At LocalBorn, we don’t look for ‘perfect’ brands – we look for honest ones. Our mission is to highlight companies doing their part for the world, and we hold ourselves to that same standard of transparency. Below, we’ve answered the questions we get most often. Still curious about something? Feel free to contact us.
All the brands in our directory are discovered through labels we love, community recommendations, social media, local markets, and industry resources like Good On You. Occasionally, brands reach out to us directly, but every label must undergo the same vetting process to ensure they align with our mission.
We review independent Australian brands that prioritise transparency and sustainability, looking for a genuine commitment in these five key areas:
To go beyond the surface, we dive into sustainability reports, cross-reference third-party certifications, and analyze community feedback to ensure a brand’s quality and claims hold up in the real world. We keep a close eye on any changes in these practices and will remove a brand if they no longer align with our values.
Ultimately, our goal is to share honest reviews and local labels so you can decide what matters most to you.
We celebrate local manufacturing and clearly label when a brand is Australian-made. You can also use our filters to find these labels specifically, which is a great way to support our local creative economy and reduce the environmental impact of international transport.
However, we use the term “Australian Based” to be more inclusive of the different ways local designers work. Many designers utilise specialised skilled expertise overseas that isn’t always available here.
Additionally, because local production costs are high, Australian-made pieces often come at a premium. By including Australian-based brands that produce ethically and transparently offshore, we can offer more accessible options for those who want to shop responsibly on a limited budget. Our goal is to provide the facts so you can support local talent in the way that best suits you.
We do offer paid opportunities for “Brand of the Month” features and social media collaborations. However, every brand must first pass our rigorous vetting process and align with our core values: Sustainability, Ethics, and Transparency.
For any brand that reaches out to us, we organise a brief call to understand their business. Whenever possible, we see their clothes in person to check the quality for ourselves. We then conduct our own research into their claims, which includes reviewing certifications, audit documents, and supply chain reports as well as looking at real customer reviews.
Crucially, every brand we partner with must agree that we will always provide an honest review, including calling them out when it’s needed. This transparency is a non-negotiable part of our written agreements.
If you’re an independent Australia brand whose value aligns with LocalBorn, then we’d love to chat with you!
We only work with labels we truly believe in, so you can trust that our recommendations are always honest.
Absolutely! We are always looking to discover emerging Australian talent. If there is a local label you love that fits our values, please get in touch with us through our contact page.
We recognise that for many independent and emerging labels, obtaining formal certifications can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Because of this, a brand’s commitment to our values isn’t measured solely by their certificates; they are just one part of the story. However, they do provide an excellent baseline and a reliable third-party check on a brand’s claims.
Examples of the reputable standards we look for include:
Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA): A local certification ensuring Australian workers are paid fairly and work in safe conditions.
B Corp: A global standard that measures a company’s entire social and environmental impact.
Climate Active: An Australian Government-backed program that certifies businesses or products as carbon neutral.
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard): The leading standard for ensuring fibres are truly organic and processed responsibly.
Fairtrade: Ensures that farmers and workers in developing countries are getting a fair deal and working in safe conditions. Their relevant standards include fair-trade certified cotton, and their newer textile standards.
OEKO-TEX: A certification ensuring textiles have been tested for harmful substances and are safe for human health.
Good On You: While not a formal “certification” itself, we use their ratings as a trusted independent resource. They have more capacity than us to perform high-level technical audits on global brands, making them a fantastic tool for cross-referencing brand claims.
The best place to learn more and engage with our work is through our newsletter on Substack. This is our primary home for deep-dive brand reviews and educational content. We’ve designed it as a thoughtful community space where you can join the chat, share your own local finds, and discuss the nuances of the industry with other like-minded people.
You can also follow our journey and get quick updates through our Instagram and TikTok, where we share more bite-sized information and highlights from local markets.
If you are looking for even more reading, we also suggest these platforms:
Connecting conscious shoppers with sustainable Australian fashion brands.
Have feedback? Get in touch
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we work and live, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
© 2026 LocalBorn. All rights reserved. • Made with 🤍 in Australia
