Sustainable fashion brands in Malaysia
A lot more of us are trying to be responsible towards our environment nowadays, whether by shedding all single-use plastics, or opting to shop pre-loved. Even local fashion brands are rethinking their businesses, making the conscious decision to adopt more eco-friendly practices – including these 10 sustainable fashion brands in Malaysia.
With their environmentally conscious practices and use of long-lasting quality materials, these brands we listed below will make you feel proud to have their fashion items in your wardrobe.
Table of Contents
- Sustainable fashion brands in Malaysia
- 1. LTTL – casualwear for women
- 2. Kanoe Wear – contemporary batik pieces
- 3. Terrae – durable & fashionable activewear
- 4. OZERO Swimwear – sustainable swimwear
- 5. Li’s Atelier – stylish linen outfits for women & men
- 6. The Sisterhood Studios – hand-embroidered apparel
- 7. Muni – bags coloured with raw plant dyes
- 8. Wustler – elegant sleepwear & loungewear pieces
- 9. Biji Biji – timeless bags & pouches
- 10. INKAA – handcrafted batiks & woven pieces
- Sustainable fashion brands in Malaysia
1. LTTL – casualwear for women
Image credit: @lttl.official via Instagram
LTTL is a fashion label for women with clothes that ooze comfort and style – all while staying true to its zero-waste policy.
The brand offers a range of effortlessly chic silhouettes and timeless accessories. You’ll find flowy dresses, crochet tops, and even stylish masks – all made with natural and sustainable fibres that are 100% biodegradable.
The brand also upholds the importance of being fully transparent in their clothing design process. For each item on their website, you’ll find information on everything including the origin and supply chain of each garment material, the recyclability of the fabric, and even the type of thread used.
Instructions are also available on their website for ways to properly clean, wash, and dry the clothes.
Contact: LTTL’s website
2. Kanoe Wear – contemporary batik pieces
Batik has been making a comeback in the local fashion industry – and for all the right reasons. Besides being a notable traditional craft, its signature floral motifs on fabric make for sophisticated and timeless pieces.
Best of all, the traditional way to produce batik is highly labour-intensive and intricate – a key to embracing slow fashion in favour of sustainability.
Celebrating the art of batik and sustainability in fashion, Kanoe Wear is a local brand that fuses traditional fabric-making techniques with contemporary designs – all without compromising what’s best for shoppers and the planet.
Founded by Noelle Kan, the brand seeks out and uses the best fabrics from around the globe, woven from all-natural materials.
To support handmade creations and local artisans, Kanoe Wear collaborates with like-minded local batik makers, charitable trusts, and refugee communities. They also make it their goal to provide their makers with healthy working environments and fair wages.
Catering to both genders, their apparel ranges from kimonos and flattering skirts to scarves, with numerous unique pieces featuring their own batik prints.
Apart from clothing, the brand also has a collection of stylish accessories including hair scrunchies and tote bags – all with stunning batik designs as well.
Contact: Kanoe Wear’s website
3. Terrae – durable & fashionable activewear
When it comes to comfortable activewear, Terrae has become a go-to brand for eco-conscious clothing items ranging from compression leggings to functional skorts.
The female-founded fashion brand takes sustainability seriously, paying close attention to the materials used in their workout pieces and even the packaging for their apparel.
All their pieces are made with Econyl regenerated nylon – which is 100% recycled fibre extracted from discarded fishing nets from the ocean – as well as organic cotton and upcycled materials.
They also opt for eco-friendly packaging, such as plant-based and 100% biodegradable garment bags and recyclable envelopes, to help minimise their carbon footprint.
If you aren’t already sold on Terrae’s sustainable efforts and quality activewear, perhaps this will do it – their leggings come with pockets.
Contact: Terrae’s website
4. OZERO Swimwear – sustainable swimwear
Born from a desire to make swimwear more sustainable, OZERO Swimwear is at the forefront of sustainable swimwear in Malaysia.
Founded by KL-based Russian model Elena Cheurina, the brand came about from the model’s love for the tropical countries that she had worked in. Thus, she decided to create her own range of swimwear for humid climates.
The beautifully cut bikinis and swimsuits are constructed with regenerative nylon Econyl made from ocean-waste plastic. The Italian fabric they use not only provides excellent UV protection, but is also both breathable and durable – a plus-point for any swimwear.
Make a statement by the pool with their beautiful range of brightly coloured bikinis and one-pieces featuring various prints dedicated to lakes in Russia and others around the world, including Baikal, Ladoga, Malawi, and Como.
Contact: Ozero Swimwear’s website
5. Li’s Atelier – stylish linen outfits for women & men
Li’s Atelier is perfect for fashionistas looking for a capsule wardrobe with quality minimalist essentials and fashionable pieces.
Crafted from eco-friendly natural fabrics, particularly linen, the brand’s dreamy clothes are perfectly made to last and feel good in the Malaysian heat.
Their pieces are more than just pared-back and stylish – every single clothing item has been thoughtfully designed with a focus on functionality and versatility.
The linen fabric used in their clothes are woven from flax plants, making the brand’s fashion offerings lightweight, incredibly durable, and suitable for incorporating all sorts of design elements such as pleats, ruches, and body-hugging silhouettes.
Their clothes are catered to all genders, with an assortment of breezy and effortless-chic dresses and skirts, as well as timeless and comfortable shorts and button-down shirts for males.
Address: Studio G, 3, Jalan 51/201, Seksyen 51, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: 10am-7pm, Daily
Contact: Li’s Atelier’s website
6. The Sisterhood Studios – hand-embroidered apparel
A deep passion for creating clothes is the foundation of The Sisterhood Studios, started by a trio of sisters. The brand began by selling hand-embroidered face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic, and has since bloomed into a much-loved family business committed to sustainability.
