7 local brands championing sustainability
Image via Celery the Label
It is that easy being green.
Sustainability is one of the key concerns of the modern consumer, driving us to make better, greener choices when we shop. And with so many labels building eco-friendly design and production into their DNA, it’s a great time to make the switch.
Across fashion, homewares and lifestyle, here are our picks of brands doing their part to nurture and protect the earth.
Celery the label (pictured above)
Celery the Label pays careful attention to its sustainable efforts at every step of the creation process, including research, production and packaging. Every piece of vegetable-tanned leather or length of Australian wool used across the brand’s range of backpacks, duffel bags, totes and side pouches is consciously chosen with its environmental impact in mind. Celery’s new collection of recycled cotton bags, for example, is made from pre-consumer cotton waste – which means scraps, selvedge and mis-cuttings from cotton production are diverted from landfill and repurposed to create a new canvas fabric for the bags.
The Fabric Store
The Fabric Store is all about combatting fast fashion by giving people the option to craft their own beautiful clothes. High quality silks, linens and cottons share the store with specialty textiles like merino and leather. A sustainable ethos of reusing as much as possible means the company avoids mass-produced and ethically-questionable fabrics. Instead, the brand gets its stock from high-end designers, taking on unneeded sample lengths, offcuts and fabric ends. Not only does this bring unique, limited-run fabrics to customers, but it cuts down on industry waste.
Shapes in the Sand
Australian swimwear label Shapes in the Sand has introduced an industry-first, plant-based material for its new Pisces collection. The fabric, which is derived from castor bean oil, is just the beginning of the brand’s environmental efforts. As well as a zero-waste approach, 100 per cent recycled materials and the invention of a water-soluble hygiene liner, the label is now also working to protect marine life. It has teamed up with shark conservationist Madison Stewart to support her ongoing initiative, Project Hiu, through the sale of its latest collection.
Reuze It
Reuze It was born out of a passion to educate and a desire to make sustainable choices easier. The brand believes in adopting simple changes to your everyday habits to better the environment and minimise long-term damage. The product line includes reusable alternatives for a range of single-use plastics, such as coffee cups, straws, baking mats, shopping bags and drink bottles. There are also more sustainable options for everyday items like a bamboo toothbrush and an organic cotton bread bag. All products are designed for daily use.
Her Wardrobe
One of the most sustainable ways to shop is to not buy anything at all. Fashion rental companies like Her Wardrobe let you try out new trends or styles through a risk-free process, since anything you don’t love will go back to the retailer instead of into landfill. As well as a brick-and-mortar boutique in St Kilda, Her Wardrobe operates an online store with express shipping Australia-wide. Each outfit also comes with a pre-paid return envelope, so they’re extra easy to send back when you’re done.
Kindling
Independent womenswear label, Kindling, has transformed both modern and nostalgic cuts for its new warm weather collection. Bold, striking prints are used across a range of natural fabrics, including Japanese hemp, linen and cotton, as well as salvaged remnants and vintage textiles. Silhouettes are striking but versatile to allow for maximum wearability. Taking a slow fashion approach, the label works closely with its seamstresses in Vietnam and Australia, having built up a trusting creative relationship over nine years. Kindling’s commitment to best practice production also extends to minimising waste, and using only paper and packaging that is both recycled and recyclable.
Velvety
Velvety is an online hub of vegan, fair-trade and cruelty-free products, bringing as many brands together as possible to make switching to a greener lifestyle easier. The store’s ethos is based on placing values above trends and considering the long-term effects of our purchases beyond saving a few dollars. Across clothing, accessories, skincare and makeup, Velvety has carefully selected companies based on their ethics and certifications – with most products approved by PETA and similar organisations.
This article was originally published in Fashion Journal 191. You can read it here.
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