How to Style an Organic Cotton Work Dress
Organic cotton is grown without chemical fertilizers, using seeds that aren’t genetically modified. Look for GOTS certified fabrics, which also ensures that the processing and manufacturing of your dress is ethical and environmentally friendly.
Explore sleek silhouettes that fit to flatter, including a chic shirtdress and an organic jersey wrap dress. Sewing with this fabric is just as easy as with other woven textiles.
Made with Certified Organic Cotton
For a fashion-forward dress that’s sustainable and ethical, choose organic cotton. Grown without toxic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, this fiber saves on water by using less irrigated water than traditional cotton. In fact, when compared to conventional cotton, which is the most water-intensive crop, organic cotton uses just 10% of the water.
The best way to ensure you’re buying certified organic cotton is by looking for the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) label. This worldwide standard covers not only the growing of the cotton, but also the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading and distributing of textiles, ensuring environmental and social standards are met and exceeded throughout the supply chain.
These standards include avoiding GMOs and chemicals, fostering biodiversity and regenerative farming practices, and supporting workers with hygienic work environments, fair wages and no workplace discrimination. It’s important to consider the social impacts of purchasing your clothes as much as the environmental ones.
For example, in many low- and middle-income countries, such as Uzbekistan, hand-picking of the cotton is done by children, who are deprived of the opportunity to pursue a life-changing education. Buying a shirt made with certified organic cotton reduces the number of chemical exposures these kids will experience over their lifetime and can help them thrive. Thankfully, a handful of large fashion brands are trumpeting their sustainability commitments, with some even offering to purchase all of the organic cotton grown in their supply chains.
A One-and-Done Dress
One-and-done dresses are the perfect work clothes to grab on a morning you want to get out of the door quickly. They’re great because they eliminate the need to figure out what top goes with what bottoms, and Organic Cotton Work Dress you can add a pop of style and personality with accessories. But it can be cold in most offices, especially during the summer, which means you need to have a good layering piece on hand. That’s where a cardigan comes in handy.
Native Organic offers a summer one-and-done dress that is both comfortable and stylish. It’s made with organic cotton, and the company uses sustainable manufacturing standards throughout their supply chain to minimize environmental impact. They also pay fair wages to the artisans who make their pieces, and they use only organic fibers that are grown, woven, and sewn in North America.
PVH—the parent company of Tommy Hilfiger—offers a similar casual organic cotton dress for work. They’re committed to using only verified organic cotton, and they work with suppliers that have rigorous standards and reliable verification processes.
A Casual Work Dress
A casual dress is a staple in every closet, but it’s possible to have a sustainable version that is just as stylish. Try the GOTS-approved organic cotton jersey midi dress from ABLE, which is comfortable enough to wear for an afternoon of errands and lunch with friends. Pair it with sneakers or heels depending on skirt supplier the occasion, and add a wrap for warmth if needed. The brand uses repurposed fabrics for its clothing, as well as recycled and biodegradable packaging.
Another option for a simple organic cotton sundress is the breathable and lightweight fabric from People Tree, which is certified by GOTS. This B-corporation also gives back to communities and workers through charitable initiatives, and is one of the best ethical apparel brands on the market.
Among the best organic cotton dresses for summer are the designs from artisanal brands like Studio 189, which uses traditional hand batiking techniques and Bogolanfini mud cloth to make its shirts. The collection is colorful, bright, and perfect for a summer state of mind.
If you want to shop consciously, check out Made Trade’s online sustainable fashion store. Here, you can filter by your top values, including POC-Owned, vegan, sustainable, and fair-trade fashion. They also work to reduce waste by initially producing small quantities of a garment, and then making more based on customer feedback and demand.
A Casual Dress with a Twist
Add a stylish piece to your casual wardrobe with this Marguerite Organic Dress. This short-sleeve t-shirt dress is made with black organic jersey cotton and printed with a fresh take on florals. A hint of spandex gives it a flattering shape that won’t stretch out, making this one-and-done style easy to pull on and go. It’s the perfect dress for playdates, tennis or mini golf, family hangouts and vacations. You can also wear it as a skirt by tying the bands of fabric around your waist.
Whether you’re gearing up for an important job interview or a weekend getaway, this collection of simple dresses will give your closet a summer refresh. Find sleek silhouettes crafted from organic cotton, sustainable silk and a blend of responsibly harvested Tencel(tm) Lyocell for a polished look you can feel confident in. Dress it up with a long fair-trade necklace and sandals. And when the temperature dips, top it with an office-ready fitted jacket made from sustainably sourced organic cotton.
We’re also loving Pact’s collection of organic cotton dresses for women, from polo to shirt styles, and every dress is ethically made in the US with GOTS-certified organic cotton and in Fair Trade Certified facilities. Plus, they’re available through size 10X, so you can be unapologetically your own self from the bedroom to the boardroom.