8 Men’s Fashion Brands That Give Back

A few weeks ago, we posted about how two 20-year-olds were using the polar vortex weather to help the homeless. Leann Abad, a college dropout, and Tyree Gorges, a senior at the University of Michigan, designed a clothing line, aptly named Polar Vortex, and donated 50 percent of the proceeds to homeless shelters in the Detroit and Chicago areas. 

In comments across ONE37pm social platforms, you shared your other favorite men’s clothing brands that give back. With beneficial programs like ocean cleanup, the buy-one-give-one purchase model and extensive sustainability practices, these eight companies are paving the way for a more ecologically friendly future of fashion. 

About the company: 

Tentree, an eco-friendly clothing brand founded in 2012, gets its name from the ten trees the company plants with every item purchased, working with registered nonprofit tree-planting organizations. With a goal to become the most environmentally friendly brand around, Tentree takes measured steps toward sustainability: The products use eco-friendly materials, the manufacturing process is above board and the 20 million trees that have been planted generate substantial clean air for the earth’s ecosystem. 

The piece we love: 

We recommend the men’s long-sleeved graphic tees. In classic silhouettes like henley and crew, they’re low-key but cool.

About the company: 

Submitted by David Draven, Modern Vintage is an online Etsy shop that donates one graphic tee to the homeless for every item sold. With an ever-rotating selection of goods, you can score a unique old-school Mario tee or a vintage team swag sweater.

The piece we love: 

We recommend the one-of-a-kind vintage sweatshirts, like this Garfield one from 1978. At $50, you’re getting a ton of style for a small price.

About the company: 

Skyrocketing to fame in 2006, Toms pioneered the mass buy-one-give-one model, donating a pair of shoes to children in need with every purchase. Founded by Blake Mycoskie, an entrepreneur from Arlington, Texas, the brand has continually taken a stand against injustice and violence.

The piece we love: 

While Toms has branched out into different categories—eyewear, apparel and accessories—and has innovated to create new shoe designs, we’re still fans of the original silhouette. The Canvas Classic is what put Toms on the map, and we’re nostalgic for its simple charm and ultra-wearability. 

About the company: 

Good Man Brand donates $3 to the Why Not You Foundation—which tackles big issues like childhood cancer, world hunger and domestic violence—with every purchase on its site. The selection includes upscale workwear (shirts, blazers, jackets and polos) and hip weekend wear(sweaters, sweatshirts, hats and tees). 

The piece we love: 

We particularly appreciate this soft, twill slub French blazer in a textured, heather gray. To make jackets sustainably is a difficult task because so much fabric and production are involved. Good Man Brand has done it. 

About the company: 

Warby Parker is widely considered a pioneer in applying the buy-one-give-one model to eyewear. Its vast selection of frames—for vision correction, sun and screen-blocking—is made of high-quality materials but offered at an accessible price point. The company believes everyone has the right to see, so with every purchase, a pair is distributed to the visually impaired around the world who don’t have access to eyewear. 

The piece we love: 

With wide and slim fit options, it’s hard to go wrong with a pair of Warby Parker glasses. We particularly like these $95 Butler reading glasses in butterscotch tortoise.

About the company: 

Dubbed the Keen Effect, Keen footwear operates with strong values of quality, integrity and health. In 2004, the company deferred its $1 million advertising budget to disaster relief for the Indian Ocean tsunami. The initiative continues to this day, and Keen is a majorly philanthropic brand to support. 

The piece we love: 

While Keen is known for work boots, the company also makes more casual, everyday styles. This boot, The 59, will become your perfect go-to. 

About the company: 

We’ve written before about Naadam, a truly ethical cashmere sweater company. It invests in veterinary care for goats all throughout the countryside of Mongolia, both for the success of their company’s supply chain and for the well-being of their herder families. Naadam has constructed an irrigated park—called Naadam Park—with 2,000 trees and the only grass soccer field for 500 miles. To boot, the company has taken significant measures to combat desertification by fencing off areas for fresh pastures to grow. 

The piece we love: 

The classic $75 cashmere sweater from Naadam is a no-brainer. Resist the urge to buy this basic staple in every color. We prefer the scoop-neck style to the V-neck variant. 

About the company: 

United by Blue, an outdoor apparel company, takes a different tack than the above brands. For every product sold, United by Blue removes one pound of trash from the world’s oceans and waterways by organizing and hosting cleanups. To date, it has cleared 1,584,581 pounds of rubbish. Launched in 2010, the successful outdoor brand set out to do some serious conservation work.

The piece we love: 

United by Blue offers an array of great button-downs, pants, shoes, shorts and more, but the backpack pictured above is a standout. Called the 24L Arid, it retails for $98 and has a TSA-friendly laptop compartment plus tons of pockets. The navy and tan colorway is particularly cool.