A senior lecturer at RMIT is calling for stronger legislation across fashion at a national level following the release of the New South Wales Fashion Sector Strategy last month.
The Fashion Strategy covers six priorities to be executed over the next three years. This includes a skills and training review, the launch of an Australian fashion hub and a fashion smart factory in NSW, further backing of Australian Fashion Week, showroom activations in Paris for NSW designers, and connecting local audiences with NSW fashion.
The Strategy is supported by around $750,000 worth of funding, spread across various initiatives.
Dr Harriette Richards, a senior lecturer at the School of Fashion and Textiles, said Australia needs a consolidated approach towards legislation in the Australian fashion industry, including penalties for modern slavery in supply chains, taxes on ultra-fast fashion and regulation that supports circular economy business models.
It must be noted that the Federal Government granted funding last month to Australia’s national clothing product stewardship scheme Seamless to go towards a national clothing recycling pathway.
“The new NSW Fashion Sector Strategy is a welcome addition to the local fashion economy,” Dr Richards said. “It recognises the pressure Australian fashion faces in response to the increasing costs of sustainable and ethical production, and the acceleration of ultra-fast fashion.
“The Australian fashion industry is worth $27 billion dollars. It is a primary employer of women and has a reputation for producing high-quality raw materials and innovative design. However, Australians are also the largest per capita consumers of fashion items and send over 220,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill every year.
“Not only does the local industry need support, but we also need strong regulatory measures to ensure that fashion is produced ethically and that textile waste is managed sustainably.”
Dr Richards added that France and the European Union are pioneering legislation to combat fashion and textile waste, as well as increase extended producer responsibility and protect their local fashion industries.
“In contrast, Australia has so far relied on voluntary schemes or ineffective legislation to support this sector and the over 550,000 people it employs,” Dr Richards added.
Within the Strategy papers, Minister for the Arts, John Graham wrote that NSW, and particularly Sydney, has long led the way for the Australian fashion industry, hence for the local focus.
“Zimmermann, Colette Dinnigan, Camilla and Marc, Carla Zampatti, Bec & Bridge, Aje, Romance Was Born, Camilla, Cue, Oroton and Sass & Bide, to name a few, all call Sydney home,” he wrote. “These ground-breaking designers are not just Australian success stories, but are consistently highly sought after internationally by global tastemakers and wider retail markets.
“The common thread for the successes of these fashion creatives is that alongside their talent they have had organisations inside and outside the industry championing them – and investing in them.
“Our state’s fashion designers are the heart of a multi-billion-dollar industry with $7.2b export revenue generated annually. Nationally, this represents 1.7% of all Australian exports. The NSW fashion industry currently contributes $9.7b to our economy in NSW each year.”
The Strategy co-chairs – including Carla Zampatti CEO Alex Schuman and Vogue Australia editorial director Edwina McCann – added that the strategy addresses critical areas within the business of fashion, including innovation, sustainability, workforce development and market access.
"It is designed to foster a vibrant, globally competitive fashion industry in NSW, while ensuring that local businesses and creatives succeed in a rapidly evolving landscape," the pair wrote.
"The fashion industry in NSW is not only a major economic driver but also a cultural force that showcases our state’s creativity and global influence. With this strategy, we aim to provide clear, actionable initiatives to support the continued growth and success of the industry, empowering everyone from emerging designers to established brands."