As environmental awareness grows, many consumers seek clothing that aligns with their values without compromising on quality or style. The trench coat, with its emphasis on durability and timeless design, actually embodies many sustainable fashion principles—when chosen thoughtfully.
This comprehensive guide explores sustainable materials, ethical manufacturing practices, and mindful purchasing strategies for the environmentally conscious trench coat buyer.
Why the Trench Coat Suits Sustainable Fashion
Before examining specific sustainable options, consider why the trench coat fundamentally aligns with sustainable fashion principles:
- Timeless Design: The trench coat's classic silhouette transcends trends, reducing the temptation to replace it with each fashion cycle.
- Durability Focus: Quality trench coats are designed for longevity, reducing the frequency of replacement.
- Versatility: A single well-chosen trench coat serves multiple occasions, reducing the need for multiple outerwear pieces.
- Repair-Friendly: Traditional construction allows for repairs and alterations, extending useful life.
Often, the most sustainable trench coat is one you already own or one purchased secondhand. Before buying new, consider whether existing options could serve your needs or whether quality pre-owned alternatives exist.
Sustainable Materials
Organic Cotton
Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilisers, or genetically modified seeds. For trench coats, organic cotton gabardine offers the traditional look and feel with significantly reduced environmental impact.
- Environmental Benefits: Reduced chemical runoff, healthier soil, lower carbon footprint compared to conventional cotton.
- Performance: Identical to conventional cotton gabardine in durability, breathability, and appearance.
- Certifications to Look For: GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification ensures both organic content and ethical processing.
Recycled Materials
Modern textile technology transforms recycled materials into high-quality fabrics suitable for outerwear:
- Recycled Polyester: Made from post-consumer plastic bottles, recycled polyester reduces plastic waste while creating durable, water-resistant fabric. Quality recycled polyester is indistinguishable from virgin material.
- Recycled Wool: Reclaimed wool fibres from pre-consumer waste or post-consumer garments create new fabric with lower environmental impact than virgin wool production.
- Recycled Cotton: Cotton scraps and worn garments can be mechanically recycled into new fabric, though current technology produces slightly shorter fibres than virgin cotton.
Many "recycled" garments contain a blend of recycled and virgin materials. Check specific percentages—a coat with 30% recycled content is better than 0%, but significantly less impactful than 100% recycled fabric. Transparency about content indicates genuine commitment.
Tencel™ and Lyocell
These fibres, made from sustainably harvested wood pulp using closed-loop processing (where solvents are recycled), offer excellent environmental credentials:
- Environmental Benefits: Biodegradable, derived from renewable resources, produced in a low-waste process.
- Performance: Soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking. Often blended with other fibres for trench coat applications.
- Considerations: Pure Tencel may lack the structure traditional trench coats require, so it's typically found in blends or more casual styles.
Hemp
Hemp grows quickly with minimal water and no pesticides, making it one of the most environmentally friendly natural fibres:
- Environmental Benefits: Low water use, natural pest resistance, soil improvement properties.
- Performance: Extremely durable, naturally antimicrobial, softens with wear while maintaining strength.
- Appearance: Hemp fabric has a distinctive texture that may appear more casual than traditional gabardine. Modern processing can create smoother finishes.
Ethical Manufacturing Considerations
Sustainable materials mean little if produced under exploitative conditions. Ethical manufacturing encompasses:
Fair Labour Practices
- Living Wages: Workers receive compensation adequate for basic needs, not just legal minimum wages.
- Safe Conditions: Factories meet safety standards, provide protective equipment, and maintain healthy environments.
- Reasonable Hours: Workers aren't subjected to excessive overtime or punitive scheduling.
- Freedom of Association: Workers can organize and advocate for their interests.
Certifications and Transparency
Look for these indicators of ethical production:
- Fair Trade Certification: Ensures fair prices and good conditions for producers.
- B Corp Certification: Companies meeting high standards of social and environmental performance.
- SA8000: Certification for humane workplaces.
- Supply Chain Transparency: Brands willing to disclose where and how products are made demonstrate accountability.
