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13 Ethical Brands That Reclaim Being "Made In China"

It doesn't matter where something is made, but how it's made.

Unless otherwise specified, all sizes in this post are listed in women’s.

1. Chunks sparks loads of hair joy with quirky and colorful clips that'll make you feel like you're in a better, cooler version of the '90s. Their high-quality accessories are thick hair-friendly and proudly made in Jinhua, China, working to dispel negative "Made in China" stereotypes.

2. Mr. Water New York is based in (you guessed it) New York, but its clothes are produced in a Chinese factory owned by the brand — no third-party partners involved. Known for statement-making dresses and down coats, their designs often require intricate hand sewing and embroidery, so their team of skilled seamstresses is paid higher than average for their highly skilled work.

3. Avre recycles water bottles to make their ultra-comfy, ultra-chic sneakers. Their designs check all the boxes — moisture-wicking, flexible, durable, and washable — and are produced at a factory in Dong Guan, China that employs wastewater and energy reduction strategies to lower its carbon footprint.

4. Dagne Dover creates problem-solving bags that make it easy to stay organized even when you've got a million places to be. Their designs are pretty, not precious, made from easy-to-care-for materials in Chinese and Filipino factories that work with many other global designer brands.

5. LEZÉ The Label is committed to stylish comfort, designing earth-friendly clothes that look polished but seriously (I can attest) feel like pajamas. They proudly partner with a Taiwanese-Canadian family who's been in the textile biz since the '80s, with facilities located in Taiwan and China that pay 15% above industry standards and boast 80% women in leadership roles.

6. Canopy Verde understands the importance of versatility, creating multi-tasking bags that look great and are better for the planet. Its Brooklyn-based founder, Linda Wong, works with a long-time trusted friend and partner to manufacture her bags at a woman-owned facility in China, and was an Etsy Designer Award finalist!

7. Loop Swim transforms post-consumer plastic waste into stylish swimsuits — each bikini top contains six recycled plastic bottles! The entire supply chain (which the founders regularly visit in-person) is located in China's Fujian province, and their 90 garment workers more than double the monthly minimum wage.

8. Rifruf protects puppy paws from physical and fashion disasters alike with stylish shoes even discerning sneakerheads would approve of. Their kicks are manufactured in Quanzhou, China by factories with dog shoe expertise that use 100% vegan materials.

9. Caraa is inspired by the brand's two Chinese-born, Spain-raised founders and their need for a beautiful yet practical bag to adjust to the fast pace of New York City living. The luxury brand crafts every piece to seamlessly blend form and function, doing the bulk of its manufacturing in China, with smaller collections produced in Italy and Vietnam.

10. Xiaolizi merges classic silhouettes with modern details, employing a small but mighty team of 11 to create their twirl-worthy dresses, skirts, and coats from their studio in Jiaozuo, China. Each piece is made to order and carefully quality-controlled by hand before arriving on your doorstep.

11. Freja New York engineers splurge-worthy, small-batch staple bags to ground your wardrobe. We're talking ultra-functional work totes with pockets aplenty and surprisingly roomy shoulder bags — each created at a small, family-owned Chinese factory with the health of both people and planet in mind.

12. D&M Leather Studio is a celebration of top-notch leather goods and family — it was founded by two brothers! They've since grown to a team of seven, handmaking every tech case, journal, and belt from their sunny studio in Suzhou, China.

13. Linennaive always puts comfort first; the fact that their Earth-friendly clothes are all effortlessly chic is just a fun bonus! The brand creates everything in its own Shenzhen, China-based studio and employs fair trade principles like paying the farmers and nomadic herders responsible for their fabric 50% more than traditional traders.

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