Celebrities Embracing Eco-Friendly Wardrobes
The red carpet used to be all about who wore what designer and how much their dress cost. But something shifted.
Celebrities started showing up in the same outfits twice, wearing vintage gowns from decades past, and launching their own sustainable fashion lines. What was once considered a fashion faux pas has become a badge of honor.
These stars aren’t just following a trend—they’re actively reshaping how we think about fashion, proving that style and sustainability can go hand in hand. The fashion industry is responsible for roughly eight to ten percent of global carbon emissions, making it one of the planet’s biggest polluters.
Only around two percent of garment workers globally earn a living wage according to the Clean Clothes Campaign, and the industry produces approximately 20 percent of global wastewater. Celebrities with massive platforms have started using their influence to tackle these problems head-on.
From rewearing beloved pieces to founding eco-conscious brands, these stars are showing millions of fans that looking fabulous doesn’t have to cost the Earth. Here is a list of 14 celebrities who’ve made sustainable fashion a core part of their public image.
Kate Middleton
The Princess of Wales has become the royal family’s most prolific outfit repeater, constantly rewearing favorite pieces for major events. Kate brought back her Alexander McQueen gown to the 2023 BAFTAs four years after first wearing it to the same ceremony in 2019, and she’s worn her cream Self-Portrait dress to at least four different royal occasions.
She even reportedly re-wore a Catherine Walker jacket in 2025 that she first wore back in 2007. Her Catherine Walker coat dresses and colorful Roksanda designs show up repeatedly in her wardrobe rotation, proving that even royalty doesn’t need a new outfit for every appearance.
Jane Fonda
The legendary actress made headlines during a 2019 Washington D.C. protest speech when she vowed to never buy new clothes again as part of her climate activism. Fonda first wore her red Valentino gown to the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, then rewore it to the 2020 Oscars six years later.
Her last clothing purchase was a red coat she wore to her Fire Drill Friday climate protests on Capitol Hill, which frequently resulted in her arrest. At 83, she’s proving that sustainability and style have no age limit.
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Emma Watson
The actress has been championing sustainable fashion since her early days in the spotlight. Watson wore a Calvin Klein gown created with Eco-Age and made from recycled plastic bottles to the 2016 Met Gala.
She created a separate Instagram account called @the_press_tour in 2017 during her Beauty and the Beast press tour to showcase only sustainable fashion brands. She worked with People Tree in 2010 and Alberta Ferretti on the Pure Threads collection in 2011, both focused on ethical production.
Watson also helped promote Livia Firth’s #30wears challenge, encouraging fans to ask themselves if they’d wear something at least 30 times before buying it. She supports Good on You, a website that rates fashion brands on their environmental and social impact.
Stella McCartney
The designer has been the gold standard for sustainable luxury fashion since launching her brand in 2001. McCartney vowed from day one never to use real leather, fur, or animal-derived materials in any of her designs, instead pioneering innovative alternatives like mushroom leather and regenerated textiles.
She powers her stores and studios with renewable energy and invests heavily in developing new sustainable materials. At the 2018 Met Gala, she dressed multiple celebrities including Miley Cyrus and Paris Jackson in custom eco-friendly designs.
In 2022, she launched the $200 million SOS (Sustainable Opportunity Support) Fund with Collaborative Fund for cleaner businesses and sustainable solutions.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Often considered the most eco-friendly celebrity, DiCaprio founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998 to protect endangered species and sensitive ecosystems, which later merged with Earth Alliance in 2019. He invested in eco-friendly footwear company Allbirds in 2018 and plant-based food company Beyond Meat in 2015.
In 2019, DiCaprio teamed up with primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall to launch a vegan clothing line called Don’t Let Them Disappear to support ape conservation. He wears suits that can be worn on multiple occasions and uses his massive platform for climate change advocacy.
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Billie Eilish
The singer made waves at the 2021 Met Gala when she demanded that Oscar de la Renta stop using fur before she’d wear their custom gown. The fashion house publicly confirmed they would end their use of fur entirely, showcasing the real power celebrities have to change industry practices.
Eilish has been vocal about sustainability throughout her career, collaborating with Nike and Gucci on sustainable, vegan collections. Her 2022 Happier Than Ever tour included sustainability pledges like banning plastic straws, proving her commitment extends beyond just fashion.
