The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) has partnered with R.M. Williams to develop Australia’s first-ever National Manufacturing Strategy for the fashion and textile industry.
The AFC noted that 97 per cent of Australia’s $28 billion fashion industry are produced overseas, and the partnership comes amid growing trade uncertainty and fragile global supply chains.
The collaboration aims to address the interconnected challenges of safeguarding Australia’s $7.2 billion manufacturing export industry in an uncertain global environment and tackling a deepening skills shortage, with the median age of skilled workers now at 57.
It also seeks to preserve a crucial source of women’s economic participation, as women make up 77 per cent of the industry’s 500,000-strong workforce.
An AFC-commissioned research shows that every $1 million invested in bringing production back to Australia could deliver around $1.2 million in economic returns.
These benefits are expected to come through job creation, technology development, stronger local supply chains, and reduced reliance on imports, reinforcing the case for strategic reinvestment in domestic manufacturing.
“Our sector is at a critical tipping point. Through deep industry consultation, we’ve identified an urgent need for a National Manufacturing Strategy – one that safeguards jobs, restores technical capability, and strengthens our global competitiveness,” said Jaana Quaintance-James, CEO of the AFC.
“By partnering with the AFC, we hope to tackle systemic factors which limit growth and capability and inspire other Australian brands to produce locally,” said Tara Moses, COO at R.M. Williams.
The National Manufacturing Strategy will be developed through six structured industry consultation sessions held across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and online, starting on May 5, 2025, in Adelaide.
These sessions will bring together manufacturers, brands, and educators to assess capabilities, identify critical gaps, and create targeted recommendations for both industry and government.
Following the consultations, the AFC and R.M. Williams will collaborate with key stakeholders to implement the strategy, with a final version expected to be released in late 2025.
The AFC invites all Australian textile, clothing, and footwear manufacturers, along with other industry stakeholders, to participate in this historic initiative.