12 Timeless Sustainable & Ethical Watches to Last a Lifetime
By Alicia Briggs
Watches are a timeless accessory, beloved by many and considered a wardrobe staple. This guide features 12 incredible brands that are making beautiful, eco-friendly watches that will take you through years to come, or even become heirloom pieces. And, perhaps an analog watch can support you in your efforts towards digital minimalism or tech-free evenings.
*Note that this guide includes partners and affiliates. As always, all brands meet strict sustainability criteria and are brands we love — and that we think you'll love too!
What Makes a Watch “Sustainable”, "Ethical", or “Eco-Friendly”?
There are numerous factors when it comes to creating an eco-friendly or sustainable watch. Sustainable watches are usually hand-crafted, artisan watches made from responsibly sourced materials.
Eco-friendly watches are made from low negative impact materials using eco-conscious production methods. There are various ways to make an eco-friendly or sustainable watch. What you’re specifically looking for will depend on what your values are.
A sustainable watch company, however, will take measures to address any negative impacts on the environment and their manufacturers.
Materials to Look For:
Recycled Materials: Recycled, upcycled, and repurposed materials like recycled plastic or metals. It’s a great sign if brands are transparent about what recycled materials they use.
(Some) Vegan Leather Alternatives: While vegan leather may sound better than animal leather, that isn’t always the case. Vegan leather doesn’t necessarily mean it’s sustainable. It’s a good idea to check that brands who use vegan leather indicate what it’s made of and that it’s PVC, PU, and toxin-free. A great sustainable option to look for is Pinatex or cork.
Reclaimed or Responsibly Sourced Wood: Handcrafted, artisan wooden watches are a great sustainable watch material - as long as the wood is sourced responsibly. Look for brands that note where and how they get their wood, or if it’s upcycled or recycled wood.
Secondhand Options:
Watches are meant to last a lifetime, so it’s always a great idea to look for second-hand options before purchasing a brand new watch. Some of our favorite platforms to find used, affordable watches are:
image credit: Amma Aburam (@styleand.sustain)
2°East
Based In: Hong-Kong & China
Price: $75-$130 USD
Eco-Conscious Materials: Straps made from recycled PET, veg-tan leather, zero waste ion plated rose gold, or recyclable stainless steel
Two Degrees East is a woman and BIPOC co-owned company that makes affordable, classic watches out of recycled plastic bottles. What makes them truly unique is that the watch assembly factory owner is also the co-owner of this brand. This allows them to produce ethically made watches, since they personally oversee their own manufacturing while being able to sell their watches at an accessible price point. [Check out this post for more on 2°East].
Better World Fashion
Based In: Denmark
Price: $152 USD
Eco-Conscious Materials: Recycled & upcycled materials including repurposed wool, metal, leather, and plastic.
Better World Fashion is a Danish brand that focuses on eliminating waste by creating upcycled products. They produce everything in a local, circular, closed-loop process and use 98% upcycled materials. They also offer a buy-back program so they can re-use old products. While their watches are beautiful, you may also want to check out their clothing and accessories.
Nordgreen
Based In: Denmark
Price: $130-$300 USD
Eco-Conscious Materials: Refurbished & vegan materials, conflict-free stainless steel.
Sustainability is at the heart of everything Nordgreen does, with carbon-neutral headquarters, FSC certified sustainable packaging, and fairtrade, low-waste production. They’ve also partnered with three different global NGOs to give customers the chance to donate a portion of the proceeds to a cause of their choice.
While NordGreen is doing great when it comes to sustainable & ethical production, more transparency is needed on the specifics of materials used.
Solios
Based In: Canada
Price: $265-$290 USD
Eco-Conscious Materials: Silicone-based eco-leather, recycled stainless steel, plastic-free, recyclable cases & packaging.
Solios was founded by two friends who wanted to create timeless, minimalist watches that were also sustainable. They are the first B-Corp certified watch company and produce solar-powered watches. Thanks to their hidden solar panel, each watch is battery-free and only requires two hours of sun for six months of power. Simply wear it and charge on the go.
