A classic coat can last you decades, and if looked after, be passed on for future wearers. So finding one that’s well made and passes the test of time on a style front is mandatory. Finding one that’s ethically made with quality fabrics? Even better. There’s no need to sugarcoat these Australian and New Zealand brands making ethical and environmentally friendly classic coats.
1. Kowtow
New Zealand-based brand Kowtow has brought back its range of ethical and sustainable coats for winter. Shop for a classic trench or a denim jackets in a range of colours aligned to this year’s winter collection. Always sustainably made, these coats are no doubt an investment for years ahead. Kowtow’s commitment to plastic free production mean these garments are 100% natural fibres.
2. Viktoria and Woods
Viktoria and Woods winter range includes classic trench styles, an over-the-top leather longline coat, long and short puffer jackets, long and short wool coats, and more warm winter additions. Viktoria and Woods leather is sourced and certified by Leather Working Group – a community for responsible leather sourcing. The vast majority of the brand’s garments are ethically made in Australia.
3. Bassike
Australian luxury basics brand Bassike has a range to keep you warm this winter. The brand’s coats and jackets collection includes classic cotton and leather trenches, twill and wool felt coats. A big part of Bassike’s production is done on shore in Australia, and the brand is committed to sustainable production with environmentally friendly fabrics and carbon neutral operations.
4. Kuwaii
Melbourne-based ethical fashion brand Kuwaii produces a small range of classic coats. The brand’s garments are all ethically made in Melbourne, with all manufacturing taking place within 15km of its design studio in Brunswick and accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia. The coat collection includes long dusters and cropped jackets in classic and retro prints.
5. Maggie Marilyn
Maggie Marilyn believes that our planet’s survival hinges on its ability to dream up a better tomorrow, which is why the brand believes that the future of fashion is one rooted in transparency, circularity, regeneration and inclusion. And we couldn’t agree more. The New Zealand-based brand makes a range of classic and alternative coats from ethically sourced, natural fibres.
6. KITX
KITX is a bold brand with a serious commitment to sustainability. The womenswear label is B Corp certified, and makes efforts to reduce its impact on the planet by working with environmentally friendly and innovative fabrics. KITX designs have a twist on classic but will all stand the test of time. Check out the reloved KITX collection to pick up some secondhand treasure.
7. Ginger and Smart
Sydney-based luxury womenswear label Ginger and Smart puts people and planet first. The brand says it has a moral obligation to the people who make its garments to provide a living wage, healthy working hours and a safe hygienic workplace. The garments are made with environmentally friendly fabrics such as sustainable organic cotton, hemp and linen, and recycled synthetics where necessary. With a focus on quality, timeless garments, the brand produces lifetime staples such as trenches, coats, jackets and blazers.
8. Búl
Travel-inspired Melbourne brand Búl designs timeless twee basics for the climate-conscious globetrotter. Its collections are lean by design and ethically manufactured in China and Indonesia. If that’s not enough to warm your heart during the cooler months, Búl uses natural and deadstock fabrics to reduce waste and encourage slow consumption.
9. Variety Hour
There aren’t many Australian brands that can claim their clothes are even partly made in Australia, and Variety Hour is on the list. Its Melbourne team now shares the work with an ethically accredited small business in China that guarantees living wages and fair work conditions for its garment workers. Variety Hour is all about unique, hand-painted prints and colourful florals. It’s gleefully maximalist, serotonin-boosting stuff for your winter morning blues: Try not to smile wearing the purest distillation of a Saturday farmer’s market on a warm spring day.
10. ELK
Womenswear mainstay ELK is newly B Corp certified and celebrating 20 years in business. It grew from a passion for ethically produced jewellery to a brand with eight retail locations. Simple, beautiful clothes in natural fabrics and thick, fluffy knits are ELK’s bread and butter. Geometric details and jewel tones nod to its origins. ELK’s (RE)NEW initiative resells its own used pieces, mending or recycling where necessary for a circular economy. Each year, the brand holds itself publicly accountable against its ethics and sustainability commitments in its transparency report. There’s no greenwashing here: ELK publishes its data and is candid about the costs along every step of the process.
11. Marle
Let real New Zealand Merino wool keep you warm this winter. New Zealand brand Marle makes dreamy, pass-down pieces in exclusively natural materials, sourced and certified for sustainability. Its clothes wear well and feel beautiful on the skin thanks to an “unwavering commitment to natural fabrics and fibres.” Marle ships by sea freight to cut emissions and delivers in fully biodegradable, compostable packaging. Its sophisticated, minimalist designs are priced to match, but pre-loved pieces are popular on resell sites. Did someone say quiet luxury for less?
12. Deiji Studios
Wish you were wintering in Byron Bay? Byron-born Deiji Studios is the anointed hot-girl brand of Gen Z women who don’t smile in photos. Its clothes are effortless and spartan, brought back from the edge of blandness by Deiji’s distinctive aesthetic: oversized to the point of hanging off the body and full of uncanny, seductive details. The designs play with paradox – demure and suggestive, covering up as they reveal. Deiji offsets all carbon use and claims it’s working towards a zero-waste manufacturing process. With all products made from 100% biodegradable or recycled materials, it’s partway there. Plus, it requires all manufacturing partners to sign environmental, animal welfare and social policies.
One caveat: Deiji Studios does not market to every body. Its signature oversized silhouette relies on conspicuously thin models, even by industry standards. Deiji’s sizing ranges from XXS to XL.
13. Courtney Zheng
Courtney Zheng’s titular label produces classic capsule-sized collections with an unconventional edge – think boardroom dressing meets The Matrix, then figure in a tête-á-tête with a Canadian tuxedo, and you’re on the right track. Courtney Zheng exists to satisfy your craving to dress like a denim Neo this winter. Each small, intentional release uses majority natural materials and deadstock fabrics where possible. The brand promises zero plastic, fully compostable packaging and fair working conditions in its Chinese factory. This issue is close to founder Courtney Zheng’s heart: Her label is inspired by her grandmother’s own success story, rising from a “young fabric mill worker to the leader of a textile industry.”
14. Natalija Rushidi
Looking for a less-than-traditional coat this winter? Something more dramatic – even something a little baroque? Look no further than Natalija Rushidi’s striking designs, handmade in Sydney with a focus on quality over quantity. Natalija Rushidi is a small, independent label producing fun, theatrical tailoring with a potent hit of menswear-inflected swagger. Make a statement sporting a Natalija Rushidi coat this winter.
Read next: The top brands for ethically & sustainably produced knitwear
