It took me many years to learn where to shop for my children’s clothes. It’s tough to not shop fast fashion as an adult, and it’s even harder to not do it for kids. When you know they’re going to beat up the clothes and inevitably grow out of them, convincing yourself to buy expensive clothes only because they are sustainable can be a hard sell.

However, I’ve learned that buying sustainable clothing and establishing a capsule wardrobe for my kids does actually save me money in the long run. And almost all of the clothes I buy last so much longer than clothes I randomly buy off Amazon or Target. It’s actually quite impressive how these clothes can hold up.

How To Create A Capsule Wardrobe For Kids

My goal with building out a capsule wardrobe for the kiddos is always to make whatever I’m buying them last at least six months. Essentially summer clothes and winter clothes with some mixing in the fall and spring. I usually make one big purchase in September and again in April. So, in September, I bought A four sweatshirts, two pairs of jeans, a new pair of shoes, and two new sets of winter pajamas. He had some leftover t-shirts from the summer which we reused all winter. Everything that was left over from summer and that I bought for him for the fall/winter could easily be mixed and matched and worn together. For Christmas he got a two new ‘fancy shirts’ as we call them to wear over the holidays and to church on Sundays.

What’s great about this method of buying clothes is that once you buy the clothes, for the next six months you don’t think about it again. It’s not even a thought in my mind because it’s done. So there is hardly ever impulse buying that happens because the wardrobe is set.

For G, who is a baby, it’s a little more difficult to make clothes stretch for six months. I give myself some grace in the first year of a baby’s life because they’re growing so quickly it can be hard to lock down a wardrobe. I will really start to get in a rhythm with her clothes this fall. She’ll be at the age we started doing this with A, and I find that the time between 15-18 months is a great age to begin with this concept.

Where I Shop For Clothing

It’s tricky to find companies that are truly sustainable. I always try to find clothes made with organic cotton and that are made in the US. Bonus points if the company has a page that talks about their mission, sustainability, or a recycling program . Below are five shops I have purchased from and continue to do so.

1. Noble

I love this store. I’ve purchased A’s bed, rain suit, both of the kids’ sun hats, shorts, and many other items from Noble. Their stuff is excellent quality and all of the brands they sell are sustainable. I highly recommend shopping at Noble.

2. Childhood’s Clothing

Ask anyone who has a boy, these clothes are legit. They last forever and will still look great after so many trips to the washing machine. It’s wild to me that A still has clothes from a year ago that look good enough to still wear and do not have holes. The clothes are made in the US, but unfortunately the cotton is not organic. We have so many of the ringer tees and the shorts from Childhood’s Clothing were all A wore last summer. I plan on adding more of the joggers to A’s wardrobe this fall, and I love the new boxy tees they have. One thing to mention is that their clothes do sell out quickly.

3. Les Gamins

Their slogan is ‘made for play’ and I can confirm that, indeed, Les Gamins’ clothes are made for play. The sweatshirts were part of A’s capsule wardrobe for this winter and they are still in great shape. I’m sure they’ll get used this fall as well, and then eventually passed down to G since I don’t see them falling apart any time soon.

4. Colored Organics

I hesitate to recommend this shop because their stuff does not hold up. However, it is much more affordable than other options that are out there. Their things go on sale often and their products are cute. They just don’t last very long. However I love that all of their clothes are made with organic cotton and that their mission is really great. I got A some tanks for this summer.

5. Mabo

I love Mabo for their organic underwear, actually. Is it cheap? Nope. But it’s worth the investment in my opinion since these are things they’re wearing year round. I also really appreciate that they have an entire page dedicated to organic basics. I actually dressed A in one of their outfits when he came home from the hospital.

6. Winter Water Factory

I got A two sweatshirts from Winter Water Factory which, similar to Childhood’s Clothing, look just as great as when we first bought them. I’m not a huge fan of all of the prints that WWF has, but their solid color options are really great. Their clothes are made in the US and are organic cotton. They are pretty spendy though, so I usually shop the sales.