Bloomin’ Lovely: Your Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Floral Frocks
- Words by Peppermint
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!
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Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
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🌻 The Paddington 🌻
This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!
How stunning is our model Elon MelaninGoddessEfon – she told us it was one of the first times she had been asked to come to a shoot with her natural hair. 🌻
We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential – the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist.
Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Fabric: @Spoonflower
Model: MelaninGoddessEfon
“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
14-17 February 2026
ICC, Darling Harbour
Photos: @Samsette
#LifeInstyle #SustainableShopping #SustainableShop #RetailTradeEvent
Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge 🌟 30% off ALL A0 printing 🌟 when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern – how generous is that?!
Head to the link in bio now 📞
*Not a real number in case that wasn`t clear 😂
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
