News

May 20, 2023

17 Best Recycled and Upcycled Clothes (2023): Leggings, Sneakers, T

Medea Giordano If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a

Medea Giordano

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED

You may have noticed we're in the middle of a climate crisis, but we're having a trash crisis as well. Trash is polluting our oceans, lining both city and rural streets, and harming animals that are trying to go about their day. We can reduce our own plastic usage, especially single-use plastics, but some companies have figured out how to turn some of that trash—mostly plastic bottles and old clothes—into new products.

This is a growing category, but these are our favorite clothes made from recycled materials that we've tested so far. Be sure to check out our other product guides, like the Best Recycled Bags, Best Everyday Products Made of Recycled Materials, and the Best Reusable Products.

Updated April 2023: We've added Parade underwear, Rothys men's shoes, Thousand Fell sneakers, and a recommendation for Taylor Stitch.

Most companies use "post-consumer" plastic, which means it comes from plastic that has been used and recycled. "Pre-consumer" means it comes from waste in the manufacturing process before anyone ever buys it. Plastic bottles are collected, dried, shredded, and turned into tiny pellets. Then the plastic goes through an extruder machine, which spins and pulls it like taffy to turn it into yarn. This still uses a lot of energy and resources, but it produces far less waste. Everyone needs clothes, so they might as well be more sustainable.

Most ethically made, sustainable clothes are, unfortunately, expensive. Most of us simply can't spend $80 to $100 on a single piece of clothing. Thrifting is the best way to get new (to you!) clothes for cheap. The material might not be spun from plastic bottles, but you're reusing items that would normally end up in a landfill.

Thrifting is an art form that might include combing through the racks at Goodwill, swapping clothes with friends, stopping at estate and yard sales, or scouring websites like Poshmark, eBay, and ThredUp. We also have some useful tips for shopping on eBay to avoid upcharges and scams.

★ Pro tip: Learning to sew opens up a new world to thrifting (I'm learning now!). You can alter clothes you like to fit you better or change them up completely. Dresses can become two-piece sets, and you can even turn clothes into accessories, like bags and headbands. TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit have great communities if you're unsure where to start.

Winter coats usually make me feel like Randy from A Christmas Story, but I like wearing Tentree's parka. It's warm and comfortable, and I feel like I look, maybe, kinda cool. It's made from Repreve fabric, which is spun from plastic bottles and recycled fiber—70 bottles were saved from a landfill in this one jacket's construction. Tentree plants 10 trees for every purchase (hence the name).

The parka has soft cuffs that keep the cold air from breezing up your arms, it's long enough to cover your bum (why are there so many cropped winter coats?), and the insulation doesn't come from animals. There are plenty of pockets too, including softly-lined ones for your hands and a zipper pocket up at the breast. The only thing I', not a huge fan of is the awkwardly shaped hood. WIRED senior associate reviews editor Adrienne So also likes Tentree's Bentley trousers ($88). They are also made from a fabric blend using Repreve and feel like work-appropriate pajama pants.

30A has a rotating stock of beachy apparel that makes me want to spend the summer in New England. Everything is made using recycled materials, mainly plastic water bottles, and is comfortable, soft, and reasonably priced. The Henley we like also uses coconuts for its buttons. The designs are made with water-based inks and items are shipped in recycled packages, too.

Period underwear is my favorite invention. I've tried several brands, and all of them absorb blood quickly, so you won't feel like you're stewing in dampness. Knix is my favorite, but Saalt's pretty lace and mesh designs are made of post-consumer recycled water bottles. There's light, regular, and heavy absorbency, costing somewhere between $29 and $39 for single pairs.

★ Alternative: If you don't like these styles, Saalt has cotton and seamless pairs too, however, those aren't made from recycled materials (there are some Tencel options, which is a fiber made from renewable beech wood). Modbodi now has recycled and biodegradable pairs, so hopefully, our skivvies won't live forever in a landfill. It's worth noting here that the popular brand Thinx recently settled a lawsuit over the presence of toxic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in its underwear; we do not recommend them.

Jeremy White

Jeremy White

WIRED Staff

Medea Giordano

I've been seeing Parade's ad campaigns everywhere, so I decided to try different styles of underwear and bralettes from the brand. They're incredibly comfortable, flattering, and most importantly, affordable. Many of the products are made directly from recycled fabrics like recycled yarn or cotton scraps, while others use materials like sustainably harvested pine and eucalyptus. Every product page explains exactly what the item is constructed from, and Parade also gives every product a score based on sustainability.

WIRED senior writer Scott Gilbertson loves these Fair Harbor trunks made of 12 recycled plastic bottles and 88 percent recycled polyester. Instead of the scratchy mesh interior that you might be used to, these have a soft, quick-drying liner similar to a boxer brief—the liner is made from recycled bottles as well. The Anchor shorts have an 8-inch inseam, but the brand has other lengths.

★ More board shorts: We previously recommended surfer Kelly Slater's Outerknown Evolution Pocket Shorts, but they aren't currently available. We'll try more options soon, but we're pretty confident in its lineup. Outerknown uses Econyl, a nylon that's made from abandoned fishing nets, to make its board shorts and jackets.

These might be the most comfortable pants my legs have ever had the pleasure of touching. They feel like suede butter. I usually find joggers to be annoying around the ankles, but these aren't tight. Better yet, they're made from 51.8 recycled plastic bottles. I tested them in the turmeric color, but I'm already eyeing the rest of the shades for the other six days of the week.

Wolven has other products, like matching tops and bathing suits, as well as a men's shop. All are made from recycled bottles—you can find out exactly how many in the product description.

