Introducing the Peppermint Sustainable Shopping Guides: Brisbane Edition
Welcome to the first Peppermint Sustainable Shopping Guide – a carefully curated resource designed to help you discover the best places to visit and shop your values!
We love an online shop as much as the next pyjama-clad scroller, but really is there anything sweeter than visiting a real life bricks-and-mortar store? We know that retail has been doing it tough the last 18 months and so we wanted to try and help support our local stores (in a safe way, of course!). Unique and beautiful goods along with meeting the passionate people who sell them… sounds pretty perfect to us!
We’re launching the first guide about our beloved Brisbane – home to the Peppermint office and (we believe) some really incredible independent shops which you can read more about below. And then comes the exciting part: to help make it super easy to access info while shopping on the go, we’ve created a Google Maps list that you can add to your Google Maps app on your phone so you can see where the shops are in proximity to your location. So handy! Perfect if you are new to town or whether you just want to map out a sustainable shopping day.
Click here for the Brisbane Sustainable Shopping Guide Google Maps List!
You can of course access this through your computer browser, but the magic really comes to life by adding it to your phone (you’ll just need to have the Google Maps app installed first). Open the link above on your device, click ‘open in Google Maps’, and then click ‘Follow’ when it opens in Google Maps. Now when you navigate to ‘Saved’ on your Maps app, it will show the Sustainable Shopping Guide under ‘Lists you follow’. You can even share the link with friends. Hurrah!
Easy as (a locally made) pie! Support these lovely Brisbane locals and, when you are able, shop responsibly and sustainably.
PEPPERMINT SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING GUIDE: BRISBANE
Aboriginal Art Co
They say: “Established by Indigenous creatives, curators and business owners, Aboriginal Art Co is a confluence of culture, art and commerce. Connecting visitors with ethical and authentic First Nations art from all over Australia. You will find hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind artworks including paintings, sculptures and more.”
We say: Aboriginal Art Co aims to empower Indigenous artists and businesses, and eliminate fake Aboriginal ‘style’ art and products, which make up up to 80% of the souvenir market. Proudly Aboriginal owned and operated, Aboriginal Art Co promotes authentic and ethically sourced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and products. Nestled within the South Brisbane cultural district, just off Fish Lane, the space is a beautiful celebration of the world’s oldest living culture and a trusted site to support Indigenous artists and communities.
89 Grey Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101 | aboriginalartco.org
All the Green Things
They say: “This inner-city boutique nursery specialises in indoor, balcony, and courtyard plants, plant-based workshops, sustainable, eco-living products, and indoor plant styling essentials to add a touch of green to your every day.”
We say: Started by urban horticulturist and environmental scientist Andrea, you’ll find everything from indoor plants, decorative pots, gifts and professional plant parent advice to help you build your indoor jungle at this lush shop with two shops – Highgate Hill and West Village in West End. The seemingly petite space holds a surprise – a courtyard out the back filled with cacti and succulents plus a greenhouse with even more indoor plant goodness!
195 Vulture Street, Highgate Hill, QLD 4101 & 97 Boundary Street, West End, QLD 4101 | allthegreenthings.com.au
Artisan
They say: “Artisan champions the social, cultural and economic value of craft and design in our daily lives. When you buy with artisan, you support ethical, sustainable and hand-made. You are buying a commitment to authenticity, meticulous artistry and unique pieces full of character that can be adored and admired for a lifetime.”
We say: Part art gallery, workshop space and store, Artisan is the spot to find the hidden gems from Australia’s best designers and craftspeople. Amongst their carefully curated shelves you will find obscure and offbeat art-inspired goods: unique jewellery pieces, singular modern-home ceramics and distinctive textile works. Stroll along Bowen Hill’s vibrant King Street to find Artisan’s eye-catching windows (and space) filled with fine wares. This not-for-profit organisation has been supporting and promoting contemporary craft and design practices since its inception in 1970.
45 King Street, Bowen Hills QLD 4006 | artisan.org.au
The Borrowed Nursery
They say: “The Borrowed Nursery showcases a range of carefully selected plants, pots and homewares. Our retail store in Windsor was once an old mechanic workshop, now transformed into a green oasis, offering locally sourced greenery with complementary vessels.”