Ksana
Based In: UK
Price: $85 USD
Eco-Conscious Materials: Silicone recyclable watch bands, stainless steel, recyclable packaging with reusable cases.
Ksana is a woman-owned company that designs cruelty-free, fully vegan watches at an accessible price point. Ksana produces everything in a solar-powered, zero-waste factory with fair-paid workers. They particularly care about recycling. They offer a program to recycle their silicone watch bands which they repurpose as solar panels. They also take back their old watch dials and upcycle them into new ones.
TRIWA
Based In: Sweden
Price: $100-$300 USD
Eco-Conscious Materials: Recycled firearms, recycled ocean plastic, sustainably sourced & organic leather.
TRIWA is a great sustainable brand that uses ethical manufacturing and calculates the carbon footprint of each watch. What makes them stand out, however, is their mission to use their watches to highlight and give back to specific issues. For example, their Time for Peace collection is made from recycled illegal firearms. 15% of the proceeds are donated to people and places affected by gun violence and war.
Tense Wooden Watches
Based In: Canada
Price: $110-$1159 USD
Conscious Qualities: Reclaimed and recycled wood, custom-made offerings.
Tense Wooden Watches make some of the most beautiful, handcrafted sustainable watches around. Everything is artisanally designed by BIPOC watch designer, Ken P. Lau and made by hand in Canada. A notable sustainable option offered is their custom-made watches but everything they make is one of a kind, due to working with wood. This is a great company to check out if you’re looking for a truly unique, designer watch.
Jord
Based In: USA
Price: $125-$1144 USD
Eco-Conscious Materials: Sustainably sourced wood, sustainable sapphire, cork-based leather.
Jord is a BIPOC co-owned company that specializes in artisan, high-quality wooden watches. Everything is hand-made by talented designers using raw, natural materials. Not only are they transparent about each material they use and where it’s sourced from, but they also break down each step of the manufacturing process. Every designer collection differs in style, creating a variety of options for all.
Votch
Based In: UK
Price: $94-$153 USD
Eco-Conscious Materials: Pinatex, Appleskin, recycled materials, stainless steel, recyclable packaging.
If you’re looking for additional vegan and cruelty-free watch offerings, Votch is a great place to start. Votch is a woman-owned company that creates elegant watches from a variety of sustainable materials. These include wonderful options like Pinatex, Appleskin, and stainless steel mesh. They also partner with a different charity every three months to give back a portion of their proceeds.
It’s worth noting that more transparency is needed on the sourcing of the materials used in their PVC-free vegan leather offerings.
Breda
Based In: USA
Price: $90-$175
Eco-Conscious Materials: Stainless steel, responsibly sourced leather.
Breda is a family and BIPOC-owned brand that manufactures beautiful, eco-conscious watches locally. They create inclusive, modern twists on classic designs. They choose ethical local suppliers and materials that allow them to price their products at an accessible price point.
While Breda is on the right track, more information on the types of materials they use and their production methods could be provided.
SPGBK
Based In: USA
Price: $68-$80
Eco-Conscious Materials: Sustainably sourced maple wood.
Founded by two friends from college, SPGBK is about more than just watches. This proudly Black-owned designer company is inspired by the founders’ community & culture, as well as education. They’ve created a variety of bold and bright designs from sustainable maple wood. Each watch is dedicated to a school or place in their hometown.
While SPGBK is doing great things, specifics on the types of materials used and their production processes are missing.
Skagen
Based In: Denmark
Price: $42-$255
Eco-Conscious Materials: Recycled ocean plastics, cork bands, ceramic, recycled stainless steel, responsibly-sourced leather.
Last but not least, Skagen is another great sustainable watch company from Denmark. Their minimalist designs are inspired by their country, with a variety of conscious collections to choose from - including their eco-friendly smartwatch. They used FSC certified sustainable packaging, and their pro-planet collections are made from over 50% recycled materials. By 2025, every collection will meet their pro-planet standards.
About The Author:
Alicia Briggs is a writer & editor specializing in slow travel & sustainable living. She’s worked in journalism since 2016 and currently writes for a variety of publications. She has been a full-time traveler since 2018 and runs her own blog, Learning the Local Way, where she covers responsible travel & living tips.