Mostly self-taught to embroider and do needlework, the Gomes sisters utilise reusable fabrics, upcycled patchworks, and preloved knitwear. These get stitched up together to form dainty frocks, comfy loungewear, and charming halter tops.
With sustainability in mind, they design seasonal collections and pieces that are available in small batches. They also provide pick-up options for patrons that’ll help save on postage and reduce carbon footprint.
Contact: 010-309 6065 | My Sisterhood Studios’s website
7. Muni – bags coloured with raw plant dyes
Beauty isn’t just about perfection – it exists in imperfections and all things rustic and artisanal too. Muni, a sustainable dye clothing brand, is known for such honest and authentic beauty in their apparel.
Seeking to nurture mindfulness and harmony between humans and the earth, Muni’s breezy and minimalist products perfectly capture the humble colours of nature with the use of raw, handcrafted plant dyes.
The brand’s earthy tones are achieved with traditional botanical dyes, including daun ketapang for a subdued yellow and kayu sepang for a dusky pink.
Muni believes in the power of simple pleasures, evident by their minimalist apparel defined by a casual, laidback, and timeless feel. Sift through a whole range of classic tees and casual wears, all featuring the vibrant colours of nature.
The brand is also known for their bags and pouches as well, including apple-toned corduroy totes, simple satchels, persimmon bucket slings, and tricoloured knot pouches.
Address: GF-47 (Ground Floor) Malaysia Grand Bazaar, Bukit Bintang City Centre (next to Lalaport Mall), Jln Hang Tuah, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Contact: 017-619 9315 | Muni’s website
8. Wustler – elegant sleepwear & loungewear pieces
Wustler has been gaining traction as every woman’s answer to a dressed-up rest time. They have an abundance of luxurious and classy loungewear pieces that don’t cost the earth – in both senses.
Their collection is full of impossibly dreamy, ethereally soft, and breathable nightwear and loungewear that’ll make you feel good even when you’re being a couch potato. Their classy and timeless pieces include comfy pyjama sets, graceful slip dresses and robes, silky eye masks, and an impressive collection of women undergarments.
Keeping their prices affordable while prioritising sustainable practices, the brand’s exquisite pieces are crafted from a house signature silky blend of Rayon and Viscose. This regenerated cellulose fibre made from wood pulp is a sustainable alternative to polyester and nylon.
Wustler also strictly uses certified non-toxic and environmentally-friendly fabric dyes.
Plus, 1% of the brand’s total sales is donated to Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA) annually, which is a non-profit organisation that empowers women with the skills and tools they need to protect our earth.
Contact: Wustler’s website
9. Biji Biji – timeless bags & pouches
Since 2013, Biji Biji has placed sustainability at the forefront of their business. What started as a vision by four passionate youths quickly flourished into a thriving sustainability movement in fashion – they now helm a handful of retail shops across Malaysia, with a number of awards and recognitions under their belt.
A brainchild of Biji Biji Initiative – a pioneering social enterprise in Malaysia – the brand creates fashion-forward accessories for all genders from upcycled and recycled fabrics.
This is done by repurposing faulty materials from a range of industries – including seat belt webbing from the car manufacturing industry, deadstock vintage kimono from the Japanese textile manufacturing industry, tarpaulin banners from the advertising industry, and needle punch carpet from the event industry.
From casual duffel bags and sleek leather backpacks to chic dinner-ready pouches and purses, Biji Biji is known for their classy and sumptuous bags that are as functional as they are gorgeous.
Not only does the ethical fashion label pay attention to the materials of the products, they also prioritise the humans behind the brand with fair practices.
Address: Me.reka, Publika Shopping Gallery, Lot 1C, Level G1 (A4 Entrance), Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm (Closed on weekends)
Contact: 03-6419 4755 | Biji Biji’s website
10. INKAA – handcrafted batiks & woven pieces
Another sustainable brand in the batik artistry, INKAA is a collaborative effort between grassroot organisations and artisans in Malaysia to produce sustainable batik and mengkuang products.
Founded in 2018 by Muizz Aziz, INKAA ensures that each of their products is made mindfully by well-supported local artisans to celebrate people and the power of storytelling.
To promote the importance of transparency, the brand has a tab of Meet The Makers on their website that shares the stories and experiences of the artisans who create the products.
They also partner with United Nations-registered refugees from Myanmar and special needs individuals.
With a diverse array of batik-printed items, the brand spotlights sustainably-crafted collections that boast face masks, passport and notebook covers, purses, mengkuang-woven baskets, mats and hand-painted batik scarves.
Amongst the bevy of products, INKAA’s unisex cotton T-shirts are their bestsellers – these comfortable, staple piece are elevated with a customised batik pocket.
Address: The Zhongshan Building, 82C, Jalan Rotan off Jalan Kampung Attap, 50460 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 11am-6pm (Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays)
Contact: 014-8190 718 | INKAA’s website
Sustainable fashion brands in Malaysia
As much as we adore a good shopping spree, it is important to be aware of the ethical practices of the fashion brands we are supporting.
So whether you’re on the hunt for a cute frock or stylish leggings, pick a spot from this list of sustainable Malaysian fashion brands to support local, and help contribute towards a positive change for the planet.
For more fashion articles, check out these 10 Malaysian baju kurung brands and 10 thrift shops in Penang.
Cover image adapted from: @shopterrae via Instagram, @kanoewear via Instagram & @munimalism via Instagram