“Sustainable fashion” gets used loosely, so it’s worth being specific about what these brands are actually known for: durable construction, design meant to last beyond a single season, and in some cases formal recycling or repair programs. None of this requires buying everything new — most of these are exactly the kind of brands worth seeking out secondhand, too.

Muji

Muji’s whole design philosophy is built around plain, undecorated basics that don’t go out of style, which is a quieter form of sustainability than most “eco” marketing: clothes you don’t feel pressure to replace each season. See our Muji vs UNIQLO comparison for where it fits next to UNIQLO in a wardrobe.

UNIQLO (RE.UNIQLO)

UNIQLO runs RE.UNIQLO, a program that collects used UNIQLO garments in stores for reuse or recycling rather than landfill. It doesn’t make every UNIQLO piece “sustainable” on its own, but it’s a concrete, ongoing program rather than a one-off campaign, and it’s worth knowing about if you’re already buying the basics covered in our UNIQLO basics guide.

Mina Perhonen

A Tokyo-based label known for original printed textiles and a stated philosophy of making clothes meant to be worn for decades, often passed down rather than discarded. It sits at a higher price point, which is part of the same logic — fewer purchases, each one kept longer.

Issey Miyake

Best known for the Pleats Please line, built on a heat-pleating process that’s durable, easy to care for, and resistant to the kind of wear that ends a garment’s life early. Pieces from this line are frequently still in circulation, and in good condition, decades after release — itself a kind of evidence for the durability claim.

Kapital

A Japanese brand built almost entirely around the aesthetics and techniques of repair and reuse — visible mending, sashiko stitching, and patchwork construction using reclaimed fabric. It’s a useful brand to know even just for understanding the techniques discussed in our guide to finding Japanese vintage.

The Practical Takeaway

You don’t need to buy any of these new to benefit from knowing them — recognizing these names makes it much easier to spot worthwhile pieces secondhand, which is usually the more sustainable purchase anyway.

This post may contain affiliate links.