An outfit that is always in fashion? Go for timeless basics!

Why let yourself be tempted by huge discounts and fast-passing trends when you have sustainable basics that will last a lifetime? Upgrade your wardrobe with some timeless basics, and you’ll always look stylish! At COSH! we give you some tips on what you should pay attention to when buying the right basics, and we will list our favourite sustainable basic brands so that you can enjoy them even longer!

What should you pay attention to when buying basics?

If you’re looking for a new timeless and quality piece that is easy to combine with the rest of your wardrobe, you’ve come to the right place! At COSH! we give you tips on what to look out for when purchasing a new basic item.

Style and fit

A good, durable basic distinguishes itself from fast fashion brands by a good fit. Is the T‑shirt too short or too long? Is the hood of that cool hoodie comfortable? But it also has everything to do with preferences of your personal style. Do you prefer a tight or wide T‑shirt? Is the length of that jacket suitable for your body? Do you like a more basic fit or can it be a little more edgy? Ask yourself a number of questions that are important to you, so you can make a conscious choice for a new purchase.

Comfort

When you buy a new basic garment, you naturally want it to fit so well that you never want to take it off again. Therefore, pay attention to comfort with a basic item. Is it a soft fabric that feels nice on my skin? Is the fit good enough for me to move around effortlessly? By asking yourself these questions before you buy a new piece of clothing, you increase the chance that you’ll wear it more often and with more pleasure!

(More) Sustainable materials

Do you want to make a timeless and an ecological purchase? An important aspect in the field of sustainability is the material. Many basics are made from 100% natural materials, which are often better for people and the environment. Natural materials often feel nicer on the skin and fabrics made from 100% the same raw material are much easier to recycle than fabrics with a combination. You can also check whether a basic garment is made of, for example, organic certified cotton, mulesing-free wool or Tencel.

Locally and fairly made

Do you want to tick all the boxes when buying a sustainable basic item? Then investigate whether the brand produces the garments in a fair and/​or local way. A garment that is produced in the Netherlands or Europe, for example, has to travel a shorter distance in terms of transport (so more sustainable!). But a garment produced outside Europe can also be made completely sustainably. Always check whether the brand ever visits the factory and/​or whether they have quality marks. This way you can assume that your garment has been produced in a safe way and for a fair wage.

At COSH! we realize that this research can sometimes be a difficult, confusing and time-consuming task. Could you use some help with this? Then take a look at the COSH! brand checker, where we have already researched more than 400 brands for sustainability with our own research team! This makes it easier for you to make a sustainable choice with your next purchase.

Find the most beautiful sustainable basic brands with COSH!

Ragnarøk

Are you looking for a basic T‑shirt? At Ragnarøk you order a t‑shirt of 100% Tencel in the webshop and your order will be made to order by their tailor Zagros Brim within 2 weeks and delivered to you.

To increase awareness of overconsumption to consumers, you can pay for a maximum of 2 T‑shirts per order. Curious about how sustainable Ragnarok is?

Colorful standard

Do you want a good basic T‑shirt, hoodie or tracksuit in a beautiful, distinct color? At Colorful Standard you’ll find sustainable basics for men and women in all colors of the rainbow. The clothing is produced in Portugal and made from 100% certified organic cotton and recycled merino wool. Look stylish in Colorful Standard’s colorful essentials.

Colorful standard is available at Tally Ho and WhatTheF in Amsterdam, Moose in the City in Antwerp and Harvest Club in Leuven.

Re|claimed tee

Looking for a circular, local and social T‑shirt? Then take a look at the basic T‑shirts for women from Re|claimed tee! The T‑shirts are made from recycled and biodegradable materials. The composition is 30% cotton waste and 70% sustainable wood pulp from Tencel. The fabric is then dyed with natural dyes such as indigo, avocado pits and peels and gall in the Roua Atelier, among others. In addition, the T‑shirts are made locally in Amsterdam, by the social workplace Makers Unite!

The basic T‑shirts from Re|claimed are available at Het Faire Oosten and through the Re|claimed webshop.

HNST

Did you know that the sustainable jeans brand HNST also sells nice basic T‑shirts for men and women? The T‑shirts are available in black and white and made from a fairly thick organic cotton fabric. The composition is 80% recycled cotton and 20% organic cotton. The brand itself originates from Belgium and the production is done in Portugal: all in Europe!

HNST basics are available at all Supergoods stores and at the HNST headquarters in Mechelen.

Archivist

Looking for a timeless and durable shirt? Then take a look at the Amsterdam brand Archivist. Here you’ll find beautiful, circular shirts of the most luxurious fabrics, because they are made from discarded luxury hotel sheets, such as high-quality Egyptian cotton! The shirts are produced in a fair way in a family workshop in Romania.

