From the red desert of the outback to the glistening coastal beaches, Australia’s natural beauty is second to none. But it’s evident that climate change is fast having an impact on this beloved nation, and the classic Aussie aphorism, “She’ll be alright”, doesn’t cut it.
With the Australian fashion industry contributing some 800,000 tonnes of textile waste to the problem, sustainable Australian clothing brands are swooping in like magpies to offer a slow fashion solution.
And that’s what we’re curating here. A list of brands that not only use low-impact materials but also prioritize ethical labor and transparent supply chains.
In the coming months, we’ll be using our new Brand Rating System to assess fashion brands (and all other brands) against a comprehensive set of sustainability factors, like climate impact and chemical use. You can learn about it here.
Now grab a latte and we’ll give you the down-low on eco-friendly fashion in Australia.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Ethical Australian Clothing Brands We love
How does the world’s first (completely) plastic-free bra sound? Well, The Very Good Bra can tell you all about it. And beyond making all organic products, they’re changing the whole industry by pioneering Australia’s first textile composting standard. The Very Good Bra is one of our top rated brands.
If you’re looking for activewear that supports your workouts and the planet, DK Active is one of the few Australian made clothing brands with operations to a large extent powered by solar panels.
Index: Australian Sustainable Fashion Brands
- The Very Good Bra Jump to brand
- Velvety Jump to brand
- DK Active Jump to brand
- Nat’v Basics Jump to brand
- All The Wild Roses Jump to brand
- Elk Jump to brand
- Indigo Luna Jump to brand
The Very Good Bra
Circular
All or some products are circular in nature - such that no part of the product needs to end up in landfill at the end of its lifeCompostable
All or some products are compostable, either in an industrial facility or at homeEthical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxicOrganic
Products are made from organic materials.PFAS Free
Products have been tested and verified to be free of PFASPlastic-free
All products are entirely plastic-freeSmall business
This brand is a small business run by less than 15 peopleSustainable Materials
Either all or most products are made with sustainable materialsThoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.Traceable Supply Chain
Brand is able to fully trace their entire supply chain from end to end.Vegan
This brand does not use any animal products or by-products in their productsWoman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.Zero Waste
Products are made with a low or zero waste approach where ideally no or limited waste is created throughout the production process or at the end of life.The Very Good Bra has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
It’s no easy feat to be able to claim you’re the only organic underwear brand in the entire world that sells 100% plastic-free bras (in 28 sizes, no less), but The Very Good Bra has worked tirelessly to achieve it.
As a Certified B Corp, they don’t just support your girls but the planet and workers, too.
Get comfortable in their brief-style underwear (available in six colors) or lounge around in a pair of Go-Slower Pants. Or if you’re looking for maternity clothing , check out their compostable nursing bra (the first of its kind!).
What sets this brand apart is its use of natural tree rubber knitted into organic cotton instead of elastane, a material that’s found in almost all intimate wear. Everything is botanically circular—GOTS-certified dyes, custom-made hooks and eyepieces, and elastic—which means all of it can easily break down in your home compost and wont’ shed microplastics when washed.
Velvety
About Velvety
Price Range: $$–$$$
Looking for a collection of vegan fashion brands all in one place?
Velvety has what you seek, offering over 55 vegan brands of men’s and women’s sustainable clothing in Australia—along with shoes, wallets, accessories, toiletries, and cosmetics. Shop by material, category of item, or brand, and make a fun arvo (afternoon) of online shopping.
Velvety’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Every brand that is under the umbrella of Velvety uses different materials, but they must have one thing in common to be a part of this site: being vegan and cruelty-free. They always prefer recycled/upcycled fabrics or organic fabrics.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All brands that Velvety stocks are committed to ethical and Fair Trade practices. Committed to ethical practices, Velvety looks for certifications and memberships such as PETA Approved Vegan, Fair Wear Foundation, fair trade, and GOTS.
