Wednesday 22 October 2020: The inaugural #ECAWeek2020 for Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) Week is finally here! The first and only week focused on ethically accredited Australian manufacturers and locally-made textiles, clothing and footwear. It is our chance to celebrate the businesses, designers and importantly the skilled workers behind the garments made in Australia. This year is extra special as it is also ECA’s 20 year anniversary. 

National Manager Angela Bell and Tatyana Anderson of Tatyana Design and Tatyana’s School of Couture talk about the role of ECA and the changes they’ve seen in the industry since ECA accreditation was established. Tatyana Designs has been ECA accredited for 8 years and Tatyana talks through her experience as an ECA accredited business.

Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA®) is an accreditation body that works collaboratively with local textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) businesses manufacturing in Australia. The ECA voluntary accreditation program offers practical and affordable assistance to these businesses, and ensures that their Australian supply chains are fully transparent and legally compliant.

Ethical Clothing Australia Week is a chance to help educate consumers to make informed ethical choices, educate the wider Australian community and celebrate and promote local businesses, designers, and importantly the skilled workers behind the garments made in Australia.

To celebrate the week, our ECA-accredited businesses have been working hard planning both digital and in person events to coincide with ECA Week. Including virtual tours of factories, Q&As with business owners, meet the makers campaigns and much more! Here’s a link to their guide.

If You Are A Consumer
Sign-up to their mailing list to be kept up to date with all the events and activities happening during Ethical Clothing Australia Week and how you can be involved. They have some very exciting plans in the works that you’ll find out about soon! Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #ECAweek2020 and by following @ethicalclothingaustralia.

If You Are An ECA-Accredited Business
By planning a digital or physical activity (current restrictions permitting) as part of Ethical Clothing Australia Week, you’ll be promoting your business to new and existing customers and identifying your business as one that stands for Australian worker’s rights.

ECA will be supporting accredited businesses to get involved with a range of resources to help you plan successful activities, attract media coverage and maximise your social media reach.

What’s happening in a snapshot?
Ethical Clothing Australia Week celebrates ethical clothing manufacturing in Australia through events and online activities during 18-24 October. For 20 years the Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation program has been protecting and advocating for the rights of Australian garment workers and working towards a more transparent garment industry. Garments that have the ECA certification trademark have been made by Australian workers who are receiving their minimum pay and entitlements and are working in safe conditions right across the supply chain.

Friday 27 November 2020: You would have seen the Sewcialists and yours truly repost about one of our local Australian textile company called Clothing the Gap.

Clothing The Gap is a Victorian Aboriginal owned and led social enterprise.

You’ll hear from the Clothing the Gap fam Director of Operations, Sarah Sheridan.

As Sarah says: ‘I show up to contribute to the success of a brand that has the ability to be independent, agile and meaningful in the way that it does business for real change.

I’m a non-Indigenous Co-Founder and Director in an Aboriginal owned and led business with my business partner Laura. This means that for me, Aboriginal leadership is key. Being aware of my role, the space I take up and when I can step in to reduce the emotional labour of racism for my Aboriginal colleagues is vital.’

Here’s a good fact to know. The masks sold by Clothing the Gap are created and dispatched in an 8km radius of their location in Melbourne. Sarah talks about one of the key campaigns they support – Free the flag. Then go to the #pridenotprofit petition. You can find the Free the flag logo here.