Issues with Fast Fashion and Textile waste in New Zealand

Mindful Fashion Chief Executive Jacinta FitzGerald talks to One Breakfast about fast fashion, why we need to move to a more circular economy to reduce waste, and what some businesses in NZ are doing about it.

Cactus Outdoor's Repair Programme

Mindful Fashion member Cactus Outdoor and Albion Clothing talked to Seven Sharp about their repair programme keeping quality clothes in use for longer.

Being Mindful in Fashion - Metropol Magazine

Metropol spotlights our work alongside one of our industries leading voices Peri Drysdale from Untouched World.

Mindful Fashion Climate Action Programme - Measuring NZ's Apparel Industry

Good Magazine spotlights how Mindful Fashion's Climate Action Programme supports fashion businesses in New Zealand on their decarbonisation journey.

Bin should be last resort for clothing waste - Mindful Fashion

Programme Director Jacinta FitzGerald speaks with Radio New Zealand about the growing issue of textile waste in Aotearoa, a challenge we need to address at a system level, starting with awareness and education.

Mindful Fashion Meet & Greet Christchurch

Mindful Fashion New Zealand Meet & Greet hosted at the Untouched World cafe in Christchurch. An evening of connecting and learning, and the opportunity to meet and connect with others from the industry.

Design for Disassembly - Circular Design

One of our key work streams at Mindful Fashion is activating the circular economy for our clothing in Aotearoa through circular design. We kickstarted this work with a circular design workshop for our members.

Textile Exchange Climate+ Stories from The Field

Mindful Fashion had the honour of partnering with Textile Exchange last week to bring Climate +, Stories from the Field to the local fashion and textiles industry in New Zealand.

Hanga-Aro-Rau Introduces their Skills and Workforce Leadership Plan

Mindful Fashion are proud to be featured as a spotlight industry in the first Skills and Workforce Leadership Plan developed by Hanga Aro Rau, the Manufacturing, Engineering and Logistics Workforce Development Council.

PwC New Zealand partners with Mindful Fashion

Mindful Fashion is delighted to announce a strategic relationship with PWC New Zealand that will see the firm’s Legal team provide pro bono services to help the fashion industry’s transition to a sustainable future.

Mindful Fashion launches Climate Action Programme

Mindful Fashion New Zealand today launched its Climate Action Programme, an initiative designed to catalyse action and support the local clothing and textiles industry on its decarbonisation journey.

Jacinda Ardern knows the importance of New Zealand Fashion

Jacinda supports New Zealand designers during her US tour in May 2022. She wore a hot pink suit made in the Auckland suburb of Morningside by NZ designer and Mindful Fashion Board Member Juliette Hogan on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Mindful Fashion Modern Slavery Submission

Mindful Fashion has submitted a response to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) proposed legislation, to address modern slavery and worker exploitation in supply chains and operations.

New Zealand’s Fashion and Textile industry Skills Landscape

A skilled workforce plays a critical role in the development of an innovative, full-circle and thriving fashion and textiles industry in Aotearoa. Mindful Fashion, with industry and tertiary education providers, has mapped the skills landscape to identify gaps and opportunities.

Industry Recruitment - Reflections and Areas of Growth

Julie Malone from Apparel HR reflects on recruitment in the industry for 2020-21, highlighting the roles and skills that are in demand for 2022 and beyond, where the growth areas are and what employers are looking for.

No repeating the cycle

New Zealand is not immune to the environmental and social impacts created by the fashion industry. Sonia Yee from New Zealand Institute of Directors looks at the role of Boards in addressing Aotearoa's Fashion Industry challenges.

Mindful Fashion AGM 2022

Mindful Fashion was joined by members and partners from across the country for its AGM in April 2022. We announced new projects and were entertained and challenged by guest speaker Kate Hall!

Mindful Fashion launches Sustainability Insights Report 2021

Mindful Fashion NZ releases its inaugural Sustainability Insights Report, an industry first for New Zealand. The report demonstrates the collective progress being made in the NZ fashion industry and presents a path forward for positive sustainability action.

Mindful Fashion NZ partner with Raw Assembly for educational series

Mindful Fashion New Zealand recently partnered with Raw Assembly Australia to create a five part education series that unpacks the complexities of standards and certifications in the fashion and textile industry.

How Mindful Fashion Is Guiding The Local Fashion Industry

How Mindful Fashion NZ Is Guiding The Local Fashion Industry Through An Unprecedented Year Fashion designers Kate Sylvester and Emily Miller-Sharma share what's next for their passion project

Sign up for our Newsletter!

SIgn up for our Community Newsletter

Discover New

Mindful Fashion and some of our fashion brand members recently took part in the NZTE sponsored Discover New, a pop up retail experience at Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne (in between lock downs!). Discover New was a tactile introduction to contemporary and sustainably led New Zealand design.

A No-BS Guide To Sustainability

With the fashion industry accounting for almost 10% of global carbon emissions, and nearly 20% of wastewater, it’s time that consumers start to lead the way with our dollars. Our Programme Director, Jacinta FitzGerald sat down with Messy Veggies to create this no-BS guide for shoppers.

Mindful Fashion AGM

Mindful Fashion and members from across the country were joined by central Auckland MP Chloe Swarbrick and industry stakeholders at its AGM in April. We also had a surprise guest appearance from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern!

Mindful Fashion Full-Circle T shirt

Mindful Fashion and three leading New Zealand designers have collaborated to develop a full-circle T-shirt, to showcase a circular and sustainable future for the industry.

The Power of Collaboration

Mike Barry, UK Sustainable Business leader is an advocate for the fashion industry to reform on itself sustainability. We spoke to him for a recent member’s workshop, and he shared some valuable insight into the power of industry-wide collaboration to make positive change happen.

Where To From Here?

Jacinta FitzGerald, programme director of Mindful Fashion New Zealand, reflects on fashion’s most unforeseeable year and ponders, what’s next for sustainability? This article originally appeared in Fashion Quarterly’s Spring/Summer 2020 relaunch edition.

MFNZ's first ever Programme Director

Mindful Fashion New Zealand has announced its appointment of their first Programme Director, Jacinta FitzGerald, who will drive the strategy MFNZ whilst also being an advocate for the New Zealand fashion industry.

There are just no young people: New Zealand clothing manufacturers sound alarm

You could say Gary Fernandez is something of an endangered species. The 71-year-old fabric cutter is among the last of his kind, a specialist in the New Zealand fashion manufacturing industry that is under threat of disappearing as cheap fast fashion swamps the market.

Best foot forward - New Zealand Fashion businesses are leading a global shift

For many established brands, becoming a sustainable business – environmentally, socially and culturally – requires a fresh perspective. Business Desk reports they would do well to look to the New Zealand fashion industry.

How important is Made In NZ to you?

One positive to come out of 2020 was New Zealanders celebrating local more than ever before. Supporting local brands, local creativity, local craft and manufacturing. Kate Sylvester writes why it’s so critical the NZ industry comes together to address its challenges.

Mindful Local Fashion Collective launches

Sustainability and ethical fashion are increasingly hot topics of conversation with industry and consumers alike. Mindful Fashion New Zealand is pushing for this vital change, by using the collective power of New Zealand industry to address common challenges and seize new opportunities.