15 Sustainable Plus Size Cocktail Dresses for Women to Stand-Out

Super-stylish yet sustainable fashion? Reformation has got you. This Climate Neutral brand has some major ‘love at first sight’ dresses you just can’t miss out on. From breezy floral drapes to fits that accentuate your curves, its partywear and formal dresses are created with finesse and literally scream fashion. This brand is a perfect example of cutting-edge and ethically made sustainable designs without compromising on style. Moreover, Reformation has a Code of Conduct for its suppliers and manufacturers. These standards are made under the reference of FLA Workplace Code of Conduct and Compliance Benchmarks to follow ethical labor policies throughout its supply chain.

Designer Mara Hoffman started her namesake brand in 2000. Their dresses are full of style and so over-the-top, made in vibrant colours and dramatic prints. We love the brand’s tone of going ‘all-out’ with diverse styles and statement fits. And if you’re a curvy bombshell, well, don’t forget to check out Mara Hoffman’s sustainable plus size cocktail dresses available up to size 3XL. While the brand wasn’t planet-friendly in its initial years, it soon realized the importance of sustainable sourcing and fair trade production practices to contribute towards a conscious fashion industry. And fifteen years after its launch, Mara Hoffman admirably shifted to a clean and environmentally positive brand. 

British designer Stella McCartney started her brand with the vision to create the most lavish and modern designs in a responsible foreground. The designer’s dresses range from flowy silhouettes gracing your womanhood to form-fitting pieces accentuating your curves. Committed to being honest and accountable to the planet, Stella McCartney works with innovative eco-friendly fabrics like organic cotton, responsible silk, fur-free fur, Mirum® and so on. Be it the brand’s designers or garment makers, every employee in their supply chain earns fair wages and works under secure conditions. In addition, the brand generously donates to several social causes like Oceana, Hello Beautiful Foundation, and many more every year. 

 Boden believes in making memories with informed choices for the clothes you buy. A well-established member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, this brand is committed to using eco-friendly fabrics like LENZING™ Ecovero, organic cotton, etc., in its collection of cocktail and formal dresses. Sequins and glitters are a ‘big no’ in Boden’s clothes because of their plastic nature, which ultimately pollutes the oceans. However, don’t be disappointed, as the brand ensures you would still ‘wow’ the crowd with their dresses made using creative bold appliqués and 3D technique embroideries. By 2025, the brand pledges to use 100% sustainable materials in its entire range. So feel as beautiful as you look dressed in Boden’s exclusive pieces while dancing the night away.

 The story of LOUD BODIES started with the need to prove that style has no size. With the mission to help women embrace their bodies and feel confident in their skin, this size-inclusive brand offers stylish sustainable plus size cocktail dresses ranging up to size 10XL. And if you fail to find your size, they will gladly customise your fits free of charge. To reduce LOUD BODIES’ carbon footprint, every dress is handmade and packed by the founder and her two employees in the brand’s in-house studio with sustainably sourced low-impact fibers.

 Symbology is a sustainable fashion place with a bevy of beautiful designs. Think boho chic, quirky prints, and fine cuts; this clothing label has them all for you. With sizes ranging up to 3XL, it is a great option for curvy women on the hunt for sustainable plus size cocktail dresses to rock that formal event or cocktail party. The ethical clothing label works towards women’s empowerment by employing marginalised female artisans from India and abroad. Symbology is out to make sustainability and fair trade sexy and uses all-natural, vegan fabrics in its entire range. Every piece you purchase is handmade using traditional art forms like block printing, Palestinian weaving and so on and represents a one-of-a-kind design.

 Another excellent sustainable brand to check out for plus size dresses is Eileen Fisher. The brand’s namesake designer is a fierce advocate of human rights and sustainability. A believer in classic and minimalist designs, NY designer Eileen Fisher is for every conscious modern woman opting for a simple and functional wardrobe designed for timelessness. All you go to do is jazz up the look with some accessories, and you’re all set for that engagement party or any formal event. With ethical practices and the planet’s well-being diffused in the brand’s foundation, all their employees work under fair trade policies using responsibly sourced fabrics.

Baacal is a boon for curvy chicks. The sustainable luxury brand makes stunning dresses for women between sizes 10-22. With gorgeous cuts, dreamy shades and flattering silhouettes, Baacal’s dresses are made to hug your curves and make you stand out in every event. This size-inclusive brand was created when the founder realized that most brands stop sizing at 12, whereas an average American woman wears a size 16-18 and is actually “The True Majority.” Staying true to sustainability, the brand’s dresses are made with eco-friendly materials in small batches and designed to last beyond the fashion seasons.

Quince is a popular sustainable brand known for its chic and versatile dresses, ideal for timeless capsules. The brand was built with a commitment to make exceptionally high-quality wardrobe essentials at an affordable price because everyone deserves sustainably made finer things. With a ton of thoughtfully designed classic dresses to choose from, we bet you would look nothing but luxe in a Quince piece, that too on a budget. Ethically made clothes in fair trade factories using low-impact sustainable materials, what more can we ask for? And if you were wondering about such reasonable pricing, Well, the brand operates as a factory-direct model and cuts out costly mediators from its supply chain.

Thinking about sustainably made bold, eye-catching, statement dresses? Designer Carolina Kleinman has got you covered. The Argentinian designer established her namesake brand in 2005 with a passion for preserving the traditional crafts of Latin America. All her dresses are designed with versatility and functionality in mind, while showcasing intricate hand-embroidered details and timeless silhouettes. Artisan communities in remote regions of Mexico, Peru and Columbia entirely handcraft its product line. Striving to reduce its environmental impact, Carolina K follows a zero-waste approach and uses the most sustainably sourced materials, like linen, organic cotton, fabric scraps, etc., in its collections.

Made Trade is a women-owned family-run Fair Trade retailer with a range of planet-friendly garments and homewares. The brand houses 150+ businesses and artisan collectives, so you get a large collection of ethically made stylish and elegant dresses to stand out in that special cocktail event. With an effort to bring the best of sustainable dresses to you, Made Trade verifies each product by collecting information about the businesses’ fair trade practices, working conditions, etc. The brand calls itself “ethically elevated” for putting artistry above efficiency, fair wages above profits and small batches over mass production.

DÔEN is a women-owned sustainable fashion brand brought to life by Santa-Barbara-born sisters (Margaret and Katherine Kleveland) and a collective of six exceptionally talented women. With the idea of creating elevated designs for women by women, this brand brings to you beautiful vintage-inspired dresses that you can wear at formal events or even use as a part of your work life. Imagine Bohemian-style ruffles, florals, slits and easy-breezy dresses, and that’s DÔEN for you. The brand works with female-owned or co-owned fair trade certified factories in India, Portugal and Peru, to ensure all women live a life of dignity.

Last but definitely not the least, is Rent The Runway, a huge rental marketplace for over-the-top and fair trade cocktail/formal dresses. Set every event you go to on fire by renting out drooling dresses from this brand, but minus the heavy price tag. All you got to do, is select from a pool of designs, check for your size and rent it out for a set amount of time. And if you’re a social butterfly who loves visiting various events throughout the year; Well, become a member by paying for your monthly subscription. Rent The Runway makes sustainability easy by allowing you the freedom to rent out the latest styles instead of buying them, pilling up your closet and eventually dumping your clothes.