Dear Australian Fashion Community,

I’m thrilled to share some exciting news with you. At the AFC, we’ve been hard at work crafting a new strategy—it’s one that directly addresses the challenges our industry is facing today, shaped by your voices, your concerns, and your passion.

Last month, we gathered with many of you in Sydney for our first-ever Member Forums to discuss the future of the Australian fashion industry. These sessions were a powerful reminder of what makes our industry so special: our willingness to come together, share openly, and work collaboratively towards common goals. The feedback from these forums played a crucial role in refining the AFC's new strategy, ensuring it is aligned with the needs of the industry.

Key challenges identified during the forums include the complexities of accessing export markets, the high costs associated with local manufacturing, and the urgent need to address skills gaps within the industry. Members also highlighted the importance of sustainability, expressing a desire for more circularity infrastructure and greater industry collaboration to drive meaningful change.

The AFC's Strategic Agenda

The Member forums helped us refine our mission for our members:
To champion and advocate for a prosperous, innovative and creative Australian fashion and textiles industry. Our purpose is to build a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem for our community through education, collaboration and innovation.

And the strategic priorities the AFC needs to deliver on this mission:

REPRESENTATION:
Cultivate a member community that represents the full breadth of the Australian fashion and textile industries and activate projects such as an industry-level strategy for First Nations Fashion and evolving the AFC Directory and Hub to better meet your needs and connect you with your peers.

ENGAGEMENT & ADVOCACY:
Create value for our members by fostering community and collaboration and advocating for their interests with all stakeholders. This means more member engagement events such as ongoing member forums, anAustralian Fashion Conference in 2025, government advocacy and Strategic Partner programs which deliver value to you.

IMPACT:
Support our members to be successful through initiatives that deliver positive commercial outcomes in four key impact areas:

• • • Commerce & Trade:
      The AFC will focus on helping members navigate export markets and increasing global exposure for Australian fashion via key programs including:
      • Export program, the information and connections needed to succeed internationally
      • AFC Academy, addressing key learning needs in our industry
      • Mentoring program, supporting our industry in continuous learning and knowledge sharing

   

  • • Local Manufacturing:
      Recognising the fragmented state of local manufacturing, the AFC plans to support the development of a full value-added supply chain in Australia, fill skills gaps and promote career pathways in local manufacturing via key programs including.
      • Local manufacturing studies, starting with Victorian on September 3
      • Leading development  of an industry-wide strategy for Australian manufacturing 
      • Piloting smart factory concepts to evidence advanced manufacturing concepts in our industry.

   

  • • Jobs & Skills:
      The AFC will work to ensure graduates are better prepared to enter the workforce, career pathways are mapped and promoted, and existing staff have opportunities to build and further develop skills via key programs such as:
      • Industry-wide skills & capability mapping
      • Defining the next generation textile and clothing apprenticeship
      • A machinist strategy to tackle critical shortages

   

  • Sustainability:
    The AFC is committed to continuing to support sustainable practices within the industry and through industry-wide collaboration will advance:
    • Impact quantification tools, responding the need for consistent frameworks for reporting and data collection 
    • Responsible planning and ordering, to support better commercial and sustainability outcomes 

The AFC’s approach underscores its commitment to supporting the fashion industry through advocacy, education, and strategic partnerships.

This isn’t just a plan on paper—it’s a commitment to action. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work alongside you, secure funding to tackle the above programs, advocate for better industry support, create new educational pathways, and build the infrastructure we need for a more sustainable future. But we can’t do it alone. Our strength lies in our community, and we need your continued engagement and support to make this vision a reality.

If you’re not yet a member, now is the time to join the AFC. There’s an energy and momentum building in our industry that you won’t want to miss. As a member, you’ll have the opportunity to shape the future of Australian fashion, access exclusive resources, and connect with a network of passionate professionals who, like you, are dedicated to making a difference.

Together, we can overcome the challenges we face and build an Australian fashion industry that is not only resilient but also thriving. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.

Warm regards,

Jaana Quaintance-James
CEO, Australian Fashion Council