Situated on a bay on the Irish east coast, Dublin is the capital and the largest city of Ireland. But Dublin is so much more. Would you believe me if I told you that despite its hectic and buzzy appearance Dublin is one of the most sustainable cities out there?
Don’t be skeptical and keep reading the article. And get ready to take notes because I’m sure you’ll find something new… possibly some gems for an upcoming (green!) trip and certainly some useful sustainable fashion shopping tips.
Are you ready? Let’s get into it!
Dublin: the most sustainable fashion capital in Europe
Luckily, the demand for sustainable clothing is increasing day by day. As such, consumers are asking retailers to be more transparent on sustainability and working practices and more accountable for how and where they produce clothes.
According to recent research, it seems that Irish consumers are the most aware in Europe when it comes to sustainability in the fashion industry. It turned out that Dublin is the most sustainably-minded fashion European capital. Indeed, the research’s results show that interest in sustainable fashion in Ireland has increased by 9% so far in 2021 (a whopping 147% increase compared with 2019).
As if that were not enough, the desire for second-hand and vintage clothing is also a top priority to many Irish shoppers.
But the great attention to sustainability is not limited to the fashion industry. Indeed, Dublin has been accepted as 1 of 16 cities bidding to win the European Green Capital 2023 Award.
SunDrift: a Dublin-based sustainable and ethical fashion brand you can’t miss out
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Especially if you’re looking for conscious outdoor products that don’t go unnoticed, SunDrift has what you need. SunDrift is an Irish brand that has made sustainability the core of its business and values. The brand is on a mission to deliver top-class sustainable outdoor gear that looks cool!
They offer colorful and ethical backpacks, towels, and accessories perfect for hiking, swimming, road trips, and more. All of their products are made primarily from recycled polyester and other recycled materials. SunDrift has already helped recover more than 30,000 plastic bottles from the oceans!
Moreover, the brand is committed to offsetting all of the carbon emissions caused by shipping its products around the world by planting trees that are to be enjoyed by animals and humans alike. SunDrift is a 100% vegan brand with prices starting at €19.
Do you want more shopping options? We’ve got you covered! Jump directly into the next paragraph to find out more.
Where else can you buy sustainable fashion clothes in Dublin?
If you’re planning a trip to Dublin, please note down this address: 13 Castle Market, Dublin, D02 XH05, Ireland.
There you’ll find Fresh Cuts, the only multi-brand shop in Dublin entirely dedicated to sustainable and ethical clothing – two whole floors! Can you imagine that place? It must be like heaven.
Fresh Cuts
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The story of Fresh cuts started in 2015 whit a few collections of high-quality, ethical, and sustainable daily minimal basics for “the everyday folk of Dublin and beyond”, just as they love to say.
The growth has been organic since then, as such they decided to include other brands from around Ireland and Europe that meet and respect high-quality standards. There is one essential requirement to partner with Fresh Cuts: clothes have to be made from sustainable materials – from organic and recycled cotton to bamboo and recycled polyester – and ethically manufactured in certified factories.
Fresh Cuts is on a mission to let us shop carefree in their store: everything there is eco-friendly, made to last, and manufactured under fair and safe working conditions.
What brands can you find in the Fresh Cuts clothing store?
19 of the best men’s and women’s ethical brands, including Armedangels, Eco Alf, Mud Jeans, Girlfriend Collective, and many others… all in the same place!
If you won’t be around Dublin soon, don’t worry! Fresh Cuts has a great online shop as well.
Where to buy vintage and second-hand clothes in Dublin?
Of course, it’d be hard to write about the Dublin sustainable fashion panorama without mentioning some of the beautiful Irish second-hand and vintage shops. That’s why we’ve created a list of our favorite places around Dublin and can’t wait any longer to share them with you.
Ok then, let’s see what Dublin has to offer.
1. Dublin Vintage Factory
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Dublin Vintage Factory is an Irish premiere vintage clothing store for both women and men. With over 10 years in the industry, their goal is to bring us top-quality vintage garments from around the world at affordable prices.
