It's easy to forget that Uniqlo is technically fast fashion. That's the thing about greenwashing. Especially considering their flattering cuts and affordable price tag. Credit where it's due, the multinational Japanese retailer has claimed to have made some moves towards sustainability, and their garments have greater longevity than high street brands like Zara or H&M, both because of their construction and enduring styles. But some things can't be dismissed. Say, the fact that Uniqlo is reporting record-high profits yet has been accused of "turning its back" on its Indonesian garment workers who experienced severance wage theft when Jaba Garmindo suddenly closed its factories in 2015. Or the lack of transparency around its supply network, which human rights lawyers and watchdogs have linked to Uyghur forced labour.
It's lot. But it's worth knowing about. So where else do you go for wardrobe basics that are ethical as well as affordable? Given that we're experiencing a bit of a basics boom, plenty of brands come to mind. It's a saturated market actually, which honestly doesn't scream sustainability. But there are labels like Bassike and Baserange who stand out from the crowd for sourcing organic cotton and manufacturing locally.
Below, we've brought you a list of 20 brands who create basics like those at Uniqlo, only better. For all your plain white tee, socks, tracksuit, sweater and cardigan needs.
Kowtow
View this post on Instagram
Best for: minimalist design with a Japanese lean.
The idea of wardrobe basics is that they're worn often and go with everything. So if you're going to commit to a style, you might as well make it the best. New Zealand-based label Kowtow is vying for that gold pedestal. It doesn't observe trends, only uses 100% certified Fairtrade cotton, traced from seed-to-garment, and offers free repairs to Australian and New Zealand customers (pay a small fee and they'll mend larger tears with Japanese patching technique Sashiko).
Australian Stitch
View this post on Instagram
Best for: replenishing a sad sock drawer.
The Australian rag trade lives! Australian Stitch manufacture locally in Thornbury, Melbourne, putting their spin on staples for all genders. Whether it's ribbed singlets, track shorts or fold-over pants that fit all your yogalates needs, the company is picking up where Bonds left off.
Flore Flore
View this post on Instagram
Best for: the perfect crisp white shirt (or muscle tank or baby tee or midi dress...).
Flattering and chic is the design language of Flore Flore, a no-nonsense Amsterdam-based brand we've come to cherish. Wardrobe basics are streamlined and clean, produced with organic cotton and made by a mother-daughter duo in Portugal. I bought a Flore Flore black muscle tank and put it through its paces during summer. Next, I'm eyeing off the Jill baby tee. It has a v-neck and was named after RUSSH Beauty Annual cover star Jill Kortleve. I'll take that as a sign...
Bassike
View this post on Instagram
Best for: reliable, homegrown and beautiful basics.
Bassike is one of the brands that is always pushing. They want to be better than they were yesterday and I think when sustainability is the focus, that's an admirable quality. They're B Corp certified, work only with organic cotton, and can proudly say 95% of its garments are made in Australia. So you can sleep easy in your cotton jersey. Thanks Deborah Sams.
Studio Nicholson
View this post on Instagram
Best for: a tailored perspective on the classics.
Nick Wakeman believes fabric should inform fit. Her garments take inspiration from Japanese architecture, 90s subculture and grunge, to create a line that is polished and functional. What we would call a capsule wardrobe, Wakeman rebrands as "modular". There is power in the edit, she insists. For those who enjoy Uniqlo's tidy take on denim, trousers, shirts and outerwear, meet the maker who is the real deal.
Leset
View this post on Instagram
Best for: your favourites favourites.
Another label that just gets it when it comes to basics. We could wear these to the office or to bed, and both situations would make sense. We're particularly fond of the pointelle range, which softens with each wear. Founded in late 2019 by Lili Chemla and made in Los Angeles.
Baserange
View this post on Instagram
Best for: basics but avant-garde.
Founded in 2012, Baserange offers a line of simplified garments that are constructed in line with a minimalist, do-no-harm philosophy. The brand is extra conscious of its environmental impact and has mapped its makers and producers on its website, where its also shares their stories. We love these garments, they're sensual and body-focused. It's also refreshing to see their designs modelled on bodies of all shapes, ages, and sizes.
&Daughter
View this post on Instagram
Best for: that Miu Miu-inspired crew neck cardigan and polo you've been eyeing off.
Lambswool cultivated in Geelong, Victoria is then sent off to Loch Leven in Scotland where it is spun and dyed. Later, the fibres will find their way to makers in Ireland and the UK, where each piece of the garment will be knit then linked together by hand and hand-finished. It's a laborious process, hence the price tag, but one that results in luxury sweaters that will last a lifetime. &Daughter also offers a mending and refresh service, so there's that too.
Pansy
View this post on Instagram
Best for: dancing in your kitchen in your undies.
Pansy began as an intimates label and sought out new horizons by inching into the activewear market. All the cotton used to bring a pair of Pansy panties to life is grown in Texas and milled in North Carolina before it finds its way to the San Leandro factory in California to be crafted. We love transparency!
Cou Cou Intimates
View this post on Instagram
Best for: pointelle loungewear for bed, beach and beyond.
