A lot of people dream about starting a brand that does things differently.
It could be a fashion label with traceable materials, a refillable skincare line, or something that doesn’t exist yet but should. Whatever the idea, the motivation is usually the same: to make something better.
But good intentions don’t always translate into good business or into something that’s genuinely sustainable.
In 2025, the landscape looks different. Consumers are asking more questions, and the pressure to look “ethical” online can sometimes outweigh the reality of doing the work.
We’ve spent nearly a decade at The Green Hub covering small brands that are trying, really trying, to do business differently. The ones that succeed tend to have a few things in common.
What Does It Mean to Be a Sustainable Brand in 2025?
“Sustainable” is the starting point, not the selling point.
If you’re starting a brand in 2025, calling it sustainable won’t set you apart. These days, it’s the minimum standard.
For many customers, especially the ones actively looking to support better brands, sustainability is assumed. That you’ve considered your materials, your packaging, your supply chain, and the people behind the product.
But the real question is: should this product exist at all?
Is Your Product Solving a Real Problem?
It’s not just about how something is made. It’s about why. Who is it for? What problem does it solve? What happens to it at the end of its life?
If the answer is “everyone,” “because I wanted to,” or “we haven’t really thought about that yet,” it’s worth pausing. There are already more brands than most people know what to do with. More refillable bottles. More organic cotton tees. More sustainable startups trying to build a better version of what’s already out there.
That doesn’t mean your idea isn’t good. But it does mean it needs a reason to exist beyond being slightly better than the alternative.
The Systems Every Ethical Business Needs
Plenty of brands start with a strong purpose. They’ve got the idea, the ethics, the Instagram handle. What they don’t always have is a plan for how the business will actually run.
It’s easy to stay focused on the creative side — designing the product, building the story, sharing your vision. But a sustainable business can’t run on good intentions alone. If it can’t support you, it won’t be in a position to support anyone else either.
That means knowing what it costs to make your product, in materials, time, and overheads, and whether you’re actually covering those costs. It means understanding how much you need to earn to pay yourself, even a little. It means figuring out how you’ll manage inventory, pay suppliers, keep track of expenses, and still have something left to grow with.
Invest in tools to help manage your income and expenses and make sure you can send and accept online payments easily. This is how you make your business sustainable for you, not just the environment.
We’ve seen a lot of purpose-led brands come and go over the years, and the ones that last are the ones built on solid systems, not just good ideas.
Design is how people understand what you stand for
Think about the last time you ordered something from a small business you really liked. Maybe it was the packaging. Maybe it was how easy the website was to use. Maybe it was the tone of the thank-you note tucked into the parcel. Whatever it was, it made you like them.
That’s the kind of experience good design can create. It reinforces your story before you’ve said a word.
If design isn’t your strength, it’s worth getting help from someone who can translate your ideas into something people can connect with.
That might mean hiring a freelance designer to turn your mood boards into packaging that reflects your brand’s ethos or building out a set of social assets you don’t have to recreate every time. They can also help with practical things like invoice layouts, thank-you cards, or simple tools that make your brand story feel consistent wherever people come across it.
How to Avoid Greenwashing (Even Accidentally)
Most people don’t set out to mislead. But in the rush to share your values or explain your impact, it’s easy to overpromise without realising it.
Words like eco-friendly, green, sustainable, ethical, biodegradable, and carbon neutral are either unregulated or used inconsistently. You can legally say a product is eco-friendly without meeting any specific standard. But if someone challenges the claim or the ACCC reviews your site, you’ll need to show evidence.
For example, if you say your product is biodegradable, can you prove how long it takes to break down, and under what conditions? Is it home compostable or industrial? Is all of it biodegradable, or just part?
Instead of calling something sustainable, explain what makes it so. Are you using GOTS-certified organic cotton? Producing in small batches to reduce overstock? Shipping plastic-free? The more you explain, the less people have to guess.
Unless you’ve done a full audit, lifecycle assessment, or carbon analysis, terms like zero waste, climate-positive, or 100% sustainable are high-risk. If you’re working towards something, say that. “We’re reducing waste by composting offcuts” is more accurate and credible than “zero waste.”
The ACCC has published clear principles to help small businesses avoid misleading claims. If you’re not sure how to describe your product, start there.
You don’t need to be perfect. But if you’re claiming environmental or social benefit, it needs to be accurate, and it needs to be explainable.
Do You Really Need Sustainability Certifications?
Independent certifications can be valuable. Ethical Clothing Australia, GOTS, and B Corp exist for a reason. They offer immediate trust for people looking to support businesses doing the right thing. But for early-stage brands, they’re not always realistic. And they’re not the only way to build trust.
For small businesses, the application processes can be costly and complex, particularly if you’re producing small runs or still refining your supply chain. That doesn’t mean your work is less valid. But it does mean you’ll need to build trust in other ways.
Be specific. If your products are made in Australia, where exactly? If your fabric is deadstock, how is it sourced? What are the limits of what you can control right now, and what are you working to improve?
Start with what you can control. Where are your materials from? Who makes your products? What steps are you taking to reduce waste or improve transparency? This kind of information will help you build trust with your customers.
If certification is part of your longer-term plan, say so. But don’t wait for third-party validation to talk about your impact. Be open about where you’re at and what you’re aiming for. People respect progress when it’s honest.
*This story includes paid partnerships with brands we love.