Jeremy White

Jeremy White

WIRED Staff

Medea Giordano

Hippy Feet is a Minneapolis-based company that crafts its socks (and other apparel) using primarily recycled cotton and polyester, plus some organic cotton. The result is comfy and fun covers for your feet. My favorites are the checkered linen and vintage-esque Vikings pair, but my one regret is I missed these cowboy frog bad boys. Fifty percent of the company's profits go to organizations and services to help homeless youth.

I like Hippy Feet's socks for wearing with shoes, but I'm not really a sock-at-home gal. That's why I'm happy to have found these Verloop slippers (I have the yin-yang pair). They're cushiony and warm, but not foot saunas, and some designs come in extended sizes.

Verloop uses deadstock yarn to create the cutest accessories, from dog sweaters to vase covers and bucket hats. I'm mere minutes away from turning my entire house into a Verloop showroom.

It's difficult to find simple, attractive dog-walking shoes to throw on when your pup is excitedly yapping at the door. The key word here is attractive. WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu has bought dozens of shoes that were comfy and cheap, but not what he'd want a friend to see him in. Then he tried Rothy's (expensive) new menswear shoe line. The Driving Loafer and the Monty are comfy, easy to slip on, and attractive! They wrap around your feet gently without ever feeling too tight, and he never needed to break them in.

The consolation for spending this much is that these shoes are sustainably made from plastic bottles; The Monty is also made from sustainably sourced merino wool. When the shoes are completely worn out, the company has a recycling program that takes them back, and you'll get a discount toward your next purchase. These shoes are also 100 percent machine washable (just make sure to air dry them).

★ Women's flats: The men's line is relatively new, but we've long been fans of Rothy's Flats ($129). They're lightweight and comfortable, and they come in a bewildering variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. The knit uppers are made of 100 percent post-consumer plastic bottles, and the foam components are made from other recycled shoes. The shoeboxes are also made from 85 percent recycled materials, and the boxes are 100 percent recyclable.

Jeremy White

Jeremy White

WIRED Staff

Medea Giordano

Once I tried these leggings from Girlfriend Collective, I realized what I'd been missing in my cheap leggings. They aren't see-through and stay put when you move around—there is nothing worse than having to hike up leggings that have rolled down below your underwear line while you're trying to shop at Target. Despite the fact that they're called Compressive, they don't squeeze you into discomfort—sometimes I find leggings to be so tight they make me itchy.

The best part is that a pair of leggings is made from 25 plastic bottles and 79 percent recycled polyester. The packaging you get them in is also made from 100 percent recycled materials and is recyclable. Girlfriend Collective's Paloma Bra ($46) completes this athleisure outfit and is made from 11 plastic bottles. When you've outgrown or no longer wear these items, you can send them back to the company to be recycled again and get a $15 gift card in return.

I consider myself a robe connoisseur—I would love to look like The Haunting of Hill House's Olivia Crain at all times. The Camas Lilly Co. Heron robe gets me closer. It's beautiful and adorned with fringe—you could absolutely wear this out of the house without looking like you're in a housecoat—but it's also made of upcycled fabrics.

Camas Lilly Co. has ready-to-ship and made-to-order versions, all of which are made from dead stock sourced from Los Angeles suppliers. These fabrics, coming from large brands, fashion houses, and textile mills, might have minor flaws that would typically send them to the landfill. Once the robe is made, the leftover scraps are turned into accessories like scrunchies and headbands. The company offers two sizes—"one size" fits an extra small to an extra large, and "one size plus" fits 1X to 3X.

Girlfriend Collective doesn't just make fantastic workout wear. WIRED senior digital producer Pia Ceres added the company's beanie in her gift guide for people who are perpetually cold. It's the softest thing on the planet, Ceres says, and it's made from 100 percent recycled water bottles.

Jeremy White

Jeremy White

WIRED Staff

Medea Giordano

Patagonia has been recycling plastic soda bottles into fleece since 1993, so it's been at this longer than most companies. Today most of its Capilene base layers, shell jackets, board shorts, and fleece incorporate recycled polyester. The iconic Nano Puff—aka the most useful jacket you will ever own, according to WIRED senior associate editor Adrienne So—has a 100 percent recycled polyester shell, with PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco that is made up of 55 percent recycled content. Once you're ready to upgrade, you can trade it in at a Patagonia location, where it will be sold through the company's Worn Wear program.

Products like these Thousand Fell sneakers are made with circularity in mind from the start. They're constructed from recycled rubber yoga mats and plastic bottles, plus food waste like coconut husk and sugar cane. Even the laces are made from recycled plastic. Once you've worn them out, send them back to the company. They'll be broken down and remade into more shoes (or, if possible, refurbished and donated to someone in need). The cofounder of Thousand Fell is also a cofounder of SuperCircle, which helps other retailers become circular.

The Court sneakers I tried in all-white look effortlessly cool and old school, and they're comfy too. I have wide feet, however, and probably should have sized up. Every pair includes a $20 deposit that you'll get back as store credit when you return your shoes to be recycled.

Jeremy White

Jeremy White

WIRED Staff

Medea Giordano

Julian Chokkattu

Alden Wicker

Jaina Grey

Julian Chokkattu

Adrienne So

Simon Hill

Jaina Grey

Adrienne So

TurboTax coupon: Up to an extra $15 off all tax services

Extra 20% off sitewide - Dyson promo code

GoPro Promo Code: 10% off all sitewide purchases + free shipping

Samsung promo code - Up to 40% off sitewide

Dell coupon code: Grab a 10% off with Military discount

Take as much as $800 Off iPhone 14 series with Best Buy discount Code