Joaquin Phoenix
Phoenix wore the same custom Stella McCartney tuxedo to six different awards shows during the 2020 ceremony season, including the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, BAFTAs, and Oscars. He’s widely cited as the first male celebrity to make an outfit repeating a sustainability statement on such a prominent scale.
His partnership with McCartney, a constant go-to for celebrities advocating green fashion, sparked important conversations about the wastefulness of single-use formal wear.
Rooney Mara
The actress co-founded Hiraeth Collective in 2018 with Sara Schloat and Chrys Wong, a vegan clothing brand that uses only cruelty-free materials. The brand sources fabrics from mills in Europe and crafts everything in downtown Los Angeles, with all items free from leather, fur, wool, and animal-derived components.
Mara is also a Board Member of the Humane Society of the United States, aligning perfectly with her ethical fashion philosophy and commitment to animal welfare.
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Livia Firth
Dubbed the Queen of the Green Carpet, Firth launched the Green Carpet Challenge in 2009 alongside journalist Lucy Siegle, recruiting high-end luxury designers like Valentino and Yves Saint Laurent to join her movement. As founder and creative director of Eco-Age, she’s committed to helping brands create cultures of purpose and sustainability.
She received the UN Leader of Change Award in 2013 for her initiative. Her Green Carpet Challenge has dressed stars like Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, and Emma Watson, and she exclusively works with designers who use recycled materials and organic fabrics.
Zendaya
The actress consistently embraces sustainable fashion on red carpets, including wearing a vintage Versace Fall 1998 gown to the 2020 Green Carpet Fashion Awards. She frequently collaborates with stylist Law Roach to reintroduce archival pieces from past collections, including vintage Balmain and Bob Mackie designs.
Her commitment to showcasing pieces from fashion history promotes the idea that vintage fashion holds just as much value as new designs, demonstrating how sustainability can be seamlessly integrated into luxury fashion.
Tiffany Haddish
The comedian wore her $4,000 Alexander McQueen white halter gown a total of eight times to different events between 2017 and 2019, including Saturday Night Live and the Oscars. Her practical approach turned what could have been a one-time red carpet moment into both a Hollywood running joke and a certified icon.
As Haddish said in interviews, “This dress cost way too much to only wear once,” inspiring others to get more wear out of special occasion outfits.
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Jessica Alba
The actress founded The Honest Company in 2012, which went public in 2021 at a $1.4 billion valuation. The B Corporation-certified brand sells organic and ethically made personal care products, diapers, and cleaning supplies that families can trust are good for both their health and the environment.
Alba is also an ambassador for charity Baby2Baby, using her platform to promote sustainable and ethical practices in consumer products while supporting families in need.
Angelina Jolie
The activist embraces many forms of sustainability and has clearly passed this passion to her children. Her eldest daughter Zahara wore the same glittering Elie Saab gown to the 2021 Eternals premiere that Jolie had worn to the 2014 Oscars.
In 2023, Jolie launched Atelier Jolie, a fashion brand that creates clothes using only leftover luxury vintage materials and overstock, emphasizing craftsmanship and repurposed fabrics. The brand’s first partnership was with Chloé for Fall/Winter 2023, notably the first luxury brand certified as a B Corporation for its social and environmental impact.
Timothée Chalamet
The actor has made a name for himself with unconventional style that often incorporates sustainability. At the 2022 Oscars, he wore a Louis Vuitton sequined jacket originally from 2018 as an upcycled statement about reducing fashion waste.
Chalamet frequently chooses vintage or repurposed clothing for major events, including rewearing an Alexander McQueen suit from 2018 at the 2021 Venice Film Festival. He advocates for designers using repurposed materials like Haider Ackermann, proving that menswear can play just as important a role in the sustainable fashion movement.
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The Fashion Revolution
These celebrities are doing more than just looking good—they’re fundamentally changing how we view fashion consumption. When Kate Middleton rewears a dress or Joaquin Phoenix shows up in the same tuxedo for months, they’re sending a powerful message that clothes don’t lose value after one wear.
When designers like Stella McCartney prove that luxury and ethics can coexist, or when stars like Billie Eilish use their leverage to change industry practices, they’re showing that individual choices matter. The fashion industry still has a long way to go, but these 14 celebrities are proving that sustainability can be stylish, practical, and influential.
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