When visiting Chadstone – The Fashion Capital, sustainability might not be the first thing on your’ mind, but within our walls, a silent revolution is taking place. In theme of our Autumn Winter ’24 Long Live Fashion campaign, we wanted to highlight some of the amazing stories behind your favourite fashion brands, each embodying a unique approach to sustainability. From innovative recycling initiatives to eco-friendly product lines, these retailers are leading the charge towards a more sustainable future, one garment at a time.

Nudie Jeans holistic approach to sustainability:

Nudie Jeans is not just a denim brand; it’s a beacon of sustainability in the fashion industry. They take a holistic approach, continuously improving sustainability performance by selecting sustainable materials, performing third-party audits, and focusing on areas with the highest environmental impact. As a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, they ensure social standards in their supply chain. Their trade-in program encourages customers to join the circular economy by repurposing old jeans into new ones, rugs, or blankets.

Location: Lower Ground

Discover a new life for our waste fabrics at Country Road:

Country Road’s Towards Circularity range celebrates their 50th year by transforming textile waste into stylish garments. Their collaboration with Kashion ensures a circular process, blending recycled cotton with virgin cotton to create new products. By recycling over 12 tonnes of textile waste since 2022, Country Road showcases a commitment to reducing waste and promoting sustainability.

Location: Ground Level

BEC + BRIDGE pioneering sustainability in fashion:

BEC + BRIDGE is revolutionising the fashion industry with their sustainability initiatives. Offering free carbon-neutral shipping for online orders, they partner with Shopify's Sustainability Fund to support carbon removal projects. Their packaging is eco-friendly, utilising compostable materials and recycled paper. The retail brand co-creates their collections with their makers, and only partner with Australian and global suppliers who sign our Supplier Code of Conduct ensuring they operate against their strict ethical principles. Collaborating with UPPAREL, they reduce textile waste by repurposing excess materials. Transparency and a Supplier Code of Conduct further demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and ethical production.

Location: Australian Designer Mall

Our Impact at 2XU:

2XU’s mission goes beyond performance; it’s about creating a fitter, healthier world sustainably. They prioritise materials with a lower environmental impact and work with accredited suppliers. Their sustainability program offers discounts to customers who bring back pre-loved items for recycling, promoting a culture of circularity and waste reduction.

Location: Lower Ground

Arc’teryx designed for the long run:

Arc’teryx Australia is committed to sustainability, operating in a 5-Star-Green Star rated building and using renewable energy sources. Their ‘ReBird’ program ensures old jackets are re/upcycled, further reducing environmental impact. By offsetting operational emissions and engaging in community initiatives, Arc’teryx exemplifies a complete approach to sustainability.

Kiehl’s design out waste:

Kiehl’s is reimagining beauty with clear goals to reduce waste and incorporate sustainable packaging by working to transition 100% of their products to reusable and refillable packages. Their refillable pouches and Recycle & Be Rewarded program make sustainability accessible to customers. Through partnerships with organisations like Terracycle, Kiehl’s ensures that even their empty packaging has a second life, contributing to a circular economy. At Kiehl’s, we take empty beauty packaging from any brand.

Kiehl's will gladly take your:

• Plastic bottles (including pump and spray closures).
• Glass bottles (including dropper closures and caps).
• Foil packaging from sachets and masks.
• Tubes of any colour.
• All black packaging.
• Coloured glass.
• Caps.

Location: Lower Ground

Mimco made for good:

Mimco, part of the Country Road Group, is committed to responsible practices in the fashion industry. Their largest jewellery factory has been accredited with the ISO14001 certificate, an environmental standard that recognises their efforts in water and waste management. They are committed to supporting responsible leather manufacturing across the globe, as proud members of Leather Working Group (LWG) the LWG is committed to driving improvement across the global leather supply chain, minimising the environmental impact of leather production as well as inspiring, educating, and challenging its member companies. Mimco’s products featuring recycled materials are created with fibres made from previously used materials, extending their useful life as accessories to wear and love for a lifetime. They are committed to continually creating vegan-friendly handbags and accessories crafted from innovative non-leather components and materials that are not derived from animals. Mimco’s use of recycled materials and vegan-friendly components showcases a commitment to creating a more sustainable future for fashion.

Location: Ground Level

The power of clothing at UNIQLO:

UNIQLO believes in turning the power of clothing into a force for good. Their commitment to quality, longevity, and sustainability sets them apart in the industry. With over 10% of sales coming from eco-friendly products, Uniqlo proves that sustainability and style can go hand in hand. Good clothing is made by people of diverse backgrounds working with energy and enthusiasm, under conditions where their health, safety and human rights are respected and upheld. UNIQLO has adopted a new sustainability mission statement; "Unlocking the Power of Clothing". With a focus on products, supply chain, employees, stores and communities, they are aiming to change the world for the better through their business.

