You may have heard of Tentree, the eco-friendly clothing brand that plants trees with every purchase. But Tentree puts the emphasis the other way around. Tentree describes itself as a tree-planting company first and an ethical clothing company second.

As a mission-first company, Tentree is dedicated to the environment and providing sustainable, practical T-shirts and other clothing for the entire family. The brand’s incredibly soft and supple clothing items allow customers to feel good in, and about, their purchases.

The brand believes that any difference, no matter how big or small, is a step in the right direction to everyday sustainable living. This can mean bringing your own bag to the grocery store or using a reusable water bottle. Or even choosing a sustainably made T-shirt instead of buying a fast fashion brand.

What is Tentree?

Tentree is a Canadian clothing brand established in 2012 with a simple mission of giving back to the earth.

Tentree offers clothing and accessories with the promise to plant ten trees for every item purchased.

Co-founder Derrick Emsley told Business Insider, “Authenticity is important to us because it is who we are. We started a tree-planting company that sells apparel, not the other way around.”

Is Tentree clothing stylish?

Tentree clothing is more basic outdoorsy than fashion-forward, although it does carry a number of on-trend pieces that you might consider classic wardrobe staples.

I’ve ordered this hemp resort shirt because I wanted to see the quality of this brand and test the wearability and washability of hemp. It’s a fabric that I’ve never actually worn and the cut is really versatile. For some time, I’ve wanted to get a shirt in this style (major Francoise Hardy vibes) but in a different natural fiber than silk or cotton. (I’ll update this post later after I get the product.)

Tentree sells a lot of casualwear separates like tees, hoodies, sweaters, joggers, leggings, and some simple (minimalist design) dresses and rompers. Most garments are solid-color (in a range of saturated, earth hues) and made of organic cotton, hemp, linen, RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) wool, or recycled fabrics. Styles are similar to what you’d see at REI or on Wear Pact.

Does Tentree sell kids’ clothing?

Yes! Tentree does sell clothing for kids in sizes 1Y – 5Y. Items include crewneck sweaters and sweatshirts, long and short-sleeve tees, joggers, beanies, baseball caps, and hoodies.

I wish that Tentree sold leggings, underwear, or socks – items I need more of for my kids. I am considering getting Henry this Lorax Speak for the Trees hoodie for Christmas though. (After I figure out how much wear he can get out of his Childhoods hoodies and what size I think he’ll be in this spring.)

How ethical is Tentree?

Tentree does not beat around the bush about addressing greenwashing. They acknowledge it’s a problem in the fashion industry, and state how Tentree does not greenwash with certifications and other standards to back up their claims.

The brand is a Certified B Corporation, which means it has met the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Tentree states a commitment to using the highest quality, sustainable materials available like organic cotton, RWS wool, and soil-friendly hemp.

While Tentree is very open about its commitment to sustainability, I would like the company to be more clear about garment materials. Where items are made of more than one fabric, Tentree does not offer a composition breakdown.

This Highline Wool Crew Sweater, for example, is labeled as a wool sweater in its production description. But in the Materials, Tentree states the sweater is also made of organic cotton and recycled materials. What percent is wool vs organic cotton vs recycled materials? That’s what I’m left wondering as a consumer. I don’t find other blended materials to be problematic, but I would like to know what percentage is wool. I emailed the company to find out and will update this article once I hear back.

This question isn’t me splitting hairs, but important information since my husband loves wool shirts and sweaters. The actual content percentage that is wool is an important factor for him.

While Eco-Stylist and Good on You give Tentree high marks for ethics and sustainability, they also note some room for improvement in terms of increasing their product longevity with repair services and offering (more) evidence that production workers (in countries with high risk for labor exploitation) are paid a living wage. Additionally, some consumers consider Tentree’s use of wool unethical.

Does Tentree plant ten trees?

Yes! The brand plants ten trees for every item purchased to regenerate ecosystems, capture carbon and provide planting jobs in communities worldwide.

Their Tree Planting FAQ offers these details.

1. Every piece of apparel comes with a unique tag, each with its tree code specific to your ten trees.
2. Once your tree code is registered, you can track your trees and see where they will be planted.
3. Watch your impact grow. You can add your trees to your Impact Wallet and have your own interactive virtual forest.

Tentree is a technology-forward company working to create verification software for “proof of planting,” which will be a first of its kind worldwide. They also partner with Vertitree technology which empowers companies to take restorative action.

How many trees has Tentree planted?

To date, Tentree counts over 81 million trees planted. They have also pledged to plant 1 billion trees by 2030 to support the global movement to protect our planet.

Check out the Tentree impact page for more information about their planting journey.

