Willow & Claude

Today, the majority of knitwear is made from fossil-fuel derived synthetics, or from land-inefficient, methane-emitting and cruelly obtained wool. What's more, just 2% of garment workers around the world are paid a living wage. In the midst of a climate crisis – spurred on by corporate greed and exploitation – the fashion industry must change. We need to see a fashion industry that protects land, biodiversity, wildlife, animals and people, and we need to be able to show how this can be possible.

W&C is made up of a short film and a limited edition, non-profit knitwear collection. The film follows the exploration of issues in knitwear production – animal exploitation, microfibre waste, fossil fuel use, land degradation, garment worker exploitation, etc. This exploration follows the creation of the W&C knitwear supply chain, which is 100% transparent and Australian, from farm to finished product. Garments are sustainably dyed, made with 100% sustainably sourced cotton from a Queensland farm utilising rotational cropping and other holistic practices, and made in an Ethical Clothing Australia accredited Victorian facility, with a whole garment knitting machine reducing yarn waste.

Since the project’s release, we have had multiple brands seek out advice on how to create and/or improve their knitwear supply chains so that they can be more sustainable and ethical, we’ve had fashion students show the film to their class, and industry start discussions that were sorely needed. We’ve built bridges and encouraged a greater focus on well made Australian fashion. The short film has been nominated and won awards internationally, including Best Documentary at Amsterdam Fashion Film Festival. The film is listed in an Australian government, industry and education sector resource centre for school students, encouraging sustainability education.

All of the profits from this project go to not-for-profit Collective Fashion Justice, allowing our organisation to consult with designers and brands, create sustainability reports and publish new environmental data, work for legislative change to improve the fashion industry, and freely educate the public. A discount on knitwear sales is offered to all Aboriginal people, as the knitwear was produced on their land. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.