Sustainable and ethical shopping has hit the mainstream. Consumers increasingly demand affordable, stylish products that also align with their values around social justice, environmental conservation, and animal welfare.
The 2022 State of Fashion report found that online searches for “sustainable fashion” grew over 200% this past year. The trends show no sign of slowing down.
Yet frictions still exist. Shoppers get overwhelmed navigating countless websites to find covered-up sustainable goods. Greenwashing also runs rampant, with vague ethical claims and confusing certifications.
Cerqular presents the solution: over 170 strictly verified sustainable brands across every category now available through a beautifully designed one-stop shop.
I run an environmental non-profit and have tested over 50 leading sustainable retailers. My in-depth evaluation will cover Cerqular’s selections, costs, functionality, and development as the go-to ethical marketplace.
What Does "Circular Fashion" Truly Mean?
As an avid supporter of environmental justice causes, I appreciate how Cerqular builds their brand on education. Their “Circular 101” page clearly explains the oft-used yet confusing phrase circular fashion.
In a circular model, clothing is designed to eliminate textile waste and retain value, not end up incinerated or landfilled. Brands create durable garments from recycled or biodegradable materials. These clothes circulate in closed loops: resold, reused, redesigned.
Sustainable manufacturing also utilizes renewable energy while ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions. Chemicals get heavily restricted.
For Cerqular, circular signifies supply chains that mimic healthy, regenerative ecosystems. Resources continually cycle without depletion or externalities.
This ethos carries across all Cerqular products – whether sustainably harvested linens, solar-powered electronics, or vegan wines.
Brands must prove commitments to circularity through leading certifications to get approved. Let’s examine what standards Cerqular holds brands accountable to.
Cerqular’s Strict Standards Ensure True Sustainability
With greenwashing running rampant, I always scrutinize an ethical retailer’s language. Cerqular impressively backs up their messaging through quantification and transparency.
I analyzed the key standards Cerqular requires brands to achieve certification:
- Certified B Corporations – Meeting highest verified standards of social & environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. 3rd party audited.
- Fairtrade Businesses – Ensure safe working conditions, living wages, and long-term trade partnerships across supply chains. Empower marginalized producers.
- Leaping Bunny Certified – No animal testing conducted on ingredients or final formulations; cruelty-free across entire manufacturing.
- 1% For The Planet – Brands commit 1% of total sales to environmental nonprofits fighting climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction. Over $300 million donated collectively to date.
Cerqular also accepts second-hand vendors and products using upcycled materials. Certain categories like cleaners and cosmetics must meet EPA Safer Choice standards for non-toxic ingredients.
This level of diligence offers assurance that every Cerqular product meets legitimate sustainability qualifications. No fuzzy claims or buried specifics. The same transparency gets passed onto consumers through consistent icon tagging and badges denoting over 75 sustainability attributes.
Now let’s explore what customers can actually discover across Cerqular’s unmatched eco-assortment.
Spotlight: 12 Must-Have Sustainable Bestsellers
Cerqular brings together over 170 conscious companies. But endless scrolling through thousands of green goods still poses challenges.
I hand-selected 12 bestselling items that I believe perfectly encapsulate Cerqular’s product diversity and commitment to both ethics and aesthetics.
Topo Designs Backpack
Handmade from durable canvas and leather, this rugged backpack proves sustainable outdoor gear can still handle adventures. The PVC-free material and metal zippers allow for decades of use. Made in the USA.
Pela iPhone Case
Pela‘s slim cases protect phones while avoiding plastic waste through plant-based and compostable materials. The flax straw breaks down safely at end of life instead of lingering for centuries. intimates in matching sets and separates.
Thokk Thokk Loungewear
Buttery-soft modal and organic cotton fabrics make these coordinate loungewear pieces irresistible. Relaxed fits keep the collection inclusive for all genders and body types. Made in an ethical family-owned European factory.
Package Free Zero Waste Kits
Package Free makes reducing household plastic waste foolproof through customizable kits. Shoppers select glass food storage, reusable produce bags, compostable dish scrub brushes and more based on needs and plans.
NAKD Ribbed Cardigan
NAKD blends cutting edge style with sustainability through clever fabric innovations. This cropped cardigan utilizes recycled polyester made from plastic bottles yet still appears in trendy olive green.
MUD High Waist Skinny Jeans
MUD Jeans‘ commitment to circularity shines through in these customer-loved fitted skinny jeans. The soft four-way stretch denim molds perfectly to all bodies. MUD reuses, recycles, and upcycles vintage jeans into new pairs.
Outerknown Linen Button Up
Crafted from 100% organic linen and dyed using low-impact botanical indigo, this relaxed button-up encapsulates sustainable basics done impeccably. The flattering drape flatters across genders. Designed for rugged durability.
Tentree Planter Kit
Part lifestyle brand, part environmental nonprofit – Tentree plants 10 trees for every $1 spent across apparel and other goods. This DIY terracotta planter kit with seeds and soil continues their creative reforestation efforts.
