FIBRE TO FASHION

What’s in your clothes? Fashion designer Emma Bond brought her sustainably produced garments to the Liverpool Plains, for a lunch celebrating the women of the cotton industry.

Today we make a conscious decision in what we eat or often how we exercise. As farmers we take great care in what we plant, what chemicals we spray and what impacts these decision have on our land. We consider the very best inputs for our livestock. But when was the last time we stopped to think, what’s in our clothes?

A 2022 Global Scan Report, conducted by the Australian Fashion Council and led by the Queensland University of Technology, found that Australians, on average, purchase an estimated 15kg of clothing1 or approximately 56 garments each year. Data collected for the same report found that Australia imports an estimated 373,000 tonnes of clothing each year, with an FOB (Free On Board) value of $9.27 billion.1

Most of the clothing purchased in Australia is made from non-sustainable, non-durable materials. We have no systems in place for the collection of unwearable clothing other than landfill. Add to that, re-use and re-sale sectors which are overwhelmed with unwearable donations, all of this culminates in 200,000 tonnes of clothing making it’s way to landfill each year. This is compared to just 17,000 tonnes which are recycled or 41,000 tonnes of clothing which are reused. Clothing waste has become one of the largest contributors to Australia’s waste crisis, yet we continue to be bombarded by fast fashion at an unprecedented rate.

Of further concern, it is estimated by the same AFC report that less than 3% of Australia’s clothing retailers sell clothing produced within Australia2. Despite Australia being one of the world’s largest producers of cotton, we retain just 10% of that product domestically, with the majority of the raw product making its way to overseas spinning mills.

Fashion designer Emma Bond is working hard to re-humanise the story of how our clothes are made. Hailing from a cotton farm in the Central West, Emma is acutely aware of the trials and tribulations faced by cotton producers. Her brand name, Madi & Pip is inspired by her grandmother; Philomena Simmons, and mother, Madi Simmons. Emma recounts her mother’s ability to create any wild costume she could summon through her young imagination, in awe of her ability to create these pieces on the regional property with limited resources. Emma’s dressmaking talent stems from her great grandmother, Madeleine Jondeau; a Parisian couture seamstress. In her adult years

Emma could not ignore the rapid increase in consumption of fashion and lack of great design. She was excited to use her experience and the stories of others across the supply chain to rewrite the fashion trajectory. And so, Madi & Pip the label was born.

Emma’s label of luxury, made to order womenswear, is designed with usability and sustainability at the forefront; considering the garments’ complete lifecycle. Crafted from Australian cotton, with some of the cottons never even leaving Australian shores for processing, as well as recycled cotton and deadstock fabrics which would otherwise be discarded by other fashion brands.

Emma’s background in education, fine art and experience from life on the land inspired her to push forward with an advocacy to bring awareness to the people who make our clothes, which starts at the fibre. Her work in conjunction with the Australian Cotton Industry saw her awarded the Australian Future Cotton Leaders Award and her garments showcased alongside major brands Country Road, Sussan and Bonds at the 2022 Cotton Conference runway.

And it was this advocacy coupled with her social media presence that captured the attention of a group of women on the Liverpool Plains planning their own event to celebrate and bring awareness to the cotton industry that is major a part of their lives.

1 National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme, AFC NCPSS Global Scan Report, pg. 35, Dr Alice Payne, with Paige Street, Anastasia Bousgas and Caitlin Hopper

2 National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme, AFC NCPSS Global Scan Report, pg. 32, Dr Alice Payne, with Paige Street, Anastasia Bousgas and Caitlin Hopper