Visit brand websites and look for detailed information about manufacturing locations and practices. Brands committed to ethics typically share this information prominently. Vague claims without specifics warrant scepticism.
The Secondhand Option
Purchasing pre-owned trench coats offers significant sustainability benefits while often providing access to quality exceeding your new-purchase budget.
Benefits of Secondhand
- Zero New Production: No additional resources consumed in manufacturing.
- Extended Garment Life: Keeps quality items from landfill.
- Access to Quality: Premium brands become affordable, meaning you can own a genuinely excellent coat.
- Unique Finds: Vintage pieces offer styles and construction no longer commonly available.
Where to Find Quality Secondhand
- Luxury Consignment: Curated resellers specialising in premium brands ensure authentication and quality.
- Online Marketplaces: Platforms specialising in secondhand fashion offer wide selection with buyer protections.
- Vintage Shops: Local vintage stores may have unique finds, particularly classic styles.
- Estate Sales: Can yield exceptional quality items at modest prices.
What to Check When Buying Secondhand
- Examine fabric for wear, thin spots, or sun fading
- Check all buttons and hardware
- Inspect lining for tears or wear
- Smell for persistent odours (some don't clean out)
- Verify the coat can be professionally cleaned
- Assess whether any needed repairs are feasible and affordable
Longevity as Sustainability
Perhaps the most impactful sustainable choice is buying quality and keeping it for decades. Consider these longevity strategies:
Invest in Quality
A more expensive coat that lasts 20 years has less environmental impact than four cheap coats over the same period—even before considering the superior experience of wearing quality daily.
Choose Timeless Over Trendy
Classic designs remain wearable regardless of fashion cycles. Trendy details date quickly, tempting replacement even when the coat remains functional.
Maintain Properly
Proper care dramatically extends garment life. Follow care instructions, store correctly, and address issues promptly. A well-maintained coat serves much longer than a neglected one.
Repair Rather Than Replace
When issues arise, consider repair before replacement. Buttons can be replaced, seams restitched, and minor damage often repaired affordably. Professional invisible mending can address even significant fabric damage.
Before purchasing any garment, ask: "Will I wear this at least 30 times?" This simple test helps avoid impulse purchases and ensures new items genuinely serve your wardrobe. Quality trench coats easily exceed this threshold—often by hundreds of wears.
Making Sustainable Choices Practical
Budget Considerations
Sustainable options sometimes cost more upfront, but several strategies make them accessible:
- Cost-Per-Wear Thinking: A $400 coat worn 200 times costs $2 per wear. This perspective often justifies quality investment.
- Secondhand Premium: Buying secondhand grants access to sustainable, quality brands at fraction of retail.
- Wait for Sales: Sustainable brands run sales too. Sign up for notifications and plan purchases strategically.
- One Quality Piece: Rather than multiple mediocre coats, invest in one excellent piece that serves all needs.
When Sustainable Options Don't Fit Your Needs
Sometimes the perfect sustainable option doesn't exist for your specific requirements. In these cases:
- Choose the most sustainable option among available choices
- Commit to caring for the garment to maximise its lifespan
- Donate or resell when you're finished rather than discarding
- Support sustainability in other purchasing decisions
Beyond Purchase: Complete Lifecycle Thinking
Care and Cleaning
Extend sustainability thinking to garment care:
- Choose eco-friendly dry cleaners using gentler solvents
- Avoid over-cleaning—spot clean when possible
- Air between wears rather than immediately cleaning
End of Life
When a coat truly reaches end of useful life:
- Donation: If wearable, donate to charity shops or shelters
- Textile Recycling: Even worn-out natural fibres can be recycled into insulation or industrial cloths
- Upcycling: Creative reuse—perhaps a worn coat becomes a bag or cushion cover
Sustainable fashion isn't about perfection—it's about conscious choices that collectively reduce environmental impact. By choosing quality, caring for what you own, and considering environmental factors in purchasing decisions, you contribute to a more sustainable fashion future while still enjoying excellent trench coats.