The Sustainable Wedding Dress Edit
Sleeves or strapless? Veil or no veil? There are many factors to consider when looking for your dream dress.
From eco-friendly designers to rental and resale, we’ve rounded up the best sustainable bridal brands perfect for the eco-conscious bride.
Sustainable Designers
Leila Hafzi
Norwegian designer Leila Hafzi founded her eponymous bridal brand in 1997, advocating for eco-conscious and ethical production in the luxury fashion industry. Her romantic and feminine designs, inspired by Norwegian, Greek, and Persian cultures, are perfect for the bohemian bride.
Each award-winning Leila Hafzi collection has been produced by the same sustainable manufacturer in Kathmandu since the brand’s inception. In 2020, Leila Hafzi was nominated for the Best Sustainable Bridal Brand at the ELLE Bridal Awards.
Luna Bea
Luna Bea handcrafts each made-to-order bridal gown from its independent studio in East Sussex. Luna Bea champions ethical practices, slow production and the preservation of highly skilled craftsmanship.
Modern and ultra-feminine gowns are assembled in house by a small female-led team using the finest, sustainably-sourced, chemical-free silks. Luna Bea offers a small inclusively sized ready-to-wear collection of its signature pure silk gowns, eliminating the lengthy lead time required for made-to-wear pieces.
Reformation
Reformation are renowned for their effortless feminine silhouettes and their chic bridalwear is no exception. Certified carbon-neutral since 2015, Reformation is committed to dressing the style-conscious while still protecting the planet.
With an elegant selection of ready-to-wear and pre-order gowns, brides are sure to find their perfect dress from long-sleeves, strapless, or lace, saving an average of 16kg in carbon emissions. Prefer to rock a suit? Reformation also has plenty of options to cater for the less traditional bride.
Rita Colson
Rita Colson is a contemporary brand centred around bespoke bridal couture for the fashion forward bride. Colson pairs her unique style with vintage lace and silks to craft beautiful bespoke gowns with an ethical twist.
Each material used across the Rita Colson collection is sustainably sourced, meaning no compromises on style or sustainability. The unique couture service allows brides to add their own style and personal touch to existing Rita Colson gowns, including adding or removing sleeves.
Emilia Wickstead
Emilia Wickstead’s bridal creations are the epitome of modern femininity. Clean lines, soft textures and structural elegance are synonymous with the Emilia Wickstead aesthetic, a firm favourite among celebrity and royal brides.
Each bridal design begins with the fabric; bespoke and ready to wear gowns are now made using more eco-friendly materials to reduce climate impact. Emilia Wickstead limits the amount of chemicals, water and waste created in the production process by reusing offcuts elsewhere across collections.
Rental / Resale
HURR
HURR is a fashion rental platform allowing you to rent pieces from the most stylish of wardrobes across the country. The sustainable bridal edit features designer wedding dresses and accessories from the likes of Simone Rocha, Ganni and The Vampire’s Wife, available to rent for a fraction of the retail price.
Once finished with your rental, HURR offers a convenient eco-friendly dry-cleaning service courtesy of Oxwash, before returning to the lender using reusable packing from RePack.
Something Borrowed
Rental bridal gowns and elegant accessories are the unique offering from Something Borrowed. Contemporary bridal labels such as Oui and Rewritten, are among the exclusive brands found in their collection.
A 2-day home try-on option is available for a small fee, enabling brides to select three styles to try on in the comfort of their own home, prior to renting their perfect dress. Something Borrowed plants a tree with One Tree Planted for every rental they receive.
Vestiaire Collective
Vestiaire Collective is a luxury fashion resale platform, granting a second life to pre-loved designer garments, chic accessories and vintage pieces. With an established global community, Vestiaire Collective is the perfect place to fulfil all your wedding needs.
Bridal dresses, rings and accessories authenticated by in-house experts can all be found on the platform in a range of sizes, styles and prices to suit all budgets.
Second Hand
Octavia Foundation, Knightsbridge
Located on the bustling Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, the Octavia Foundation offers a unique bridal boutique experience inside its charity shop, a first of its kind in London.
Brand new gowns, pre-loved wedding dresses and one-off vintage styles, donated by famous designers and members of the public, are available to browse by appointment. You’ll find wedding dresses in romantic, bohemian, and classic styles, as well as a stylish selection of shoes, bags, and veils.
Brides do Good
Brides do Good is an ethical and sustainable bridal brand with a premium collection of new and pre-loved designer wedding dresses. Its South Kensington showroom, established in 2019, offers a personalised bridal experience, showcasing second-hand gowns donated by brides and brands alike.
Expect designer gowns from the likes of Carolina Herrera, Jenny Packham and Temperley. Together with its sustainable endeavours, Brides do Good donate 1/3 of all profits to charities working to empower girls and end child marriage.