Each product item has a small description of where it comes from, but to learn the full scope of any single brand’s labor practices, see each one’s website.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Velvety partners with Upparel, a Certified B Corp that upcycles donated clothes. You can get $25 for donating 10kgs of clothes. They also partner with AirRobe to promote circular fashion by re-selling, renting, or recycling your clothes all in one place.
Items are shipped in compostable packaging.
Inclusivity:
With so many different brands, sizes vary but in general, you’ll find men’s clothing sizes S-XXL, with some fringe XS and 3X offerings.
Women’s sizes can be found XS–4XL and the size filter will help limit your search to what you need.
DK Active
About DK Active
Price Range: $–$$
Looking for local activewear? Or maybe something to wear for your beach yoga session? Based in Brisbane, DK Active is both one of the best sustainable Australian clothing brands and best sustainable activewear brands globally.
Take one look at fun prints available in the recycled Utopia Tights, and you’ll see why. Shop by activity or by fabric type across their range of bodysuits, sports bras, leggings, shorts, and heaps more.
DK Active’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Most activewear pieces are made of 65% ECONYL® regenerated nylon. Other materials include organic bamboo, Fairtrade organic cotton, and modal—all bearing REACH and/or OEKO-TEX certification. Small amounts of lycra and virgin polyester are used where recycled substitutes cannot be.
Supply chain & labor practices:
DK Active is one of the few brands manufacturing sustainable clothing in Australia. Their own factory is located in Brisbane, though some pieces are made at a partner factory in Victoria that is REACH, ISO9001, and ISO14001 compliant.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
This clothing brand runs its HQ and Brisbane factory completely on solar power and offsets 100% of all supply chain shipping. For products not manufactured in AU, they use sea freight instead of air to reduce pollution.
They partner with Textile Recyclers Australia to donate all offcuts and scraps and ship products in compostable mailers. Their garment tags are made from recycled paper.
Inclusivity:
DK Active offers sustainable plus-size clothing in Australia in 3XL-6XL (14-20) for their Curve collection, as well as a special maternity line. Standard garments run XS-XXL (2-12).
88% of their team are women with 71% are in managerial roles.
Community & charitable giving:
They donate to a number of charities, including Women’s Legal Service Queensland, Hear And Say, and Sailability. They are also members of Thread Together, where they donate garments that don’t make the final cut to charity.
Nat’v Basics
About Nat’v Basics
Price Range: $
As a business that believes sustainability requires a holistic approach, Nat’v Basics makes sustainable and ethical fashion “basics that are better for bodies and planet”.
Based in Gold Coast, Nat’v Basics provides bras, underwear, and bodysuits with seamless designs to keep you comfortable in the hot Aussie summers.
Nat’v Basics’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The Nat’v Basics range includes designs made in their signature TENCEL™ modal fabric made from sustainably grown birch tree wood pulp. They also have a range created with 95% GOTS-certified organic cotton and a Recycled Materials range that is 80% Recycled Materials + 20% Elastic + 100% GOTS Organic Cotton Gusset.
Some items still incorporate recycled polyamides and elastane, but they are working on substituting these with responsible materials. All dyes are low-impact and non-toxic.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Their TENCEL™ modal is sourced from Austria, where it’s made in Fair Trade and ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001 certified factories. Final products are made in Hefei, China.
This brand meets regularly with its suppliers but relies on third-party auditing through Amfori BSCI to uphold its ethical standards and fair wages.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Nat’v’s goal is to create a circularity program for garments at their end-of-life. They use Shopify’s Planet app to monitor and 100% offset shipping. Funds go to the Jarí Para Forest Conservation Project in the Amazon Rainforest. All shipping materials are FSC-certified and compostable, down to the soy inks
Inclusivity:
Women’s sizes run S-3XL (6-20 AUS).
Community & charitable giving:
Nat’v donates to charities such as OzHarvest, One Tree Planted, and Thread Together. Their Charities of Choice program allows the customer to choose who to donate to at checkout.
All The Wild Roses
About All the Wild Roses
Price Range: $$–$$$
All the Wild Roses was created by an Australian refugee from Vietnam who wanted to build a better fashion industry, having seen the poor working conditions for Vietnamese garment workers.
