Friday 27th of April a panel of like minded women from our Newtown, Inner-West Sydney community got together in support of Fashion Revolution Week. We discussed politics, environmental, economic, societal and cultural issues of fashion, feminism, diversity and business.
Personally I felt very honored and very green speaking amongst the panel who have been doing this for a while. I have been a fan girl of these women on the panel, so it was a privilege (& nerve-racking) to be invited by Natalie Shehata the moderator and host of the night of Tommie Magazine. I wanted to get all the information I could offer out to the people who attended as I very recently sat in their seat. It was great to be stopped to answer many questions and talk after the main chat.
With Madge we try so hard to make the "right" decisions but I feel more and more that the fashion industry is disappearing rapidly in Sydney, and that I can't do the things I want and need to especially digitally printing on natural fibers. I could print hundreds of meters of polyester plastics locally but my heart says NO...
A lot of the makers are now transitioning into retirement and very very few younger people are coming through to replace or learn from these businesses and carry on. Making our small runs we always seem to be paying a premium price, whether printing or making, it has been difficult to find people who will work with small runs without adding on a very high surcharges both locally and off shore. Sharing our unique textile designs is our passion and we want to do this the "best" way we can with you.
Moving and looking forward for Madge to be a sustainable business with a future, our business needs to pursue an ethical path rather than simply a local making approach. We are learning we want to be ethically made, which isn't necessarily locally made, at a quality we are proud to have our designs on and share with you. We will continue to constantly question and massage our business to make sure we are doing what we can to be kind to our fellow humans and planet.
Moderated + hosted by: Natalie Shehata