Episode 118 -- Rachel Reilly from Ethical Clothing Australia

In this episode of @AuManufacturing Conversations, Rachel Reilly from Ethical Clothing Australia tells us about the shape of the Australian TCF sector and its workforce, the importance of government procurement, what international trade issues could mean, and more.

You can find out about the Ethically Made In Australia Week Pop-Up Event here. It runs Thursday June 26 – Sunday June 29, 2025, at 306-308 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC

Episode guide

0:30 – Career path

1:50 – What Ethical Clothing Australia does

3:54 – The TCF industry in Australia in terms of its economic value

5:10 – Data on the industry’s size and some of the shortcomings of these figures

6:03 – Most businesses are on the smaller side. 

7:10 – The workforce and some of the difficulties in properly accounting for it.

8:24 – The highly-feminised nature of the workforce

9:55 – A large proportion of the workforce is born overseas

10:54 – The market for what’s made here. It tends to be geared towards quality and an ethically-conscious consumer.

11:55 – The importance of government procurement to the sector

13:02 – Regarding trade uncertainties and what they mean for this industry.

15:25 – A maturing workforce, skills shortages, and the ability to ramp up production if needed. 

17:41 – Ethically Made In Australia popup from June 25th to June 29 in Fitzroy

19:16 – Ethical Clothing Week in October

20:25 – Where listeners can find out more

Further reading

Ethical Clothing Australia's website

Rediscovering our ability to spin a yarn

TCF’s commitment to ethical local manufacturing and jobs

Andrews says buying locally important “now more than ever”