Future Of New Zealand Garment Manufacturing Industry In Hands Of Kiwis

Kiwis urged to show love for local clothing makers as industry fights for survival

Mindful Fashion New Zealand (MFNZ) - a collective of our country’s leading clothing and textile businesses – today calls on Kiwis to save the New Zealand garment industry through a new crowd-funding campaign – Love Local.

The Mindful Fashion NZ Love Local campaign, in conjunction with arts funding platform Boosted, aims to support the threatened local industry through innovative new programmes and projects. The campaign will provide much-needed support to the fabri c suppliers, machinists, cutters, button-holers, pleaters and embroiderers – the backbone of the local industry.

The not-for-profit organisation’s goal is to raise funds to invest in the garment industry, so that it is kept alive and thrives in New Zealand. MFNZ members believe in a sustainable and responsible future for the fashion industry, while providing jobs for thousands of New Zealanders.

The Love Local campaign has a fundraising goal of $30,000 to invest in three projects to support the future growth of the garment making industry.

These projects include:

• Implementing an apprenticeship programme to grow the industry and create future jobs.
• Developing education programmes to address industry challenges and access new opportunities.
• Creating a digital directory of local suppliers, so designers can find local providers of critical cutting, trimming, and sewing services.

MFNZ founding member Emily Miller-Sharma encourages New Zealanders to get behind Love Local and make a tangible difference to the industry. “We established Mindful Fashion NZ a year ago, to foster collaboration in our industry and to embrace a sustainable future. We want to strengthen the unique New Zealand clothing and textile industry.

Many New Zealand designers make their clothes in New Zealand, by employing wonderfully skilled people.

MFNZ founder, Kate Sylvester, says there is a declining number of New Zealanders with garment construction skills, making it difficult for many designers to manufacture clothing locally. This skill shortage, in an industry faced by competition from lobal fast-fashion, means that we need to act now to protect the future of New Zealand-made clothes.

“The current economic environment is also very challenging, and we have seen people in the industry go out of business. We want to see young designers and the craftspeople people behind them flourish.”

All donations to the Love Local Boosted campaign will receive a complimentary one-year MFNZ Foundation Membership, which entitles members to regular MFNZ newsletters along with news of designer specials and events.

To donate to the Love Local Boosted campaign, please visit: boosted.org.nz/projects/love-local

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