Are Australian-Made Styles Having A Revival?

Australian made clothing, footwear, masks, (you name it) foster a local production scene and workforce. “When local manufacturing thrives, we retain skills that often get lost overseas,” says Quaintance-James.

Local production also compresses the supply chain – in a good way. Brands leverage this by being quicker to market, maintaining product quality, and reducing their carbon footprint. “Having regular visits to local Australian factories, workshops, and ateliers helps keep production on track without shipping staff overseas every season."

Take heritage brand R.M.WILLIAMS, founded by Reginald Murrary Williams, that has produced hard-wearing boots for Aussies, by Aussies, since 1923. Today, RM’s vision ensues with 200 craftsmen and women in their Adelaide workshop. Like Quaintance-James explains, “keeping production close to the market reduces the carbon mileage, especially when raw materials are produced and processed locally.“

Like R.M. Williams, brands like Arnsdorf and Nobody Denim are committed to local manufacturing. Nobody Denim has its HQ, factory, laundry, and retail store within a six-kilometer radius. This means they can help “keep dollars in the country, respond to trends in real-time, and minimise their footprint”. The brand is also accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia, a body that protects the rights of local manufacturing workers  – from shoemakers to seamstresses, patternmakers, and machinists – including pay entitlements and working conditions. 

As a testament to their ethical commitments, Arnsdorf, an emerging brand also accredited by ECA, built their own factory in Collingwood, Victoria. “That’s why when you browse Arnsdorf products, you know where they were made, the people who made them, and at what cost,” the brand states online. 

From a technological standpoint, some Australian manufacturers haven’t been able to make the same investment in sophisticated machinery as international counterparts. But there’s another challenge: we have an aging garment manufacturing workforce. “We lost the majority of local production in the 1980s which means investing in and upskilling our workforce is critical,” says Quaintance-James.

The Australian Industry & Skills Committee predicts a 20 percent local employment increase in Jewellery Design by 2024 which we can only hope will extend to apparel and footwear, given the pandemic’s ricochet so far. But the investment in education and training hinges on us – on our awareness and demand for locally-made products. 

To find Australian-made styles, use the Eco Production filter within our Considered Edit. The majority of these styles are homegrown, homespun, or homemade, and thereby associated with a lower environmental impact. Each product is vetted by our dedicated in house Sustainability team.

But be wary when checking the country of origin – ‘Australian Owned’ doesn’t equate to ‘Australian Made’. “If local manufacturing is important to you, check where a brand produces their goods,” Quaintance-James, Global Fashion Group’s Chief Sustainability Officer advises.

As a matter of curiosity, take the shirt you’re wearing right now... flip up the tag; find out where it’s made.