A growing list of ethical Australian labels that cater to beyond a size 16
Image via @campcoveswim/Instagram
Words by Maggie Zhou
Pieces for a range of bodies.
There are a growing number of Australians who are becoming more conscious shoppers and prioritising ethically-made and sustainable fashion. But what happens when the industry doesn’t serve you? There’s nothing groundbreaking in proclaiming that fashion has a serious problem with fatphobia and size-inclusivity. We know that op-shopping is made infinitely harder and navigating standardised sizing can often be a nightmare.
With the average Australian woman fitting into a size 14 to 16 and the plus-size clothing industry worth $1 billion in Australia, it’s shameful (and bad business) that plus-size people have largely been rendered invisible.
For more style suggestions, head to our Fashion category.
This list features brands that, at a minimum, cater to beyond a size 16, but we acknowledge that this is not a full and accurate representation of the spectrum of bodies in our midst. This selection of labels is a starting point, and it serves as a reminder that size does not dictate style. We’re proud to share this extensive collection of clothing, intimates and activewear brands and hope you can find something you love.
Clothing
Dyspnea
Size range: XS to 4XL and custom sizing options
If a sparkly unicorn could make clothes, it would make Dyspnea. A whirlpool of fluffy tulle, dreamy pinks and sequinned goodness combine to produce Dyspnea’s signature sexy styles. All pieces are made-to-order in Bali and come to a size 18 or can be crafted to any custom size.
Embody Women
Size range: 8 to 22 and S to XXL
Embody Women is an Australian denim and fashion label whose mantra is that size doesn’t define style. Catering up to a size 22, all clothing is manufactured entirely in Australia and ensures that its use and disposal of chemical dyes are compliant with Australian rules and regulations.
Warmcore Clothing
Size range: 8 to 22
Warmcore Clothing’s pieces are each handmade in founder and designer Eleanor Hutchison’s kitchen, and the brand stocks size 8 to 22. Its collection of boldly coloured singlets, tees, skivvies and jumpers will inject personality into even the most mundane outfit.
Grump
Size range: 6 to 22
Don’t worry, Grump is named after creator Kelly’s cat, and is not a reflection of the clothes she makes. In fact, Grump is happily a size-inclusive brand that focuses on colourful prints and patterns in comfy silhouettes. Her delicious selection of clothing is handmade by herself in Queensland and caters up to a size 30.
Hope and Harvest
Size range: 12 to 26
Without compromising on ethics, Australian label Hope and Harvest is designed for modern urban living. With apparel that caters to a wide range of sizes (from 12 to 26), the brand aims to design functional, beautiful staple pieces. Widely recognised as being at the forefront of body positivity within the Australian fashion industry, Hope and Harvest also offer custom-designed wedding dresses, formal gowns and dress attire.
Maggie Marilyn
Size range: 6 to 20, XS to 4XL and custom sizing options
With a brand philosophy built around transforming the fashion industry and creating a label that’s transparent, circular, regenerative and inclusive, New Zealand label Maggie Marilyn caters to the high-end side of sustainable fashion. Stocking up to a size 20 in its latest collection Somewhere Sport, it also has the option of a ‘bespoke request service’ if you have custom requests around sizing.
Maker and Mineral
Size range: S to L and custom sizing options
Inspired by Scandinavian powerhouse Marimekko, Maker and Mineral produce made-to-order and hand-printed frocks, smocks and other fun threads in Melbourne. Samantha Ives is the brains (and hands) behind the small label. Fabrics are either locally sourced, recycled or deadstock materials and Samantha patterns, prints, designs and sews everything herself, meaning all pieces are customisable.
Outland Denim
Size range: 22 to 38 and XXS to XXL
Founded as a means to help women out of sex trafficking in Cambodia, Outland Denim now supports and empowers individuals from varying backgrounds of vulnerability through employment. With a size offering ranging from four to 16, this B Corp employs a holistic approach to supporting its staff through opportunity, a living wage, and education.
Variety Hour
Size range: XS to XXL
Variety Hour is a print-focused label by textile designer Cassie Byrnes. Each season, a new collection of prints is designed, hand painted and adapted into pieces up to a size 2XL. The collections are made in small quantities in Melbourne by Ethical Clothing Australia accredited manufacturers.
Poppie the Label
Size range: XS to XXL and custom sizing options
This mother and daughter duo create handmade, luxe tracksuits in the most joyful colours. Each garment is made-to-order using Australian-made fabric, locally sourced in Melbourne. It stocks up to a size 18, but also provides a custom sizing option for those who find standard sizing a real pain.
PQ Collection
Size range: S to XL
PQ Collection is stock full of bold, modern and colourful clothing and prides itself on being size-inclusive with a curve range that caters to plus-size people. PQ Collection also aims to ethically produce their affordable collections and states that their garment workers are paid above a living wage.
Squint Clothing
Size range: XL to 4XL
You don’t need to squint to spot this Scottish ready-to-wear fashion brand’s playful and funky pieces from far away. Based and handmade in Melbourne, Squint’s Lazy Oaf aesthetic combines feminine prints with tomboy silhouettes and are made up to 4XL aka an Australian 26.
