As more and more Aussie’s begin to understand the impacts of fast fashion on the environment, the need for Australian clothing brands to pave the way for sustainable and ethical clothing has also taken flight.
As conscious shoppers we now expect more from brands in exchange for our loyalty. Our purchase decision goes beyond just the product, to become more of a reflection of what ‘doing good’ means to us.
As a result, we’re now far more willing to reconsider our buying habits in the face of society, culture and climate change. So if you’re ready to reconsider the brands in your wardrobe, why not play your part for the planet and check out the brands on a mission to produce sustainable and ethical clothing in Australia.
Will & Bear
Will & Bear is more than just a high-quality hat brand. They are committed to paving the way for more Australian clothing brands to follow in their sustainable and ethical footsteps.
The brand is proudly fair trade, sustainable and ethically handmade from natural fibres to last the longest of journeys. Every hat purchase contributes to the planting of 10 trees for their Plant a Forest Project, ensuring they can give back to the community and the environment.
Assembly Label
Assembly Label is one of the Australian clothing brands making quality basics more affordable. For sustainable style, Assembly Label’s linen range is the one to watch. The collection is vast and includes trousers, shorts and shirts for both men and women, as well as dresses and jumpsuits. Your clothing will come in environmentally friendly packaging and reusable totes too.
Green Horse
Run by a passionate collective who pride themselves on offering sustainable products, Green Horse is dedicated to making the world a better place.
Beginning life as a pop-up in 2012, Green Horse now has a dedicated store in Northcote stocking everything from fair trade clothing and home-wares to children’s toys and beauty products.
Veggie Threads
Comfortable everyday wear is what you get from the crew behind Veggie Threads. The label uses organic and eco-friendly materials and dyes, to produce ethical clothing in Australia.
Veggie Threads is proudly accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA), an organisation that supports Australian brands to ensure the transparency and legality of their supply chains.
Cleonie Swim
Since the beginning, Cleonie has focused on supplying sustainable and all-Australian products to the world.
With the realisation of damage the fashion industry is having on the world, Cleonie Swim is one label winding back the clock on their production line. The brand reduces their carbon footprint by cutting and sewing each order as it’s placed. The resulting waste-output is a true reflection of the commitment to the slow fashion movement.
Nobody Denim
Finding a good pair of jeans can be tough. Finding ethical and sustainable denim is near impossible. Celebrated for premium women’s denim for over 20 years, Nobody Denim has you covered.
The label’s environmental efforts recognised globally. Every piece is hand-made in Melbourne according to ECA production standards. Nobody Denim is also transparent with their production model and continually strives to reduce their carbon footprint.
HoMie
Homelessness Of Melbourne Incorporated Enterprise (HoMie) not only make and sell ethical clothing in Australia, but use 100% of the profits to support young people struggling with homelessness.
Started by three friends to reduce the stigma behind homelessness in 2015, HoMie has evolved into a fully-fledged clothing line. Their flagship store in Fitzroy sells tees, hoodies, headwear and jewellery. They also recycle leftover stock to produce reborn garments and provide retail-training programs for those doing it tough.
Nimble Activewear
Backed by an incredible team of women and a rising consumer movement of thousands, Nimble is an activewear brand that has shifted their focus to impact what they care about most: the planet.
For instance, the brand uses recycled plastic bottles to produce their performance fabrics. That means every time you’re wearing one of their pieces you’re sweating it out in recycling!
Elk
Elk operates four stores across Melbourne, producing sustainable and ethically sourced clothing for both women and men. Over the past 16 years Elk have become one of Melbourne’s most respect and well-known fashion labels.
Elk is honest and transparent with the running of their business. Their sustainable manufacturing processes are revealed in their online transparency reporting. The report details how the brand operates as a fashion business and highlights their ethical and environmental journey. It looks at internal operations, people and the culture that makes ELK a uniquely Australian brand.
A. BCH
Focused on delivering affordable apparel that’s also environmentally friendly, A. BCH has only been around for three years but is already making its mark on the fashion industry. Manufactured in Melbourne’s inner north, all of their clothing is made from organic and recycled materials.
Afends
This Byron-based brand has planet-conscious practices at their core. Afends specialises in clothing made from their favourite fabric with minimal chemical and environmental impact: organic hemp. Their Hemp Revolution Collection is endlessly cool and has almost every kind of garment you could want. It’s well worth checking out.
Need more inspiration?
From weekend travel inspiration, conscious brands to shop and farm to table dining spots; to sustainable living news and wellbeing essentials – This Weekend is the first sustainable living guide for millennials.