David Jones has launched a platform to help you find sustainable brands

Covering fashion, beauty, accessories, home and food.

Navigating the murky waters of sustainability and ethics? Australian department store David Jones has established a digital and in-store hub providing customers with more transparency into brands they know and love.  

The 182-year-old retailer has identified five umbrella categories which contribute to conscious consumption, and has curated lists of its brands that fall under these labels. The categories are titled: Australian made, sourced with care, community minded, reduce and recycle, and kind to animals. Brands must tick at least one of these attributes to be included, with a focus on progress, not perfection. 

David Jones defines these values as follows:

• • Australian made: Brands that support our local industry and community by manufacturing right here in Australia, such as Bassike, Bec and Bridge, Viktoria & Woods, Grown Alchemist and The Beauty Chef.
  • Sourced with care: Brands that focus on responsibly sourced materials and mindful processes to minimise environmental impact, such as Veja, Kora Organics, Sheridan, Levi’s and Bellroy. 
  • Reduce and recycle: Brands that adopt innovative and conscious ways to upcycle, recycle and reduce waste, such as Waverley Mills, Nudie Jeans, Sodastream, Bianca Spender and Neuw Denim.
  • Community minded: Brands that focus on supporting communities, supply chain transparency, the welfare of workers and fair working conditions, such as Outland Denim, Country Road, Purebaby, Frank Green and Weleda.
  • Kind to animals: Brands that use cruelty-free production methods and ingredients that do not harm animals, such as Grown Alchemist, Nanushka, Edible Beauty, Sans Beast and Inika.
    

Through amplifying stories in its Jones Magazine and spotlighting the work of conscious makers, David Jones hopes customers feel empowered to align their shopping habits with their beliefs, with the ability to shop the edits of particular attributes they feel drawn to.

David Jones’ Head of Sustainability Eloise Bishop told Ragtrader, “Increasingly, our customers seek greater insight into where and how their favourite brands are manufactured, and Mindfully Made’s objective is to support customers in making informed shopping choices.” 

The intersections of sustainability can often be difficult to navigate; while a brand may use sustainable materials, its production may not be ethical. Likewise, while a brand may not test on animals, it may still use animal products. For instance, David Jones’ Kind to Animals section includes offerings that contain animal products.

Though small efforts should be championed, we recommend undertaking secondary research to receive a more holistic view of the brands involved. Some resources to get you started can be found here. 

davidjones.com/mindfully-made