Sük Workwear
Size range: 8 to 24
Ever wanted to rock a tradie’s ‘fit? Now’s your chance. Sük Workwear is a culmination of what founder Mimosa Schmidt describes as “function, sexuality, fluidity, integrity and fierceness”. Ethically manufactured in Pakistan, you can nab a pair of their boilersuits or other garments that are available up to a size 24.
Vagary The Label
Size range: 14 to 24
With a whimsical and vibrant aesthetic, Vagary The Label stocks bohemian wears in sizes 14 to 24. Its patterns are designed with all different body shapes in mind, rather than trying to fit all our unique shapes into the same straight size designs. Part of the slow fashion movement, the brand’s clothes are are sustainably sourced and ethically made in Indonesia by a family-run manufacturer.
Ada + Lou
Size range: 14 to 24
Designed with love and care in Tweed, Australia, fashion label Ada + Lou – founded by two like-minded friends – offers a selection of boho-inspired everyday wear with flattering classic prints (think dreamy flowy dresses and chic blouses). The brand was a long-held dream for owners Chantelle and Rebel, who wanted to make bohemian fashion that was inclusive of all body types. This is why they have made it their mission to ensure Ada + Lou caters for sizes up to 24.
Isle of Summer
Size range: 8 to 22
Isle of Summer is an Australian fashion label that is serious about its ethical practices. The brand, which stocks size eight to 22, is all about summery inspired pieces that help women feel comfortable in their own skin. It created its own vertically integrated manufacturing model, which allows it to provide flexible employment opportunities for women as well as radical transparency about its manufacturing process. Isle of Summer uses plant-based biodegradable garment and parcel bags and recycles all residual plastics that can’t be eliminated, as well as minimal packaging and 100 per cent recycled paper. It also tries to make use of fabric offcuts to reduce waste, which might mean you find a complimentary hair scrunchy in your order.
Citizen Wolf
Size range: Custom fit
Sydney’s Citizen Wolf is on a mission to revolutionise the way we think about staple clothing, to get us to invest in quality pieces that are literally made for us. The brand uses your magic fit – a fit made specifically based on your weight, height and date of birth – to cut your perfectly sized T-shirt out with laser technology. The tees are sewn together in Sydney and its manufacturing is certified by Ethical Clothing Australia. And if the fit isn’t spot on the first time, the label will tweak it for you. Once you have your fit sorted, you can invest in a few of your favourite colours, cuts and fabrics.
Woolerina
Size range: 8 to 18
Australian-owned and made slow fashion brand Woolerina has your merino staples sorted for all seasons in sizes eight to 18. The brand’s wool is hand-picked and comes from non-mulesed sheep that grow their fleeces in the best living conditions. Woolerina’s garment manufacturing is certified by Ethical Clothing Australia.
Buon Clothing
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Size Range: XS to XXXXXXL
Buon Clothing is an ’80s and ’90s inspired label founded in the suburbs of Melbourne. Everything it produces is locally made and the brand champions high-quality manufacturing. Buon stands for fun, family, and unconditional love – all the things that make us feel uplifted, safe and free to be ourselves. It is all about encouraging you to express your personal style in a way that is both colourful and comfortable.
Elk
Size range: 6 to 18
Founded in 2004, this Melbourne based independent label not only offers on-trend items from sizes six to 18, but it has a social conscience too. Elk only works with small manufacturers who meet its ethical values and are also involved in several charities. You can expect breathable and comfort-focused designs and product lines including all-occasion clothing, accessories and footwear.
Natalija
Size Range: 4 to 18
Natalija knows that everyone’s body is different and is here to champion that. Every piece is made-to-order in Sydney, allowing customisation to the nth degree. Personalise your sleeve length, hemline and style preferences like colour and length. Natalijia uses natural fibres in neutral tones and is on a journey of empowering women through fashion.
Opia
Size Range: XS to XL
Opia is a Byron Bay-based clothing label focused on producing simplistic, delicate clothing for everyday wear. Inspired by a love of nature and the ocean, Opia achieves its rich colourways from plant-based, raw materials. Its timeless garments prioritise sustainability by only using natural fibres with cassava-based packaging sent out in compostable bags.
Collective Closets
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Size range: 6 to 20
African born and Melbourne raised, sisters Laurinda and Fatuma Ndenzako started the Collective Closets label as a harmonious mix of their two cultures. Bringing the beauty of the vibrant shuka textile to modern Melbourne design, a Collective Closets piece is unmissable. The best part? Last year, they extended their range up to a size 20.
A.bch
Size range: XS to XXL
Founded in 2017, A.bch is a circular fashion label offering a simple solution to a complex problem. Working to a circular economy standard, the brand sets the precedent by offering full disclosure as to how each of its pieces came to be. Sizes range from XS to XXL, with an option that allows you to customise the garments specifically for your needs – book a consultation or order size ‘C’ for more info.
