Brisbane’s sustainable fashion scene is picking up and it’s a trend we can absolutely all get behind. The city’s combination of local, small-scale fashion designers, and classic high street retailers, offer a great collection of ethically made men’s and women’s clothing. From the bespoke boutiques of Paddington and Bulimba to the eclectic vintage hubs in West End and Fortitude Valley – here’s where you can shop for sustainable fashion in Brisbane.
Read next: The Brisbane fashion designers that should be on your radar
Open House Collective
Address: 73 Vulture Street, West End
Open House is an office, retail and gallery space in West End managed by the people behind Box Vintage, Local Makers Collective and Blaklash Projects. It’s a shared space for independent designers to showcase and sell their creations. Brands to look for here include Brisbane’s Nelson Molloy, Elk & Ina, Papa Drew and The Sewloist, and Queensland label Magpie Goose. Box Vintage has some goodies in here too.
SWOP Clothing Exchange
Address: 161 Boundary Street, West End
Technically all secondhand stores fit the bill when it comes to sustainable fashion, as extending the lifetime of a piece of clothing helps to reduce its environmental impact dramatically. But for quality used clothing at a competitive price, it’s got to be SWOP. SWOP Clothing Exchange’s store in West End is a haven for secondhand and vintage clothing. Shoppers can trade in their own clothes for store credit or cash, and shop the secondhand goods on offer.
Check out my guide to Brisbane’s best op shops and vintage stores here.
Brisbane Arcade
Address: Between Adelaide Street and Queen Street Mall in Brisbane City
The lovely peeps that run Brisbane Arcade have purposely kept the lease costs down to ensure that local makers can afford to run their stores in the CBD. Enter to find locally designed and made fashion by designers such as Tengdahl and Maiocchi (both made in Brisbane) and many more.
Myer/David Jones
Address: Errrrywhere
While these big retailers don’t get a good wrap for their own brands, they stock some really great ethically made Australian labels. The brands to look for here are Nobody Denim, Bassike, Cue, Veronika Maine, Carla Zampatti, Bianca Spender, Bec and Bridge, Perri Cutten and Manning Cartell.
If you’re at Queens Plaza in Brisbane City, check out Brisbane’s own Sacha Drake on Adelaide Street or head upstairs to the fancy womenswear level to find Australian made Viktoria and Woods.
Pigeonhole
Address: Wintergarden, Brisbane City
This adorable shop started out as a small curation of fun gift-like objects but has grown into a full-size store with great gifts, garments and games alike. Pigeonhole in Brisbane’s Wintergarden stocks Brisbane label Ivy Nui, Perth label (and Australian made) ILKA, and has a sweet selection of second hand clothes to sort though. Pigeonhole also has a heap of other cool sustainable gifts like reusable coffee cups and other great gadgets.
James Street
Address: James St, Fortitude Valley
James Street boutique Carmague is home to some really great sustainable labels that you cannot find anywhere else in Queensland let alone Brisbane. Go here to find clothes from European designers Marimekko and Ganni and the ethically produced New Zealand label Kowtow.
While you’re in the area, check out the new line up of shops around the Calile Hotel including Australian made Bassike, Bec and Bridge, Dion Lee and Carla Zampatti. Nudie Denim is also on James Street.
Alice Nightingale
Address: Shop 4, California Lane, 356-376 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley
Brisbane-based designer Alice Veivers makes quirky womenswear with second hand, vintage and deadstock fabrics. Veiver’s store in California Lane is a burst of colour in Fortitude Valley, where she stocks her unique, locally made pieces.
Practice Studio
Address: 1/12 Brookes St, Bowen Hills
Practice Studio is a combined workroom and shop located in Will Lane in Fortitude Valley. The brand’s featured at Practice Studio are regularly designing and making in-store and offer alterations and repairs on both new and well-loved clothes. The shop itself features work by emerging designers who are producing seasonless collections, limited edition art-fashion pieces and short runs of garments and accessories.
Biome Slow Fashion
Address: 2 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington
Brisbane’s eco friendly store Biome added a slow fashion collection a few years back, but it’s now available to shop in person at the Biome Collective store in Paddington. Biome’s slow fashion collection includes brands such as Outland Denim, Hemp Clothing Australia, Tasi Travels, Frank & Dollys, Veja and many more.
RESTYLD Co.
Address: 19 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington
Paddington’s RESTYLD boutique is giving pre loved clothes a second chance. The secondhand fashion store has an epic selection of pre‑loved garments, carefully curated for quality and style.
The Common Thread
Address: 24 Oxford St, Bulimba
Bulimba boutique The Common Thread stocks good companies, doing good things. Some of the labels to look out for include ethically made swimwear labels Baiia and Salt Gypsy, sustainable Brazilian shoemaker Veja, and their own slow fashion label The MNML.