Designed in London and made in Portugal, Cou Cou Intimates creates nostalgic cotton basics, the kind you'd see on Liv Tyler or Cameron Diaz in the 90s. You can find comfy white knickers for your underwear drawer or soft flowy pants to wear on long haul flights. Best of all, Cou Cou uses 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton. A win is a win.
Goodwear
View this post on Instagram
Best for: robust crew necks and henleys with a thick collar.
I'm drawn to the workwear-inspired design of Goodwear t-shirts. Just as Merz B Schwanen has mastered the bicep-enhancing dirtbag white tee, Goodwear has nailed the oversized style for all genders. The cotton is farmed then spun in the USA, with Goodwear utilising a range of different knits depending on the style of shirt. They're tough, give one to someone you love.
Anderson-Anderson
View this post on Instagram
Best for: durable knits that will stand the test of time.
A family-owned company established in 2009, each piece is designed in Denmark and crafted by the best knitters in Italy. Sure, the buy-in price is steep, but it's worth it when you consider the cost-per-wear of each garment over a decade and more – which is exactly the sort of lifespan Andersen-Andersen knits have. They're heavy! The styles are inspired by Danish maritime traditions and are crafted from 100% new wool sourced from Patagonia. The label also offers in-house repairs or you can buy a care and repair kit to service it yourself.
Patagonia
View this post on Instagram
Best for: fleeces, puffers and all your outdoorsy needs.
Patagonia has been B Corp certified since 2011 and was one of the first fashion brands to achieve this status. On top of this, they support grassroots activism with their 1% for the planet self-imposed tax, will mend your clothes and offer a buy-back scheme too. Whether it's a wetsuit, thermals, rain jacket or a little vest for your run club, ignore Airism and get your tech-forward clothes here instead.
all is a gentle spring
View this post on Instagram
Best for: Merino wardrobe essentials fit for the office.
There's plenty to love about all is a gentle spring. Everyone talks about bolstering Australian manufacturing and eradicating synthetic fibres, but Isabelle Hellyer walks the walk. On top of this, her clothes, which are sultry, refined and extremely wearable, are really freaking nice. This is reflected in the price tag, of course. Though that's what it costs to make things responsibly in 2024, something we forget when we walk into most fast fashion stores. Read more about Hellyer's design philosophy in her interview with RUSSH.
Eldon Cashmere
View this post on Instagram
Best for: scarves, gloves, wrist-warmers and beanies.
Eldon Cashmere has been appearing on my feed thanks to its fruitful collaboration with an Instagram page I love (@we_are_stripes). The forces of marketing convinced me to purchase one of their slim and versatile stripy cashmere scarves. I'm obsessed. They're made in Scotland from cashmere sourced from farmers and herders across Nepal, China and Afghanistan to the standards upheld by the Sustainable Fibre Alliance.
Lindner
View this post on Instagram
Best for: sumptuous wool socks.
For 10 generations Andrew Lindner's family has been making socks. He continues the tradition from his Crookwell factory in the southern tablelands of NSW. Using vintage machinery brought to Australia from Germany by his parents, Lindner knits and hand-finishes each pair of socks, which are made with Australian Merino wool and alpaca yarn. They're the only socks my boyfriend will wear and he's been buying them for years. The company is workings towards a 100% Australian supply chain. Plus, you socks have been crafted with specific occasions and needs in mind, whether that's cosy socks for home, dress socks for business or celebrations, work boots or hiking. Who needs Uniqlo when Lindner has you covered?
Gil Rodriguez
View this post on Instagram
Best for: slinky bodysuits and basics with sex appeal.
If it's wardrobe basics you seek, then none hit the intersection of affordable and well made quite like those from designer Eliana Gil Rodriguez. Her eponymous label is form-fitting and body forward, speaking to those who unapologetically take up space and refuse to feel uncomfortable in their skin.
Colourful Standard
View this post on Instagram
Best for: sweats in every hue of the rainbow.
Using environmentally-friendly dye and organic cotton, Colourful Standard is a sunny alternative for those looking for new tracksuits, hoodies, crewnecks, half-zips and sweatpants. All the manufacturing takes place in Portugal, which means makes must comply with EU laws.
Pretties
View this post on Instagram
Best for: the original 90s baby tee.
Last year, the prolific Pretties baby tee turned 30. The style, made with dead stock fabric in downtown LA, has been seen on Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Winona Ryder, Sofia Coppola and all your favourite Gen Z influencers. There's a reason it's so enduring, and that's because the fit, feel and vibe is perfect. Venture further for the Pretties take on a picot-trimmed floral summer dress.
Tank Air
View this post on Instagram
Best for: close-fitting tank tops and midi skirts.
Tank Air has grown its repertoire, which now contains every skirt length, a handful of body suits, baby tees, the perfect basic singlet and tank top, among its more glamorous statement pieces. While the brand found an audience on social media, it's proved to be much more than a passing fad. Tank Air manufactures their pieces in LA using deadstock fabric where possible. It's also worth noting the brand caters to a 2XS through to a 3XL, because it's 2024 and there's no excuse for not having size diversity.
Feature image: @studionicholson @anddaughter @floreflore
