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Wear your heart on your sleeve and support these Indigenous-owned-and-operated clothing labels

Wear your heart on your sleeve and support these Indigenous-owned-and-operated clothing labels

By now it's abundantly clear that simply liking or sharing a post declaring #BlackLivesMatter on social media is not enough. It's time to distill thoughts and intentions into actions. One small, but tangible, way you can do that is by actively supporting brands and companies that are Indigenous-owned-and-operated, or in support of local Aboriginal communities in Australia. Last week, we showcased some seriously amazing skincare and beauty brands (you can check it out here if you missed it), but this week it's about wearing your heart on your sleeve with clothing and apparel. Next week, we'll bring you some amazing pieces created by Indigenous and Aboriginal artists as well as handmade jewellery. These lists are by no means exhaustive and are intended as a starting point for you to continue your own personal journey of listening, learning and ultimately becoming a better anti-racist ally. If you are seeking additional information, head to our list of anti-racism resources here.


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A post shared by L i a n d r a (@liandraswim) on Jun 10, 2020 at 4:48am PDT

Liandra Swim
Liandra Swim is proudly 100-percent Aboriginal owned and operated. The brand’s founder and designer Liandra Gaykamangu is a Yolngu woman from north-east Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. Featuring striking dot prints, each piece is imbued with Aboriginal culture and is named after an Indigenous woman Liandra personally finds inspiring – including doctors, painters and actors. The Fallon top, for example, is named after Fallon Gregory – a proud Aboriginal woman from Western Australia who is passionate about educating the wider community via her social-media platforms. Liandra Swim is also proudly eco-friendly, with the latest collection 241: The Contrast made from regenerated plastic bottles. Oh, and the pieces are reversible so you get two for the price of one, brilliant! Shop Liandra Swim here.

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A post shared by @clothingthegap on Jun 14, 2020 at 11:45pm PDT

Clothing The Gap
Clothing The Gap is a Victorian-based Aboriginal-owned-and-led social enterprise that unites non-Indigenous and Aboriginal people through fashion and causes, one of which is to help Close the Gap. All profits actively support grassroots Aboriginal health and education programs throughout Victoria. The pieces are intended as conversation starters, so that we can begin to have some meaningful discussions and start to genuinely listen. Shop the range here. Oh, and if you were wondering if non-Indigenous people can wear Indigenous merch, check out Clothing The Gap’s blog post. There is also a link to a powerful and extensive action + resource doc collated by four Australian Women of Colour – Mina McMahon, Nathalie Rosales-Cheng, Maneesha Gopalan and Georgette Mouawad for you to continue your journey of educating yourself in becoming an ally.

 

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A post shared by KAKADU TINY TOTS (@kakadu_tiny_tots) on Jun 15, 2020 at 1:41pm PDT

Kakadu Tiny Tots
If you have little humans in your life (or you know someone who is expecting), take a peek at Kakadu Tiny Tots. The company is wholly Australian-owned and creates unique kids clothing, accessories, artwork and beautiful baby gifts. All of the company’s designs originate from – and are uniquely handcrafted in – remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. The organic baby bundles make the perfect baby shower gift for bubs while the gorgeous gift packs are filled with eco-essentials for mums and mums-to-be.

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A post shared by Walkabout Clothing (@walkabout.clothing) on Dec 1, 2019 at 11:25am PST

WalkAbout Clothing
Founded by Adam Corowa, an Indigenous Australian with strong connections and a deep love for the Bundjalung area (northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland regions). Adam’s adventurous nature and love for country and community is the foundation of WalkAbout Clothing’s inspiration. He envisages every Australian from all walks of life celebrating and sharing their sense of adventure through his clothing line for men, women, girls and boys. Adam also collaborates with Superbrand to transform surfboards into incredible works of Indigenous art. Check out the WalkAbout Clothing’s range here.

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A post shared by Sacred Era (@sacrederaclothing) on Jun 9, 2020 at 7:04pm PDT

Sacred Era
Sacred Era is an Aboriginal-owned-and-operated fashion label that exists to strengthen the pride in Indigenous youth, and change the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture are viewed. By providing the story behind each design, the label is intended as a conversation starter, using streetwear to educate and create awareness on Australia’s Indigenous history and culture. Shop Sacred Era’s men’s range online here.

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A post shared by Take Pride Movement (@takepridemovement) on Jun 9, 2020 at 1:25am PDT

Take Pride Movement
Take Pride Movement is fashion with a purpose. The brand was founded by Benjamin Thomson, a proud Wiradjuri man who grew up in Western Sydney. Ben had a vision to bring people from all different cultures together to celebrate the oldest surviving culture on the planet. The concept is to provide a voice through fashion and close the gap between First Nation Australians and non-Indigenous Australians. Take Pride Movement offers bold and eye-catching apparel as well as a blog for you to further your reading.

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A post shared by GAMMIN! (@gamminthreads) on May 18, 2020 at 4:20am PDT

Gammin Threads
Gammin Threads is a bit of a side hustle and creative outlet for Tahnee, a proud descendant of the Yorta Yorta, Taungurung, Boonwurrung and Mutti Mutti nations, who also works full time at an Aboriginal family violence prevention service. Gammin Threads offers bold tees and accessories for people who believe in paying respect, empowering women and living colourfully – shop the collection here.

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A post shared by Jackets With A Voice (@ginnysgirlgang) on Jun 16, 2020 at 3:43pm PDT

Ginny’s Girl Gang
Regina – or ‘Ginny’ as she’s known – is a proud Gamilaroi woman born in Tamworth, raised in Brisbane (and currently residing in Georgia, USA) who makes jackets with a voice. Emblazoned with bold quotes and beautiful Indigenous artwork – Ginny’s jackets truly are something else. The sad news is that current online collection is sold out and Ginny isn’t taking custom orders at present, however, if you keep an eye on Ginny’s Girl Gang’s Instagram every Friday she will be adding a new denim piece. You’ll have to be quick though as they get snapped up fast. Each jacket is handmade with love and can take roughly 30-hours to create.

Keen for more? We love to see it! Here are some other amazing brands to check out – Maggie GooseLife Apparel CoDark + Disturbing, Yhi CollectiveTali KatuKulture, BW Tribal and Mili Cairns.

Image credit: Liandra Swim



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