Image: Alice Jones (right) and I speaking on The Ekka stage, August 2018.
Fashion Reflects What We Care About
Alice Jones was forced to question the ethics of the fashion system when she worked as a fashion buyer and was confronted with the unbelievably low cost of garments made in developing countries.
She met like-minded fashion activist, Louise Visser, and together they established an ethical and sustainable fashion brand, Sinerji, in 2006. Sinerji attracts a loyal clientele who wants quality garments made from natural fibres, and customers who care about the provenance of their clothes.
Alice and I spoke about her sustainable fashion success story, live on stage, at The Royal Queensland Show (AKA The Ekka). Thank you to Laura Churchill for inviting us to be part of this event celebrating Australia’s natural fibres!
In this episode:
- Alice’s mum was a costume designer and Alice grew up loving clothes and fashion.
- Alice worked in the mainstream fashion industry and became a buyer. The wholesale price of garments made her question the system. For example, a 15c singlet that retailed for $29.
- By outsourcing our manufacturing, we are outsourcing the environmental impact to other countries. For example, toxic dyes that go into local rivers and people’s drinking water.
- Today’s global fashion supply chain is long and complex. The environmental impact is huge and unnecessary, and often doesn’t benefit farmers or producers. However when positive changes are made, the impact can be enormous.
- Alice and Louise decided to establish Sinerji, a sustainable and ethical fashion brand, in 2006.
- Sinerji uses non-GMO organically grown cotton which is long-lasting and beautiful to wear. The cotton is non-irrigated, grown in northern Thailand, alongside other farming, and plants grown for natural dyes.
- Sinerji also uses organic bamboo, and some recycled PET and recycled polyester for more sporty garments.
- Sinerji uses natural vegetable dyes and eco-certified, non-toxic dyes.
- Alice and Louise practice fair trade principles and visit their producers every year. They ensure a safe workplace, a living wage, and support their workers to develop their own entrepreneurial activities.
- For Alice, fashion is about self-expression and must reflect her core-values. Good values are transferred into a garment and into the wearer’s life.
- Sinerji customers want quality products, natural fibres, and/or ethical & sustainable products.
- Alice’s advice to designers: be very tenacious, create something that aligns with who you are and what is really important to you – this will get you through the tough times, and you will attract like-minded supporters.
- Recommended resources: The True Cost (documentary), Good On You (app).
- When shopping, look at the quality of a garment, ask questions about where the garment has been made, ask yourself – will you wear this 30 times?
- Sinerji sells online and in stores around Australia. Sinerji has a boutique at Forest Glen on The Sunshine Coast.
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See more from Sinerji >> sinerji.com.au
Image: Sinerji SS 18/19