage consumers to make purchases aligned with their personal style and values. Please refer to each brand's official website to learn more.