Location: Ground Level

Project Earth at LSKD:

LSKD’s Project Earth initiative focuses on ecological, social, cultural, and economic impacts. Their new biodegradable shipping bags are currently in circulation with instructions for shoppers on how to re-use the bag for returns. LSKD also now pack their product in biodegradable packing bags. Their entire Rep Short range is created from recycled polyester and ready to rep: day in, day out. Their inner lining fabric is made from recycled polyester – maximising the use of recycled materials through their jackets. New garment bags are made from biodegradable and compostable materials for majority of their products and their outer shell fabric is made from pre-consumer recycled Nylon. What this means is fabric off-cuts and leftovers are collected during the manufacturing process of other Nylon products (fishing nets, camping equipment etc.) and then prepared for use again in their garments. These initiatives are all part of the brands efforts to be 1% better every day. By engaging their community and striving for continuous improvement, LSKD sets a new standard for sustainability in the sports and streetwear industry. From biodegradable shipping bags to recycled materials, they’re making strides towards a more responsible and sustainable world.

Location: Lower Ground

H&M's only trends worth following - Recycling and repairing:

H&M’s Garment Collecting program and innovative recycling initiatives tackle fashion waste head-on. By giving old clothes a new lease on life, H&M is leading the charge towards a more circular fashion industry. Their partnerships with innovators like Re:newcell and Worn Again demonstrate a commitment to driving real change in the industry. Don’t want it? Recycle. H&M’s Garment Collecting programme has been going since 2013 and they have recycling boxes in their stores across the globe. It works like this:

• Take any unwanted clothes or textiles, by any brand and in any condition, to a H&M store.
• Hand in your bag of old clothes at the cash desk and receive a thank you voucher to use towards your next purchase. Easy!

Once you’ve dropped off your previously loved fashion in one of their garment collecting boxes, that’s where their business partner takes over. They empty the boxes and sort the contents into three categories:

• Re-wear: Wearable clothes are marketed as second-hand clothing.
• Reuse: If the clothes or textiles are not suitable for re-wear they’re turned into other products, such as remake collections or cleaning cloths.
• Recycle: All other clothes and textiles are shredded into textile fibres and used to make for example insulation materials.

Location: Ground Level/ Level 1

Adidas leading the change:

Adidas has been a trailblazer in sustainability for over 20 years, setting the standard for the sportswear industry. First to bring eco-innovations to the mass market, they also led the industry with the first sustainability report. Adidas is also the proud founding member of game-changing initiatives like Better Cotton, Leather Working Group, and Fair Labor Association. Their commitment to transparency, accountability, and sustainability extends throughout their entire supply chain. As a big company, they make a big impact in any action they take. This is why they feel so passionately about speaking up, not only to help their consumers understand why they should care, but the industry as well.  With strong foundations and clear processes in place they are on the right path to becoming a circular company, not only in terms of what they produce, but how they produce and how they take back.  The sustainable solutions they develop target the entire life cycle of sport: how apparel, footwear or equipment is made, sold, played and eventually retired. From water conservation to fair labour practices, Adidas is dedicated to creating a more sustainable future for all.

Location: Ground Level

Doing our part at Sephora:

Sephora’s commitment to sustainability extends from their stores to their products and beyond. As a global brand, they have a duty to reimagine their impact on the planet. With a goal to reduce their carbon footprint by 50% by 2026, they’re implementing energy-saving solutions and renewable energy sources. Sephora’s commitment to the environment starts with well-sourced ingredients, they cultivate sustainable practices in their retail spaces, head offices and at every touchpoint in their supply chain. Their responsible product labelling programs and take-back initiatives ensure that even their products have a second chance at making a difference in the world. Sephora’s “take-back” solution for empty beauty packaging started in France in 2016 is expanding globally and since its inception over 6 million bottles have been recycled. They also give unused products a second lease on life, either via reuse or giving them to charities in need. As a result of these efforts, every year over one million products are diverted from waste.

Location: Ground Level

In a world where fast fashion often reigns, these retailers at Chadstone are proving that sustainability is not just a trend – it’s the future of fashion. From innovative recycling programs to eco-friendly product lines, each brand is doing their part to create a more sustainable and responsible industry. By joining forces, they’re leading the charge towards a greener, cleaner future for fashion – and inspiring shoppers to do the same.

Visit Chadstone and do your part by donating a pre-loved item to UPPAREL as part of our Autumn Winter Long Live Fashion Campaign and be rewarded! Click here for details.