Nice Rack! Meet the Aussie Label Redefining Inclusive Underwear
- Words by Peppermint
At the risk of stating the obvious, the clothes we wear matter. And not just in the sense of sartorial splendour and self-expression, but for those across the supply chain and beyond working towards a more sustainable fashion future. To celebrate these creatives putting people and planet first, we’ve introduced a new digital series called Nice Rack! (…get it) so we can go behind the seams with some of our favourite sustainable brands, together.
Aussie undies brand Nala has leapt onto the intimates scene like a lioness on the savanna, promising seriously sustainable underwear that is comfortable, sexy and inclusive. Founding couple Chloe and Phil de Winter eschew boring, neutral-toned knickers, instead opting for bright, vibrant colours in sheer spicy styles. Both size- and gender-inclusive, the flirty fits are ethically made from innovative materials like Bio Butter (fabric made from corn starch) and Flossy Mesh (made from 82% recycled nylon offcuts saved from landfill) that are as soft and comfy on your precious patootie as they aim to be on the planet. We caught up with Chloe to learn more!
What does sustainable fashion mean to you?
Let’s be honest… as a whole, the fashion industry is not sustainable. So by creating a new brand, we knew we didn’t want to add to the problem. To me, that means choosing products made from sustainable fabrics (recycled or from renewable sources), recycled packaging and products that are made to last.
I got stuck here without many undies and bras so I went shopping and honestly was so underwhelmed with what I could find!
When did you know you wanted to get into fashion?
I was living in NYC and came back to Australia in February 2020 for a holiday. Remember how the world shut down? Well, I got stuck here without many undies and bras so I went shopping and honestly was so underwhelmed with what I could find! I wanted some pieces that were cool, sustainable and affordable and there wasn’t anything out there. After recognising that there was a gap in the Aussie market for a brand like this, Nala was born. And so was my entry into the fashion world! (I’m actually a physio and pilates teacher!)
READ MORE: Nice Rack! From Trash to Treasure, Rachel Burke Turns the Tables on Tutus
Why were you inspired to start Nala and what continues to inspire you as a designer?
Looking at the underwear industry in Australia, it really felt like brands were doing “inclusivity” in a very tokenistic way. We wanted to not only represent Australia’s diverse population through our marketing but also create products that serve a diverse range of bodies and needs. That was inspiring enough! Ongoing, our community inspires me more than anything else – we are constantly listening to what they want and we create our products based on this.
How do you incorporate sustainability/ethical practices within your brand?
Firstly, we create high-quality, expertly-made products that are made to last. That’s the most important part! Also, the factories that we use to produce our underwear all uphold safe and ethical working conditions. We use sustainable fabrics – one of which is made from cornstarch and the other from offcuts that were otherwise destined for landfill – and our packaging is all recycled. Last month we collaborated with Upparel and collected customers’ old bras and underwear to be recycled! This is something we plan to continue in the future.
We wanted to not only represent Australia’s diverse population through our marketing but also create products that serve a diverse range of bodies and needs.
Tell us about any standout moments in your career…
Did you see the giant inflatable boob we floated down the Yarra River in Melbourne in April? After facing countless issues with censorship across TikTok, Meta and Google, we decided to protest it in the best way possible. The campaign went viral online and it’s a day I’ll never forget!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvjbKBBt8Co/?hl=en
What are your favourite pieces to wear?
I’ve got boobs and am loving going wire-free these days. I reach for the Nala Mesh Comfort Wirefree Bralette which gives me the perfect amount of lift and support, without wire. Or there’s always our Support Wirefree Bralette for days I want to show off my bra just a little… there’s a reason why this bra is viral! When it comes to briefs, I’m obsessed with our Midi Brief and our Classic Gee is the perfect g-string. If there’s one thing I know as a chronic activewear girlie, it’s g-strings! It’s seamless and smooth and is the perfect thickness.
Who are a few of your favourite local designers?
Ohhh so many! A few I’m loving at the moment are SIR, Alemais, Nagnata and Venroy.
What do you think needs to change in the Australian fashion landscape?
Brands need to expand their size curve across their collections. It shocks and saddens me how many brands only go up to a size large in 2023. Australia can do better!
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. Which means we are officially entering party season. Work parties, friend-dos, family get-togethers and then we’re straight…
Hang out with us on Instagram
STAY SOFT ☁️
We love when some of our friends collide! And this collab between @SueChingLascelles and the legends at @DangerousFemales is a goodie.
From Sue-Ching:
New year, new mantra babes, because we tried being tough and it was exhausting. So now we’re going to lead with kindness and compassion and see what happens. We have nothing to lose! So let’s stay soft this year. Love ourselves and each other.
New limited edition tee designed by me for @DangerousFemales. 100% of the profits go to supporting DV services. Available NOW and did I mention limited edition? Such a cutie reminder for the year we’re going to have. The year we deserve to have.
BIG LOVE ya big SOFTIES 🤍
Sue-Ching x
Photos by @AMRPhotographer_
#DangerousFemales #DVAwareness #StaySoft
Furred, feathered, fishy, scaled… The pets we choose are as diverse as our personalities. (And apparently, quite often we resemble each other.) But they all deserve to be cared for in ways guaranteed to keep them safe, healthy, and happy. Basically, to be loved – something most of us pet lovers go to great (often expensive) lengths to achieve! (Looking at you, ginger furball, claiming my just-washed bathrobe as today’s fave bed…)
But if you’re concerned about the environment, you might experience cognitive dissonance about the impact your favourite fluffy’s having on the planet. Our pets’ needs are complicated: food, toys, bedding, accessories, and… wait for it… poo patrol paraphernalia. Turns out pets have quite the carbon paw print! So, what to do?
