A friend came to me and asked about making greener choices when shopping for clothing. A new eco-clothing boutique just opened down the street from our workplace, and it was filled with cute, stylish clothing that I would wear to work or outside of work. Unfortunately, most of the clothes weren’t fitting into my teacher-salary budget. When it comes to buying greener clothing, most people have two options: buy used or buy eco-sensitive. I love thrifting, and I get a lot of my clothes that way. Sometimes, though, particularly when buying professional clothes, I can’t find what I need, and it’s time-consuming (although fun!) When I need something new, I don’t have a problem finding clothes I love that are made more sustainably. My problem is finding affordable wardrobe solutions.

Yeah, yeah, I know that cheap clothing is cheap for a reason (or several): exploitative labor practices and environmentally-destructive materials, to name a few. And I support paying a premium for items that are ethically made, just like when I grocery shop. It’s still hard for me to plunk down my hard-earned cash for upscale sustainable goods; I just don’t have that disposable income, and, frankly, clothes aren’t so important to me that even if I did have the cash to spare, I’d probably use it for something else. But a girl needs to feel good in her clothes, and I do have to exercise a modicum of professional dress when I’m teaching kids about renewable energy. So I set off on a quest to find five places where I could make better clothing choices without breaking the bank.

Disclaimer: "affordable" is a weighted word. What some people see as a bargain, others would and/or could never pay. My idea of affordable can best be described as middle-class: I’m a teacher, my husband is a teacher, we don’t come from money, and we have bills to pay. I’m not really looking for high-fashion here, but mostly basic pieces I can use in a variety of ways with my existing wardrobe.

I’ve loved American Apparel for a long time. I’m a t-shirt and jeans kind of woman, so AA clothing fits my style, and their t-shirts fit like a dream. Almost all of their entire line is cotton, and about 20% of the cotton they use is organic. The company has plans to expand that to 80% in the next four years. Most of the organic cotton they use now is in their Sustainable Edition line. They also recycle over a million pounds of fabric scrap per year and have solar panels on the roof of their LA headquarters. I like their clothes because they are comfortable and versatile; I’ve worn their skirts and shirts all over. Warning: there are claims against AA, mostly stemming from union-busting and sexual harassment accusations against owner Dov Charney, but their environmental record is promising.

Levi Strauss has been a leader in greening up denim, and their organic cotton jeans, t-shirts, and polo shirts for men and women also incorporate recycled rivets, zippers, and buttons; they also use natural indigo to dye their denim. Although their RedTab line is way out of my price range, their non-RedTab Eco’s are quite reasonable for new jeans: less than $70, and they’ve got very contemporary styles (although I don’t really have the courage, or the body, to wear skinny jeans.) If I can’t find jeans at the local thrift store, or wanted something more current, I’d try to find these. They also had some bargain men’s polo shirts at their online store that I’d probably get for my husband to wear to work.

Victoria E wrote about Jonano back in May, but I waited to check them out until recently, and I wish I hadn’t. What a jackpot! Jonano produces certified organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp clothing, along with their popular ecoKashmere blend, and their clothing is made using Fair Labor practices. Jonano’s fabrics are dyed using low-impact dyes, and their packaging and mailings are printed on recycled paper. Their lines are women-heavy, with hardly anything for men, but I fell in love with many of their pieces, including some beautiful dresses, shorts, and pants. I can’t wait to order from Jonano the next time I’m in the market for clothing.

Rawganique offers sweatshop-free organic hemp, cotton, and linen clothing from Ecolution, Blue Canoe, and their own line of clothing. Although many of their items seemed a bit pricey, I found some dresses, skirts, and sports jackets that were reasonably-priced, and they offer hemp and linen alongside the widely-found organic cotton. I’d use this place in a pinch if I couldn’t find what I wanted elsewhere, but they’re definitely walking the walk as far as sustainability. Check out their About Us for proof!

Finally, REI gets my vote for affordable outdoor gear that can double as everyday wardrobe. I wrote at length about their sustainability efforts last week. The versatility of their clothing — I can wear it to work or around the campsite — makes many of their pieces sustainable choices, and I didn’t gasp when I checked the price tag: $50 seems reasonable for a durable pair of pants for my husband or a warm recycled-PET fleece jacket. If you are looking for well-made basics that will take a beating, don’t be afraid to try this performance gear — it’s not just for the backcountry.

These are five places that fit into both my aesthetic and price range. I also recommend you check out discount websites that offer more expensive clothing at cut-rate prices. For example, I found Loomstate jeans at over half off on Bluefly.com.