In their “kilo store” based in the heart of Temple Bar in Dublin, all clothing is sold for €20 per kilo. You can also shop online. Indeed, their online stock is carefully curated by a team of expert pickers and available for online purchase or in-store pickup.
Dublin Vintage Factory has everything you need – literally! Dresses, skirts, blouses, t-shirts, denim, sportswear, kimonos, knitwear, nightwear… and even 80s prom dresses!
Dublin Vintage Factory also has vintage curtains, blankets, and fabrics for your home.
Where in Dublin: 1 Merchant’s Arch, Temple Bar, Dublin, D02 YD98, Ireland
Online shop: yes
2. Nine Crows
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Nine Crows has both vintage and thrift stores. You may be wondering what’s the difference between vintage stores and thrift stores. Simply put, Nine Crows sells special, one-of-a-kind, and great quality pieces in its vintage stores. The buying team flies all around the world and sorts through thousands of items to find special pieces. Since these vintage pieces are curated and rare, the price point for buying them is higher, and so in turn they are sold at a higher price.
On the other hand, the buying process for their thrift store is completely different. They don’t handpick these pieces but choose the type of clothing item and buy it in bulk. As a small and independently owned company, Nine Crows wants to contribute to a more sustainable way of life and also to make sustainable shopping even more accessible through their newest thrift store.
Where in Dublin: 8 Mary St, North City, Dublin, D01 CY26, Ireland
Online shop: yes
3. Dundrum Village Charity Shop
The last shop on the list is a charity shop: according to us, being sustainable doesn’t just mean taking care of the environment and the fashion workers, it also means spending money with a purpose. That’s why we’d like to recommend a charity shop for your second-hand shopping, aka a shop where you can find unique pieces for a small price and where your money goes to those who need and deserve it.
We recommend you to check out the Dundrum Village, a charity shop where you can find high value yet low cost donated items ranging from shirts to skirts and books to bow ties. All proceeds raised in the shop go to the Women’s Aid National Freephone Helpline and Support Services, which provides support and information to women experiencing domestic violence.
Where in Dublin: 14 Main St, Dundrum, Dublin 16, D14 H0C9, Ireland
Online shop: no
Dublin Sustainable Shopping Tour
If you’re visiting Dublin, or if you live there, here’s a little shopping tour we’ve put together. It features our favorite shops we’ve mentioned above, and some additional shops along the way you shouldn’t miss out on!
It’s only 10 minutes walking, and you can check out 10 of the coolest vintage shops, charity shops, and sustainable clothing stores in Dublin. Have fun!
- Dublin Vintage Factory: no-frills, cool, secondhand shop, 1 Merchant’s Arch, Temple Bar
- Tola Vintage: hip vintage designer & reworked clothing, 10 Fownes Street Upper, Temple Bar
- Lucy’s Lounge: vintage clothing shop, 11 Fownes Street Upper, Temple Bar
- Nine Crows Vintage: vintage clothing shop, 22 Temple Ln S, Temple Bar
- Oxfam George’s Street: charity shop, Wicklow house, 2 South Great George’s Street
- Vincent’s George’s Street: secondhand shop, Unit 11, 73, 83 South Great George’s Street
- Enable Ireland Charity Shop: secondhand shop, 8 S South Great George’s Street
- Patagonia Dublin: sustainable clothing shop, 24-26 Exchequer St
- Designer Exchange: secondhand shop, 35 Exchequer St
- Fresh Cuts Clothing: sustainable clothing store, 13 Castle Market
Bonus tip
Do you want to join sustainable fashion (also online) events in Dublin and around Ireland? There’re a lot of exciting events lining up all around the country every year. Check out the Fashion Revolution Ireland page to stay updated.
Alberta Bernardi
Alberta Bernardi is a Ph.D. in Management, Innovation, and Sustainable Development. She likes to call herself a “sustainability warrior” because she aims to spread knowledge on the environment, ethics, and plastic pollution day after day. Her love of nature and battle against plastic around the world are on Instagram @together_no_plastic
