A new report from Mindful Fashion called Threads of Tomorrow shines the spotlight on New Zealand’s fashion industry and outlines its current status. The findings were announced at Juliette Hogan’s HQ today as media and fashion heavyweights gathered to hear more.
A first for New Zealand Fashion
You may be wondering why that’s news? Well, a report like this has never been done for the fashion industry, and as the findings proved, the contribution of New Zealand’s fashion, clothing and textile industry is actually a lot bigger than anyone realised.
The report produced by EY shows New Zealand’s Fashion, Clothing And Textile Industry added a huge $7.8 billion to the economy in 2023, and contributed 1.9% to GDP. The same industry paid $4.4 billion in wages, and employed 76,011 workers in 2023 (78% of employees being female). It’s a very important finding according to chair of Mindful Fashion/designer Juliette Hogan.
“This report demonstrates the true value our industry contributes to Aotearoa NZ, both economically and culturally. For too long we have outperformed the recognition we have received and we now have the means to articulate this,” says Hogan.
As anyone who is a follower or involved in the fashion industry knows, it’s a challenging time. With a string of brands announcing their closure – the most recent being iconic designer Kate Sylvester, and the news NZFW will be moving to a biennial schedule, it’s been bordering on bleak. This report doesn’t offer any quick fixes, but it does provide recommendations across four key action areas which are summed up as ‘Growing a skilled workforce’, ‘Advancing local materials and manufacturing’, ‘Enabling a circular economy’, and ‘Promoting New Zealand fashion, clothing and textiles’.
What’s next for New Zealand’s fashion industry?
And while this report is a massive step in the right direction, we wonder, what’s next?
“It’s about sharing this information with the industry, the wider community, key stakeholders and the government and then being bold and asking for the support that we deserve,” says Hogan. “We are calling on the government to work with us, to give us an industry lead. We want to work with the government to capture the opportunity for New Zealand.”
It’s certainly not a silver bullet to ensuring the longevity of New Zealand’s fashion industry but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. As the foreword of the report says: the fashion industry in New Zealand must address the challenges they’re facing as an industry to ‘ensure it not only continues to survive, but thrives’.
We can’t wait to see their next move…
You can read the full report here.
Words: Sarah Murray
Images: Supplied
