A Case Study: The Most Sustainable E-Commerce Brands on Shopify

Did you know? The ethical fashion market is predicted to reach £8 billion by 2025. We looked into this as part of our whitepaper on sustainable fashion and found that a lot of the UK market is adapting to a greener way of doing things when it comes to buying online.

As environmental awareness continues to increase, a growing number of consumers are purposely looking for sustainable brands. Shoppers are no longer happy with simply choosing the highest quality item or the most affordable option; many are looking at how eco-friendly a business is and the steps they take to be sustainable. 

Shopify’s ‘Future of Commerce Report 2021’ suggests that 75% of consumers would be willing to pay more for eco-friendly products. Bearing this in mind, it should come as no surprise that there are a lot of sustainable e-commerce brands on Shopify. So, which are doing things right?

There are many sustainable e-commerce brands on Shopify, but we have shortlisted eight of the ones you should pay attention to. Not only do they boast professional and impressive websites, but they are going above and beyond in terms of sustainability.

• Chilly’s – Chilly’s is a brand that has grown a lot in recent years, and it’s had a sustainable edge since the beginning. Like many large and growing companies, Chilly’s uses Shopify for its online presence. Since founded in 2010, Chilly’s has always aimed to provide people with reusable bottles to use when they are out and about. This reduces the chances of someone buying single-use plastic water bottles but enables them to enjoy the convenience of drinking on the go. As Chilly’s has grown, the company has expanded its offerings to include other products with eco-friendly benefits, such as cups and food containers. 

• Girlfriend Collective – Girlfriend Collective is a brand that considers itself socially conscious and sustainable, and they do so via an impressive Shopify website. A lot of the clothing offered by Girlfriend Collective is made using recycled, used water bottles rather than brand-new materials. The company also uses 100% recycled packaging, which can then be recycled by the consumer. 

• Good Guys Don’t Wear Leather – Good Guys Don’t Wear Leather is a popular footwear brand that uses a leather alternative to be more sustainable and eco-conscious. Its collection includes cowboy boots, sandals and winter boots, all made using leather derived from apple waste from the fruit juice industry. 

• Finisterre – As the first outdoor clothing company to be B Corp certified, it should be no surprise that Finisterre is a sustainable e-commerce brand. The brand offers a wide range of functional and sustainable clothing options, including many for lovers of surfing and swimming. With such close ties to the sea, it’s easy to see why Finisterre’s mission is to positively impact the world.

• Duffle & Co – When it comes to sustainable duffle bags and backpacks on Shopify, Duffle & Co is the ‘go-to’ brand for many shoppers. Using a mix of pineapple leather and handwoven organic cotton canvas, the company has created a sustainable and eco-friendly range of bags, duffle bags and backpacks. Duffle & Co also has a Repair Rewear program, and they will repair any damages to its products within the first year of purchase. This reduces the need to buy a replacement bag, making the item a more sustainable choice.

• Teapigs – Teapigs is another e-commerce brand on Shopify with many sustainable credentials, including being the first tea company to be certified as plastic-free. Teapigs is also a certified B Corp, meaning it’s part of a growing global community committed to using business for good. B Corp is all about encouraging companies to positively impact the environment, which is something Teapigs prides itself on. The business boasts plant-based tea temples, plastic-free teas and recyclable packaging.

• Lucy & Yak – Lucy & Yak is a hugely popular independent clothing company, especially among consumers who care about sustainability. Many of the materials Lucy & Yak uses are eco-friendly, including Global Organic Textile Standard (COTS) cotton and recycled textiles. This means minimal amounts of chemicals and water are used in the creative process. The business also uses a solar-powered factory, reducing the business’s impact on the climate. 

• Jackalo – Childrenswear brand Jackalo is committed to sustainability in a slightly different way. Instead of using sustainable materials, the company focuses on creating clothing that’s built to last, reducing the chances of it needing replacing any time soon. Jackalo also has a trade-up system, where customers can give back items that their children have grown out of and receive a discount on future purchases in return.

We couldn’t have a list of the most sustainable e-commerce brands on Shopify and not mention Coral Eyewear. Coral Eyewear is a brand that we have been fortunate enough to work with, even building its website, and it stands out as a company that takes sustainability seriously. Every pair of glasses and sunglasses created by Coral Eyewear is made from recycled materials, including rescued ocean waste and recycled plastic. Doing so reduces the amount of waste that would otherwise be sent to landfills or simply left to negatively impact the environment. Coral Eyewear has created an innovative production process that allows them to work with fishing and carpet industries to recover plastic from seabeds and landfills before transforming it into stylish eyewear. 

These are just some of the sustainable e-commerce brands on Shopify, but there are many more out there. As sustainability becomes more of a selling point for consumers, an increasing number of businesses are likely to focus on improving their eco-friendly efforts. When this happens, our talented Shopify team is on hand to help with the website side of things.

At Quickfire Digital, we have been lucky enough to work with a wide range of businesses over the years, including those with sustainability at the forefront of what they do. As a sustainable brand, it’s vital to showcase the steps that you are taking to be eco-friendly. That is why an e-commerce website is so important, especially one built on the Shopify platform. To find out more about building your e-commerce brand with a high-quality website get in touch with our knowledgeable team.