As a long-time fan of streetwear brands, I‘ve become increasingly selective about which labels I support with my dollar. Fast fashion and unethical manufacturing practices pervade the clothing industry, making it tough to balance style and sustainability.
Enter Noah, an NYC-based men‘s brand I discovered that blends laidback skater appeal with ethical production. Intrigued by glowing reviews from friends, I decided to try Noah for myself and share an inside look in this review.
Overview of Noah: Setting a New Standard for Responsible Streetwear
Founded in 2015 by designer Brendon Babenzien (formerly of streetwear giant Supreme), Noah draws creative inspiration from subcultures like surfing, sailing, music, and skateboarding. The brand‘s name itself nods to Noah‘s Ark, envisioning itself as a gathering place for non-conformists who make pursuing their passions a lifestyle.
While the styling fits squarely into the urban skater genre, Noah differentiates itself behind-the-scenes with a serious commitment to sustainability. They manufacture exclusively in select countries with fair labor laws like USA, Italy, Portugal and Japan. The company also audits production facilities and maintains transparency around suppliers.
Noah proves streetwear can still look sick while treading lightly on people and planet. They may not claim full sustainability (does any brand achieve perfection?), but make continuous improvement across integrity, quality, and ethics.
Noah founder Brendon Babenzien. Image from Hypebeast
Next I‘ll break down my experience ordering a whole Noah outfit over the past year, reviewing multiple bestsellers first-hand.
Trying Noah Clothing in My Own Wardrobe
Given Noah‘s social consciousness paired with internet hype, I set out to test whether the apparel merits the investment. Resisting impulse buys, I made a few selections through 2021 that became wardrobe staples I wear repeatedly.
Noah Shelter Island Pullover Hoodie: Coziest Sweatshirt Ever?
I started my Noah journey basic with the Shelter Island Pullover Hoodie, their signature hoodie embroidered with the ‘Winged Foot‘ logo across the chest. After eyeing it covetously online for months, I finally treated myself for my 30th birthday.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Price | $198 |
| Material | 12oz. French terry cotton, responsibly-sourced |
| Sizing | True to size, relaxed fit. I‘m 5‘10" 150 lbs, went with Medium |
| Colorways | Black, navy, light grey and more |
I chose the light heather grey that harmonizes with my blond hair and neutral wardrobe. My first impression unboxing – luxuriously soft inside and out! So much loftier than my old uni sweatshirt. I sank my nose into the fleecy interior and inhaled that intoxicating new clothing scent.
I quickly realized Noah‘s artistry elevating basics beyond common sweatshirts. They quietly upgraded everything reaching the French terry exterior with Sueded finish, a perfectly worn-in feel. I appreciate interiors stay uniformly soft too thanks to brushed backing.
Keeping cozy in Vancouver fall weather wearing Noah‘s Shelter Island Hoodie
Noah nailed fit too with the Shelter Island Hoodie – trim enough to layer cleanly but relaxed through shoulders/waist allowing unrestricted movement. Long enough to cover my belt without looking sloppy.
I felt Noah‘s quality from my very first wear through 50+ washes later. After months of frequent use, seams, banding and embroidery show negligible pilling with no tears or loose threads. I just flip inside-out, gentle machine wash cold and reshape while damp.
For $198, not cheap but unparalleled comfort and construction verify the value. I truly believe I‘ll wear my Shelter Island hoodie for years until it frays apart! Worth every penny if you want one transcendent sweatshirt.
NOAH French Terry Crewneck Sweatshirt: Quintessential Off-Duty Vibe
Seeking a lighter layering piece for spring, I picked up Noah‘s classic French Terry Crewneck Sweatshirt in bone white.
I admired the perfectly stubbled fleece exterior, signature to Noah‘s custom developed 12 oz cotton French terry fabric found across their sweatshirts and pants. The Sueded touch feels broken-in right off the rack.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Price | $128 |
| Material | Garment-dyed French terry cotton |
| Sizing | Slimmer fit than hoodie, otherwise TTS |
| Color | Bone white |
The universally flattering off-white shade complements any skin tone. I love styling this sweatshirt casually half-tucked into distressed denim with white sneakers. Creates a casual coffee shop vibe for weekends bumming around the city.
Effortless Noah sweatshirt style to live in on off-duty days
The shorter boxy shape makes their crewneck significantly lighter than the Shelter Island hoodie as well. I reach for this Noah sweat more often when temps allow needing just a touch of cozy. Fit is boxier than expected with wide crewneck and stubby boxy shape. Order down a size for tailored fit or stay TTS for oversized slouch.
Like all Noah tops I tried, no durability complaints even pilling subtly. I use fabric shavers every few months which returns the buttery soft handfeel. At $128, their crewnecks cost significantly less than hoodies while delivering equal quality sweatshirt essentials.
NOAH Corduroy Snapback Hat: Finishing Streetwear Touches
Finally, I added one of Noah‘s six-panel Corduroy Snapback caps to round out my relaxed skater uniform. These unstructured rounded brims cast streetwear cool with Noah‘s tri-color felt patch accent. I chose a rich chocolate brown as an alternative to standard black.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Price | $48 |
| Material | Cotton corduroy exterior, cotton canvas lining |
| Sizing | Adjustable |
| Color | Chocolate brown |
I find the snapback strap super convenient for adjusting to my smaller hat size compared to standard back closure. Front brim softens further wearing in. The sticker interior band makes sizing changes breeze. Corduroy shell keeps warmth without itchy wool.
