In case you missed it, the cycle of fast fashion, fleeting trends and overconsumption is still very much a problem. According to here in Aotearoa we chuck 143 tonnes of clothing waste into landfill every single day. That's 52,000 tonnes every year. Yikes.
Consumer power is huge and it’s up to us to make better decisions about how often we shop and what we add to cart. It’s all about choosing brands based on our own values—not just the dollar value of a product. But first, what actually is ethical fashion? The definitions range from handcrafted, sustainable and locally produced, to following fair trade practices, producing minimal waste, being vegan, actively supporting gender equality and having a transparent supply chain. Top tip, if you're ever unsure of how ethical a brand is, use .
Here are the best ethical Kiwi fashion brands to shop at.
Kowtow
6 York Street, Newmarket, Auckland
Image credit: Kowtow | Instagram
A Kiwi favourite, tick four key ethical values—sustainable, fair, transparent and gender equality. Founded by Gosia Piatek in 2007, the brand is committed to sustainable fabrics, ethical manufacturing and being environmentally conscious with their processes. The best part? Their designs are beautiful, whether you’re after an essential basic that will stand the test of time or a versatile statement piece—they’ve got you.
Offcut
Online
Image credit: Offcut | Instagram
Offcut makes caps out of scraps. We caught up with co-founder, Jeff Ward earlier in the year at the earlier this year and yarned about what it's like working in sustainable fashion. Offcut takes clean textile waste—think scraps, samples and offcut fabrics that would otherwise end up in landfill—and turns them into dope hats. Our favourite part? The hats are limited-run which means, that in a proverbial middle finger to fast fashion, once they're sold out, that's it. Keep an eye on their socials for their next hat drop or take a gander at their and see if anything takes your fancy.
riel
Online
Image credit: Riel | Instagram
Slow fashion incarnate, pieces are made in Aotearao from reworked vintage clothing interwoven with recycled fibres. In fact, the business doesn't even identify as a label, rather it's positioned as a recycling centre. Edits are dropped in small batches. Its blog has some particularly punchy, informative posts on it riffing on sustainability, too.
Untouched World
38 Osborne Street, Newmarket, Auckland | 16/45 Willis Street, Wellington Central | 155 Roydvale Avenue & 8A Homersham Place, Burnside, Christchurch | 35 Helswich Street, Wānaka | Shop 26-28/251 George Street, Dunedin
Image credit: Untouched World | Instagram
is the first and only fashion label to be recognised by the United Nations for sustainability. They set the bar and they know it, forever putting in the mahi to do even better. A case in point is their rubbish socks (made from knit waste blended with 50% virgin merino in a recycling process free from water or dye) which scored the team the in the Mindful Fashion Circular Design Awards. The brand is certified B-Corp and 94% of the collection is made right here in Aotearoa.
Standard Issue
4 Osborne Street, Newmarket, Auckland
Image credit: Standard Issue | Instagram
is all about "beautiful utility, slow-crafted with care for land, makers and community" and functional, sustainable design is a central kaupapa. The team believes their responsibility as makers doesn't stop when people buy their garments and they offer a 'Care For Life' mending and repurposing service to ensure none of their garments become a burden for the environment. They also have a beautiful community connection, a case in point being their Jumper for Jumper initiative where every winter they knit and gift a jumper to a child in need for every Standard Issue jumper purchased.
Hannah-Lee Jade
Online
Image credit: Hannah Lee Jade | Instagram
Inspired by the natural world, Tāmaki Makaurau-born Hannah-Lee first thought about becoming a fashion designer when she competed in Trash To Fashion at just ten years old. Fast-forward to a fully-fledged label, she remains true to those original ecological design principles. Her distinctive style is brought to life through the use of repurposed and deadstock fabrics, creating tailored genderless silhouettes we’re totally in love with.
Martini Made
Online
Image credit: Martini Made | Instagram
There are bags and then there are 's chunky, chic handmade crochet bags. Made locally here in Aotearoa, each bag is made from 100% recycled cotton t-shirt yarn from textile company offcuts and is only released once. There are currently two styles in a myriad of nature-inspired colourways—a mini shoulder bag named Saide and a 2-in-1 mini bag with detachable strap known as Margaux.
Penny Sage
6A Kirk Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland
Image credit: Penny Sage | Instagram
Founder by designer Kate Megaw in 2011, has a simple but powerful mission—to offer curated, high-quality, long-lasting pieces made in New Zealand. The brand is truly local—every piece is made within 30km of the Penny Sage studio by machinists personally selected by Megaw. Minimalists assemble because you will be lusting after these elegant collections—think well-fitting wide-leg pants, covetable woollen coats and soft Merino knits. Just take our money already.
ReCreate
Online
Image credit: ReCreate | Instagram
Led by Kiwi founder Erica Gadsby and creative director Marielle van der Ven, provides fair employment for women in Dey Tmey, Cambodia. Beginning as a sewing workshop and growing into the label we know today, their first student, Sompoa, was living under a table in a local marketplace with her husband and three children. Now, she’s ReCreate’s team leader, training new students and living in a lovely home. We can’t get enough of these pieces.
