Remade in Melbourne: Country Road’s collaboration with HoMie

Country Road is excited to announce a new collaboration with HoMie, launched Tuesday 3 September. This partnership sees a limited run of iconic past-season Country Road garments reimagined into unique designs at local facility ABMT in Melbourne.

A streetwear label and social enterprise based in Melbourne, HoMie supports young people affected by homelessness or hardship.

Through its REBORN program, it is exploring reuse in the fashion industry by upcycling existing garments into unique pieces. Past-season Heritage Sweats have been reimagined through a unique process. After being sorted into size batches and colour groups, five different design blocks were chosen to cut and mix various panels like a puzzle to minimise waste.

For the logo, HoMie REBORN collaborated with illustrator Nick Campbell, with the brief and concept tagline “from the Country Road to the city streets”. A puff print ink was chosen to elevate the final design.

Speaking to this pilot collaboration, HoMie’s creative director, Marcus Crook, said:

“HoMie is thrilled to be partnering with one of Australia’s most loved and iconic brands in Country Road, so HoMie’s impact can stretch all the way from the Country Road to the city streets.

This limited-edition collection will feature 230 units.

The sweats will be available in four select stores: Brighton, Chadstone, South Yarra, and Warringah Mall.

Shop HERE.

AFC launches Victorian TCF Manufacturing: Future Jobs, Technology and Economic Growth Report

We’re excited to announce that the AFC have launched the Victorian TCF Manufacturing Report: Future Jobs, Technology and Economic Growth. In partnership with Epson Australia, we have commissioned RMIT to, for the first-time, to quantify the current and future value of the Victorian TCF manufacturing sector.

The Report identifies five key areas to drive productivity, innovation and higher wage growth. Recommendations include:

Adding TCF manufacturing as a priority within the Made in Victoria statement;
Strengthening government procurement policies to increase local content in uniforms, workwear and personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts;
Developing a revitalised TCF skills and training program to full workforce skill gaps;
Co-investment in advanced technology and jobs of the future for a sustainable, circular clothing economy; and
Developing a national TCF manufacturing strategy, with Victoria at the forefront.

The current state of the Victorian TCF manufacturing industry presents a resilient sector in decline. To prevent further decline, “It’s imperative to the future of Victoria’s, and more-broadly Australia’s, textiles, clothing and footwear manufacturing industry that we collectively invest in and preference local. This sector is ours to lose. By implementing these very practical and achievable recommendations we can revive the industry, retain sovereign capability in Australia in TCF manufacturing and empower Australian brands to start, remain or even return on-shore,” Australian Fashion Council CEO, Jaana Quaintance-James said.

The Hon. Natalie Hutchins MP, Minister for Jobs & Industry, Women, and First Nations & Treaty, attended in support, stating that, “Transitioning to advanced manufacturing by adopting new technologies and upskilling will make our industries more efficient and resilient and better to meet market demands”

The report also highlights cost efficiencies and reduced waste that can be achieved should a smart-factory model be rolled out. Smart-factories utilise advanced technologies including digital sampling, digital printing and laser cutting to reduce waste and production lead times. At the launch of the report, a coat was made utilising this concept, made in collaboration with Ngali, RB Patterns, Epson and Select Textiles, and gifted to the Hon. Natalie Hutchins MP.

Together, implementation of these recommendations is not just practical but symbolic. They send a message across our country —one that resonates with consumers, the industry, and brands alike: choose Australian.

Read the report HERE.

Fashion Exporting: New Changes to the ‘Export Market Development Grant’ (EMDG) Program

The EMDG program has been updated from Round 4 onwards to better meet the needs of exporters. The program aims to aid eligible Australian businesses in marketing, promotions, and training to boost their export efforts. It provides crucial support as businesses begin and grow their fashion exporting activities.

New changes mean bigger grants, but not every applicant will receive a grant. EMDG funding is limited. They expect to receive a large volume of applications.

Due to the program changes:

Some businesses and representative bodies who previously received EMDG grants will no longer be eligible.
Some applicants who are eligible and apply will not receive grants. This is because funds may be fully allocated before we receive their application or before we assess it. This could be the outcome even if they submitted before applications closed.

Your SME business may be eligible in one of these tiers:

Tier 1 – ready to export
Tier 2 – exporting within existing markets
Tier 3 – exporting to new key markets.

KEY CHANGES MADE

1. Larger Grant Amounts and Greater Clarity

Maximum grant amounts are now set for each tier and are disclosed in advance. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted, and rounds will close once the available funding is allocated. This ensures clarity for businesses and aligns with other Commonwealth grant programs.

2. Improved Eligibility Criteria for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s)

Updated to better align with successful exporters' profiles. Key requirements include:

Minimum Turnover: Specific annual business turnover required per grant tier.
Marketing Spend: Businesses must invest at least $20,000 of their own funds in marketing and promotional activities, excluding the grant amount.
Business Duration: Minimum of 2 years in business with the same ABN.
Tier 1 Requirements: Applicants must demonstrate readiness to export through approved training or testing.
Grant Duration: Businesses can receive EMDG grants for up to 8 financial years, with new limits.

3. Better Support for businesses

Potential to provide grants that target specific markets for different grant tiers.

Read More Here if you are interested in applying.

Deadline:

APPLY through the EMDG online portal. Starting from Round 4, applications will be assessed in the order they are received. While the updated program offers larger grants, please note that limited funding means not all applicants will receive support.

Tier 1 – ready to export, applications open AEDT 10am on 12 November

Tier 2 – exporting within existing markets, applications open AEDT 10am on 12 November

Tier 3 – exporting to new key markets, applications open AEDT 10am on 12 November.