Curious about our entire sustainability research of Archivist? Read it here!

New Optimist

Looking for sustainable basics with special details, colors or fits? Then the Amsterdam brand New Optimist is something for you! New Optimist works with timeless but unique designs that are quite gender neutral. All clothing is made of 100% GOTS certified cotton and is locally and circularly made in the shop/​atelier in Amsterdam-West. Here you can even see the entire making process in the back of the store!

Ridges & Steam

Do you like basics but can it also be a bit more playful? Then take a look at the collection of the Belgian brand Ridges & Steam. Here you’ll find oversized sweaters and regular fit T‑shirts in timeless colors with fun embroidery on the chest, for women, men and children. The super soft basics made of recycled and organic cotton are fairly made in a Portuguese family business.

Curious about how sustainable Ridges & Steam is? Read our sustainability report here!

HOWL

Do you want to invest in quality, timeless designer garments with a minimal impact on the environment? Then you’re at the right place at the sustainable Belgian fashion label HOWL. Here you’ll find capsule collections including basic T‑shirts, tops and long sleeves for both men and women. At HOWL they don’t work with seasons and the garments are timeless and carefully designed, so they quickly become your most worn item!

The HOWL collection is available in the brand flagship store in Antwerp, which is open every Saturday.

Lovetrigger

At Lovetrigger you’re at the right place for the best urban classics! The Dutch designer of Lovetrigger, Maarten Lambach, is a lover of the urban lifestyle and that is reflected in the cool designs. All clothing is made as locally as possible, both in the Netherlands, Portugal and Turkey, from organic cotton. For coats or jackets, for example, they use recycled materials such as recycled PET bottles.

Lovetrigger regularly organizes pop-ups in Amsterdam, so you can try on their clothes.

Abelone Wilhelmsen

Stylish sustainable basics with Scandinavian elements: you’ll find it at Abelone Wilhelmsen! All clothing is made locally in Belgium from mainly natural materials such as GOTS-certified cotton and viscose or deadstock materials. At Abelone Wilhelmsen they don’t work with seasons, they work with small editions and most designs are gender neutral. Invest in a high-quality item and enjoy it for years to come!

The sustainable basics from Abelone Wilhelmsen are available at the Abelone Wilhelmsen Concept Store and Dressr in Antwerp.

Teym

Looking for timeless classics to complement your capsule wardrobe? Then you have come to the right place at Teym in Amsterdam! From the classic Chelsea boot to a timeless merino wool sweater that you can keep wearing season after season: Teym’s collection will certainly not disappoint! At Teym you invest in high-quality garments that you will enjoy for years to come.

Kalani

In addition to soft, durable and high-quality bed linen, the Belgian brand Kalani also sells sustainable basics. Think of wonderfully comfortable and unisex hoodies, sweaters, jogging pants and T‑shirts. But also nice tank tops, T‑shirt dresses and shorts for women in soft, basic colors. The clothing is mostly made from certified organic cotton and produced in a fair way in a sustainably certified factory in Bangladesh.

Want to know more about how sustainable Kalani is? Read all about it in our sustainability report!

Organic Basics

From sustainable and basic underwear, T‑shirts and sportswear for both men and women: Organic Basics got you covered! The basic brand has been very popular for a while and this is especially noticeable in the number of stores on COSH! which are selling this sustainable brand! You can find Organic Basics at: Tally-Ho and VEGA-LIFE in Amsterdam, Up To Do Good at Schiphol Amsterdam, at TheGreenLabels, at KIEZ and Moose In The City in Antwerp, at all Supergoods stores and at Harvest Club in Leuven.

Jan ​‘n June

Looking for trendy and minimalist clothing that you can enjoy for a long time? Then take a look at the collection of Jan ​‘n June. Each garment has its own ECO-ID, whereby as a dye-hard eco fashion researcher you can find out in which factory the garment was stitched. The collections are made of mostly sustainable materials such as organic cotton, Tencel, recycled polyester, organic linen, recycled polyamide, recycled cotton and Tenowa (“Textile No Waste”) and produced in a fair way.

Jan ​‘n June is available in stores affiliated with COSH!, such as at all Supergoods stores, HOST in Berchem, Harvest Club in Leuven and Pek en Kleren and BrandMission in Amsterdam.

Filippa K

Another brand that has been loved for years by lovers of timeless, quality and minimalist clothing is the Scandinavian brand Filippa K. The designs are always very stylish and made of high-quality sustainable materials, such as 100% organic cotton and 100% mulesing-free merino wool.

You can find Filippa K at the clothing library LENA Library in Amsterdam and at PURE in Mechelen.