It’s time for another sustainable fashion guide! This time, I’m showcasing the best sustainable tights in my wardrobe, as well as the best ethical tights brands here in the UK.
I really love a good pair of tights. They’re one of my favourite ways to make an outfit more playful, adding a pattern or collection of symbols to my typically monochrome outfits. They also look great in varying deniers. And of course, they’re an easy way to winterise a summer outfit, or enjoy transitioning the seasons without needing to change up your core outfit rotation.
Here’s a run-down of what to look for in tights, and peek into my hosiery drawer too…
What To Look For In Sustainable Tights
When it comes to finding tights that have positive credentials, I recommend looking for the following:
- Transparent supply chains. It’s good to know who is making your tights, and that they are being treated well and paid a living wage. After all, people make up one third of the ‘people, planet, profit’ mantra! Sustainable fashion brands tend to share details of the people who make their clothes as standard, so anywhere that keeps this a mystery is already waving a red flag.
- Sustainable materials. In my guide to sustainable fabrics, I shared 15 different textiles I consider better for the planet (and much, much better than polyester, which is the fashion industry’s #1 textile). For tights, it’s quite hard to move away from synthetic fibres, so I recommend looking for recycled or regenerated materials, or if appropriate, cotton or wool.
- Slow production. Nobody wants to be buying a new pair of tights every week, so finding tights that are designed to last is important. One of the main aims of sustainable fashion movement is to slow down the production of clothes, so finding tights that last is key.
- Circular design. Tights are a brilliant example of a garment that can be made from just one material, so I recommend choosing tights made from a mono-material if you can. Clothing made with just one material has a much higher chance of being recycled, and this is true of tights as well.
My Favourite Sustainable Tights
Polka Dot Tights from Swedish Stockings
I have a six pairs of tights that I wear regularly. My most beloved pair have to be my polka-dot tights from Swedish Stockings. These are so much fun, and they soften a lot of my outfits, even when paired with my favourite blazer and stomping boots.
Over the years I’ve tried to find my style and avoid trends, so a lot of my wardrobe is made up of classic items in muted colours. To that end, I really do like how these tights add a playfulness, and can be switched in and out more easily than other items in my wardrobe (see below for more on tights recycling).
Biodegradable Tights from Billi London
Next in line are my cross-hatch style tights. These are the Coco Tights from Billi London. Sadly, Billi had to close its doors last year, and it’s a real shame as they had pioneered the world’s most biodegradable tights. That being said, I’ll cherish my Coco Tights for as long as they’ll last me! They’re perfectly sheer – 20 denier – and have an interesting pattern to boot.
Sheer Knee-Highs from Swedish Stockings
I also wanted to spotlight my sheer knee-high stockings in this guide. They’re also from Swedish Stockings – whose tights I swear by – and these have lasted me a good few years now. They’re beautifully soft and stay up effortlessly.
8 Of The Best Sustainable Tights Brands In The UK
Alongside my personal favourites, there are lots of other great sustainable tights brands selling in the UK. Here are a few to bookmark:
Bonbon Lingerie*: Mesh stockings in a range of styles and colours, made with recycled materials.
Hedoine*: Sheer and fishnet style tights and stockings, made with sustainable materials.
Heist*: Cult foundation-wear brand making gusset-free tights for a better fit.
Pretty Polly’s Eco-Wear: Check out Pretty Polly’s Eco-Wear range, made with biodegradable polyamide that’s also recyclable.
Sheertex: B-Corp certified tights producer and known for being really strong! I’m hoping to review these soon.
Swedish Stockings: Tights and knee-highs all made from sustainable and recycled materials.
Thought Clothing: Block coloured tights in a range of colours, made from bamboo and recycled nylon.
Wolford’s Natural Fibre Hosiery: Heritage hosiery brand Wolford has a recycled and natural fibre collection.
P.S. Here’s How To Recycle Old Tights…
And once you’ve got your new tights, what are you going to do with the old ones? Recycle them of course!
A number of the above brands offer their own recycling programs, including:
If you would prefer to donate your tights to charity, I recommend following my guide to charity clothes donations. For snagged and ripped tights, you can also put these in a clothes recycling bank, such as those operated by The Salvation Army.
Looking for more sustainable hosiery? Check out my guide to sustainable socks!
