We Jews love a good New Year, or rather, several of them. Our calendar is built around multiple “starts,” each marking a different kind of renewal.
Rosh Hashanah centers on reflection and a spiritual reset. The first of Nisan turns our attention to the birth of the Jewish people as a nation, the moment we entered Egypt as a tribe and left as a people, and the beginning of the festival cycle. Even the lesser-known New Year for animal tithes, celebrated on the first of Elul, reminds us that renewal is not only about fresh beginnings, but also about accountability, care, and stewardship.
The Mishnah, a foundational collection of early rabbinic Jewish law compiled around the third century CE, captures this beautifully. It suggests that each New Year answers a different question: Who am I becoming? Rosh Hashanah. Where does our peoplehood take shape, and how do we mark time as a community? The first of Nisan. How do we measure what we have and what we’re responsible for? The first of Elul.
And then there’s Tu Bishvat, the New Year of the Trees. Observed on the 15th of Shevat, it falls this year from sundown on February 1 through nightfall on February 2, 2026. Originally, Tu Bishvat functioned as an agricultural “cutoff date,” marking the agricultural cycle of fruit-bearing trees, helping determine a tree’s status in Jewish law, including how its fruit would be counted and shared.
Over time, it has taken on new meaning, becoming a moment to think more intentionally about our relationship to the natural world. Through customs like planting new trees and eating symbolic fruits — especially those associated with the Land of Israel like dates, figs, and pomegranates — Tu Bishvat connects ancient seasonal awareness to modern conversations about sustainability and care for the earth.
That mindset feels especially relevant at the moment. Sustainability has become part of the cultural conversation, not just in how we eat or travel, but in how we dress. More specifically, what it costs, environmentally and ethically, for “new” clothes. In Israel, where creativity often grows out of constraint, many designers are approaching fashion with a renewed sense of intention, thinking more carefully about materials, production, and longevity.
In the spirit of Tu Bishvat, a holiday rooted in renewal and care for the earth, these six Israeli fashion brands are reimagining what responsible design can look like today.
Tooshaya
The moment I met mother-daughter designer duo Tom and Tzameret and had the pleasure of feeling their ethereal pieces, I knew they had something special. Tooshaya creates eco-friendly clothing and accessories exclusively from natural fibers, including bamboo, soy, cotton, and wool, resulting in designs that feel light, breathable, and intentionally made. Launched in the mid-2010s, the Tel Aviv–based brand has built its identity around sustainability, ethical production, and locally made design, values that remain at the core of its DNA today.
Shantima
If Jewish-owned brand Eileen Fisher embodies coastal ease, Shantima channels a similar quiet confidence, filtered through a distinctly Tel Aviv sensibility. Founded by Alina Zilberman, who left her career in tech to build the brand, Shantima specializes in high-quality womenswear and menswear defined by relaxed silhouettes, natural movement, and thoughtful simplicity. The collections lean heavily on flax and linen, fibers chosen for their breathability as well as their relatively low environmental impact. Each piece is designed to be seasonless and enduring rather than trend-driven, encouraging long-term wear and repeat styling. Recently, Shantima expanded into home textiles, extending its philosophy of calm, sustainable living beyond the wardrobe and into the spaces we actually inhabit.
Masada Jeans
Few pairs of jeans can claim a connection to the Dead Sea. Masada Jeans can. The brand distinguishes itself through both its process and philosophy. Founder Laurent David Vanucci sources vintage denim from around the world, then thoughtfully reworks each piece to feel modern and fully wearable, without erasing the character that makes it unique.
The finishing process is just as intentional. Each pair is pre-treated with abrasive salt crystals naturally found in the Dead Sea, an eco-responsible technique that adds texture and depth while avoiding many of the harsher, resource-heavy methods typically used in denim finishing. Beyond jeans, Masada also offers hats, tees, and sweatshirts made from ethically sourced materials and produced locally in its Tel Aviv workshop, reinforcing its commitment to thoughtful craftsmanship and responsible fashion.
KitePride
Tel Aviv is a city brimming with eco-conscious fashion, and KitePride is one brand well worth knowing. Launched in 2017, KitePride is a nonprofit-owned fashion label that makes bold, one-of-a-kind bags from upcycled materials, including retired sails, parachutes, and yes, kites, giving new life to materials that would otherwise go to waste.
Founded in 2017 by Tabea and Mati Oppliger, KitePride operates with both a social and environmental mission. All profits support GlowbalAct and the Hope Center, nonprofits that provide vocational training, support, and job opportunities for survivors of prostitution and human trafficking.
Danit Peleg
Danit Peleg approaches sustainability through processes that minimize waste and overproduction rather than packaging, positioning herself as a true pioneer in the fashion industry. A graduate of the prestigious Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art in Ramat Gan, Peleg combines technical rigor and creative experimentation in her work. In 2015, her graduate project, “Liberty Leading the People,” was widely covered as a breakthrough: a full fashion collection 3D-printed on desktop printers at home, a process that took 2,000+ hours and used up to six home printers.
She later pushed the idea from runway to real life, beginning her own label in 2017. Her made-to-order model minimizes overproduction by producing garments only once they are purchased, while local manufacturing in Israel and in-house 3D printing reduce transportation emissions and material waste. Peleg is also a global leader in fashion innovation. She created the world’s first 3D printed fashion collection designed for consumers to print at home, launched the first 3D printable fashion NFTs, and was the first to make 3D printed garments available for purchase online. Together, her work reflects an unmistakably Israeli spirit of ingenuity and experimentation, proving that sustainability and technological leadership can go hand in hand.
Har
Yesterday’s castoffs become today’s keepsakes at Har. Founded in 2021 by Shenkar graduate Hila Brodie, the brand takes its name from the Hebrew word for mountain and embodies a philosophy of regeneration and transformation. Har works with deadstock (unused fabric left over from production), surplus, and vintage textiles, breathing new life into materials that might otherwise be discarded, to create eclectic, intentional, and conversation-starting pieces.
So, still think Tu Bishvat is just about trees? These Israeli brands are making sustainability a full-on lifestyle, and yes, it looks insanely good.