We say: The refurbished industrial exterior of The Borrowed Nursery’s Windsor store is in neat juxtaposition with its light and airy, luxuriously verdant interior, which is dripping with greenery – an effect so pleasing to the senses the space is a popular hire venue for weddings, photoshoots and other events. Within this viridian paradise you can purchase a green goddess’ bounty of lush plants, modern minimalist pots and planters, slick vases for displaying your flourishing flora and assorted accessories. The plant-obsessed enclave also offers plant hire, allowing you to borrow a shot of their concentrated, cool green aesthetic to spruce up your environment short term.
12/180 Albion Road, Windsor QLD 4030 | theborrowednursery.com
Bristle
They say: “Bristle by Melissa Simmonds is an exciting addition to the already bustling Latrobe Terrace in Paddington. Inside, you will find a collection of Mel’s own artworks and prints. You will also discover a collection of carefully curated products from artisans and creatives from around the world.”
We say: When wandering around Paddington, look for a quaint, Federation-era workers cottage emblazoned with a colourful mural and bright pink door. You’ve found Bristle. Owned and operated by artist Melissa Simmonds, the premises includes her art studio and workshop space where workshops for kids and adults, as well as BYOB painting classes, are offered. Inside the store itself is a colourful kaleidoscope of curated artisan-made goodies – from beach gear to bed linens, clothes, candles, ceramics and more – all carefully selected for high quality and unique style.
11 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington QLD 4064 | bristle.com.au
The Collective Store
They say: “Walk through the door of The Collective Store and find yourself on a journey of discovery into the world of Australian brands and handmade. A collection of eclectic and meaningful products made with love, passion and heart. A collection of over 100 Australian designers, makers and artists!”
We say: For the ethically minded shopper, stepping into The Collective Store may elicit the feeling of being a kid in a candy store. Surrounded by bright, colourful delights – clothes, jewellery, food, drink, homewares… you name it, The Collective collects it. Stocking only goods that are hand-made locally, or locally designed and ethically made elsewhere, the Wynnum-based establishment is a nourishing neighbourhood space, encouraging the work of creatives from well-known brands like Jericho Road to local youth just starting on their artistic journeys.
104 Bay Terrace, Wynnum QLD 4178 | thecollectivestore.com.au
Eden Gardens
They say: “Eden Gardens Carseldine is a place where knowledge, passion and creativity for all things gardening is celebrated. Our lush, beautiful space is home to all your seasonal plants and accessories, must-have vege pods and composting bins to bespoke handmade creations including terrariums, kokedamas and stunning dried arrangements.
We say: Less than 30 minutes from the Brisbane CBD, Eden Gardens Carseldine feels less like a garden centre and more like an immersive botanical experience, with an onsite cafe providing an all-essential coffee hit as you peruse everything and anything necessary for the perfect garden – from plants and pots to outdoor furniture, books about gardening to read while cosying up on your outdoor furniture, homewares, and gifts for the plant lovers in your life. These gardening gurus aren’t just green thumbed, they’re green minded too – recycling their water on site and composting garden waste and cafe organics.
1657 Gympie Road, Carseldine QLD 4034 | edengardens.com.au
WANT MORE SUSTAINABLE FASHION CONTENT? RIGHT THIS WAY!
Epilo
They say: “Everything we do at epilo focuses on nature, from the botanical dyes colouring our garments and the Allpress coffee served in-store to our range of indoor plants bringing nature into your home.”
We say: Along an unassuming, industrial Woolloongabba street lies a hidden pocket of tropical paradise. Epilo’s open-plan, two-storied space is filled with plants spilling out of their pots and hangers in a joyful symphony of growth. Here you can buy a coffee for yourself and your plants – Epilo’s plant coffee is a liquid fertiliser blend of seaweed, nitrogen and worm juice that peps up your plants just like a morning cup of joe – as well as other gardening essentials and accessories, including handmade, botanically dyed habotai silk scrunchies, scarves and face masks.
64 Deshon Street, Woolloongabba QLD 4102 | epilo.com.au
Little Batch Store
They say: “With a focus on Australian designers and locally handmade homewares, gifts and fashion, Little Batch Store is open Tuesday to Sunday in the leafy inner city suburb of Paddington.”
We say: The true definition of a hidden gem, this tiny shop on Latrobe Terrace (look for a sweetly painted mural that weaves around textured wooden doors) is filled with delights handpicked by passionate owner Becky Hutson. Formerly known as Sun & Co, Becky rebranded to Little Batch Store in 2020 and refreshed the space, adding both the signature mural and minimalist timber shelving to show off locally-made ceramics, bath and body products, jewellery, linen fashion and more.
