Fashioning the Future: Innovating Design Practices for a Sustainable Tomorrow
In May, we hosted our exhibition Fashioning the Future: Innovating Design Practices for a Sustainable Tomorrow at NSW Parliament House. This event brought together students, educators, industry leaders, and policymakers to showcase what’s possible when creativity meets collaboration.
This photograph from the exhibition shows some of the garments created by first-year Bachelor of Fashion Design students from the Fashion Design Studio (FDS), TAFE NSW and UTS from ‘imperfect’ M.J. Bale shirts, alongside a beautiful banner digitally printed using Epson’s state-of-the-art Monna Lisa printer.
The Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion + Textiles is a unique partnership between the University of Technology Sydney and TAFE NSW. We were honoured to welcome our community to this powerful evening. The Centre was founded with the support of the NSW Department of Education, making it especially fitting to present our first major exhibition in this space.
A Mission Rooted in Collaboration
At the Centre, our mission is to support the Australian fashion industry’s transition toward a more sustainable future. We offer short courses to upskill existing industry members, manage research projects with industry partners, Masters and PhD candidates, and provide opportunities for knowledge exchange and networking.
Like any sustainable transition, change is only possible through the power of collaboration. It thrives in partnership. Our progress so far has been shaped by a wide network of collaborators—from colleagues at UTS and TAFE NSW to organisations like the Australian Fashion Council, Cotton Australia, and our official partners including Seamless, MJ Bale, Epson, The Volte, and High Tea with Mrs Woo. As well as, the incredible individuals who sit on our Industry Advisory Group, many of whom joined us at the exhibition.
The dedication and brilliance represented by all these individuals and organisations has supported a movement, and continue to strengthen the ripple effect of sustainable fashion changemakers, leading the way in how clothing is designed, made, and sold.
Reimagining the Future of Fashion
The exhibition itself was a testament to the power of education, innovation, and vision. One of the first installations guests encountered was a striking display built from 53 second-hand garments, representing the average number of new items purchased by each Australian every year. A figure reported by Seamless in November 2024. To remain within planetary boundaries, that number must drop to 5 to 7 items. That’s a staggering gap, but one that invites us to rethink and reshape the future of fashion.
The 53-piece garment commissioned by Seamless Australia, created by the students, staff and alumni of the FDS at TAFE NSW.
We invited attendees to imagine a different path forward:
A future where digital sampling replaces material sampling, and natural dyes can be effectively used at a commercial scale, both skills that are being taught through the Centre of Excellence’s short courses.
A future where fashion rental and resale are the preferred mode of consuming clothing.
A future that learns from indigenous design principles to design and produce garments with respect for the planet and its inhabitants, and an understanding of the balance we must achieve to achieve circularity. Both these opportunities are currently being researched through the Centre through our work with The Volte, and with Seamless and the Jumbunna Institute at UTS.
A future where factory offcuts are not seen as waste but used as an innovative resource – as demonstrated in the project with Newcastle brand High Tea with Mrs Woo in collaboration with City of Sydney and Dempstah.
A future where ‘imperfect garments’ are not merely sent for recycling, but their materials are given a proper first-use through sophisticated upcycling techniques.
There were a variety of projects on display from generative AI knitwear by PhD candidate Wajiha Pervez to a striking collection of 8 reimagined garments created by first-year Bachelor of Fashion Design students from the FDS, TAFE NSW and UTS, using over 250 ‘imperfect’ shirts donated by M.J. Bale. These were showcased alongside beautiful cloth banners digitally printed using Epson’s state-of-the-art Monna Lisa printer, which enables sustainable digital printing, reduces water, energy, and waste outputs.
Wajiha Pervez’s gorgeous generative AI knitwear
Student work showcasing the design process for upcyling M.J. Bale shirts
Bachelor of Fashion Design students from the FDS, TAFE NSW and UTS photographed with The Hon. Dr Sarah Kaine
A Collective Effort
This exhibition was the result of many months of thoughtful planning and creative work. I want to express my deep gratitude to curator Ailsa Weaver for bringing this vision to life, and to the curatorial team at the Office of the Black Rod, including Katie Johns, for supporting the logistics of presenting at Parliament House.
Finally, I want to thank the remarkable team behind the Centre of Excellence. Your expertise, energy and belief in the future of fashion makes all this possible:
Timo Rissanen, Sophie Drysdale, Laura Washington, Rachael Cassar, Alyssa Choat, Todd Robinson, Alex Zehntner, Sophie McConnell, Janna Madorski, Richard Cass, Jua Cilliers, and Mark Evans.
Looking Ahead
Fashion’s future is not fixed, it is something we can shape together. Through education, innovation, and bold collaboration, we can transform our industry to one that respects people, planet, and creativity in equal measure.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Fashioning the Future.
For more pictures of the exhibition, visit our instagram @sustfashcoe