With consumers increasingly concerned about the impacts of what they buy, Australian fashion industry leaders are coming together to discuss transparency in the fashion supply chain. To discuss why transparency matters and explore how brands can take part, ELK, David Jones & Country Road Group and Nobody Denim will be represented in a panel discussion at International Sourcing Expo Australia.
Part of the event’s respected professional learning series, Global Sourcing Seminars, the panel will be facilitated by Melinda Tually, Director at ethical sourcing and sustainability supply chain consultancy Ndless: The New Normal.
Joining Tually is Marnie Goding, Creative Director and Co-founder of Melbourne fashion label ELK. The ethically made and contemporary brand of accessories and fashion items has emerged as a leader in the industry with the release an in-depth transparency report – a first for a fashion business of its size.
Goding will share insights from ELK’s journey of innovation in finding better ways to make and work in the world of fashion while creating great Australian design for a growing global audience. John Condilis, Chair and Co-Founder of Nobody Denim is committed to maintaining an ethical and sustainable operational facility, with transparency at the core of Nobody’s business activities.
Starting with a small, family-built denim laundry in the backstreets of Melbourne 1999, Nobody was founded on the belief that making jeans could be imbued with integrity and creativity. Condilis will join the panel and share his passion for ensuring everyone involved in making their designs receives fair wages and are provided with safe working conditions. Ethics, sustainability and transparent supply chains are topics of interest across the industry today. To offer the perspective of one of Australia’s largest specialty fashion retailers and department stores is Eloise Bishop, Head of Sustainability at David Jones and Country Road Group. Eloise leads the retailers’ Good Business Journey sustainability strategy, embedding sustainability into every aspect of the David Jones and Country Road Group brands. This includes their work with suppliers, partners and customers across eight key areas: ethical trade, sustainable farming and sourcing of raw materials, energy efficiency, waste reduction, water stewardship, social development, health and wellness, and people and transformation.
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. The discussion will also delve into the question of whether transparency can help consumers make more informed decisions about what they buy, as well as looking at the role the Australian Modern Slavery Act will play.