Start by picking more sustainable pet products and eco-friendly pet accessories, and thinking outside of the (litter) box about waste disposal. We’ve gone digging to find some (by no means all!) of the brands that keep both pet welfare and planet front of mind.
Read more at the link in our bio!
🐶🐱🐍🐹🐤
#SustainablePets #AnimalPawPrint #CarbonFootprint #EcoPets
If you’ve ever wanted to try sewing a lace insert, take the Daisy Dress as your cue to dive in and give it a go!
Not a huge fan of lace? Fret not flower! You could use the lace trim insert line on the sleeve to add a strip of contrast fabric, ribbon or even another type of trim like giant ric-rac! Or, of course, leave it out entirely for a simple, classic version.
Thanks to @SewYourWay_ and their fabulously stylish sewing accessories for supporting the Daisy Dress. This Australian, female-led business is all about modernising sewing, crafting and quilting, and making creating easier and more inclusive for crafters of all ages, abilities and genders. Their Silipins are a must; the heat-safe, silicone head pins are designed for accessibility and ease – game-changing for sewists with arthritis, grip issues or dexterity challenges. Founder Zoe Patterson realised there was a huge community of sewers, quilters and crafters that lacked access to new and innovative sewing tools – so she did something about it!
Head to the link in bio to read more about the Daisy now – the digital pattern also comes free with Issue 64.
🌼 Photos: @KelleySheenan
🌼 Patternmaker: Betsy @GarmentaApparel
🌼 Model: Grace @OhSewGrace
🌼 Fabric: @Potter_And_Co_Australia
🌼 Tools: @SewYourWay_
🌼 Lace trim: Star Guipure 40mm @TheMakerSocietyAustralia
#PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintDaisyDress #SewYourWay #PotterAndCo #LinenDress
“I really believe that every single one of us has creativity within us. Even those who claim they aren’t creative, or that they ‘can’t paint’ or whatever narrative they hold – I truly believe it’s there if we only reach out and grab it. Of course, it expresses itself in a multitude of ways: some of us are creative with words, or images, or sculpting. Some in the way we tend our homes, engage with our children or create our gardens. But the basis is the same creativity, and my mission with Ruco is to inspire it. I aim to create colours and sets that will themselves ignite that creative spark and give people permission to play freely and enjoy the process.”
Looking for a delightful way to add some colour to your creativity? From vegan, artist-grade paints to refillable ceramic paint pots made to last, Ruco Paints is a beautiful example of sustainability meeting artistry.
Founded by Marlena Taylor and handcrafted on the NSW North Coast using slow, traditional methods, @RucoPaints grew from a desire to live creatively, raise a family with intention, and offer an alternative to fast, disposable art supplies. We chatted with Marlena about the journey so far, the magic of small batches, and why ‘living a making’ (as per her favourite quote from poet and philosopher Mark Nepo) matters.
🎨 Link in bio 🎨
Photos: @LilyJeanPhotographs
#HandmadePaints #WatercolourPaints #AustralianArt #EcoArtSupplies
The fabulous Fern! We heart this make from the wonderful Trixie Johnston of @WithLoveTrixie:
"I’m chuffed to have collaborated with @PeppermintMagazine to bring you my version of the #PeppermintFernPleatedPants ✨
Featuring a wide leg fit with pleated front, slash pockets and a nifty centre back invisible zip. I really enjoyed the way this pattern is drafted to fit, which means a lot coming from a mum navigating postpartum curves. It’s tailored yet comfortable and hugs me in all the right places without any additional fit adjustments.
I also want to give a massive shout to the Fern’s sewing partners @Sohmo_Au for sending me a cookie tin of quality sewing goodies that I used throughout the project and @IndyBindyFabrics fabrics who provided the most incredible black cotton Sashiko-ori fabric. This fabric was made on a custom loom that weaves in a traditional sashiko (decorative running stitch pattern) and it’s a texture unlike anything I’ve sewn before.�
Details: �
• Size G – No mods. (I selected the size based off my waist measurements) Note: Size ranges from A-P (!!!)
• Fern Pleated Pants Pattern, SOHMO tools and Fabric were gifted however, Peppermint magazine’s ‘Pay what you can’ model provides such amazing patterns at a sustainable, affordable cost.
• Matching top is a modified version of The Carol Top from @SummerHaus_ (size 10)"
#PeppermintPatterns #IndyBindyFabrics #Sohmo #MeMade
“When people get old, they die. This art form is like a plant. You may think it has died, but nurture it, and it will come back to life. It lives on through generations.”
These words by Gami, an artisan who helped revive the lost tradition of Lambadi embroidery, speaks to the wisdom that Meanjin/Brisbane photographer Melanie Hinds (@WithThePeaches) experienced during her visit to Sittilingi village in the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu, India, in 2023. Melanie went there to document how the once-nomadic Lambadi tribe are reviving their traditional embroidery craftsmanship and transforming their community through the @PorgaiArtisans Association’s artists’ residency.
Her photos became part of the ‘Stitching Stories’ exhibition at the India Ocean Craft Triennial (IOTA24) Program hosted in Fremantle: an intimate portrait of the women empowered both economically and socially by the initiative, and their captivating work. Gaelle Beech of @TheAnjelmsProject also helped make this exhibition a reality.
Nothing goes to waste in their craft, says Melanie, with even the smallest fabric scraps transformed into toys for children or woven into ropes for beds. “Through their intricate hand-stitched work, these women are preserving a centuries-old craft.”
Discover the beauty in our ‘Pride of place’ feature in Issue 64, at stockists now.
#PeppermintMagazine #PorgaiArtisans #LambadiEmbroidery #Craft #TraditionalEmbroidery
