A total of 67 applicants were successful in securing funding in round six of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) Small Business Program, including upmarket designer brands Dion Lee, Romance Was Born, Ellery and Fernando Frisoni. Approved grants ranged from $15,000 to $50,000, with Lee and Frisoni swooping $43,000 and $50,000 respectively for export development ventures.
A total of 14 businesses earned the maximum amount available, including womenswear designer Magdalena Velevska who will use the money to implement a website with e-commerce. Other businesses that took home $50,000 included Melbourne-based bespoke footwear makers Custom Fit Australia, Victorian bridalwear business Luci Di Bella and Tasmanian clothing importer and manufacturer Uniform City.
Taking home smaller amounts were the likes of Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales of label Romance Was Born ($28,435), women’s lifestyle brand Woodford & Co ($36,880) and long standing designer Tim O’Connor ($32,125), all of whom will use their funding to advance their capacity for e-commerce.
Other projects that scored funding included export strategy development, the implementation of new enterprise management systems, and the acquisition of new production and printing equipment including CAD systems.
Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said the funding from the TCF Small Business program would help ensure the TCF sector’s long-term viability.
“We have more than 45,000 people employed in the TCF industries. It is an integral part of our manufacturing sector,” Carr said.
“By updating business processes, the 67 businesses stand a better chance of succeeding in a tough environment. The job prospects of 45,000 people – many in regional Australia – will be a lot more secure.”
The TCF Small Business Program is a 10 year federally-funded project administered by AusIndustry. Each year, the program awards $2.5 million to TCF businesses for initiatives that will improve the competitiveness and efficiency of Australia’s TCF industry.
Erin O'Loughlin