What does ethical fashion mean to you? To Wearwell, it’s about positive impact. Wearwell is a subscription and styling service focused on ethical fashion. They define ethical fashion as having a positive effect on the world, whether it’s environmental, related to workers’ rights, or both. Every month, their stylists will send you product listings for six new ethical fashion pieces. Items include clothing and jewelry, and they also have a cloth face mask collection.
Wearwell is a subscription service that shares six items catered to your size and fashion sense each month. They carry clothing, accessories, and jewelry in lots of flowy, feminine styles. Think natural fabrics, botanical prints, and wrap tops. Wearwell has an incredible selection of ethical jewelry, some of it made from reclaimed materials. This service is perfect for jewelry and accessory finds, because they’ll introduce you to ethical brands every month.
Wearwell is still a new service, and their focus on ethics means they’re a bit different from more traditional fashion subscriptions.
Pros:
When you shop through Wearwell, you can be sure that the items they carry are from brands that have been thoroughly vetted. Each product page has a little summary on the item’s positive impact, along with fabric content and care details. You don’t have to spend hours searching through brands, trying to find trustworthy, ethical goods. Here’s an example of the details you get about each item:
The monthly subscription and styling fee is low. $8.50 a month is one of the lowest prices I’ve seen, and it’s likely because they don’t ship items unless you buy them. However, the price per month means you can subscribe without worrying too much about fitting the cost into your budget.
Like other subscription services, returns to Wearwell are always free. All you need to do is request a return label so you can print it out and then send your item back for a full refund.
Cons:
Wearwell is different from most subscription and styling services because they don’t send items unless you buy them. Instead, they send you a list of 6 items they have in stock on their website. That means you can’t try things on before you buy them. This cuts down on packaging and the environmental impact of shipping, which fits right in with their mission statement. Most shoppers have come to expect that they can try items on before buying from styling services, though.
They carry a lot of bohemian styles, which makes sense considering incorporation of local traditional arts. However, this style won’t appeal to all customers. I’d like to see some trendier options in their selection.
I wish the company would list the brand names on the items they style for you. Normally, shopping for fair trade and sustainable fashion means doing a lot of research and reading lots of company mission statements. Wearwell collects ethical brands and eliminates the need to do that kind of research. I think ethical shoppers could still benefit from more information about the companies they’re supporting. It’s nice to see some context and more details about how items are made, and by who. Adding the brand name or a quick link to the brand’s website would help customers get a bigger picture of how their purchase fits into ethical fashion.
When you first sign up for Wearwell, they’ll ask you to fill out a sizing and style survey to help their stylists find the best items possible for you. They’ll ask for your hair and eye color so they can suggest items that match your coloring. You can also specify which causes you’re most interested in, whether it’s workers’ rights, animal protection or the environment.
Wearwell hires real stylists, and I’m not sure if they also use an algorithm. Since they’re a small company working with limited stock, they might not need to. Stylists will take a few days to put together a selection of six items that they think you’ll love. The stylist suggestions come with a message briefly introducing various items and what makes them ethical. This is where you can learn about some of the most exciting, innovative ethical brands out there.
After your stylist sends you those selections, those items will be held for you for 5 days. You can still make purchases later on, but the items won’t be guaranteed for you. In my experience, some of them might sell out, so it’s best to act fast when you see a piece you love.
Aside from your stylist’s selections, you’ll also be able to shop their Product of the Moment section. In this section you’ll mostly find accessories, from necklaces to earrings and even headbands. These items aren’t selected just for you, but they’re popular, trendy pieces.
Wearwell doesn’t send you anything in the mail unless you request it. They avoid using excess packaging and increasing carbon emissions by only shipping upon request, and customers are guaranteed free shipping and returns just like other subscription services.
Wearwell’s subscription cost and styling fee is $8.50 per month, one of the lowest fees I’ve seen. Their budget tiers are under $75, under $150, under $200, and over $200. That range is pretty typical for styling services that offer quality clothing, like Trunk Club. Their jewelry is mostly made from valuable materials, including gold, mother of pearl, and gemstones.
The lowest price I’ve seen on Wearwell is $22 for a bracelet including glass and gold-plated beads. The highest I’ve seen is $99 for gold-filled hoop earrings studded with carnelian gemstones. I’m sure they have more expensive items, but all my items were under $100, because my stylist sent me items that fit into my budget.
It’s easy to sign up for Wearwell. First, you need to fill out a user profile. Your profile includes sections on your personal style, budget and the kind of causes you’d like to support. Your stylist will make sure to send items that reflect your preferences. After you sign up, you’ll need to pay the subscription fee before you can get styled.
Wearwell sends brands that benefit the environment, support workers’ rights, or both. They’re more selective of brands as a result, with a smaller, more curated pool of brands to shop from. Clothes generally come in sizes XS to XL, but you can sometimes find size XXL.
Pieces they carry tend to have a more bohemian style, so if you absolutely hate flowy tops and chunky jewelry, you may not love what they suggest for you. However, they do include some classics with wide appeal, like simple hoop earrings and basic tops. They also carry brands that create delicate, simple jewelry.
Wearwell has four main partner brands. One is Tonle, a zero-waste company that uses scrap material from other manufacturers to create new clothes, all made by workers who are paid fairly. There’s also Soko, which is a woman-led company that works closely with Kenyan artisans and introduces their work to US customers.
Outerknown is a sustainable clothing company that employs 5,000 fair trade workers and ensures over 90% of their fibers are either recycled, organic, or regenerated. Mercado Global is a nonprofit that aims to help Latin American women in rural areas build businesses, with microloans at low interest rates, along with leadership training. Wearwell also prioritizes brands that are owned by BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) and women.
Each product page includes important details on how that item will help workers or help the planet. You can also check the materials list for recycled and organic materials.
Wearwell fills a niche for ethical fashion on a subscription basis. The monthly updates let you stay informed on the latest brands in ethical style, and give you a chance to fill your closet with pieces you can be proud of.
Their stylists will match you to items that fit your style needs and also benefit an important cause. It’s hard to find ethical and sustainable clothes on your own, but this company has done the research and teamed up with trusted brands. On each page, you can see how your purchase helps support workers or makes use of material that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
I recommend this styling service to any woman looking for ways to get started with ethical clothing. The styling price is low, and Wearwell makes it easy to support companies that are changing the fashion industry for the better.
To return items to Wearwell, you need to request a return within 30 days of when they shipped the item. Once it’s approved, they’ll send you a downloadable return slip to print out so you can return your item. You’ll receive a refund for your order within 5 to 7 business days of when they receive your return.
It’s easy to cancel your subscription, thanks to their user-friendly design. Go to your account page, go to “My Subscription” and cancel or pause your subscription.
You can! Every month, your stylist will send you descriptions and product pages for 6 items chosen for you. Wearwell only sends you items you intend to buy, though they let you return items for free.
Wearwell specializes in ethical fashion, which makes it unique among subscription services. Frank and Oak’s sustainable subscription plan fits into the same niche, though. Frank and Oak has a more minimalist, basic style, while Wearwell’s pieces tend to be feminine and decorative.