Can you plant more than ten trees?

Yes! Tentree offers a Climate+ subscription service to offset your carbon footprint. Tentree believes that climate action is going beyond net zero. The brand wants to create an environmental benefit by removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

For just $9.00 CA/month, Tentree will plant 13 trees monthly, which is -2.6 t of co2. At $15.00 CA/month, the family plan will plant 22 trees monthly and offset -4.5 t of co2.

Tentree also has an a la carte service where you can purchase different packages to accommodate the offset for activities you’re doing (like a weekend getaway or being a daily driver, for example).

This could be a great gift idea for friends or family who are environmentally conscious and don’t really “need” anything for the holidays or their birthday.

Is Tentree fast fashion?

No. Tentree considers itself an earth-first company and a clothing brand second. The brand recognizes that the apparel industry is one of the biggest polluters on the planet, and it has inspired them to create clothing that uses less energy and water and fewer chemicals to make. A majority of the textiles used are recycled fabrics, certified sustainable, or organic.

Who owns Tentree?

In 2011, two Canadian friends came up with the idea of Tentree. Kalen Emsley was visiting his friend David Luba in Hawaii, where they noticed a trend of people wearing environmentally conscious clothing like TOMS shoes (brand known for its Buy One Give One charitable model).

At that moment, they came up with the idea of an apparel company that plants trees. Kalen and his brother, Derrick, had a tree-planting company in high school and knew they needed to make a go of it.

Once they returned to Canada, they enlisted Derrick to be the CEO and hit the ground running. They started the company in Kalen’s basement in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Where is Tentree located?

Tentree is located in Vancouver, British Columbia.

What does Tentree sell?

Tentree clothing features apparel and accessories for women, men, and kids. They also have a small line of home goods.

• Women
  • T-Shirts & Tanks
  • Tops
  • Sweaters & Cardigans
  • Hoodies & Sweatshirts
  • Joggers, Pants & Leggings
  • Shorts
  • Dresses & Jumpsuits
  • Skirts
  • Jackets & Coats
  • Underwear
• Men
  • T-Shirts
  • Tops & Shirts
  • Sweaters
  • Hoodies & Sweatshirts
  • Joggers & Pants
  • Shorts
  • Jackets & Coats
  • Underwear
• Kids
  • T-Shirts
  • Hoodies & Sweatshirts
  • Joggers & Pants
• Accessories
  • Hats & Beanies
  • Bags
  • Scarves
  • Hair
  • Homewear (blankets and laundry strips)
  • Candles
  • Face Masks
  • Socks

Is Tentree made in Canada?

No. Tentree Clothing partners with factories worldwide to produce their clothing. The brand has factories in China, Turkey, India, and Vietnam.

Is Tentree made in China?

Some of their clothing is manufactured in China. A number of high-end, luxury, and organic brands manufacture their garments in China as their factories have a proven ability to churn out high-quality goods. Tentree has a strict Supplier Code of Conduct that all their factories must uphold. Some of these items include:

• Commit to better human conditions
• Comply with the law & code
• No forced labor, modern slavery, or human trafficking
• No excessive work hours
• Provide a safe & healthy environment

The Code of Conduct must be signed and followed before production begins, and routine audits are conducted to ensure continuous compliance.

Is Tentree actually good?

Tentree is highly rated for its garment quality in the product reviews on its site and on other fashion review blogs. Garments are made from sustainable and upcycled materials that reviewers have found comfy, well-made, and attractive. Some purchasers have expressed disappointment that Tentree uses plastic packaging (although some of it is made from recycled materials), has slower shipping, and garments do not always run true to size. But, my resort shirt is still in the mail. (I’ll update this post after I get, wear, stain, and wash it.)

In terms of Tentree being good, as in being ethical, I believe so based on the data it shares and the information and reviews on eco-fashion watchdog sites like Ecocult.

With any brand, it is important to do your research to determine if the brand aligns with your core values and what you find important. My own personal research may or may not be relevant to your own values and questions for the brand. Again, I’ve just emailed the brand to ask them a question about the materials used in its men’s highland wool sweater. I’m sure they’ll reply (composition details are printed on garment tags so it’s not a secret) – but I would like to know before I make a purchase and they ship it to me so I don’t have to possibly ship it back.

Final thoughts

CEO and co-founder Derrick Emsley has stated that, above everything else, “We’re tree planters first.” The brand has maintained true to its tree-planting mission while offering quality clothing that environmentally-minded news outlets and consumers praise. For people who enjoy the outdoors and conservation efforts, Tentree may be a great clothing brand to look into.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links wherein I may earn a commission from any purchase made.