The Australian Fashion Council released a statement on Tuesday presenting key findings from the report titled Moving the Needle: The State of Play of Victoria’s Textile, Clothing & Footwear Manufacturing Sector. The report highlighted the state of Victoria as the primary employer in the sector, with New South Wales following closely with 9,000 jobs. Victoria was recognised for having the most comprehensive supply chain in the country.
The report estimated the economic value of Victoria’s textile, clothing, and footwear manufacturing industry at US $ 960 million, providing employment for 10,300 individuals. It emphasised Victoria’s potential to lead Australia’s transition towards a sustainable economy due to its well-established clothing ecosystem encompassing fiber production, manufacturing, retail, wholesale, repair, and second-hand retail.
Marianne Perkovic, Chair of the AFC, expressed optimism about Victoria’s capacity to become a global leader in advanced, sustainable manufacturing, creating jobs and fostering skills development within the industry. She envisioned a future for the sector, both economically and environmentally, aligning with goals to transition to a circular economy by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The report, authored by RMIT University and commissioned by the AFC in collaboration with Epson Australia, was released recently. The AFC advocated for reclassifying hidden aspects of TCF (Textile, Clothing & Footwear) and urged the Australian Bureau of Statistics to enhance data collection to support further education, training, and upskilling initiatives in the sector.
Dr. Jenny Underwood, Associate Dean of Fashion and Textiles Technology at RMIT, emphasised the importance of adopting a circular approach in the industry to address every phase of the clothing life cycle. This shift not only impacts industry dynamics from linear to circular but also influences future job prospects, skill requirements, and opportunities for women across diverse career paths in the sector.
Source: https://apparelresources.com/