SLOW FASHION THAT DOES BETTER...
About us
Malia The Label is an ocean-inspired brand, consciously and sustainably designed on the New South Wales South Coast. We exist to do better ~ for the planet, for the people who make our clothes, and for the communities we're part of.
Our relaxed, artisanal pieces are made to help you curate a capsule wardrobe: timeless styles, natural fibres, and high-quality garments designed for loving, enduring wear ~ not a fast fashion cycle.
Designed here, crafted with care by the hands of artisans... Every design starts in-house ~ technical design, print design, and technical development are all done by our own team. From there, our collections are produced consciously in Indonesia, where we source materials, sample designs, and manufacture in small batch quantities with artisans and craftspeople who share our values.
thoughtfully chosen
Fabrics we love...
A plant-based fibre that's lightweight, breathable, naturally antibacterial, and fully circular: it biodegrades at the end of its life. Our ramie is hand-grown, woven, then sewn into garments with a soft, linen-like texture.
Our Knitwear uses 100% natural cotton and is knitted to shape on our own machines for a neat, even texture with zero yarn wastage.
Our clothing styles use hand-loomed cotton that is naturally breathable, soft and durable, making it an effortless choice for comfortable, everyday wear.
For our warm-weather lover's. We have crafted blended linen fabrics, so you get linen's natural breathability without the stiffness or crease of the real thing. Depending on the piece, we work with two different blends:
- Linen & bamboo ~ a 100% natural fibre blend that's soft, lightweight and breathable, with a gentle drape and none of the crispness of traditional linen.
- Linen & cotton ~ a 55% cotton, 45% linen blend bringing a little extra structure and durability, while the linen keeps it light.
Our swimwear is made from plastics saved from our oceans. Our most recent collection was created in collaboration with local Berry, NSW artist Alexandra Blunn Art, whose artwork features on our reversible, hand-crocheted-edge swim pieces.
Slow Fashion Crafted Intentionally
"Malia"
"Malia" - Meaning 'Calm & gentle waters' is the statement that reflects our core beliefs... A gentle approach to creation; reconnecting with roots of mother nature & listening to the ebb and flow of the universe in order to create in a slow and meaningful way.
about
our story
Malia The Label began in the middle of a pandemic, in 2020 ~ when I was twenty years old, halfway through a fashion design degree, and thoroughly fed up with my own wardrobe.
At university, I was learning everything about sustainability, and it led me to an uncomfortable realisation: my entire closet was fast fashion. I was tired of trends that came and went in a season, clothes that fell apart within a few wears, and synthetic fabrics that never felt good against my skin.
When lockdown hit and, like everyone else, I suddenly had time on my hands ~ that's where Malia began.
It started small: re-sewing pieces from my own wardrobe into something new. That grew into handmade-to-order pieces for customers, then into proper designer collections ~ all driven by one idea I couldn't shake: I wanted to build a brand that was timeless, versatile, and genuinely sustainable.
Every piece we make now is designed with that same intention; clothing for a capsule wardrobe, in natural fibres, made to be loved and worn for years.
I graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor of Branded Fashion Design and went straight to work on our first real collection. Finding a manufacturing partner that matched my slow fashion values wasn't optional ~ it was the whole point. So I flew to Indonesia and found artisans and craftspeople who could produce in small batches, using natural fibres, the way I'd envisioned from the start.
That same year, I was welcomed into a small community store on the NSW coast called Thirroul + Co, where owner Sheralee gave me the space — and the guidance — to keep growing.
In 2024, that story came full circle: I took over ownership of that same store, now Thirroul + Co, took on our first two stockists, and had the surreal experience of seeing Malia featured on the Vogue American Express Shop Small Runway.
As the owner of Thirroul + Co now too, I get to do something I care about just as much as building my own brand: support and nurture the other small, local businesses around me.
— Ally Thomas, Founder
a slow approach
our why
Malia the label emerged from a passion to create change & work towards a more sustainable future. It stemmed from a vision to create clothing that is kinder to the planet, to people & communities.