For some streetwear brands, sustainable clothing is a marketing angle. For Afends, it’s the foundation of everything they do, from the crops in the ground to the clothes on your back.
Founded in Byron Bay, Australia, Afends has grown into a global streetwear label with a strong environmental stance. Their goal is to be sustainable in every part of the business, from product design to retail experience, and even the energy that powers their headquarters. While many brands are still talking about going green, Afends is already miles down the road (running on solar power that is) and actively exploring ways to regenerate land and culture.
At the heart of Afends’ sustainability ethos is a commitment to transparency, durability and innovation. Their design process is rooted in timeless clothing that is made to last, which is the opposite of fast fashion. Every piece is built with longevity in mind, both in quality and aesthetic. The brand also continuously experiments with eco-friendly fabrics, especially hemp, which they see as a future staple for sustainable streetwear.
In fact, Afends is so serious about hemp that in 2019, they bought 100 acres of farmland, which they dubbed Sleepy Hollow, to research and develop their own hemp processing facilities. The aim is to bring clothing manufacturing closer to home and create a production cycle that starts right at the soil. Their brand isn’t just about making better T-shirts, it’s about reshaping the way fashion is produced and worn.
Their Byron Bay headquarters, warehouse, and in-house café have been running on solar energy since 2016, putting more power back into the grid than they use. In their stores, there’s no single-use plastic or wasteful paper. Customers receive digital receipts, and recyclable paper bags are used at checkout. Afends also chooses to work only with retailers who share their sustainability values keeping their community aligned with their purpose.
What makes Afends stand out isn’t just their sustainability ethics, it’s how seamlessly they’ve woven those ethics into the brand’s culture. Sustainability isn’t just some add on feature; it’s present in the clothing, the people, and the purpose. Their long-term mission is to create garments “from seed to skin,” exploring soil regeneration, building healthy ecosystems, and making the process of fashion part of the planet’s healing, not its harm.
They’re not shy about ambition. Afends wants to build a creative, educational, and environmental hub, where farming, fashion, and community intersect. In an industry that’s often criticised for taking more than it gives, Afends is trying to prove that fashion can grow roots, quite literally.
So while other brands might still be asking how to look sustainable, Afends is out there doing the work. Quietly. Consistently. From the fields of Byron Bay to wardrobes across the world.
Read about other streetwear brands that prioritise sustainability here.