Vege Threads
Size range: XS to 3XL
Melbourne-based label Vege Threads has embraced the shift towards slower living – and encourages its customers to do the same. Its ethically manufactured, organically-dyed pieces are made in soft, high-quality fabrics like modal, merino, hemp and organic cotton. Available up to size 3XL, Vege Threads has your wardrobe staples covered.
Holiday the label
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Size range: XS to 3XL
As the name suggests, Emma Mulholland’s label Holiday creates souvenier-inspired pieces that feel like ’80s beach vacay nostalgia. Designed in Sydney and made sustainably in Bali, Holiday aims to minimise waste by operating on a pre-order basis and using deadstock fabric to create smaller items like scrunchies, masks and stuffed toys. Holiday pieces are available up to a 3XL, so you can dress for a beach getaway year-round.
Intimates
Camp Cove Swim
Size range: 6 to 16
Camp Cove Swim creates retro-inspired swimwear, activewear and loungewear that’s ethically and locally manufactured on the South Coast of New South Wales in Jervis Bay. Not just using regenerated nylon from rescued fishing nets and nylon waste, Camp Cove Swim also employs a digital printing method called sublimation which eliminates water entirely from the dyeing process.
Hara the Label
Size range: XS to 5XL
Hara, meaning green in Hindi, constructs sustainable, soft, dreamy bamboo intimates and loungewear. Founded by Allie Cameron, Hara aims to bring change and awareness to the human and environmental issues within the fashion industry. The pieces are available in sizes XS to 5XL and are naturally dyed, cut, sewn, packaged and shipped in Melbourne.
Hopeless Lingerie
Size range: XXS to 5XL
“Dark, modern and romantic lingerie for bad-ass women.” Hopeless Lingerie cut, handmake and wrap all lingerie from their Melbourne office. Its flirty pieces are made-to-order, meaning while they stock between XXS and 5XL on hand, they can also accommodate all sizes while minimising waste.
Jackfruit the Label
Size range: 6 to 26
Jackfruit the Label is a Byron Shire intimates brand that seeks to be “big on comfort” and “low on environmental impact”. Its staple and no-fuss pieces are all handmade and hand-dyed from organic cotton and bamboo in small batches using solar power. Run by a one-woman team, Jackfruit the Label is truly size-inclusive, accommodating up to a size 26 with the option of custom sizing too.
Just Babes Club (JBC)
Size range: 6 to 20/XS to XXL band size and A to H cup sizes
The name doesn’t lie, JBC is for every busty and non-busty babe. Catering up to a size 20 and H-cup with the option of free custom sizing, JBC is a body-positive lingerie brand. Sheer, lace, strappy and satin, JBC’s sexy undergarments are made-to-order and handmade in Australia.
Asri Swim
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Size Range: S to XXXXXXL
Asri Swim was founded with the belief that all styles should be available for all bodies. It designs timeless styles with environmentally conscious fabrics to create sustainable, size-inclusive swimwear. Handcrafted in the heart of Bali, the brand knows that no two people of the same size are identical, so includes adjustable features on all of its tops to allow you to customise the fit.
Activewear
Bay Active
Size range: 6 to 18
Straight outta Byron comes sustainable activewear label Bay Active. Using only organic cotton and natural or regenerated fibres and boycotting plastic packaging where possible, the label is doing one for the planet. With sizes up to 18, one for the curvy gals too. Hit up the site and you’ll find unfussy yet flattering garms made for getting out and about. Who doesn’t love slow fashion made for a high-impact life?
Active Truth
Size range: XS to 3XL
Active Truth founders Stevie and Nadia set out to create a brand that not only serviced the activewear needs of women of all different sizes and shapes, but celebrated them too. Active Truth is committed to supporting a diverse range of women and their bodies by prioritising quality and functionality in their activewear range. Stocking up to 3XL, Active Truth also offers an extensive range of products for maternity, post-partum and petite body types.
Dharma Bums
Size range: XS to XXL
Dharma Bums is committed to creating sustainable and practical yoga gear. Bright and patterned activewear that empower women is at the core of this brand, as well as a commitment to greener fabrics. The brand caters to sizes 6 to 18, leaving room for more body types.
Dk Active
Size range: XS to 6XL
Brisbane-based Dk Active creates Australian-made activewear from its solar-powered HQ. Director Danielle Kay’s idea behind the brand is to promote inner wellbeing, self-love and body positivity, seen through its collections specifically designed for curvy and pregnant customers. Using regenerated nylon, organic cotton, bamboo and modal, its activewear ranges cover sizes 6 to 24.
Team Timbuktu
Size range: XXS to XL
Move over The North Face (sorry, Dan), this woman-founded and -ran activewear brand is the epitome of dressing for Mother Nature. Not only are Team Timbuktu’s clothes made for enjoying the outdoors, but they are also made for us to enjoy forever. Recycled plastic waste is the main ingredient in these tights, tops and jackets, which are super sleek yet supportive and sized up to 16.
For more sustainable size-inclusive brand suggestions, head here.
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