In the past few years, the ethical fashion movement has experienced a huge amount of growth.
As consumers get educated about the impacts of our fashion choices, more brands are taking a stand against fast fashion and moving towards more sustainable business practices.
According to research by Common Objective, Google searches for “sustainable fashion,” have grown 46% and “ethical fashion” 25% in the past six years and fortunately, it’s not slowing down.
But despite ethical fashion being more accessible than ever, I keep hearing that people are still struggling to find good quality, ethical clothing brands they can trust. So I’ve put together a list of some ethical fashion brands that walk their sustainable talk.
1. Whimsy + Row
Price: $50-$200
Using only locally sourced deadstock textiles and materials, Whimsy + Row takes sustainability seriously. Each collection is created in small, limited-run batches and made locally in LA. They’re all about quality designs and sustainable practices, with a mission to “provide ease and elegance for the modern, creative woman.”
2. Spell Designs
Price Range: $30-$400
Spell & The Gypsy Collective are a Byron Bay-based label that has garnered a global cult following of bohemian dreamers and high-fashion style mavens alike. While best known for their colourful, intricately detailed collections, they are quickly becoming well known as industry leaders in ethical and sustainably made fashion.
3. Tasi Travels
Price: $59-$199
Designed for adventurers, Tasi Travels create stylish but durable fashion staples appropriate for hot climates and conservative cultures. Each piece is handmade to order on the Sunshine Coast, using quick dry and wrinkle resistant, sustainable Tencel. A core part of the Tasi ethos is that of minimalism; less but better.
4.Cue Clothing
Price: $50-$400
Australian Cue is a classic fashion label that have around since 1968. They’ve grown with times and offer modern, fashion-forward pieces in luxe fabrics, but still manage to produce clothes that are timeless and very wearable. Accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia, Cue is also the largest local manufacturer of fashion in Australia. Double win!
5. Kuwaii
Price: $100-$390
Kuwaii is one of the first completely transparent Australian fashion brands. With a philosophy of smaller, slower and more simple, they are the antithesis of fast fashion. They produce minimal runs, made to order, with a strong focus on designing clothes you will wear forever. Kuwaii’s has a range of the most beautiful colours and prints, and they’re incredibly flattering on all body types.
6. KITX
Price: $99-$1500
Australian label KITX is a pioneer in design-led, ethical and sustainably made fashion. The designer behind the brand Kit Willow says “I strongly believe in a better world, through the simple mantra of making women look and feel beautiful, without harming our planet so everyone can win.”
7. The Social Outfit
Price: $150-$600
The Social Outfit is a fashion label with a difference. They’re an independently-accredited, ethical trading social enterprise providing employment and training in the fashion industry to people from refugee and new migrant communities. The results are beautifully designed clothes and over 300 people participating in their sewing school, digital print projects, creative programs, and fashion events. Print lovers, this ones for you.
8. Milk & Thistle
Price: $100-$279
Available online and in their flagship boutique in Newtown, Milk & Thistle make well designed, easy-fit garments entirely designed, printed and made in Australia. Think beautifully constructed linen pieces you will love and wear forever.
9. Jillian Boustred
Price Range: $100-$350
An Australian fashion label created by textile and fashion designer Jillian Boustred. Jillian uses all-natural fabrics such as cotton and linen in her designs. Every piece is printed and handmade in the Sydney studio by Jillian herself with a focus on timeless, staple pieces.
10. hej-hej
Price: $90-$220
hej-hej are New Zealand ethical fashion label who are all about ‘living that line life.’ The creative founders behind the brand believe fashion should fun, not pretentious or have a negative impact on the world. hej-hej’s pieces are designed to transcend trends and stand the test of time.
11. Elk
Price: $15-$385
Melbourne fashion label ELK was founded by husband and wife duo Marnie Goding and Adam Koniaras in 2004. They create bi-annual ready-to-wear collections made up of clothes, jewelry shoes, and handbags. ELK products are made all around the world and team are involved in every step of the making process.
12. Lois Hazel
Price: $16-$295
Melbourne slow fashion favourite Lois Hazel is leading the charge when it comes to ethically made, timeless fashion. Each collection is created using deadstock and traceable fabrics. Manufacturing locally, every piece made is either in-house or by a network of local seamstresses, with a 100% traceable supply chain.
13. DÔEN
Price Range: $70-$500
US label DÔEN is a collective of eight LA-based women. They create beautiful, floaty, feminine pieces inspired by their nostalgia for the California of past decades. Most of the collection is made in California with the rest made in factories in Peru, India, and Spain who are female-owned and run or with a large percentage of women in management roles.
14. Viktoria & Woods
Price: $100-$470
Ethical Clothing Australia accredited Viktoria & Woods create effortless wardrobe staples, shoes and handbags. As far as Australian fashion brands go, this ones a firm favourite having been around since 2004. While on the higher end for some pieces like coats, their clothing is incredibly well made and worth the investment.
15. Reformation
Reformation is all about transparency. On their site, each piece of clothing lists the fabric details, provenance, and carbon footprint of the garment. They even give tours of their factories so you can see their manufacturing processes in action. Known for their effortless, cool-girl vibes, Reformation does floral prints better than any brand I know.
