Wear Your Values Holiday Gift Guide

Wear Your Values aims to raise awareness about the human rights abuses worldwide that occur throughout the fashion industry’s supply chains. At a time when 1 in 5 cotton garments around the world are likely made with forced labor, it is more important than ever that we, as consumers, do our due diligence to ensure that the people behind the clothes were not subject to mass human rights abuses.

This holiday season, HRF’s WYV team is making ethical gifting easier! We have carefully selected brands and designers who create by our values — that means from the raw materials to the manufacturing to the finished product, their supply chains are free of forced labor.  

We know that the lack of transparency, accountability, and regulation within the fashion industry means that ensuring your closet reflects your values is challenging.  

As the world becomes inundated with advertisements, sales, and never-ending choices, we want to make it easier for you to shop with a clear conscience. We’ve curated a list of a few of our favorite brands and products that are aligned with our mission, which is to promote and protect the lives of those around the world. The fashion industry is one of the world’s largest industries and employs millions of people globally. Countries ruled by authoritarian regimes often house the most labor-intensive stages of production, leaving workers extremely susceptible to human rights violations without any path of recourse. WYV aims to promote transparency in global supply chains and create awareness of the hidden social costs of the industry.  

The list supports ethical fashion brands by using our platform to uplift designers who dedicate the time and resources needed to ensure their products are not tainted with forced labor. And they do so despite the many barriers they face.  

Through careful consideration and research, we selected brands that are transparent about their production practices, do their best to use sustainable materials, and ensure a commitment to human rights standards throughout their entire supply chain. We select brands with third-party certifications, such as Fair Trade, GOTS, B Corp, OEKO-TEX, and GRS, and contact the brands directly to ask about their practices. Even though some of these certifications ignore democratic standards of the countries companies source raw materials from, we believe they are on average generally reliable as to certifying that supply chains have stayed away from forced labor. However, we encourage consumers to do as much research as possible when it comes to human rights violations, rather than relying on these certifications. 

Finally, while we primarily focus on brands and designers based in democracies, in line with HRF’s mission, our list also highlights a few brands and designers in countries ruled by hybrid-authoritarian regimes who aren’t connected to their host governments and are doing positive work in the difficult environments they operate in. 

Based in Taiwan, designer Pei Wen Jin uses zero-waste pattern cutting, upcycling, and modular clothing to experiment with circular design innovation for a more sustainable fashion industry. 

Deux Mains, or “Two Hands,” produces FairTrade fashion out of a solar-powered, women-owned factory in Haiti, born out of the desire to craft artisanal pieces that empower employment and community in the country. 

Using recycled rubber and other discarded materials, CHAMAR crafts their bags in the name of justice and social reframing for the Dalit community in India. 

With the mission to support a long-term sustainable economy in Kenya, zuri partners with artisans from a line of textiles made with 100% Kenyan-sourced cotton to hand-printed Ghanaian textiles and Fair Trade-certified hand-woven pieces from West Bengal. Their factory, SOKO, incorporates solar energy, and they pay living wages and paid leave and provide financial literacy and technical training programs for the factory’s community. 

Crafted by artisans in Ethiopia, lemlem makes garments from Ethiopian-grown, spun, and hand-woven cotton in traditional, cultural patterns. Their foundation partners with Ethiopian and Kenyan artisan communities to support women’s empowerment through technical skill development and education. 

Founded by Ukrainian designer Yasia Khomenko, RCR KHOMENKO prints colorful patterns on upcycled sweatshirts, t-shirts, and button-downs. Yasia debuted in fashion by creating garments out of curtains, tablecloths, and her sister’s old wardrobe, but after the war began, she pivoted to reworking clothes through xomehko that were donated to refugee centers and humanitarian aid organizations, raising money for Ukrainian refugees. 

Putting people and the planet first, 100% of the home goods offered by The Citizenry are fair trade certified by the World Fair Trade Organization. Sourcing home goods from all over the world, each piece is carefully crafted by artisans who are paid 2x the fair trade wage requirement. 

Based in India, CORD prioritizes authentic craftsmanship with hand-drawn prints and traditional manufacturing techniques. They use ethically sourced leather and natural fibers in all their products. 

Cuyana’s bags and accessories are sourced with 100% sustainable materials and made by craftspeople from all over the world. They partner with individuals for each material, prioritizing family-owned small businesses and certifications such as Blue Sign, GOTS, FSC, and GRS. Their leather production is certified by the Leather Working Group and ISO standards.  

Made in Peru by local artisans, Ayni is focused on promoting traditional weaving craftsmanship and sustainability. Their clothes are made from alpaca, organic pima cotton, and recycled yarn, using only natural dyes. They also established a program to help facilitate training and provide employment for locals in Amantani. 

This holiday season, Wear Your Values encourages everyone to gift with value, ensuring that every present supports ethical practices, empowers communities, and aligns with the values of freedom and human rights.

Ella Johnson is a Wear Your Values intern at the Human Rights Foundation.