28 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington QLD 4064 | instagram.com/littlebatchstore
Luna and Sun
They say: “Luna and Sun are a sustainable, cruelty-free clothing brand and all their items are made right here in Brisbane. We aim to bring sustainable fashion to a mainstream shopping centre and hopefully educate a few of the shoppers while we’re there!”
We say: Popping up in Westfield Chermside’s The Laneway as part of the new Coco Cabana Collection store, from July until September 2022 you’ll be able to meet Luna and Sun designer Teshani McManus and shop her range of locally-made linen tops, dresses, pants, kaftans and more – in sizes 6-18 with some pieces perfect for for pregnancy, breastfeeding and beyond – in a palette of rich, earthy colours and prints.
Westfield Chermside, Laneway (behind Archer Coffee) | lunaandsun.com
Nudie Jeans
They say: “Nudie Jeans are driven by sustainable practices and made with 100% organic cotton. Free repairs forever no matter where or when you acquired them.”
We say: Buying a good pair of jeans should be a lifelong commitment, at least according to Nudie Jeans. The denim dynamo’s signature dry jeans are designed to be well worn until they become a “second skin” and a reflection of your lived experiences. To aid your jeans in their journey to old-age you can bring them back to the brand’s Fortitude Valley store – or any of the repair hubs worldwide – to have your pants repaired for free in perpetuity! You can also renounce them to be resold as secondhand or donated to the Nudie Jeans recycling program.
Shop 4/19 James Street, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 | nudiejeans.com
Onegirlstudio
They say: “Onegirlstudio is an interior design consultancy and little shop specialising in the discovery and distribution of thoughtfully designed, well-made work that is functional and beautiful and subscribes to the sentiments of beauty for the every day and cherishing the mundane. We are stocked by some of Australia’s best makers and artisans.”
We say: Sleek, slick, boldly monochrome and stuffed with a careful collection of treasures and trinkets, it’s fitting that the store’s mascot is a magpie! Onegirlstudio’s singular woman is Lijean Beier, a built environment professional and member of the Design Institute of Australia, who offers interior design and decorating consultation from her studio and store in Graceville in Brisbane’s west. Inside, you’ll find the most gorgeous selection of minimalist pieces to make your house a home – from the artistic to the functional and, most frequently, both at once.
314A Oxley Road, Graceville QLD 4075 | onegirlstudio.com.au
Open House
They say: “Open House is a thoughtfully curated retail space in West End, Brisbane. With culture, community and creativity in mind, we showcase locally made wares, First Nations design, wearable art and fashion a-plenty!”
We say: In the delightfully buzzy West End of Brisbane lives the delightfully buzzy Open House Collective, a beguiling boutique that specialises in showcasing local makers, Indigenous products (including a small range of bush food products) and vintage clothing. Managed in collaboration by the folk behind Box Vintage, Local Makers Collective and Blaklash Projects, it features fabulous fashion – designed, created and refashioned in Australia – quirky and unusual accessories and even an assortment of amazing artworks (from the likes of Rachael Sarra and Mel Baxter of Moonshine Madness) and homewares. It’s a great space to uncover your new favourite makers and support and connect with local and upcoming artists.
73 Vulture Street, West End QLD 4101 | openhousecollective.com
Paper Boat Press
They say: “Paper Boat Press is a boutique ceramic studio, shop and gallery showcasing the work of founder Kylie Johnson, as well as local and international artists.”
We say: On Ashgrove Crescent, within the leafy inner-city suburb of Ashgrove, sits an oasis of ceramic calm. Located inside a gorgeous wooden building built in 1926, Paper Boat Press is filled with elegant works of art as tempting as they are terrifying to touch. Kylie Johnson is not only an accomplished artist but a published poet and her love of words pervades her work, with handmade ceramics delicately embellished with carefully chosen quotes. Her recent book, ‘Utsuwa‘, is about the ethos of hand-making in Japan, where wares must be as practical as they are beautiful, a sentiment embodied in her shop.
60 Ashgrove Crescent, Ashgrove QLD 4060 | paperboatpress.com
The Plant Lounge
They say: “The Plant Lounge is your go to for different and delightful indoor plants, ceramics, books and plant-care potions from local and national makers, with delivery Brisbane-wide and click-and-collect services available.”
We say: An urban jungle nestled on Station Street, Nundah, The Plant Lounge is a boutique nursery boasting a cornucopia of plants, from Queensland-hardy indoor favourites to rare, exotic and hard-to-find plants – with new plants sourced each week from local suppliers. They also support local ceramicists and artists by stocking a range of picturesque pots, arboreal artworks, plant-care products and hosting fun workshops on how to make kokedamas, terrariums, dried flower arrangements and more!
