We're often asked where to find sustainable wedding dresses, and frankly, it's a pretty complicated subject. There is no universally agreed-upon definition for sustainable fashion, which makes things tricky - there are lots of factors to consider, including what the garment is made of, its carbon footprint, how much the garment factory worker was paid to produce it, and where it's going to end up after you're finished wearing it.

The good news is that wedding dresses pose a unique opportunity to make sustainable, eco-friendly and ethical choices, and look fabulous while doing it! So let us break down the how and where to source a sustainable wedding dress.

Dress by Kindred of Ireland

What is a Sustainable Wedding Dress?

There's no clear definition of sustainable fashion, but in general terms, it's safe to say that it's about limiting the social and environmental impact of your clothing. This means that many, many kinds of wedding dresses can be described as sustainable wedding dresses. We've rounded up the main examples here;

• Second-hand wedding dresses - ReBride, Etsy, Ebay, Adverts, Still White etc.
• Vintage or upcycled wedding dresses
• Custom-made, bespoke or made-to-measure wedding dresses
• Rented or borrowed wedding dresses
• Wedding dresses made from organic fabrics
• Wedding dresses made from Fair Trade-certified fabrics
• Wedding dresses made from deadstock or vintage fabrics
• Wedding dresses made from recycled materials
• Wedding dresses made from natural, plant-based, recyclable or biodegradable fabrics

Dress by Bespoke Bridal

• Locally-made wedding dresses
• Wedding dresses made by anyone who earns a living wage, i.e. ethical production
• Low-waste or zero-waste wedding dresses, i.e. made by a label employing low-waste cutting techniques
• Wedding dresses made by brands with eco-friendly initiatives, for example, compostable packaging or carbon neutral delivery
• Wedding dresses made by brands with charitable initiatives, like Brides Do Good.

Dress by Aoife Kennedy Bridal

As you can see, there are lots of options out there for brides when it comes to sustainable wedding dresses, but, this also makes the shopping process quite complicated! For example, a Fair Trade gown handcrafted by artisans in a design studio in Australia ticks lots of boxes, but if it has to be shipped by plane to a bride in Ireland, its carbon footprint will be pretty high.

The Dolly Dress by Rewritten

A locally-made dress would have a lower environmental impact, but your designer may not have access to sustainably-produced fabrics. Fully ethical, eco-friendly and sustainable wedding dresses are a very rare find, but don't let this discourage or intimidate you. Sustainable fashion is not about making perfect choices, it's about making better choices!

Summer Dress by Grace Loves Lace

Our Top Tips for Choosing Sustainable Wedding Dresses

• When choosing a sustainable wedding dress, our top piece of advice is to focus on one area of sustainability that's particularly important to you, and start your search there. You can do this by re-reading the list above and noting the types of wedding dress that you feel drawn to. For some brides, this might be a wedding dress in a plant-based fabric that fits with their vegan ethos, while others are more interested in minimising the human impact of their gown.
• Personal style plays a huge role here, too. Maybe you're a lifelong wearer of vintage clothing, you've always dreamed of having a dress made for you from scratch, or you're the kind of fashion-forward gal who loves to take risks with her wardrobe! Remember that, sustainable or not, you should feel comfortable in your wedding dress and excited to wear it.
• Be realistic about the kind of dress you want, and how much you're willing to compromise for sustainability, and whatever you do, don't be too hard on yourself. The very fact that you're reading this feature tells us that you're a very conscious consumer!

• Don't discount well-known bridal designers just because you can't find any mention of sustainability on their website. Many designer bridal brands score quite high on the sustainability scale because their dresses are made to measure, require the employment of highly-skilled seamstresses, and are made using luxury fabrics. It's always worth asking the staff at a bridal boutique where they're stocked, or emailing the brand directly for more information on their practices.
• Before you go looking for bridal brands that specifically market themselves as sustainable, investigate what's available in the bridal boutiques in your area. One huge advantage of shopping at a boutique is that the staff will have a far higher level of information on the items they stock, compared to the staff at a high street store. A one-on-one appointment provides a unique opportunity to learn all about how their brands operate, and there's a really good chance that you'll find a dress you love that's ethically manufactured, or is made from sustainable fabrics. Check out our favourite bridal boutiques in Ireland here.

Dress by Celtic Fusion Design

• Consider a designer in your area who specialises in bespoke or custom-made wedding dresses. Their dresses will be ethically and locally manufactured, with a low carbon footprint, and the designer should be able to offer you a wide range of fabrics to choose from. Cost depends hugely on the style and fabrics you go for, but it's worth bearing in mind that bespoke dresses tend to be priced in line with similar gowns from high-end boutiques. Our favourite bespoke bridal designers in Ireland are Bespoke Bridal, Aoife Kennedy Bridal, Celtic Fusion Design, Sarah Foy Couture, Margaret Coyne Couture, Mizz Rio, Not Another White Dress and Sharon Hoey.

The Juliet Dress by Rolling in Roses

Sustainable Wedding Dress Designers and Brands: Some Options

As mentioned above, there are lots of sustainable wedding dress options out there that aren't marketed as sustainable, but should still be included in your wedding dress search. Here, we wanted to give shout-outs to some bridal brands and designers who are well-known for incorporating sustainable practices into their work. We've even included links to where you can find more information on how they operate!

• Cirq | Sustainable bridal boutique, preloved and restored wedding dresses
• Kindred of Ireland | Ethical and sustainable production
• Leila Hafzi | Sustainable production
• Indie Bride London | Sustainable production, low-waste cutting techniques, natural, locally-sourced materials
• Kamperett | Ethical production, sustainably sourced materials
• Georgia Young Couture | Ethical production
• Jenny Yoo | Ethical production
• Medusa London | Dresses made from 100% GOTS certified organic peace silk, cruelty-free & biodegradable
• Carol Hannah | Sustainable dresses made from leftover fabrics, local production
• Laudae | Ethical production, deadstock fabrics
• Scout | Sustainable production, Scout also plants a tree for every gown purchased
• Goli June | Ethical and inclusive production
• Sanyukta Shrestha | Ethical production
• Cortana Bridal | Ethical production
• Reformation Bridal | Sustainable production
• Rewritten | Sustainable production
• Bibilux | Sustainable and ethical production
• Christy Dawn Bridal | Ethical production, vintage and deadstock fabrics
• Here You Are Bridal | Vintage, deadstock and sustainable materials
• Rita Colson | All materials are sourced ethically and sustainably
• Grace Loves Lace | Ethical production
• Wear Your Love | Ethical production, vegan fabrics
• Leanne Marshall Bridal | Ethical production, sustainable fabrics
• Sister Organics | Handmade to order, organic & sustainable fabrics
• Pure Magnolia | Sustainable production, natural fabrics, low-waste practices
• Lost in Paris | Vintage fabrics
• Anita Dongre Bridal | Sustainable production
• Larimeloom | Ethical production
• Sabina Motasem | Sustainable, eco-friendly and ethical production
• Rolling in Roses | Sustainable, ethically produced, organic & eco-friendly, vegan alternatives to silk

Looking for ways to make your wedding more sustainable? You'll find lots more ideas in this sustainable wedding advice post, and on this episode of the One Fab Day wedding podcast!

Listen & Subscribe to The One Fab Day Wedding Podcast