Tue 13 Oct •
12 Sustainable & Ethical Aussie Fashion Labels by Good On You
Sustainable fashion is more popular than ever. As more people care about the impact of their purchases, brands are responding in a big way. From the runways in London to Milan, to our very own backyards, a growing number of ethical and sustainable fashion brands are emerging to both meet the demand, and help change the fashion industry for the better. And Aussie brands are no exception!
But what does it mean to be an ethical brand in the first place? And which local heroes are really doing their bit to match sustainability and style?
From the runways in London to Milan, to our very own backyards, a growing number of ethical and sustainable fashion brands are emerging to both meet the demand, and help change the fashion industry for the better. And Aussie brands are no exception!
What makes an ethical brand?
Long story short, an ethical brand makes sure it positively impacts on people, the planet, and animals.
An ethical brand ensures its workers are treated fairly across the supply chain. This includes policies and practices on child labour, forced labour, worker safety and empowerment, gender equality, and payment of a living wage.
An ethical brand also cares about its use of resources and energy, reducing its carbon emissions, impact on our waterways, as well as using and disposing of chemicals safely. It embodies a circular approach in its production processes and waste reduction initiatives.
Finally, an ethical brand protects the welfare of animals, using no or very few animal products, like wool, leather, fur, angora, down feather, shearling, karakul, and exotic animal skin and hair. Ideally, the brand is 100% vegan!
Whether it is to support your local communities or reduce your carbon footprint when shopping online, shopping locally has many great benefits.
So, we compiled this list of some of the best eco-friendly and conscious fashion from local Aussie labels. These 12 brands have all been rated ‘Good’ or ‘Great’ by Good On You, and are featured in our Ethical Fashion category, so you can be sure your outfits match your morals by supporting them!
Outland Denim
Outland Denim makes premium denim jeans and offers ethical employment opportunities for women rescued from human trafficking in Cambodia. This ‘Great’ Australian brand also prioritises the planet by using a high proportion of eco-friendly materials like GOTS certified organic cotton, and low impact non-toxic dyes.
Bianca Spender
Bianca Spender is Australian fashion royalty, who has taken sustainability into the heart of her label. From smart workwear to statement gowns, this is a label that employs the highest standards of design and quality. Bianca Spender uses deadstock fabric and natural fibres, making all her garments in Ethical Clothing Australia - accredited factories.
A.BCH
A.BCH is a Melbourne-based, Australian-made luxury basics label for individuals who care about garment provenance. By manufacturing locally and leading the way with eco-friendly materials like organic linen and Tencel, it greatly reduces its carbon footprint.
Magpie Goose
Magpie Goose is a fashion social enterprise, showcasing bright and bold textiles designed by Aboriginal artists and hand screen printed in Australia. The gorgeous prints embody the artistry of our First Nations people, celebrating the people, culture, and stories we have so much to learn from in the ethical fashion sphere and beyond.
Holly Ryan
Holly Ryan creates thoughtfully designed, handcrafted jewellery out of a high proportion of recycled materials. If something you purchase from Holly Ryan has lost its lustre, the brand offers an in-house repair service and also invites you to return the pieces you no longer wear. That’s the kind of circularity we love to see!
Spell
Spell is a modern-bohemian fashion brand inspired by far-off places, vintage treasures, and childhood memories. It encourages consumers to reduce their climate impact when using its products. It also has a Code of Conduct that covers all of the ILO Four Fundamental Freedoms principles, which means its workers are treated right.
Afends
Afends is a Byron Bay based fashion brand leading the way in edgy organic hemp fashion. It reduces its climate impact with its use of eco-friendly materials, and incorporation of renewable energy in its supply chain.
Ahimsa Collective
Ahimsa Collective is a cruelty-free, vegan accessories brand, intent on producing products that cause no harm. It creates luxury accessories from pineapple leaves which have been turned into the amazing eco-fabric Piñatex. Its entire product range is vegan, and its use of eco-friendly materials limits the amount of chemicals, water, and wastewater used in production.
Nobody Denim
Nobody Denim has a longstanding commitment to ethical manufacturing principles, and offers a unique vision of responsible design. It traces its supply chain, ensures a living wage for workers, and is accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia.
Elk
A pioneer of independent Australian design, Elk was founded in Melbourne in 2004. Elk creates bi-annual collections that are informed by a design ethos where simplicity and sustainability meet innovation.
Carlie Ballard
Carlie Ballard is a pioneering Australian fashion brand advocating for ethical and sustainable practices, and quality, independent design. It uses a high proportion of eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, and by having a limited production run, its textile waste is minimised.
NICO
Established in 2012 by Lis Harvey, NICO celebrates minimalism and understated luxury. The brand brings high quality basics and underwear to the Australian fashion landscape, featuring clean lines, luxe fabrics, and the styles and colours needed for everyday. The clever people who make these garments are working to solve the problem of textile waste in Bangladesh by creating yarns out of recycled cotton, saving water and drastically reducing CO2 emissions in comparison to conventional cotton.
