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1 SUSTAINABILITY SEPTEMBER 2019 23. PIONEERS PRESENTED BY. The G-10. Green. Keen. And ready to change the fabric of Australia's fashion industry. 24 SEPTEMBER 2019 SUSTAINABILITY PIONEERS PRESENTED BY. The G-10. These are the green ten, pioneering a more sustainable australian fashion industry. Group is working towards the goal of 100% supply chain traceability. It is these factors which saw it take out Re- sponsible Retailer Initiative of the Year at the 13th World Retail Congress held in Amsterdam. Bernie Brooks, former Myer CEO and grand jury judge of the World Congress Awards, says Cot- ton On was a standout. Dominated by companies such as Woolworths South 1.

2 Ally. It launched with only 15 farmers Africa and Body Shop in the UK, it's ALICE POLGLASE in 2014 and today has more than 2,500 great to see an australian company Cotton On Group farmers engaged and 10,000 to be sup- awarded for its significant success and Sustainability GM ported by 2020. Kenyan farmers have impact overseas.. produced more than 700 tonnes of lint 2. This year, Cotton On Group was in- to be converted into approximately two LUCY KING. ternationally recognised for its sustain- million t-shirts, with 25% to be sold Country Road Group able cotton program in Kwale County, through the Group. Beyond this ini- Sustainability manager Kenya.

3 What makes the initiative so tiative, the Group has been recognised unique? Since its inception, the pro- for its Ethical Sourcing program es- Country Road commenced its good gram has been the catalyst for major tablished in 2009, including 14 rules business journey in 2015, identifying economic activity in the region, with to trade which governs the sourcing, core materials and setting time-bound the Kenyan Government now announc- manufacturing and supply of prod- commitments to make them more sus- ing plans to replicate the model nation- ucts across its global supply chain. The tainable. Cotton represents 40% to 60%. of fibres across the Group, followed by cellulose, leather and wool.

4 We've got an over-arching commitment that both David Jones and Country Group are on a journey to meeting: that 100% of our products need to have one sustainabil- ity attribute by 2020, King says. That means some way or another, the prod- uct needs to be more sustainable and a huge part of that is fabric selection.. The retailer collaborates with a num- ber of organisations to meet its targets, including the Better Cotton Initiative and certification via the Leather Work- ing Group Standard. In an australian first, Country Road verified every fibre of its recently launched Traceable Me- rino Knit range this year. Partnering with a technology firm, it scientifically verified the range was made from 100%.

5 australian merino wool. Each brand is building confidence in driving innova- tion within their unique collections, . King says pointing to the use of recycled cashmere by Trenery and recycled plas- ALICE POLGLASE tic bottle linings at accessories brand Mimco. SUSTAINABILITY SEPTEMBER 2019 25. PIONEERS PRESENTED BY. 3. OLIVER MILLINER produced, including high water and pes- Kathmandu ticide use. As a significant user of cotton, Sustainability specialist she says the group has a responsibility to By using sustainable material Repreve, source the cotton for our products more Kathmandu recycled million plas- sustainably. At Kmart, the businesses has tic bottles back into its product range last set a target to source 100% of its cotton year.

6 Through the use of recycled cotton fabric more sustainably for clothing, towel and solution-dyed polyesters, it also saved and bedding ranges by July 2020. Wes- million bottles of water in 2018. These farmers has made a commitment to do are some of the statistics leading a sustain- the same at Target, which has more cloth- ability revolution at the outdoor apparel ing ranges, by 2021. Walker says work- retailer, which explores greener options ing with Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is from production floors to shop fitouts. integral to the time-bound targets. BCI. Each year as a business we keep reaching currently accounts for almost 20% of bigger milestones in implementing a more global cotton production and is sourced effective and comprehensive sustainabil- by over 90 brands and retailers around the ity program, Milliner says.

7 The outdoor world, giving it the scale to really make a and fashion industry has made huge im- difference.. provements over the last few years. There 5. are many frameworks, programs and man- JAANA QUAINTANCE-JAMES. dates now for companies to start report- The Iconic head of ing and implementing strategies to achieve sustainability and ethical sustainable solutions. The business now sourcing at The Iconic has three buildings with a 5-star Green Star rating, an internationally recognised Last year, The Iconic held workshops system that looks at innovation, water use, with over 100 team members from vary- energy and emissions. The New Zealand ing departments to collaboratively design support office, australian distribution cen- its 2020 Sustainability & Ethical Sourc- tre and consumer-facing Melbourne CBD ing strategy.

8 The result was a four-pillar store all made the cut for their commit- strategic business plan that included the ment to better environmental practices. launch of Considered, an online platform enabling customers to shop items via per- 4. TRACIE WALKER sonal values. In the second quarter of last JAANA QUAINTANCE-JAMES. Kmart and Target year, we implemented a functionality in GM of corporate affairs our buying systems to enable the tagging and sustainability of items with 30 sustainable, ethical and community based values, Quaintance- Discount department stores don't imme- diately spring to mind when it comes to James explains. Then we spent the sec- ond half of last year going out to brands It launched with only 15.

9 Sustainable business practices. However, and collecting information, with the cus- farmers in 2014 and today Wesfarmers-owned Kmart and Target are on a Better Together' initiative aimed at tomer facing component built over the last quarter. It definitely takes a village. Oth- has more than 2,500. leveraging their scale to effect change. A. core part of the program is better use of er key developments include the launch of its first supplier conference in Shenzhen farmers engaged and 10,000. cotton, Walker explains. Cotton is an in November, as well as investigating to be supported by 2020. important material for both Target and more sustainable packaging alternatives.

10 Kmart. Globally the cotton industry sup- While we're proud of the impactful prog- ports over 250 million people. However, ress we've made on our journey to date, we despite some progress in recent years, there know that we still have a long road ahead are a number of social and environmental and many more opportunities to create challenges in some of the countries it is positive change.. 26 SEPTEMBER 2019 SUSTAINABILITY PIONEERS PRESENTED BY. 6. ELIZABETH ABEGG Standard (RGS) certified recycled wool. Re- seriously is nothing new for us. We've been Spell & The Gypsy Collective cycled wool is created from the reuse of old doing this work quietly for years.