First, I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
 

I feel so privileged to be back at the AFC and to send you this letter. I am hoping that you are all safe and well. I know many of you are dealing with the havoc of Omicron as we start this New Year. I know, like me, you were hoping the start of 2022 would be the beginning of the end for all the Covid-related obstacles we all faced last year. I also know that despite all of this, like we did last year, our sector will band together as a community and we will achieve great wins for the future of our industry.
 

2022 is going to be a very important year for us; a year that will mark a significant change and evolution not seen in decades in the Australian Fashion and Textile industry. With the help of great partners, the AFC has some amazing projects in the pipeline that will support our sector’s growth and prosperity including:
 

• Australian Fashion Brand Project, a world first initiative to create an ‘Australian Fashion’ Certified Trade Mark & campaign to drive demand locally and globally for Australian Fashion.

• National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme which will create a plan to improve the way we design, recover, reuse and recycle clothing in Australia - working towards a circular economy within our industry;

• AFC FashTech Lab a testing ground for 3D design aimed at reducing waste and increasing sustainability.
 

From an advocacy perspective we will continue to lobby and communicate our industry’s needs to the government. In early February, we will be travelling to Parliament House in Canberra to discuss key Policy reform proposals that will help future-proof our industry, build our sovereign advanced manufacturing capability, accelerate the momentum of Australian Fashion’s nation brand and turbo-charge our export earnings. Keep an eye out for our soon to be released Election Manifesto that will give you more detail re the above.
 

For those of you who are not yet AFC members, now is the time to join us to ensure that you are part of this game-changing journey. Become an AFC member here.
 

Thank you for your continued support of the Australian Fashion Council.
 

Leila Naja Hibri
CEO | Australian Fashion Council