Producing timeless, vintage-inspired designs, this brand offers the luxurious yet affordable sustainable clothing Australia has been begging for, from boho dresses and vintage blouses to skirts and maternity wear.
All The Wild Roses’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All the Wild Roses uses upcycled and vintage fabric from deadstock and surplus stock. They cover buttons with off-cut fabrics or incorporate biodegradable coconut shell buttons.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Designed at headquarters in Sydney, the clothes are then manufactured by an all-women team in Hai Phong, Vietnam. As a Certified B Corp, women are paid above a living wage, have safe working conditions, and work reasonable hours.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
All the Wild Roses has carbon-neutral shipping, worldwide working with GreenFleet, a non-profit dedicated to restoring the Australian Forest. Their goal is to be carbon-neutral across their whole brand by 2030.
To cut production waste, they operate on a limited collection or custom-made order basis. They also use plastic-free compostable mailers from The Better Packaging Co.
Inclusivity:
Sizes run 6-20 (XS–4XL).
Community & charitable giving:
They work with Opportunity International Australia, providing micro-loans to women-led businesses in developing countries.
Elk
About ELK
Price Range: $$–$$$
For true fashionistas in need of sustainable clothing, Melbourne based ELK has it all on the rack, and then some. Locals are lucky to have its eclectic, artsy range including clothing, shoes, handbags, jewelry, and accessories.
Hit up one of the dozens of Melbourne museums, and look like a budding artist yourself in this unique Deili Pant.
ELK’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
ELK uses Naia™ cellulosic fiber, which is responsibly sourced from sustainably managed forests. Other materials used are organic cotton, TENCEL™, recycled polyester, recycled nylon, hemp, and ethical wool.
Supply chain & labor practices:
ELK has a full transparency report, but some main highlights are that 100% of their Tier 1 Core suppliers have certifications such as SA8000, Fairtrade, Fair Wear Foundation, WRAP, and B Corporation. They use third-party audits to meet the criteria set out by SMETA, Better Work, and ELEVATE.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Promoting slow fashion in Australia, they manufacture bi-annual collections to keep waste minimal and are developing a (RE)NEW resale program that will later expand into a take-back program.
They work with Pack4Good initiative to be 100% plastic free and use 99% recyclable or compostable packaging. ELK has a 100% carbon reduction goal by 2030.
Inclusivity:
They offer sizes 6-20, through uppers sizes aren’t available in all styles,
Community & charitable giving:
ELK is a member of 1% for the Planet and donates to Positive Change for Marine Life, TREEPROJECT, and Take 3 for the Sea.
Indigo Luna
About Indigo Luna
Price Range: $$–$$$
With a determination to create comfortable clothing that doesn’t harm the Earth, the family-owned business, Indigo Luna, is an adored name in the Australian ethical fashion world.
Drawing inspiration from Australian and Balinese flora and fauna, their flowing yoga clothing, swimwear, and ethical intimates capture the essence of slow fashion. And with oh-so-comfy looking products like the Layla Flares, you’ll almost certainly be living in them, too.
Indigo Luna’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
100% vegan Indigo Luna uses mostly recycled or natural materials, such as certified organic cotton and deadstock nylon. Their sustainable yoga clothing and intimate lines include 10% of spandex, but some are 100% natural. The Earth-colored hues are produced by plant-based GOTS-certified dyes.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Pieces are cut, sewn, and dyed by hand by local artisans in Bali. They “ensure that every person involved in production works in comfortable, safe conditions”, but there is no information on wages or certifications.
They place a strong emphasis on women’s empowerment, which is why 93% of staff and two of three directors are female.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
To reduce deadstock and offcut waste, they create their collections in small, conscious runs until they’re gone. Everything is packed in cassava bags (a type of root vegetable), and nothing is individually wrapped, before being sent via carbon offset shipping.
Inclusivity:
You’ll find sustainable women’s clothing Australia sizes 6-16 (XS-XXL).