In a world where fast fashion dominates the shopping industry, buying sustainable goods is one of the best ways to lessen fashion’s significant environmental impact. One great opportunity to do that in Austin is to attend the semi-annual Le Garage Sale, which is back at the Palmer Events Center on August 24-25.
Since 2001, Le Garage Sale has been one of the city’s biggest shopping events. More than 100 local brands, online shops, and independent boutiques offer major discounts — sometimes surpassing 80 percent or even reaching 90 — on clothing, accessories, home goods, and more.
One of the reasons brands participate in this event is to clear out inventory and prepare for a new season, which is a pretty sustainable way to reduce waste and keep extra merchandise from piling up in landfills. As a shopper, attending the event helps to not only take some of this merchandise off of stores’ hands but also to support local businesses — another impactful way to shop sustainably.
To help you dress sustainably from head to toe, here are 10 local sustainable fashion brands that will be at the upcoming Le Garage Sale — along with a few tips from some of the vendors on how to shop with sustainability in mind.
SWS Vintage
Shopping for vintage or secondhand goods is one of the best ways to be sustainable. Fortunately for shoppers, there are plenty of vintage-slinging vendors to peruse at Le Garage Sale, including SWS Vintage. The brand sells vintage jewelry, bags, scarves, and other designer pieces.
Buying vintage pieces is ideal if you’re looking for one-of-a-kind pieces. It’s also a good way to ensure the quality and longevity of goods.
“[In the past], things were made in smaller volumes and used finer material, resulting in higher quality and longer-lasting products compared to today's mass-produced [items],” says Amy Luck, the founder and curator behind SWS Vintage.
Raven + Lily
Raven + Lily works with artisans around the world to produce handcrafted items such as bags, jewelry, and home goods made from natural materials such as leather, semi-precious stones, cotton, and sisal, an agave variety that can also be used to make mezcal.
As a Certified B Corporation and a member of the Fair Trade Federation, Raven + Lily is a leader in sustainability. According to its website, Remake — a nonprofit that fights for human rights and climate justice in the clothing industry — named the brand one of the top ten fashion brands leading the way with its sustainability efforts.
Raven + Lily used up fabric with the Patchwork collection.Raven + Lily/Instagram
Honest Cotton
Honest Cotton specializes in producing clothing made from 100 percent cotton, an all-natural fiber that is considered a staple in sustainable clothing. From handwoven crochet tops to minimalist maxi dresses, these ethically-made pieces will appeal to shoppers who are drawn to natural color palettes and soft silhouettes. While this brand is based in California, local retailers including Beehive (a Le Garage Sale vendor!) and Whole Earth Provision Co. carry Honest Cotton in-store.
Hampton Road Designs
Another way to be sustainable is to purchase products that are made using deadstock, secondhand, and vintage textiles. And that’s exactly what you can expect to find from luxury accessories brand Hampton Road Designs.
Their eye-catching designs include clutches made using vintage designer silk scarves and crossbody bags styled with trim used for guitar straps — and all of their textiles are sourced globally.
Lisa Davis, the founder of Hampton Road Designs, suggests shoppers who want to shop sustainably ask what kinds of materials are used to make the product, and how those materials are sourced.
“Natural materials like leather and linen tend to leave a smaller environmental footprint,” said Davis. “This is even more true when fewer dyes are used in the production process.”
She makes another point that sustainability should be thought of as more than just a way to help the environment. “From a broader viewpoint, items produced locally (or local-ish) help contribute to our proximate economies,” she says.
No guitars were harmed in the making of these bags.Hampton Road Designs/Instagram
Prisma Vintage
If you can’t get enough vintage, another boutique to shop from is Prisma Vintage. The local shop sells vintage clothing and accessories from a range of decades, whether you’re looking for a mod-style pair of boots from the ‘60s or a funky ‘90s-era dress.
Neon Dream
Sustainable fashion isn’t limited to the grown-ups. Shop sustainably forthe little ones in your life at Neon Dream, a gift shop for babies and children up to six years old. The boutique focuses on sourcing organic and sustainable products like these stylish checkerboard dungarees made from 100 percent organic cotton and printed with eco dyes.
Arloom
Founded in 2012, this Wimberley-based brand sources hand-loomed textiles from around the world to create colorful clothing and accessories. The Arloom collection is designed and sewn in Texas, and every piece of textile is used to limit waste. Among the globally inspired designs are one-of-a-kind Huipil tops and fun cocktail robes.
These robes scream "weekend in Wimberley."Arloom/Instagram
Happy Earth
Thanks to brands like Happy Earth, you can even purchase shades that are better for the planet. Happy Earth creates sunglasses and eyeglasses that use natural, sustainable, and recycled materials such as bamboo, wood, and recycled polycarbonate.
Shelley Moon
This local jewelry brand designs luxury pieces using 100 percent recycled brass, sterling silver, and gold. Shelley Moon’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond its materials. The brand produces its jewelry in small batches to reduce waste and minimize its impact on the environment. A couple of stand-out pieces from Shelley Moon’s collection include the Double Pear Onyx Ringand the dainty yet sophisticated Collett Curb Chain Necklace.
Jenn Lee
If you’re looking for an elevated accessory to tote around on your next beach vacation, look no further than Jenn Lee. With pieces handcrafted in Bali, Indonesia, Jenn Lee is a Houston-based brand that makes eco-luxury handbags made with sustainable materials like mill grain leather and organic ata grass.
Tickets for Le Garage Sale are $12 per day, or $30 for a VIP pre-shop (for a limited number of customers). They're available now via Eventbrite. Save the date — and your non-urgent shopping list — for August 24-25. More information is available at legaragesale.net.
This article was originally published July 5, 2024, and has been updated to reflect that tickets are now on sale.