Noah snapback adding streetstyle edge to casual weekend outfits
For only $48, Noah caps strike me as fairly priced compared to standard black snapbacks. You pay a small premium for elevated fabric beyond basic cotton with their cool cord exterior.
I‘ve compiled my Noah faves below that I feel make sound investments:
Noah Bestsellers
| Item | Rating | Cost per Wear |
|---|---|---|
| Shelter Island Pullover Hoodie | 5/5 | Moderate |
| French Terry Crewneck | 5/5 | Best |
| Corduroy Snapback | 4/5 | Moderate |
Comparing Noah to Competing Ethical Streetwear Brands
How does Noah stack up to the growing landscape of progressive fashion labels?
I compared four aspect of Noah‘s business and design to similar mall streetwear brands Everlane and Reformation known for transparency.
| Comparison | Noah | Everlane | Reformation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sourcing Transparency | High | High | Medium |
| Sustainability Practices | High | Medium | Medium |
| Price Range | $$$ | $$ | $$ |
| Quality & Fit | Classic to loose | Casual classic | Fashion-forward |
- Sourcing Transparency: All three disclose factories and supply chain details rather than hiding behind trade secrets. Noah shares the most granularity including wages paid to factory workers.
- Sustainability Practices: Noah uses the most eco-conscious fabrics including recycled materials and audits for labor/environment compliance.
- Price Range: Noah sells premium with everyday basics starting around $60, plus collectible collabs over $500. Other two offer mainly sub-$150 apparel.
- Quality & Fit: Customers praise Noah for durable, heirloom level construction in timeless silhouette from baggy to slim straight. Everlane and Reformation lean trendier with shorter shelf-lives.
While prices exceed fast fashion, Noah devotees believe higher costs per piece offset by less frequent replacement. Read on for further cost considerations.
Evaluating the Price Tag: Breaking Down Noah Value Metrics
There‘s no skirting around the fact that Noah commands luxury price points. As reviewers on Reddit lament, "Too expensive to wear regularly" sums up a common gripe from casual fans priced out of full outfits.
Popular items like:
- Signature hoodies: $198
- Vintage logo tees: $88
- Chore jackets: $298
These numbers understandably trigger sticker shock accustomed to cheaper alternatives – but costs reflect Noah‘s meticulous craft and manufacturing values.
To contextualize:
- Noah woven button-ups run 2-4X cost of mainline J.Crew or Banana Republic
- Hoodies hover around 3X typical Champion or Gildan blanks
- Noah outerwear nears price parity to Outdoor Voices or Lululemon Lab
Unlike fast fashion players who inflated margins through unethical outsourcing, Noah pricing largely passes increased production costs to the consumer.
Compared to Everlane or Reformation supply chain, Noah operates on much smaller scale and pays fair living wages without exploiting overseas labor discounts. Each Noah garment sees more hands, time and care involved which comes through in unmatchable quality lasting years.
Browsing Noah‘s latest collection releases on their eCommerce site
For transparency, Noah shares a detailed product life cycle outline on their website illustrating exactly how much energy, emissions and human labor goes into each new item introduced.
Clearly Noah won‘t resonate for every shopper – high schoolers and college students likely priced out for now unless gifting occasion pieces. But style ages – investing thoughtfully in Noah staples in your mid 20s evolves beautifully into 30s while outlasting cheaper clothes in cost and style per wear.
Cost Per Wear Analysis: Why Longevity Makes Noah Worth It
One way Noah rationalizes higher prices lies in "cost per wear" savings long run. With thoughtful rotation of true wardrobe staples, each Noah piece should withstand 50 washes minimum thanks to hardy fabrics, reinforcements and exacting construction.
Quantifying value on cost per usage basis:
- Favorite versatile hoodie at $200 that lasts 100 wears -> $2 per wear
- Compare H&M hoodie at $30 worn 20 times before falling apart -> $1.50 per wear
Obviously the specific Noah item must function as a core piece with regular integration. But curating thoughtfully pays itself back over time through value calculation that balances sticker price against seasons of enjoyment.
Plus Noah imparts intangible benefits too – delighting in beautiful tailoring every wear and responsible origins that ease environmental impacts of fashion addiction!
The Verdict: Should You Buy Noah Clothing?
For shoppers equally concerned with style and substance, Noah delivers on both exceptionally through luxurious basics imbued with counterculture spirit. Expect compromise on neither.
Noah works best for guys who:
- Highly value garment quality and dig deeper on manufacturing
- Appreciate upgraded essentials that transcend trend
- Embrace casual tailored style or athleisure aesthetics
- Willing to invest in staples worn long term
Potential drawbacks to consider:
- Very expensive for the average income
- Limited seasonal colors/prints
- Slim size range missing extended options
I wholeheartedly recommend Noah to anyone craving that effortless skater cool willing to pay premium for ethical origins. Start with classic logo hoodies and tees to test the waters.
Owning Noah threads weaves responsibility into self expression. We vote for the world we want through purchases that shift culture alongside closets. I encourage exploring this important brand balancing depth and accessibility so well.
Make a difference through the brands we support – shop Noah‘s responsibly made gear at NoahNY.com
