Australian brand Country Road, a subsidiary of Woolworths Holdings Limited, has announced the launch of the Australian fashion industry’s first climate fund, recognizing that the fashion industry is directly contributing to the climate crisis. Country Road plans to invest US$1.5 million in grants over the next three years in projects advancing climate solutions in Australia’s fashion industry. As part of the annual funding program, up to 500,000 US dollars are to be made available in the first year alone.
“While there are many existing and innovative air conditioning solutions in the fashion industry, many lack the financial means to develop or introduce them in the industry. The aim of the Country Road Climate Fund is to bridge this funding gap by investing in, supporting and accelerating the development of Australia’s fashion industry,” Country Road said in a press statement.
“Country Road is on its own journey to becoming a leading global responsible lifestyle retailer. We have a science-based climate target that we want to achieve by 2040. By 2030, we aim to power all of our Australian and New Zealand stores, head office and distribution center with renewable energy,” explains Elle Roseby, Managing Director of Country Road.
“The Climate Fund was created as part of our responsible business operations, which aim to achieve positive climate, nature and social change within our own operations, as well as in our value chain and beyond,” adds Roseby.
“What makes the Climate Fund so exciting is recognizing the impact of the Australian fashion sector on climate change. This requires pursuing and supporting multiple approaches simultaneously. That is exactly what Country Road is doing with its new fund, which focuses on protecting and restoring biodiversity, supporting indigenous peoples and innovating business models and products,” comments Helen Crowley, Sustainability Officer and Project Advisor to the Climate Fund, who also serves on the Evaluation Committee belongs.
Recognizing that climate goals can be achieved through nature-based solutions, the circular economy, innovative solutions or indigenous-led practices, the fund also targets projects addressing one or more of these sub-themes: Biodiversity conservation to protect and restore natural habitats, circular economy to reshape the textile lifecycle, unique and breakthrough technologies that are changing the face of fashion, and projects or partnerships led by Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander organizations.
Country Road Climate Fund is dedicated to nature-based solutions
“I’m very proud of this industry-leading initiative that reflects Country Road’s values. What I particularly appreciate is the recognition and respect for the ongoing preservation of the land by First Nations people across Australia. Initiatives like this really support community leadership, foster partnerships and encourage innovation and creative thinking,” comments Climate Fund Project Advisor Yatu Widders-Hunt, a descendant of the Dunghutti and Anaiwan people of north-west New South Wales.
Joining Crowley and Widders-Hunt on the judging panel are Aleasha McCallion, co-founder of the Circular Economy Textiles Program at the Monash Sustainable Development Institute, and Fabia Pryor, sustainability manager at Country Road.
The new fund complements Country Road’s existing partnerships with Landcare Australia to restore Australian cotton farms, with Oritain to scientifically verify fiber origins, with the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation to support emerging First Nations artists and creatives, and with the Red Cross, which helps keep waste out of landfill while raising funds for local communities.
Country Road’s main objective is to invest in projects that have a positive impact on the climate, thereby directly and indirectly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These include projects that improve energy efficiency in the production of textiles, or projects that provide consumers with precise data on the emission intensity of different fashion items and thus encourage more sustainable fashion choices.
The deadline for submitting applications is December 1, 2022. The recipients of the grants will be announced in April 2023. An online information session for potential applicants will take place on Friday, November 4th from 1pm to 2pm. More information can be found on the fund’s website, countryroad.com.au/climatefund.