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Digital Map Leads To Ethical Destination Shopping

11 March 2021

As Melbourne Fashion Festival takes off across the city and beyond, a new digital tool has been launched to help consumers find Australian-made, ethically conscious fashion across the nation.

Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson today launched Ethical Clothing Australia’s (ECA) new online shopping map of accredited Australian ethical retail destinations.

The map shows shoppers where to find ECA-accredited brands at 120 store locations around Victoria, and more than 300 throughout Australia, from any device.

It features trailblazing Victorian brands including Anthea Crawford, Arnsdorf, Clothing The Gap, Denimsmith, Nobody Denim, Remuse, The Ark Clothing Co, The Social Studio, Vege Threads and Viktoria & Woods.

To be ECA accredited, a business’s manufacturing operations are audited from design to dispatch to ensure that local textile, clothing and footwear workers, including any outworkers, are being paid appropriately, receiving all their legal entitlements and working in safe conditions.

The new consumer-focused tool acknowledges that shoppers are increasingly on the lookout for businesses that commit to ethical and onshore production principles. It builds on ECA’s printed ethical shopping guide to Melbourne which was released in 2019.

A recent survey by Ethical Clothing Australia of Australian textile, clothing, and footwear manufacturers, found that 70 percent reported that more customers are asking questions about the labour rights of the people who made their clothes.

Celebrating 21 years in 2021, Ethical Clothing Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that supports Australian workers in the fashion industry, advocating for ethical, fair, and safe work practices across the sector including fair pay and good working conditions.

Ethical Clothing Australia’s new Digital Shopping Map is live at ethicalclothingaustralia.org.auExternal Link

Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson

We know fashion lovers are becoming more conscious consumers. Ethical Clothing Australia has met the moment with a new digital map, making ethical fashion businesses a destination shopping experience.”

“It’s fantastic to see so many ECA-accredited Victorian brands who are focused on local and ethical manufacturing and protecting the workers across their supply chain."

“We’re proud to partner with ECA as it works to create a fairer, more sustainable future for Victorian fashion businesses and find innovative new ways to bring shoppers to their stores.”

Quote attributable to Angela Bell Manager of Ethical Clothing Australia

“People are looking to buy ethical fashion and so we’re pleased to be able to give Victorians and shoppers around the country an easy way to map out their shopping via the brands selling local, ethically-accredited fashion.”

Reviewed 11 March 2021

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