The sustainable men’s fashion industry is growing. Brands such as Outland Denim are committing to ethical production and environmentally friendly practices at every level of the supply chain. Local labels like Citizen Wolf are creating a new type of trend with sustainably made custom casual wear. As the demand for these goods increases, the options are catching up to meet it. From social enterprise labels to First Nations designs – here are my picks for the best ethically and sustainably made menswear in Australia.
Citizen Wolf
Forget tailored suits, Citizen Wolf makes tailored T-shirts so you can feel #spesh all the time. The brand takes your weight, height and date of birth to create your magic fit, before laser cutting the fabric of your choice, and sewing it in Sydney. You can choose your favourite cut, colour and fabric, and then customise as you wish (ie. add a pocket). It is truly the best fitting T-shirt you’ll ever have and potentially the only one you’ll need too – because if anything happens to your shirt, the team at CW will mend it for you. #LikeAWolf
Kowtow
From the unsuspecting city of Wellington, New Zealand, Kowtow Clothing is leading in sustainable fashion production and setting the bar high for its competitors. Kowtow was founded in 2007 by designer Gosia Piatek, driven by her desire to create an ethical label that would be the example for a fashion forward, global thinking business. More recently, the brand announced it was 100% plastic free – from its fabrics to fastenings. Kowtow covers the basics in men’s wear with its dedicated Building Block range, but also branches into statement pieces with organic patterns and colours. The consistent feel throughout its collections is both wearable and modern – although Kowtow is known for its oversized, minimalist pieces.
Rupahaus
Perth-based slow fashion label RŪPAHAUS makes sweet threads, suitable for summer. The brand’s use of organic fibres and natural dyes make the pieces unique in their appearance (keeping the colours earthy) with the prints adding a retro edge. The RŪPAHAUS collections are ethically made in Indonesia, in small batches to keep control of the supply chain.
Windsor Lane
Melbourne-made menswear label Windsor Lane thinks that men should not be limited by out-dated ideas of masculinity and should be free to express themselves with colour and pattern. It suggests cheekily, “Women shouldn’t have all the fun.” I tend to agree with it, and not just because the brand is serious about sustainability, keeping its production in Australia and fabrics made from natural fibres. The range includes short and long sleeve button up cotton shirts, neck and bow ties, and pocket squares..
HoMie
HoMie is a social enterprise and unisex streetwear label for young people. The brand name is an acronym for Homelessness of Melbourne incorporated enterprise – as they use 100 per cent of their profits to support young people facing homelessness in Melbourne. HoMie values transparency and up-cycles preloved items to reduce the environmental impact of their garments. As a bonus, a part of HoMie’s production is done in Australia.
Outland Denim
Outland Denim has ethical production at its core. The brand was set up to help stop human trafficking in Cambodia by giving vulnerable women and those saved from the sex industry a place to develop skills and secure a sustainable career path. Outland Denim is committed to sourcing ethically and environmentally sound raw materials, from organic cotton pocket linings to recycled packaging. The brand says its jeans are “made different” not only because of how they are made, with fine attention to detail, but because every pair can help change someone’s life.
Spunky Bruiser
No mass production here, friends. Spunky Bruiser sports unique Australian fashion, tailored to individual requirements. Their small team hand-makes everything ethically in New South Wales from sustainable, upcycled materials sourced within Australia. Keeping it all made to order also means they’re able to significantly lower the waste they produce. Spunky Bruiser says it designs to your style and in timeless, comfortable cuts further minimising the brand’s environmental impact. The result is some epic ’90s-inspired upcycled fashion that’s anything but fast.
STAPLE Co
STAPLE Co creates organic cotton staples for men, women and teens. The Perth-based brand works with GOTS-certified organic cotton ensuring fibres are grown without harmful chemicals and processed to strict environmental standards. But the care doesn’t stop there. Each piece is coloured using OEKO-TEX® certified dyes and produced within a Fairtrade certified factory, supporting ethical manufacturing and transparency. Shop for t-shirts, track pants, hoodies, bike shorts and more.
Hemp Clothing Australia
You’ll find timeless, transeasonal pieces at Hemp Clothing Australia: a classic tee, a crisp shirt, well-fitting pants. This label boasts a great men’s range along with socks and bed linen. There’s also an artist range of naturally dyed tees. But arguably most interesting is the label’s school uniform project, which aims to swap synthetic fabrics for natural hemp polos.
Read more about hemp here.
Woolerina
Australian owned and made Woolerina has all of your winter staples sorted. The brand’s merino comes from non-mulesed sheep, that grow their fleeces in the best living conditions. A merino long sleeve tee is a must have staple for winter so I suggest getting one you love and that will last. Shop for men’s tops, bottoms, jumpers and accessories.
Bassike
Designer basics label Bassike brings refined and long lasting classics to the mix. If you find yourself reaching for the same T-shirt and shorts every odd day, and love a comfortable ‘fit, this is the brand for you. The vast majority of the Bassike garments are ethically made in Australia and The brand opts for environmentally sustainability materials such as GOTS-certified organic soon. The guys range includes shirts and shorts, tanks, winter wear, denim and accessories.
Kusaga Athletic
Kusaga Athletic makes future fabrics and is the brand behind the world’s greenest T-shirt – made with less than 1% of the water than it takes to make your average cotton T-shirt. Its activewear range is all ethically produced and made to last, and its greenest T-shirts do not retain odour so they’re perfect for an active man.
ZONE by Lydia
ZONE by Lydia, a brand by Olympic champion turned eco-warrior Lydia Lassila, takes a holistic approach to all things wellness and sustainability. Its hemp apparel range encompasses comfort, style and inclusivity with gender neutral and timeless designs. The collection features hoodies, tees, tanks, track pants and bike shorts.
Sunrise at Bondi
Sydney label Sunrise at Bondi makes mens briefs, jammers and compression leggings. All of its swimwear is designed and made in Australia using sustainable techno-fabric that is 100% regenerated from post-consumer materials. This is a process that takes waste from around the globe such as fishing nets and old carpets and re-manufactures it into premium quality recycled yarn. A win for the ocean, and a win for us!
Allbirds
“The world’s most comfortable shoes” are made in New Zealand, so it’s only fitting that they’re made from the finest Merino wool. The Allbirds’ founders say they have created an entirely new category of shoes inspired by natural materials, simplicity in design and extreme comfort. The brand is B-Corp certified, and uses 90% post-consumer recycled cardboard that for its packaging.
R.M Williams
Even though R.M Williams is no longer an Australian owned company, the majority of the footwear is still ethically handmade in Adelaide. The leather goods have retained their quality despite the company changing hands, making the products a true investment. And before you scoff at the $500 price tag, remember that a hand crafted pair of shoes takes almost a day to make, plus quality materials, and many, many overheads. The brand also offers repairs on worn and damaged boots for a fraction of the cost – replacing the heel and sole after years of use.
More here: The top brands for ethically made men’s underwear
