Bloomin’ Lovely: Your Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Floral Frocks
As spring swings into summer, we’re feeling like a white-winged dove or a gold-dust woman. We’re feeling ’70s-revival, free-flowing, cool comfort. May Meryl Streep forgive us, we think we’re feeling florals. Whether you’re swirling your skirts at a festival, sitting pretty at a picnic or frolicking through the wildflower fields, there’s a floral dress for everyone and any vibe.
But how can you face all those fabric flowers knowing the damaging impact the fashion industry has on the natural world? Fear not! We’ve rounded up the best in the field – 14 blooming lovely Australian brands who are planting the seeds for a greener future by committing to ethical and sustainable practices, today.
Sit back and smell the roses with this guide to the ultimate sustainable floral dresses to help you grow your own way!
top image SPELL
SPELL
This Byron Bay institution is known for its elevated yet easy-to-wear, floaty, floral frocks – combining romanticism and rock and roll. The brand has been committed to sustainability for over a decade – designing with fibres that are circular, regenerative and renewable, and is committed to using 100% preferred fibres by 2025. Now that’s the magic word!
KIMBERLY ANNE
Brisbane-based designer Kimberley Anne believes in a slow fashion philosophy, creating timeless, trendless, thoughtful designs sustainably made in small batches from GOTS-certified organic cotton, natural linen, and silk. Her special edition wildflower prints are hand-illustrated by Blue Mountains artist Eloise Short. Talk about artisanal!
HAZEL AND FOLK
Inspired by “countryside brunching with friends and family on warm spring weekends”, Hazel and Folk’s Fleur collection features petite blooms printed with Oeko Tex-certified inks in a waterless printing process onto their 100% natural fibre fabrics.
LOULEY
An independent, Australian-owned and family-run label, Louley’s floral pieces bring a more beachside feel, inspired by the beauty of the Australian coastline. Louley loves our island home so much they only work with select small suppliers to hero circular, biodegradable fabrics.
RIVER GODDESS
Born in the tropical markets of Far North Queensland, River Goddess is inspired by designer and owner Shweta Bonneau’s love for Indian textiles and vintage styles. Made with all-natural fabrics, her comfortable clothes feature fabulously flowy shapes, styled in richly decorated florals painted with soft, romantic colours. Too dreamy!
RENEE LOVES FRANCES
Established in 2007, Renee Loves Frances is a Brisbane-based fashion label whose feminine, playful designs aim to celebrate and support all women through all occasions and seasons of life. This includes her Bali-based seamstresses – who receive fair wages and a safe, at-home working environment – and Mother Earth; the label is 100% plastic free and operates on a zero-waste philosophy.
ARLO AND OLIVE
The retro, funky florals of Arlo and Olive are hand-crafted in small batches by a family-run, Australian-owned factory in Indonesia, using closed-loop production processes and carbon-neutral shipping. Plus $1 from every sale is donated to the Bali Children’s Project. Now that’s groovy, baby!
READ MORE – Our Ultimate Australian Sustainable Swimwear List
NAUDIC
Founded in 2008 by scientist Emma Puttick, Naudic is a fashion brand rooted in the styles of Portobello Road Market and Emma’s love for international travel. The bright, bohemian florals are hand-stamped by block printers in Jaipur and embellished with traditional Aari embroidery.
FIELD THE LABEL
Field the Label focuses on timeless, trans-seasonal, floral and feminine dresses, designed with broad-chested babes and curvaceous cuties in mind. Made of Certified Organic cotton by an ethically run manufacturer in Bali, thoughtful touches include recycled paper-seeded swing tags and pockets in every dress!
ONCEWAS
A Melbourne-based brand designed by Belinda Glynn, OnceWas creates limited batches of unique pieces that are luxurious yet versatile and endlessly wearable investments for your wardrobe. The exclusive prints, like these fabulous florals, are produced from sustainable fabrics like cupro and viscose.
CADA TODO
This Sydney brand – whose name means “every, all” – uses second-hand textiles (reclaimed, vintage, upcycled and thrifted) for its Gingham Gal range, an array of colourful, patchwork-style and completely unique wrap dresses which feature a heaping helping of joy-making vintage floral patterns.
SHONA JOY
From humble beginnings at the Bondi Beach and Paddington markets back in 2000, Shona Joy’s transcendent, trans-seasonal collections embody a uniquely Australian aesthetic with landscape-inspired neutrals and natural fabrications (from GOTS-certified cotton to Lenzing Ecovero) with a hint of ’70s bohemian glamour. Joy to the world!
DAUGHTERS OF INDIA
Sustainability and the ethical support of artisans and makers have been at the heart of Daughters of India since the label’s inception. The brand is deeply committed to slow fashion, and its sumptuous garments are crafted without production deadlines in Fair Trade facilities that support and enrich local communities in Jaipur, India.
TAMGA DESIGNS
Tamga Designs’ feminine, flowy dresses feature vibrant colours and a joyous, bohemian sensibility. They aim to prove that creating exciting and ethically sourced clothes is not as complicated as it sounds. Using eco-friendly materials, water-saving dyes and plastic-free packaging, their products pack an impact! Just one dress can save 126 litres of water compared to a typical fast-fashion dress – wowza!
