The slow fashion movement is showing no signs of plateauing. At long last, the industry squirming with questionable principles is morphing into something that is both beautiful and respectable. Oh, how we rejoice! The guilt has been stripped from our guiltiest pleasure and we can finally dust off the credit card and dive back into decadent dressing.
As new brands emerge that rival fast fashion on all fronts, the excuses for shopping unethically are rapidly dwindling. Though the trail blazing conscious consumers have been casting their no vote upon toxic and unethical clothing for donkeys, it’s only now that it’s becoming mainstream, and easily accessible.
Whether you’re a seasoned ethical shopper or dabbling your foot for the first time, these five Australian labels are sure to inspire your inner slow-shopper.
Monsoon Blooms
Dyed in a forest in the South Indian state of Kerala, Monsoon Blooms uses India’s ancient natural medicine system of Ayurveda to dye a delicate collection of underwear and loungewear. Harnessing the powers of plants like neem, holy basil and sandalwood, these Fairtrade organic cotton pieces see your skin soaking up a natural pharmacy of Indian herbs known for their infinite healing powers—not a toxic chemical in site. Offering up their entire ‘farm to front door’ process on their website, shoppers are free to assess their ethics to microscopic detail. Paying their tailors 315% more than required by state law, it’s hard to refute their dedication to ethical fashion.
Hemp Temple
Gone are the days when buying hemp clothes meant being forced into a t-shirt with ‘legalise marijuana’ embroidered into it. The raw and earthly pieces by Hemp Temple slip effortlessly into any wardrobe. Their ethics and sustainability page speaks with soul of friendships formed and chai sipping with a small collective of sewers. Ethiopian woven sandals, ethereal wrap tops, men’s jackets, baby harem pants—there’s a whole banquet of feel good garb on their site and in their Byron store. A ‘sold out’ slash across many of their items means these aren’t pieces to ponder for long.
Oakie The Label
Coining their online store and ‘eco-village,’ Oakie is a curation of luxurious linens and pure cottons inspired by nature. Their teal overalls, pocket slip dresses and oversized tops look perfectly at home by a tin shed in the Australian wild. Telling customers “the less you have, the happier you are,” their ethos even shines through their marketing—a far cry from the ‘buy buy buy’ to which we’ve all become accustomed.
Theo The Label
Melbourne born brand Theo The Label embodies simple elegance, with enough sustainable, tailored staples to fill an entire wardrobe. Their oversized shirts and shift dresses in robust fabrics stand out from the crowd. On a journey of ‘people, planet, purpose,’ they explore the ethics of the trillion-dollar fashion industry on their blog, sharing their research and the evolution of their production cycle. Pick them up on Eco Mono—the new Australian website that curates ethical sustainable clothing in various hues of grey black white. Classic statement pieces with a social conscious—what’s not to love?
Tasi Travels
Dreamed up in Timor-Leste and crafted in the sustainable material of tencel, Tasi’s aim is to offer the ultimate travel-wear. The complexities of dressing for conservative countries with hot tropical climates are finally a thing of the past. Completely biodegradable, the Tasi products would all but vanish within six weeks if composted properly. Investing in a Tasi piece—perhaps a jumpsuit, collared shirt, maxi skirt or simple dress—supports the made-to-order movement of this beautiful new Sunshine Coast brand.
Image credit: Tasi Travels