Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the ethical impacts of the fashion industry.
In hopes to start a conversation about whether transparency in brands can help consumers make more informed decisions about what they are buying and where the products are coming from, Australian fashion industry leaders are going to discuss how transparency affects the fashion supply chain.
Brands, ELK, David Jones, Country Road Group and Nobody Denim are attending this panel discussion at the International Sourcing Expo. The panel will be hosted by Melinda Tually, director at ethical sourcing and sustainability supply chain consultancy Ndless: The New Normal.
Creative director and co-founder of Melbourne fashion label ELK, Marnie Goding, created an ethical and contemporary brand of accessories and fashion items. Goding will attend the discussion and share significant insights from ELK’s innovation in finding better ways to produce fashionable goods and growing their global following. With the release of ELK’s in-depth transparency report, ELK’s culture proves to be one which is determined in reducing their carbon footprint. “We see it as our responsibility to work with integrity, transparency and honesty. Our journey is not finite. It will continue on as an ever-changing quest to improve and reduced impact,” said Goding.
Nobody Denim’s chair and co-founder, John Condilis, will also join the panel and share his commitment to maintaining an ethical and sustainable operational facility, with transparency at the core. The company prioritises the maintenance of fair working conditions for its employees as well as shortens their supply chain so all their operations are within a 6km radius. Nobody Denim was founded on the belief that making jeans could be imbued with integrity and creativity.
Eloise Bishop, Head of Sustainability at David Jones and Country Road Group will offer an additional perspective on how sustainability is achievable in Australia’s largest fashion retailers and department stores. Country Road is on a journey to be a leader in sustainability, through implementing ethical trading practices and reducing waste across the business. Eloise leads the retailers’ Good Business Journey sustainability strategy, embedding sustainability into every aspect of the David Jones and Country Road Group brands.
The panel will explore the opportunities and challenges in traceability, how to get started when a brand’s supply chain is long and complex, and how to evaluate and communicate your efforts.
