MATE the Label
Rated: Great
Price: $$
Location: USA
Quick verdict
The most credentialed organic basics brand on the market. With an unmatched certification stack and a strict ban on synthetic fabrics. MATE the Label holds B Corp, GOTS, Climate Neutral, 1% for the Planet, and PETA Vegan certifications simultaneously, unmatched in the US basics market. The brand enforces an absolute ban on polyester, nylon, and polyamide (only 8% spandex in activewear), making products genuinely biodegradable. Hyper-local LA manufacturing within 10-17 miles of headquarters enables direct oversight. The reMATE take-back programme with SuperCircle adds genuine circularity. However, there is no evidence of living wage verification for garment workers, a Glassdoor rating of 2.1/5 raises internal culture concerns, and impact reporting has gone stale.
Key info
- Headquarters
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Founded
- 2013
- Product categories
- Basics, Loungewear, Womenswear
- Price range
- $$
- Key certifications
- B Corp (score 84.4), GOTS (organic cotton), Climate Neutral Certified (since 2021), 1% for the Planet member, PETA-approved Vegan. Not Fair Trade certified.
MATE the Label sustainability rating
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We Avoid) to 5 (Excellent). How we rate
Rating breakdown
No polyester, nylon, or polyamide ever. The only synthetic is 8% spandex in activewear. GOTS-certified organic cotton, Tencel Lyocell, organic linen, regenerative hemp (Agraloop partnership), and Climate Beneficial cotton from California farms—a restricted substance list bans 31 chemicals and 49 dyes. India factory partner runs on 100% renewable energy with 40 wind turbines.
Manufacturing primarily in Los Angeles within 10-15 miles of HQ, with additional production in India and Peru. Publishes factory names and locations. Supplier Code of Conduct prohibits forced labour. However, the Code does not address collective bargaining or living wages. Glassdoor rating of 2.1/5 from employee reviews raises internal culture concerns.
Climate Neutral Certified since 2021, measuring and offsetting all Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. Organic cotton uses 87% less water than conventional. Plastic-free packaging throughout. reMATE take-back programme with SuperCircle for fibre-to-fibre recycling (1,000+ garments collected). 1% for the Planet member with $344,586 donated since 2020.
Published annual Impact Reports (2020, 2021, 2022) with LCA data per product, factory lists with names and locations, and Scope 1-2-3 emissions data. Created the #ShowYourMaterials transparency campaign reaching 1.7M people. Deducted because the latest Impact Report is from 2022 and emissions progress updates have lapsed.
reMATE take-back programme with SuperCircle for fibre-to-fibre recycling. Agraloop hemp biofibre partnership with Circular Systems. C4 (California Cotton & Climate Coalition) growing regenerative cotton. Climate Beneficial cotton from Fibershed-verified farms. Life Cycle Assessment performed for every product. Detox Your Closet consumer education programme.
What they do well
- Unmatched certification stack: B Corp (score 84.4) + GOTS + Climate Neutral + 1% for the Planet + PETA Vegan simultaneously, the most certified organic basics brand in the US market
- Absolute ban on synthetic fabrics. No polyester, nylon, or polyamide ever (only 8% spandex exception in activewear), making products genuinely biodegradable
- Hyper-local manufacturing. Entire LA supply chain within 10-17 miles of headquarters, enabling direct oversight and dramatically reducing transport emissions
- Material innovation leadership: C4 regenerative cotton in Central California, Agraloop hemp biofibre, Climate Beneficial cotton, and Life Cycle Assessments for every product
- Comprehensive circularity. ReMATE take-back programme with SuperCircle for fibre-to-fibre recycling, factory scrap recycling, and the Detox Your Closet consumer education programme
Room for improvement
- Living wage verification absent. Despite ethical branding, no evidence of living wage guarantees for garment workers in LA or India; the Code of Conduct doesn't address living wages or collective bargaining
- Internal culture concerns: Glassdoor shows 2.1/5 rating from employee reviews citing leadership issues, lack of internal transparency, and overwork; only 26% would recommend working there
- Impact reporting has gone stale. The latest published Impact Report is from 2022, and progress on emissions reduction goals has not been shared recently
About MATE the Label
MATE the Label was founded in 2013 as MATE Vintage by Kayti O'Connell Carr in Los Angeles, initially selling vintage-inspired graphic tees. Around 2015, Carr began visiting her LA factories and dye houses firsthand and was struck by the waste and chemical toxicity in conventional production. This led to a complete brand transformation: in 2018, MATE launched its Dress Clean Initiative, committing to strictly natural fibres, certified organic materials, and low-impact dyes built around eight core pillars.
Materials include GOTS-certified organic cotton (grown in Maharashtra, India, knitted and garment-dyed in LA), Tencel Lyocell from Lenzing Austria, organic linen, regenerative hemp through the Agraloop partnership with Circular Systems, and a Peruvian alpaca blend. The brand enforces a strict restricted substance list banning 31 chemicals and 49 dyes. Every product undergoes a Life Cycle Assessment and receives an internal "Clean Score" rating on carbon, water, and chemistry.
Manufacturing happens primarily at three LA factories within 10-15 miles of headquarters, with additional production in India (factory powered by 40 wind turbines producing 100% renewable energy) and Peru. MATE became B Corp Certified in 2023 with a score of 84.4 (median is 50.9) and has been Climate Neutral Certified since 2021. Through 1% for the Planet, the brand has donated $344,586 to nonprofits including Fibershed and LA Neighbourhood Land Trust.
The reMATE take-back programme, partnered with SuperCircle for fibre-to-fibre recycling, has collected over 1,000 garments. Sustainability advisory includes Todd Copeland, former Patagonia sustainability lead for 14 years. Pricing sits at the higher end of the organic basics market, Tees from $48 versus Pact at ~$25 and Kotn at ~$38: reflecting the genuine cost of certified, locally manufactured, non-toxic fashion.
Product highlights
Organic Cotton Classic Tee
100% GOTS-certified organic cotton jersey, garment-dyed in LA with low-impact dyes, sizes XS-3X.
~$48
The brand's foundation piece: 627+ reviews, zero synthetic content, available in multiple colourways from low-impact dyes.
Organic Fleece Relaxed Pocket Sweatpant
100% GOTS organic cotton fleece with relaxed fit and adjustable drawcord, no polyester blend.
~$128
Bestseller with 498+ reviews. Heavyweight organic fleece without any polyester blend, unusual for the sweatpant category.
Organic Stretch Sports Bra
92% organic cotton + 8% spandex, double-layered with no pads.
~$58
655+ reviews, One of the only sports bras on the market made with 92% organic cotton instead of the usual nylon-spandex construction.
Organic Fleece Quarter Zip Sweatshirt
100% GOTS organic cotton fleece, heavyweight quarter zip construction.
~$158
Premium piece demonstrating that genuine organic materials can deliver the weight and warmth typically associated with synthetic blends.