Shop 1/8 Station Street, Nundah QLD 4012 | theplantlounge.com.au
Practice Studio
They say: “Practice Studio is a combined workroom and shop located in Bowen Hills. Our aim is to help people reconnect with the value of thoughtfully made garments by offering an insight into the design process. Ethics and sustainability are at the core of the studio’s DNA; we’re regularly sewing in-store and also offer alterations / repair services for both new and well-loved clothes.The retail area of the space features work by emerging designers who are producing seasonless collections, limited edition art-fashion pieces and short runs of garments and accessories. We’re excited to support the next generation of creatives and embrace fashion’s potential for good!”
We say: The cutting edge of fashion lives on Brookes Street (for now but not forever – the timeline until their big move to a new location is counting down!) inside Practice Studio. Offering retail space to up and coming designers, Practice Studio showcases the best of edgy and eccentric clothes for Certified Cool Kids from sleek and simple linens to colourful and complicated corsets, frills and flounces. The concrete-clad studios are a site of constant stitching with artists-in-residence using the space to create as well as it being home to the studio’s highly sought-after alterations and repair services.
12 Brookes Street, Bowen Hills QLD 4006 | practicestudio.online
Reverse Garbage Emporium
They say: “We’re a gift shop located in Reverse Garbage QLD – a reuse cooperative. We feature local artists, craft workers and designers who specialise in repurposing ‘waste’ materials into functional art.”
We say: One man’s trash becomes another man’s treasure at the Reverse Emporium, a gallery space and gift shop located within Reverse Garbage Queensland’s Woolloongabba warehouse – where the weird and wonderful wares are made from waste! A myriad of materials, from timber and scrap metal to textiles and salvaged odds and ends take on new life as beautifully crafted art, jewellery, accessories, furniture, homewares, gifts and trinkets. Reverse Emporium has over 30 local artisans on consignment and is always looking for more, as long as the work is made up of at least 75% salvaged materials (preloved, reused, reclaimed or upcycled).
20 Burke Street, Woolloongabba QLD 4102 | reversegarbagequeensland.com.au/emporium
St. Agni
They say: “St. Agni lives by their ‘less is more’ philosophy in an effort to avoid excess of any kind. Blending effortless fluidity with structure, St. Agni balances between elegance and nonchalance, forming a new dress code for the contemporary minimalist.”
We say: Minimalism is the watchword at St. Agni’s Brisbane boutique and flagship store in Fortitude Valley, from the sparse, uncluttered store to the bold, clean lines of the designs it sells. Headquartered in Byron Bay, St. Agni’s refined high-fashion pieces are created with an eye towards functionality and longevity – with a focus on timeless design and expert craftsmanship. Their range spans smart tailoring, outerwear, knitwear, footwear and accessories made of natural materials wherever possible, and the brand prioritises working with certified partners (including an ECA-accredited factory in Melbourne) as part of its larger commitments to responsible, sustainable and ethical production.
Unit 9a/23 James Street, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 | st-agni.com
SWOP Clothing Exchange Brisbane
They say: “Join the circular fashion economy, SWOP buys and sells pre-owned, high-quality items that have been properly loved and cared for.”
We say: Clear your closet for cash and score some premium pre-owned threads with SWOP Clothing Exchange, the savvy second-hand clothes exchange. Brisbane’s local SWOP is located on Boundary Street in West End, in a large and airy space (recently refurbed by local architecture firm, Five Mile Radius) filled with neat racks of rainbow bright, colour-coordinated clothes of the utmost quality. You can bring in your own bundles of retired garb for appraisal by their in-store merchandisers, but beware: their standards are high, which reflects in the quality of their proffered stock.
161 Boundary Street, West End QLD 4101| swop.net.au
Local Opy
They say: “For clothes that don’t meet the SWOP criteria, Local Opy is SWOP’s very own op-shop that donates 100% profits to charity.”
We say: Just a little further up Boundary Street lives SWOP’s little sister Local Opy. Like many younger sisters, Local Opy gladly accepts the clothes that SWOP will not. Where SWOP offers premium vintage, Local Opy embraces the experience of hunting for a trendy bargain. You can sort through their crowded carousels of clothes like a prospector panning for gold and their fixed-price scheme means it’s a guaranteed steal every time! Plus 100% of the profits go to charities supporting local communities, making it feel even better to spend!