Nisa
99 Willis Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Image credit: Nisa | Instagram
Te Whanganui-a-tara label (which is the Arabic word for 'woman' but Nisa translates this as 'solidarity') became a household name thanks to their ethical underwear made from organic cotton in inclusive sizes by women from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Since its inception in 2017 (and a moment when it closed for good only to be phoenixed back to life with a crowd-sourcing campaign), its offering has expanded to include bralettes, sports bras, boxer briefs, leggings, socks, period products, low-zero waste activewear and reversible swimwear which is released as a limited edition collection each summer. Nisa also hosts a bunch of workshops where you can make your own underwear and swimwear. Naice.
Maggie Marilyn
4 Roxburgh Street, Newmarket, Auckland
Image credit: Maggie Marilyn | Instagram
B Corp-certified fashion label ’s ethics speak to people, the planet and prosperity. Garments are created using deadstock fabrics, Econyl regenerated nylon, ZQ and Responsible Wool certified wool, linen, organic cotton, post-consumer waste recycled polyester and Tencel lyocell. The label supports Sweet Charity, a collab between The Grief Centre and Supporting Families In Mental Illness, and Pillars, a community initiative that creates positive futures for the children and whānau of prisoners.
Esse
Within Città Bloc, 20 Normanby Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
Image credit: Esse | Instagram
At the heart of is circular, traceable, inclusive, ethically-made fashion that treads lightly on our planet. Creativity and functionality is blended into designs that transcend trends. Speaking of, Esse launches small capsules instead of large seasonal collections to minimise waste. Fabrics are selected against water and land use, eco-toxicity, human toxicity and greenhouse gas emissions, and garments are packaged in recycled paper with minimal branding to encourage reuse.
Velvet Heartbeat
Online
Image credit: Velvet Heartbeat
We’ve been admiring (read: quietly collecting) for years now and have several coveted VH pieces that get compliments everywhere we go. Every creation is handmade in a tiny workroom in Mt Albert out of plant-based textiles like Piñatex—a sustainably-produced leather alternative made from pineapples—cactus ‘Desserto’ leather, and even corn and apple-based fabrics. *Swoon*. If you’re wondering whether you need an alternative leather bag in your life, the answer is hell yes.
The Keep
504 Karangahape Road, Auckland CBD
Image credit: Outerlines Studio via The Keep | Instagram
Lela Jacobs is the designer behind , a collective showroom and open studio on Karangahape Road. Epitomising ethical local fashion, the sell-out collections are created using zero-waste pattern-making in a way that honours the ecological impact and history of each fabric. Expect monochromatic, androgynous vibes with a solid serving of whimsy. Pictured is a piece by one of the current 'Keepers',.
Yu Mei
8 Kent Street, Newmarket, Auckland
Image credit: Yu Mei | Instagram
Kiwi label are all about design-conscious bags that are big enough to hold everything you need, while looking hella fine. Hello practical fashion. The bags are made from leather (which doesn’t normally feature in an ethical lineup), however, his leather is a byproduct of the local venison industry and would otherwise be thrown away so it gets a big thumbs up from us. Founded by Jessie Wong in 2015, each piece is lovingly handcrafted in their Wellington studio and better yet, it’s 100% traceable. Sold? Pick up your dream piece here.
Twenty-Seven Names
Osborne Lane, 4/6 Kent Street, Newmarket, Auckland | Commercial Bay, Store 17/7 Queen Street, Auckland
Image credit: Twenty-Seven Names | Instagram
If you haven't heard of , you’ll surely recognise their signature whimsical style. Their collections play with colours, prints and shapes in a surprising yet versatile way. Founded by friends and fashion lovers Rachel Easting and Anjali Burnett, the label is proudly New Zealand-made. Ethical and sustainable choices are simply second nature here, and you’ll see that each garment's description on-site details where the item was made and the origins of the fabric.
Honest Wolf
2 Bruce Street, Hunterville
Image credit: Honest Woolf | Instagram
Ethical woollen line upcycles wool that would otherwise be discarded into luxury eco-friendly bags, wallets and caps. Created by husband-and-wife farmer duo, Sam and Sophie Hurley in Hunterville, this is Kiwiana reimagined. The wool is a byproduct of twice-yearly sheep shearing which keeps the ewes happy and healthy. The sheep are relieved of 170 tonnes of wool in this way every year. Impressive.
Papa Clothing
Online
Image credit: Papa Clothing | Instagram
Northland-raised designer, Keva Rands, weaves family and her ancestral homelands of Fiji, Sāmoa, Tongareva and Hawai’i into every piece of , releasing 'waves' rather than seasons where each piece was birthed from slow fashion, designed and made in Aotearoa with very little waste. At least, that was the case until Papa Clothing announced their closure. So you bet we were overjoyed to spot some remaining pieces from their final 'Papa Was Here' collection on , a marketplace and community space celebrating Pacific and Māori artists. while stocks last and hug your body in non-gendered silhouettes made from natural fibres.
Looking for another way to reduce your fashion footprint? Check out Auckland’s best vintage stores.
Main image credit: Hannah Lee Jade | Instagram.