With fast fashion’s environmental impact making headlines in recent years, many brands have been forced to reckon with their own footprints. Some luxury labels are signing pacts to slow down, while others are still producing faster than ever to meet demand. But as consumers are starting to realise the power of their purchases – and the tide is beginning to shift towards more sustainable practices – some of our own B Corps have been leading by example for years. Meet some of the B Corps making sustainability fashionable.
Arnsdorf
Image by Arnsdorf
The Melbourne-based womenswear label Arnsdorf is redefining what fashion can be. Pieces are made with style and purpose in mind – and they skimp on neither. The brand is fully vertically integrated across digital and physical, even producing pieces in their own studio. Everything from pricing to production processes are transparent to customers so they can feel confident in their purchases.
After years of operating in the traditional ‘fashion lifecycle’, the Arnsdorf team put the label on hold in 2012. “We felt a growing sense of uneasiness around the way the fashion industry was set up. The lack of transparency; the outsourcing of production and ethics; the alienation of women; the environmental trauma and never ending oversupply and waste,” their website reads. Today, they produce considered, trans-seasonal collections and keep limited stock to change the way we see fashion.
Little Yellow Bird
Image by Little Yellow Bird
Little Yellow Bird is creating high-quality garments – uniforms, classic tees, sweaters and chinos – from 100% rain-fed organic cotton. The B Corp offers traceability for each product, from cotton seed to the factory floor. To ensure ethical production, their factories are audited regularly against high standards of social, sustainability and safety criteria. Once completed, products are shipped by sea freight to reduce their environmental footprint.
Last week, Little Yellow Bird had an exciting announcement to share: “Staying true to our vision of helping create a sustainably-sourced and ethically-produced fashion industry, we’ve partnered with ZQ Merino.” The partnership will bring 100% Merino wool garments that are grown and stitched in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Etiko
Image by Etiko
Family-run Etiko offers a range of fair trade apparel and shoes for the conscious customer. All of their products are made with responsibly sourced raw materials and with suppliers who invest in the economic and social development of farmers and workers. To combat fashion waste, Etiko recently launched their own ‘Take Back Program’ to recycle worn out shoes at the end of their life.
To find more sustainable fashion brands in Australia & New Zealand, search our B Corp directory.
