Those of us determined to green our jeans will find that most eco-aware denim is priced at or above $150 a pair. But there are exceptions.

 

Good Society delivers high-style, fair-trade certified organic cotton jeans for about $100. Not only is the styling clean and sharp, but every pair purchased also helps provide fair wages for the workers who produce them in India. When we think about “going green,” we typically focus on reducing our environmental impact. But fair-trade certification also ensures that the people making the products we use are not exploited in the process. This helps to create a web of positive change — a good society, if you will.

 

And for Aiden Dingh, Good Society’s co-founder, it’s not enough to sell clothing that respects both the people who make it and the environment we live in, it’s also essential to make those items affordable. While Sling and Stones, Dingh’s original organic cotton denim line, carries designer prices, Good Society makes eco-chic clothing accessible to a broader audience. You can find the collection at big national retailers like Urban Outfitters and at smaller boutiques across the country. Good Society keeps the good going by giving 10 percent of its profits to environmental causes.

 

• Arizona Jeans: Arizona Jeans’s new eco-collection is available at J.C. Penney. Instead of tossing the cotton that’s left over from the cotton mill into a landfill, Arizona Jeans recycles it into jeans that retail for around $40 per pair. The company does the same thing with T-shirts, incorporating 60 percent recycled cotton.

 

• Levis: Levis keeps it green with its 100-percent organic cotton Levis Eco denim collection, featuring boot cut, straight and slim cuts for men and women with prices that hover around $68 per pair.

 

• Quiksilver: Guys and girls will dig the vibrant, fresh designs that are increasingly made of organic cotton by Quiksilver. From stylish tees to denim jeans, Quiksilver is rapidly introducing eco-friendly products that are sure to be a hit in dorms rooms everywhere.

 

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Excerpted from Josh's latest book "The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget.”