Ethical fashion isn't frumpy anymore

An online fashion store has made it possible to shop based on ethical principles ahead of style and colour.

Courtney Sanders, co-founder of recently launched Well Made Clothes, said the website is the first of its kind in Australasia.

Australian duo Kelly Elkin and Sanders worked with New Zealand Deloitte Fast 50 winner eCommistry, an eCommerce consultancy company, to build the ethical website.

Instead of shopping by garment type, online shoppers can shop by values that are important to them including gender equality, minimal waste and vegan.

Research shows that the US$3 trillion a year global fashion industry is the second most polluting industry.

According to recent documentary The True Cost, many of the 40 million garment workers worldwide, 85 per cent of who are women, do not have the same rights or protections as people in the West.

However, the team behind Well Made Clothes said consumers are becoming more aware of making choices for the good of the planet.

“I believe a lot more heads are turning and realising there are many steps that a garment goes through before it is sitting pretty in a store,” said Marina Davis, the designer of the Ovna Ovich label sold on Well Made Clothes.

The online marketplace selling 35 ethical fashion brands does not carry stock and acts as an electronic point of sale with real time inventories.

Each brand sends its product direct to the consumer when it is sold on the website.

Bon, a fashion label with Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation, joined Well Made Clothes because the site shares its sustainable and ethical ethos.

Designer Linda Smyth said the website is presented in a “sharp and chic” way. “Change has to start where people are passionate about it,” she added.

Ms Sanders said most people think ethical fashion is ugly, but Well Made Clothes’ style is classic and refined.

Ms Davis said it has benefited from a wider audience on Well Made Clothes. “[Its] delivery has made the facts about the current state of the clothing industry easy to chew for everyone,” said Ms Davis.

The site focuses on education and publishes articles debunking sustainable fashion myths.

“The industry is complex from seed to garment,” said Ms Sanders. “We need to start unpacking it and celebrating brands doing well in particular areas and encourage brands to do better.”

Katherine Hampton of Australian-based Camp Cove Swim said it was an honour to be asked to join Well Made Clothes.

“Technology is making everything, from businesses to politicians, more transparent,” she said.

“We do work really hard to ensure we maintain high ethical standards in the way we operate our business and working with Well Made is a testimony to that.”