Is there sustainable fashion without ethics?

Anyone who has had an eye on the fashion industry over the last few years knows that sustainability is in the spotlight – sparking conversation, education and even possible legislation. We’re hearing more about sustainable materials, innovative processes and important discussions to regulate the industry for the good
of the planet.
But is this focus on fashion being planet-friendly overshadowing an uncomfortable social and economic reality? Does the current attention on sustainable fashion ignore the impact the fashion industry has on the people who make our clothes?

Join Ethical Clothing Australia and The Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion + Textiles , for a panel about the sometimes-uncomfortable nexus between sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. Moderated by Ethical Clothing Australia’s National Manager, Rachel Reilly, the event will bring together academics, civil society and representatives from the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry and Union to face this tension head on, as they discuss:
• The inextricable link between sustainability and ethics;
• Why the focus on sustainability keeps winning the attention of consumers, business and politicians;
• The realistic, actionable steps required to bring garment workers back into conversations about sustainable fashion.

Tickets for this event include a booking fee through Humanitix. Humanitix takes the booking fees and dedicates 100% of profits to charity.
Please join the panellists and organisers for drinks at The Loft (on site) after the panel.

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Ethical Clothing Australia is an accreditation body established over twenty years ago that works collaboratively with local businesses to protect and uphold the social rights and working conditions of garment workers – many of whom come from migrant, refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds – in the local supply chain through a rigorous annual audit.

The Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion + Textiles was launched in July 2021. A collaboration between UTS and TAFE NSW, the Centre delivers education offerings and brand-based industry research partnerships with an emphasis on sustainability and Industry 4.0.

Meet the Moderator

Rachel Reilly – National Manager, Ethical Clothing Australia
Rachel has a strong commitment to human rights, with a focus on labour and women’s rights, and has formerly held the position of Executive Director of a Not-for-Profit supporting women who had experienced human trafficking. Rachel holds a Bachelor of International Development and a Master of Human Rights Law.

Meet the Panel

Associate Professor Timo Rissanen - UTS/TAFE NSW Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion and Textiles
Associate Professor Timo Rissanen is a fashion and textiles researcher and the UTS academic lead of the UTS/TAFE NSW Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion and Textiles. He investigates the interconnection between sustainability and social justice as they relate to the contemporary fashion industry. He played a key role in establishing the Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion and Textiles and has published two books on fashion and sustainability: Zero Waste Fashion Design, co-written with Holly McQuillan and, In Shaping Sustainable Fashion, co-written with Alison Gwilt.

James Dunlop - Be Slavery Free
James is an experienced communications and policy strategist with over a decade of experience in supply change sustainability. Working at the collision point between business and workers' rights, James has built a career looking for opportunities to drive industry collaboration. Turned on to ethical fashion in the wake of Rana Plaza, James has spent the last decade working with NGOs like Oxfam Australia, fashion retailers including H&M and Zara, labour unions, and government to help chart a different course.

Aldona Brangwin – Production Lead, Citizen Wolf
Aldona has been working in the fashion industry for the last 27 years. Initially in design rooms as a patternmaker, then moving into Fashion production and manufacturing management. Aldona has been lucky enough to have worked worldwide with various sized fashion labels and businesses. Aldona discovered Citizen Wolf when starting the journey into how personal values and work life could be aligned. It was a moment of serendipity when finding the role with Citizen Wolf, 'I love the way Citizen Wolf is challenging the way of thinking and doing “business as usual” for fashion businesses'.

Jenny Kruschel – TCF National Secretary, CFMEU, MD
Jenny is an advocate for workers’ rights and supporting a skilled workforce. She is currently the TCF National Secretary of the Manufacturing Division of the CFMEU. Jenny has a wealth of experience in the clothing, footwear and textile industry. Her working career includes various roles in textile and clothing factories in regional Victoria, as well as 25 years’ experience representing and supporting workers in TCF workplaces.