November 2024

Earlier this month Juliette Hogan (Business owner and MFNZ Chair), Kate Sylvester, Emma Ensor (CEO of McDonald Textiles), and Jacinta FitzGerald (CE of Mindful Fashion) met with Minister Andrew Bayly to discuss the findings from MFNZ's Threads of Tomorrow report, the significant contribution our sector makes to New Zealand, and its challenges and opportunities.

We had two key action areas to raise with the Minister:

1. Advancing local materials and manufacturing through investment and value-add opportunities that leverage New Zealand's unique advantages and capabilities for sustainable local production.

2. Enabling circular manufacturing approaches that capitalise on business opportunities while solving textile waste challenges, through policy and investment.

The Minister was interested to learn more about the industry, in particular in his portfolio areas of Small Business and Manufacturing and is interested in visiting some of our industry facilities. As a result we have connected with MBIE about their work on barriers, enablers and approaches for a more circular economy for manufacturing. We are also facilitating further opportunities for the Minister to connect with and learn about the industry. It's fantastic to have broken through to Government and we will work hard to continue to build on these discussions.

Mindful Fashion members meeting with Minister Andrew Bayly, L-R: Emma Ensor (McDonald Textiles), Jacinta FitzGerald (Mindful Fashion), Juliette Hogan, Minister Bayly, Kate Sylvester.