Best Stores to Buy Ethical Clothes Online in Canada
More Canadian women are choosing clothes that feel good, last longer, and come from brands that actually care. From Montreal studios to Vancouver workshops, a new wave of designers is shaping what slow fashion in Canada looks like. Below are some of the best places to shop online for ethical, well-made clothing in 2025.
Brand | Based In | Best For |
|---|---|---|
Harly Jae | Vancouver, BC | Romantic everyday wear |
Encircled | Toronto, ON | Capsule wardrobe basics |
Eliza Faulkner | Montreal, QC | Bold, feminine statement pieces |
New Classics Studios | Edmonton, AB | Curated sustainable labels |
Faun Studio | Calgary, AB | Elegant, minimalist essentials |
Power of My People | New Westminster, BC | Tailored shirts and timeless fits |
Hoi Bo | Toronto, ON | Handmade clothing and sculptural bags |
Bare Knitwear | Vancouver, BC | Luxury knitwear and cozy layers |
Meet the Brands Changing How We Dress
Each of these Canadian labels brings something different to the slow fashion conversation: from linen blouses and timeless shirts to bold dresses and heirloom knits. What they share is a clear purpose: to make clothes that last, respect people, and tread lightly on the planet.
Harly Jae
“We make clothes for women who value comfort, quality and sustainability.”
Founded in 2017 by Harly Jae Pigeon in Vancouver, this small Canadian label has quietly become a favourite among women who want style without waste. Each piece is designed and made locally in limited quantities (sometimes only a few dozen per style) using natural fabrics like linen, organic cotton, and Tencel.
The brand’s cropped blouses, wrap dresses, and flowing trousers balance structure with softness. Many long-time customers say they’ve worn their Harly Jae pieces for years, noting how “you can wash them a hundred times and they still drape beautifully.” It is slow fashion done right – thoughtful, enduring, and unmistakably feminine.
🛒 Shop: harlyjae.com
Encircled
“The future of fashion is circular.”
Toronto’s Encircled has been leading the ethical-fashion conversation for more than a decade. Its founder, Kristi Soomer, started with one travel-friendly wrap dress and built an entire company around the idea of fewer, better clothes.
Every garment is sewn in Toronto using Tencel, bamboo, and organic cotton – fabrics chosen for both comfort and low environmental impact. Their best-selling “Dressy Sweatpants” and “Unblazer” are work-from-home staples across the country.
Encircled feels almost like a Canadian response to fast fashion: practical, local, and built to last.
🛒 Shop: encircled.ca
Eliza Faulkner
“Made with heart, from start to finish.”
If you’ve ever walked through Montreal’s Plateau neighbourhood, you’ve probably seen Eliza Faulkner’s dresses floating by: puff sleeves, structured cottons, confident colour.
Faulkner, who trained in London before returning home to Quebec, uses deadstock textiles to reduce waste. Every piece is designed and produced locally, with that mix of femininity and fun that feels deeply Quebecois.
Her pieces remind us that slow fashion in Canada isn’t all neutrals and minimalism – it can be vibrant, bold, and joyful too.
🛒 Shop: elizafaulkner.com
New Classics Studios (Closed)
“You don’t have to give up aesthetics for ethics.”
When New Classics Studios launched in Edmonton, Ontario, it filled a gap nobody else had spotted: a curated e-commerce site dedicated to sustainable and fair-trade fashion long before it became mainstream.
Alyssa Lau, the CEO and founder, turned her fashion blog “Ordinary People” into a thoughtful online marketplace where Canadian shoppers could find brands like Kowtow, Baserange, and Veja – all vetted for ethics and transparency.
In early 2025, Lau confirmed that New Classics is, unfortunately, closing after nearly a decade. It’s a loss for the ethical fashion scene. “We wanted to show that you could build a business on integrity,” she said in a reflective Instagram post. “But markets change, and so does life.”
Still, the legacy of classic clothing, slow production, and curated classic studio aesthetics lives on in the brands she helped amplify.
Faun Studio
“Designed for women who move with purpose.”
Founded by Marisa Pahl, Faun Studio represents Calgary’s understated but growing sustainable design movement. Each garment, from flowing skirts to structured blazers, is ethically produced in small batches, often using OEKO-TEX certified fabrics.
Faun’s collections look polished but approachable, perfect for modern professionals who want their clothing to reflect both conscience and confidence. The brand’s neutral tones, soft tailoring, and eco-certified materials make it one of the most refined voices in Alberta’s slow fashion scene.
🛒 Shop: faunstudio.com
Power of My People
“Responsibly made shirts handcrafted for your capsule wardrobe.”
Based in New Westminster, Power of My People started with two friends, Jessica Matthew and Kyle Kozma, sewing shirts in their apartment. Today, they employ skilled technicians in Richmond, crafting shirts that fit like nothing else.
Their Proper Fit and Wayward Fit cuts have become cult favourites – a balance between structure and comfort. Every shirt is made with traceable fabrics from ethical mills in Portugal and France.
Their mission feels simple yet powerful: clothes that work hard, fit beautifully, and tell honest stories about how they’re made.
🛒 Shop: powerofmypeople.com
Hoi Bo
“To wear, to use, for days, for years.”
Toronto’s Hoi Bo sits at the intersection of fashion and art. Every piece, whether it’s a coat, a duster, or one of their Wildgrain leather bags, is handmade in-house at their West End studio.
Founder Sarah Boll describes her brand as “wearable, natural beauty – soft and strong.” Materials like Organic Puffed Cotton and naturally tanned Wildgrain leather are central to her collections.
Hoi Bo is tactile, sculptural, and deeply sensory – the kind of brand that makes you stop and touch the fabric.
🛒 Shop: hoibo.com
Bare Knitwear
“Luxury knitwear for intentional living.”
There’s luxury, and then there’s Bare Knitwear. Founded by Kelsey Adair in Vancouver, the brand is best known for its partnerships with Peruvian artisans who handcraft sweaters, scarves, and cardigans from baby alpaca and Pima cotton.
Adair’s story started in a small studio in Tofino, but a trip to the Andes changed everything. “Once I saw how alpaca wool was being spun and dyed by hand, I knew we could build something authentic,” she told Western Living in 2024.
Each piece feels like a collaboration between north and south – Canadian design meets Peruvian heritage.
🛒 Shop: bareknitwear.ca
The idea of classic fashion has evolved. It’s not about chasing “new fashion” every season – it’s about finding classic clothes that hold up year after year.
According to a 2025 report by the Retail Council of Canada, 58% of young consumers now say sustainability influences their buying decisions. What’s more, searches for “slow fashion in Canada” grew by 42% year-over-year.
These brands don’t just meet that demand – they help define it. They’ve built classic studios that prioritize people and planet, not just profit.
And even as pioneers like New Classics Studios close their doors, the movement they helped shape continues to thrive.
(This content was written and checked for accuracy in 2025. All quotes and details come from public brand info and our own research. We’re not connected to or sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.)