Behind the Seams: Ethical Clothing Australia Week Illuminates Why Ethical Fashion Matters
Picture this: you’re getting dressed this morning, reaching for that trusty denim jacket that’s been with you through countless adventures and always finishes your outfit ‘just so’. But here’s a question that might stop you mid-zip – do you know whose hands carefully stitched those seams? Whose expertise shaped the collar that sits just right on your shoulders?
Behind every piece of clothing we love is a human story. Sometimes it’s one of skilled artisans taking pride in their craft, working in fair conditions for honest wages. But too often, it’s a story we’d rather not think about – of invisible hands working in unsafe conditions, of talent undervalued and voices unheard.
The textile industry remains one of the world’s most challenging sectors for worker exploitation. Yet in Australia, there’s been a quiet revolution happening for 25 years, led by an organisation determined to change this narrative and help us say ‘no’ to fast fashion.
Ethical Clothing Australia has spent a quarter-century building bridges – connecting conscious consumers with brands and manufacturers who believe that good clothes should come from good practices. Their accreditation isn’t just a tick-box exercise; it’s a promise that the people making our clothes are paid fairly, work safely, and operate within transparent supply chains.
This October 7-14, Ethical Clothing Australia Week 2025 will celebrate not just this milestone, but the extraordinary people who make ethical fashion possible. Ethical Clothing Australia Week turns the spotlight where it belongs – on the skilled workers, many from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds, whose expertise keeps Australia’s garment industry alive and thriving.
Stories that need telling
In Melbourne, the Immigration Museum’s ‘Working Behind the Seams’ exhibition will unveil the hidden history of Australia’s garment industry – from hard-won union reforms to the daily realities of outworkers whose contributions often go unseen. The companion event, ‘Voices Behind the Seams,’ promises something even more powerful: an evening where workers themselves share their journeys, hopes, and dreams for the future.
above: (L) SIMONE THORPE FROM STYLE WITH SOUL, (R) SPIRITUS ECO CLOTHING
Getting your hands dirty (in the best way)
If you’re someone who learns by doing, Sustainable Style Sunday in Emerald, VIC offers the perfect blend of inspiration and action. Picture yourself in the Dandenong Ranges, surrounded by ethical brands and circular fashion pioneers, diving deep into what makes clothing truly sustainable.
You might find yourself captivated by Dr Carol Tan from RMIT explaining the science behind sustainable garments, or getting styling wisdom from Simone Thorpe from Style with Soul about building a wardrobe that grows with your body and values. The makers behind MegSmithMakes, by Audrey & Grace, and Spiritus Eco Clothing will be there too, ready to share the stories behind their creations.
above: REMUSE Designs
Love colour? A magical experience awaits at REMUSE Designs’ natural dye masterclass. Imagine transforming plain fabric into something extraordinary using nothing but botanicals and mineral mordants – coaxing rich purples from logwood, deep blues from indigo, warm yellows from onion skins you might otherwise throw away. Alchemy meets sustainability!
Even our four-legged family members get the sustainability treatment with Apawrel’s rope dog toy workshop – because why shouldn’t our pets’ accessories reflect our values too?
above: KNOVUS
The future is being knitted now
For the tech-curious, Carlton’s Inside Knovus event offers a glimpse into fashion’s future through 3D knit technology and ethical technological manufacturing innovations. Meanwhile, Queensland is already looking ahead to Brisbane 2032, with the Made By Queensland event exploring how local manufacturing could shine on the Olympic stage.
Across Adelaide and Sydney, conversations will unfold about why accreditation matters and the urgent connection between ethical fashion and human rights – because at its heart, this isn’t just about clothes. It’s about dignity, opportunity, and the kind of world we’re stitching together.
Why this matters to all of us
Ethical Clothing Australia Week asks us to slow down, take a step away from fast fashion and throwaway clothes, and really see our clothes – not just as objects, but as connections to other people’s livelihoods, skills, and stories.
When you choose to support ethical fashion, you’re not just buying a shirt or a pair of pants. You’re casting a vote for an industry where creativity thrives alongside fairness, where traditional skills are valued and preserved, where every worker goes home safely at the end of the day.
After 25 years of quiet, determined work, Ethical Clothing Australia Week is a chance to celebrate the small victories that add up to big change. So this October, whether you join an event or simply think a little differently about what’s hanging in your wardrobe, you’ll be part of a story 25 years in the making. And that’s a story worth wearing with pride.
