Pact Review: Sustainable and Stylish Wardrobe Staples

In this hands-on review, I’ll share my experience with Pact’s clothing to help you decide if you should purchase from them.

Pact first caught my eye when I saw their clothing at Whole Foods. Their stuff looked nice, and the tagline “Earth’s Favorite Clothing Company” caught my eye. I thought maybe they were the sustainable basics brand I had been searching for.

Fast forward a few months since I first started wearing their clothes and, to be honest, they lived up to my hype.

Quick Take

Pact makes sustainable and stylish clothing basics that I heartily recommend. Just keep these pros and cons in mind.

Click here to check out Pact, or read on for the full review.

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About Pact

Admittedly, it’s difficult to find information about how Pact got started. They seem like a large company, but their website is surprisingly opaque when it comes to information about their origins.

The website is, however, ripe with information about their sustainable and ethical practices. Their whole mission appears to be providing high-quality clothing that’s made by people who are treated and paid fairly (i.e., not sweatshop workers).

You can rest assured knowing that all our clothing is manufactured in safe facilities and is always sweatshop-free and child-labor-free.

from Pact’s FAQ page

While Pact doesn’t have the same level of radical transparency as Everlane, they’re open and appear to be honest about where their products are made and what they’re made of.

My understanding is that everything they make is Fair Trade Certified, they offset their carbon, and they always use organic cotton. (It actually looks like every product they make contains cotton).

I recommend reading their FAQ and Sustainability pages for more info.

My Build

For reference, I’m 6’1″ and 170lbs. I have a 37″ chest and usually wear Large tops. My ideal pants size is 32×32.

The Products I Tried

I tried a few noteworthy products from Pact’s lineup:

• The Downtime Relaxed Sweatshirt (size L, Trekking Green)
• Double Knit Waffle Sweater (size L, Charcoal Heather)
• Off Duty Short (size M, Grape Leaf Heather)

The Downtime Relaxed Sweatshirt

The Downtime Relaxed Sweatshirt has become a huge wardrobe staple for me. It’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect it to be from its name.

It’s a 100% organic cotton sweatshirt that’s both comfortable and minimal. I chose the Trekking Green color and I’m very satisfied with it. It’s not a very subdued color, but it’s not too bright either.

There’s nothing particularly extraordinary to say about this sweatshirt — it’s just really solid. If you’re looking for a sweatshirt to have in your normal rotation, I recommend this one.

I will note that while it says it’s a “relaxed” fit, it’s not extremely baggy. Note how the sleeves are long and the shoulders are wide. It’s definitely not a slim fit, but I think it sits in a nice place of being relaxed and comfortable without being trendy or comically baggy.

If you’re going to buy one, my advice is to get your normal size and it’s too big, shrink it in the dryer using medium or high heat. If you want a more slim fit, size down.

I learned a valuable lesson with Pact’s clothing when it comes to shrinkage. Their products say to tumble dry on low. In typical man fashion, I dried them with my normal laundry.

What setting was the dryer on? Uh, I don’t know. The regular one? High heat? Who knows these kinds of things? I don’t.

What I do know is that this sweatshirt, along with the Double Knit Waffle Sweater shrank more than I expected them to. This is not a flaw with the products at all, but it’s something to be mindful of when laundering Pact clothing. Remember to follow the care instructions!

Double Knit Waffle Sweater

Just like the Downtime Sweatshirt, the Double Knit Waffle Sweater is 100% cotton.

It’s served me well as a base layer this winter. It’s cotton, not wool, so it’s not super insulated, but it’s a nice piece to wear on its own or under a jacket on chilly days.

The description says it’s a relaxed fit, but just like the Downtime Sweatshirt, it’s not extremely relaxed. Do note that the shoulders are quite relaxed, yet the sleeve length is pretty optimal for a standard fit.

The care instructions say to lay it flat to dry, but that bad boy went into the dryer with my regular clothing. It turned out well for me, but be careful!

You really don’t want to ruin a great piece of clothing by screwing up the fit. If the sweater fits you well, follow the instructions and lay it flat to dry it. If it’s a little oversized, experiment with drying it so it shrinks. Just don’t overdo it.

Off Duty Short

The Off Duty Short is a pair of sweat shorts made of 95% cotton and 5% elastane. They’re made for lounging, and they’re great for that.

I tried a size M, and on my build, they’re a little baggy. A slim fit option would be a great addition to the lineup as it would probably better suit my build (as well as the build of a lot of shorter guys).

However, if you have particularly big thighs, these will probably be a great fit.

They have a 7″ inseam which will be a comfortable length for most guys.

If you want a comfortable pair of shorts to wear while you’re hanging out at home, these are a good option. Keep in mind, though, that they do contain some elastane (which is plastic) so they’re not a good option if you strive to wear plastic-free clothing.

FAQs

Here are the answers to some common questions about Pact:

Where Can I Buy Pact Clothing?

Pact has three brick-and-mortar locations in New York City, Palo Alto, and San Francisco. Some of their products can also be found at Whole Foods locations across the US. Of course, they sell clothing online too.

Is PACT Clothing Really Ethical?

Yes, it is! Pact backs up all of their claims and doesn’t appear to take any part in greenwashing.

Who Manufactures PACT clothing?

Most (if not all) of their clothing is made in a GOTS Certified and Fair Trade factory in India.

Here’s The Rundown

Pact has my seal of approval. Their products have become wardrobe staples for me. If you’re looking for ethically made clothing for a reasonable price, give Pact a try!

Questions? Comments? Leave them below!