ELK, Melbourne, Victoria © ELK
Sustainable Australian designer labels (and where to find them)
From the chic boutiques of inner-city Melbourne to beachside stores in bohemian Byron Bay, here’s where to shop for Australia’s best sustainable fashion.
Elk
Elk
Founders Marnie Goding and Adam Koniaras opened the first Elk store in 2004, keen to create clothing and accessories that transcended traditional fashion seasons. Elk’s clients wear the timeless creations for years on end, breaking the unsustainable cycle of purchasing and discarding short-lived fashion items. Check out Elk’s flagship store on Melbourne’s Little Collins Street laneway and you’ll find clothes and leather goods that are “undeniably Australian – easy to wear, comfortable, affordable and instantly recognisable”.
Spell
Spell
Spell has become synonymous with the relaxed, earthy style of Byron Bay, so if you want to feel at home in this laidback coastal town, start with a little retail therapy in the flagship store of a local success story. It began with the market stall of two sisters, Elizabeth Abegg and Isabella (whose childhood nickname was Spell) Pennefather, and now it’s about as luxurious as boho can get. Better yet, the label’s sustainability credentials are as vital to the brand as its turquoise jewellery and floaty tasselled dresses.
The Social Outfit
The Social Outfit
The Social Outfit is more than just a store, it’s a registered charity and social enterprise that employs and trains people from refugee and new migrant communities. Located on King Street, the bustling thoroughfare of the eclectic Sydney neighbourhood of Newtown, The Social Outfit manufactures on-site and runs a sewing school. This means that not only is the clothing sustainably made, using recycled or waste fabric and low-impact dyes, but ethically made too.
Vege Threads
Vege Threads
For a range of earthy-hued organic basics, swimwear and yoga wear, you can’t get much more sustainable than Vege Threads, highly rated by the internationally recognised Australian eco fashion guide, Good on You. This independent Melbourne label’s clothes are made entirely in Australia, using organic and eco-friendly materials and dyes. Each year Vege Threads donates a percentage of its profits to charities that look after Australian wildlife and beaches.
KitX
KitX
KitX is the brainchild of Australian fashion designer Kit Willow, who’s on a mission to be transparent about all aspects of her manufacturing, and continuously seek improvements. Kit sources organic materials and upcycled marine waste, supports artisans and avoids unethical suppliers. The spacious KitX boutique in Sydney’s upmarket Paddington neighbourhood is worth a visit just for its interior architecture, and the eco-glam-rock vibe is a far cry from hippy hemp looks.
Citizen Wolf
Citizen Wolf
Hit the streets of Sydney with made-to-measure organic T-shirts and sweatshirts from Citizen Wolf. The brand addresses the unsustainable mass production and wastage of everyone’s favourite wardrobe essential. Each T-shirt is custom-made in your choice of 23 colours and five fabrics at Citizen Wolf’s Sydney factory. Book a fitting in-store to try one on for yourself.
Empire Rose
Empire Rose
Not what you’d imagine a sustainable fashion brand to look like, Empire Rose has been producing limited-run, locally made party wear (with more than a few sequins) since 1998. Owner, and Perth’s so-called “queen of sustainable style”, Kathryn Cizeika, uses her small-scale business model to minimise waste, and supports local makers by providing training and mentoring in her workshop. Even the loungewear here is glam, so whether you’re planning a night out or putting your feet up for the evening, you’ve come to the right place.
The Travelling Kimono
The Travelling Kimono
In Noosa, a stylish coastal destination on the Sunshine Coast, The Travelling Kimono makes the kind of clothes you’d hope to be wearing while lounging by the beach. Choose a limited-edition handmade kimono in recycled linen or a headscarf made of fabric remnants to avoid wastage. Janelle Rawlins and Nicki Edmiston, the “soul sisters” behind the label, also host creative workshops in the store.
Seventh Pocket
Seventh Pocket
Set in a former billiards room in Yackandandah, a historic gold-mining village three hours from Melbourne, Seventh Pocket aims to “shine a light on slow fashion” with its range of locally designed and ethically made clothing and accessories labels. Browse the likes of Lois Hazel, Keegan and Wolf & Mishka as you shop with purpose.
