The Australian Fashion Council and Minister Tanya Plibersek have unveiled the design for a clothing stewardship scheme called Seamless, and the pioneering foundation members who will help guide its transition.

A stewardship approach recognises that the fashion and clothing brands who place clothes on the market are responsible for the entire life of that garment, from design through to recycling or sustainable disposal.

The foundation members of Seamless, are BIG W, David Jones, Lorna Jane, Rip Curl, R.M. Williams and THE ICONIC. Each organisation has committed $100,000 to fund a 12-month transition phase while the Seamless scheme is established.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority is also contributing $100,000 to the transition phase as a supporting partner.

Our industry’s most pioneering and progressive brands

The Seamless foundation members are some of our industry’s most pioneering and progressive brands and retailers. They will be driving the establishment and priorities of Seamless and will play a critical role in leading the Australian clothing industry’s transformation towards a circular economy by 2030.

Together, they are uniting to do what no single business, organisation or government can do alone.

Gayle Burchell, Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer of THE ICONIC, said: “The launch of the National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme and Roadmap to Circularity is a major milestone not only for THE ICONIC, but for the entire Australian fashion and retail industry. We’re incredibly proud to be joining forces with the other founding members to work alongside the Australian Government to help tackle this industry challenge, and we hope to make genuine and lasting change that will inspire a global shift. We cannot act alone in our journey towards sustainability. It requires the full force of the combined skills, knowledge and agendas that each of the Founding Members and the Australian Government bring to the table. We’re humbled and excited to be part of this movement, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

David Jones CEO, Scott Fyfe said, “For David Jones, building on our legacy that focuses on sustainable and responsible business practices is a key pillar of Vision 2025+.  Circularity is a vital part of the business’ future and joining ‘Seamless’ was a logical and important step forward.”  

Shasta O’Loughlin, Head of ESG at KMD Brands (Rip Curl, Kathmandu, Oboz), said, “Because the Search, Surfing and our way of life is important to us, Rip Curl balances profit with our impact on our oceans and beaches, and people who live the lifestyle. As a certified B Corp, we’re already on the path to circularity and have several existing initiatives in this space we’re proud of. We hope that by being a founding member of Seamless, we can collectively come up with solutions with like-minded brands, and that the industry will join us in our efforts to tackle fashion waste.” 

Lorna Jane Clarkson, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Lorna Jane, said, "As a leading Australian activewear brand we take great pride in our involvement in Seamless. It allows us to take responsibility for the lifecycle of our products, from production to end-of-life. By participating in the scheme, we contribute to reducing textile waste, conserving planetary resources, promoting a circular economy, and aligning our brand with the growing demand for environmentally conscious fashion.”

BIG W also announced, “We are privileged to partner with industry and government leaders to establish and drive the priorities of the scheme by committing to long-term action. We care about Aussie families now and in the future, and therefore are committed to the solution of clothing circularity.”