Old-School Sustainability - A Visit to Australia's Longest-Running Weaving Mill
Welcome to another episode about why it matters that we can make stuff locally.After last week's ep on Yorkshire's centuries-old wool recycling expertise, this time, as promised, Clare's taking you back to Australia, to see another inspiring mill in action.We're in Launceston, Tasmania to visit Australia's oldest continuously operating weaving mill.Waverley Mills has always worked with local wool, and over the years has woven all sorts of fabrics, from tweeds to flannels, but it's their blankets that made them famous. This is a story of tradition (during WW2 they produced blankets for the army), innovation (think, collaborating with Nudie Jeans to make the world’s first recycled blanket out of old denim), and continuity. But above all, it's about community - who's worked here for decades and who is apprenticing to learn the trade today; who grows the wool, and who has seen the ups and downs of this place over the years, and has a long view on why it matters. It's a story about ethical manufacturing, the possibilities for re-shoring, fibre sovereignty and being able to manufacture textiles where we live - just, all the important sustainability stuff! Enjoy!Find all the links & further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comTell us what you think? Find Clare on Instagram @mrspressGot recommendations? Hit us up!And please share these podcasts.THANK YOU x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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41:48
Waste Not, Want Not - Mungo, Shoddy, the History, Process and Modern Times of Mechanical Wool Recycling
Ever wondered how mechanical textile recycling actually works? What shoddy and mungo is, and why we called it that? What the rag n' bone man collected back in the day and how the trade grew up, then scaled back? And what it will take to bring it back and keep what's already here, going?Wonder no more! John Parkinson has a masterclass for you, complete with magic and secrets. For 200 years, Yorkshire made recycled wool cloth for the world. But don’t think its all disappeared. John’s mill in Huddersfield is aptly called iinouiio - an acronym for It Is Never Over Until It Is Over. With centuries of accumulated of skill and knowledge, they’re doing what they always did, only better.Find all the links & further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comTell us what you think? Find Clare on Instagram @mrspressGot recommendations? Hit us up!And please share these podcasts.THANK YOU x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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30:43
A Love Letter to Local Textiles Skills, with Julia Roebuck
What if the best place was the one you're already in? Meet Julia Roebuck, the powerhouse organiser behind Thread Republic Textile Reuse Hub and social enterprise in Huddersfield, UK.We're talking about textile skills, mending, repair, sewing, the wellbeing economy and what that might look like - at home. What fashion can be when we remove the transactional, when it's not just about shopping. And the immense satisfaction to be gotten from making something with your hands that you’re proud.Discover Thread Republic here:threadrepublic.co.ukFind all the links & further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comTell us what you think? Find Clare on Instagram @mrspressGot recommendations? Hit us up!And please share these podcasts.THANK YOU x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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47:46
Clare's Take: 5 Lessons from Australia's First Big Sustainable Fashion Conference
How do you feel about competition? Do you think it’s healthy? Natural? Are you that person who has to win at Scrabble or tennis or the pub quiz?Or maybe you've read your Gaia theory and are hooked on the idea of a harmonious, post-patriarchal ecosystem that's all about balance and working together.Many of us have come around to thinking that, at least when it comes to sustainability, it's being hyper-competitive that got into this mess. So you might be surprised to learn that competitive sustainability is the latest thing... we were!This week on the pod, find out what else we gleaned from Australia’s first big sustainable fashion conference.Featuring: New Era Bio, Alt Leather, Wildlife Drones and more.Thank you to the Growth Activists for making this episode possible.Find all the links & further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comTell us what you think? Find Clare on Instagram @mrspressGot recommendations? Hit us up!And please share these podcasts.THANK YOU x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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40:32
Human Rights and the True Cost of Fashion - it's time to get real on this persistent issue
Want a side of modern slavery with that?Didn't think so.Modern slavery is organised crime, and no one wants that lurking in their supply chain. Yet fashion and textiles are key industries implicated in this travesty that traps an estimated 50 million people worldwide in forced labour, debt bondage and human trafficking. Twelve per cent of those in forced labour are children, while women and girls are disproportionately affected. And the problem is growing, despite many countries introducing legislation to ensure large companies are taking steps to ensure their supply chains are slavery-free.All this is intrinsically linked to low wages and wage insecurity.As Outland Denim's James Bartle points out: "It isn't possible to make a pair pf jeans for $20, and pay people a living wage."So, where are we at with legislation and reporting on modern slavery today? What steps can brands be taking now to ensure exploitation is part of story of their products. Why do we still have so few brands paying living wages in 2025? And finally: is it time we built the true cost of a product into its final price?Recorded live at the Good For Business Sustainable Fashion Summit in Sydney.With thanks to The Growth Activists, Australia's leading B Corp consultancy,and speakers:Dr Nga Pham, senior Research Fellow, Monash Centre for Financial StudiesFraser Tier, Group Commercial Manager, Active Apparel GroupJames Bartle - CEO & Founder, Outland DenimSarah Rogan - Oxfam Australia's Economic Justice & Strategic LeadFind all the links & further reading at thewardrobecrisis.comTell us what you think? Find Clare on Instagram @mrspressGot recommendations? Hit us up!And please share these podcasts.THANK YOU x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
WARDROBE CRISIS is a fashion podcast about sustainability, ethical fashion and making a difference in the world. Your host is author and journalist Clare Press, who was the first ever Vogue sustainability editor. Each week, we bring you insightful interviews from the global fashion change makers, industry insiders, activists, artists, designers and scientists who are shaping fashion's future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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