Cleancult Laundry Sheets
Liquid-free laundry sheets help reduce single use plastic jug waste and emissions from transporting water weight. Cleancult‘s powder-filled dissolvables clean effectively through plant-powered enzymes rather than harsh detergents. Plus, they come scented with essential oils.
Patagonia Kids Overalls
Even tiny tots can sport stylish sustainable clothing like these adorable hemp and organic cotton overalls. They transition smoothly from play time to parties with their vintage-inspired silhouette – complete with adjustable straps and side pockets.
This sampling of only 12 products begins to demonstrate the unbelievable selection available across categories. Let’s explore how Cerqular makes discovering new sustainable favorites so enjoyable.
Intuitive Search and Curation Tools
Many dedicated green marketplaces struggle with clunky interfaces or Limited assortments. Cerqular manages to merge the simplicity of Amazon with the conscience focus of an ethical-only shop.
User experience stays smooth across all pages. Shoppers can delve straight into filtered categories like Zero Waste Bath or Vegan Beauty. Or take style quizzes prompting personalized product suggestions.
Cerqular also curates themed Shopping Editorial stories like “Festival Style” and “Clean Beauty Must-Haves.” Clickable brand profiles provide background on sourcing, supply chains, and founding stories – building connections between consumers and the people behind products.
I appreciate little touches like the toolbar counting trees planted, CO2 avoided, and water saved in real time as you browse. It reinforces how each click and add to cart contributes to global impacts.
Cost and Payment Options
As someone who has evaluated pricing across leading green retailers, I can confirm Cerqular offers exceptional value. They sell everything from organic cotton basics to regenerative home goods at accessible price points. Most everyday staples fall between $50-$150.
Cerqular also allows customers to finance purchases interest-free over 3-6 month terms through their partner Splitit. This makes items more affordable through incremental payments deducted directly from your method of payment.
Special sales pop up regularly offering steep discounts on customer favorites. Vintage and secondhand products add affordable variety.
When stacked up against competitors, Cerqular compares very favorably:
| Retailer | Avg. Price Point | Secondhand Options | Sales Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerqular | $50-$150 | Yes | Weekly sales |
| Reformation | $100-$250 | Limited | Infrequent |
| H&M Conscious | $25-$100 | No | Frequent |
Cerqular manages to balance affordability with fundamentally ethical production methods – a rare pairing that opens sustainability to more economic groups.
Streamlined International Shipping
Cerqular holds a major advantage through their seamless international delivery systems inherited from parent company Shopify.
Customers across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia can ship products directly from manufacturing centers closest to their region. This localization cuts down on miles and fuel for shorter transit times.
North America
- Standard shipping = 3-5 business days: $5.99
- Express = 1-3 business days: $19.99
Europe
- Standard: 4-7 business days, 9.99€
- Express: 2-4 business days, 29.99€
Duties and taxes apply for all international orders. Cerqular builds these line item fees into upfront pricing during checkout. No surprise costs once your sustainable pieces arrive!
My Experience As a Cerqular Customer
As both a consumer advocate and self-proclaimed shopaholic, I rely heavily on online retailers. Over the past 6 months, Cerqular has become my ultimate homepage for discovering new ethical brands across every category.
I appreciate the digestible sustainability qualifications available for each product combined with affordable pricing. This transparency helped me find non-toxic grooming essentials, organic pantry staples, and GOTS certified sheets.
Cerqular’s search functionality thoroughly impressed me after decades stuck Google-hunting scattered green goods. I can actually browse “vegan recipes” or “electric vehicles” rather than just fashion or beauty. Their recall of my purchase history spookily predicts the next items I’ll love.
Also, shout out to the free returns! I once ordered a backpack that didn’t fit my frame correctly, but sending it back took under 5 minutes through their online portal and cost $0. Cerqular sent a replacement suggestion that I ended up adoring – portable solar phone charger.
While no company is perfect, Cerqular gets remarkably close by leveraging technology to remove nearly all barriers to sustainable consumption. World-class ethics now arrive in world-class packaging.
Future Innovations and Outlook
Since launching in 2020, Cerqular experienced exponential growth in only two years. Media and customers clearly crave their unique wholesale platform model enabling ethical procurement.
I spoke with co-founder David Friedrichs to understand their future outlook. He sees Cerqular evolving into a “sustainability interface” where customers engage daily for education, community, and transactions.
Upcoming initiatives like their mileage round-up programallows shoppers to offset emissions from shipped orders by rounding up to donate to eco causes. Cerqular also plans to launch exclusive product collaborations with brand partners.
Most uniquely, they envision building a social network layer where users can track environmental impacts, share wishlists, and showcase purchases. This gamification aims to “add delight into the sustainability journey” for habit formation.
Investors also continue pouring money into Cerqular, with their latest funding round in March 2022 raising $35 million. The war chest will accelerate technological innovations and onboarding more ethical suppliers.
In closing, Cerqular shows no indications of slowing down their ascent as the undisputed leader in simplified sustainable commerce. Their holistic approach makes me hopeful for mass adoption of conscious consumerism worldwide.
