about last night

 Last night I attended a reunion for staff members from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) - it also marked my first outing in the city since COVID and the new baby (yew!), but I digress. 

It is so hard to express the role GBCA has played in my life. It was the first job I had in the environmental sector after what I like to call my 'green awakening', and it challenged me, supported me, and helped me grow into the woman I am today.  From my first day working at GBCA in 2009, I felt I had found a home of kindred spirits; people who were not only committed to helping halt the environmental crises we find ourselves hurtling toward, but also wanted to connect with others, have fun, and form relationships that would last beyond our days working in the same office, the Greenhouse (complete with worm farms, compost, stunning balcony plants, and many many more technical green features than I'll explain here). 

With my former boss, always mentor, Romilly Madew AO FTSE

It is also the time when I wrote my book, with incredible thanks the support of then-CEO Romilly Madew AO FTSE (now CEO of Infrastructure Australia). She supported my move to part-time so I could write, suggesting we turn my role into a job share because she wanted to support women achieve their career aspirations. I used the offices for my book launch party. I returned to the GBCA for a contract after my failed move back to the US, a haven amidst my emotional turmoil. Rom also supported the launch of Clean Cut Fashion, as our key speaker at our first presence at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Sydney in 2014. And even I rented a desk in the Greenhouse for a few months while writing my PhD thesis, craving the energy of other environmentalists (over the years GBCA shared offices with the Climate Institute, Australian Youth Climate Coalition, and 1 Million Women).

Friendships I have made at GBCA continue, though with less catch-ups in person because of life - you know, changing jobs, moving to new cities or countries, having children. But I'm proud to say that much of my professional network is built around this powerhouse of Australia's sustainable development professionals. Though there were many beloved faces missing last night, their presences were felt in the flood of memories that accompanied the evening.

So, thank you for joining me on my quick trip down memory lane. It can be so easy to overlook significant places and people in your life, and it was a real gift to be tossed into the mix last night with this brilliant, funny and determined group. A special thanks to Rom, Suzie and Robin for making it all happen, I'm already looking forward to the next time.

xxLisa

Oh the hilarity! And fabulousness! Suzie and I
wore the same One Dress by Ever By X!

PS - Robin, no photo with you! The one person I see the most in real life - hugs

fashion diplomacy : sustainable fashion and the bondi to bali connection

A couple of weeks ago I was delighted to present on fashion and sustainability to a group of 25 Indonesian delegates hosted by QUT's School of Fashion.

The designers came to Australia for professional training in international business, specifically for the Fashion & Textiles sector. The program, #fashiondiplomacy, was made possible through The Australia Awards, a federal government initiative designed to engender meaningful connections between people and institutions across Australia and Indonesia.

The delegation was here for two weeks - split between Brisbane and Sydney - and participated in workshops, industry presentations, site-visits, market research, and the oh-so-coveted attendance at Fashion Week.

Here are some of the designers, plus fashion lecturer Carla van Lunn, at Fashion Week.
You can see some of the work of these talented designers at benang.com.au 

It's not just our physical proximity that makes this a valuable connection, it makes good business sense, too. As Carla van Lunn, the program's director, explained. "The two-week course aims to spearhead a 'Bondi Bali' connection as Australia and Indonesia both enjoy warm weather, plenty of coastline and creativity to tap into the global resort fashion market."

In action! (For the record, I'm wearing an organic cotton dress
by #sustfash gurus Kowtow, paired with a vintage rope-belt.)

Presenting to this group was an absolute delight. Okay, it's true that I love talking about fashion and sustainability to anyone who will listen. But this group was uniquely open to learning, new to many of the concepts, and interested in learning about these issues. The looks of surprise visible on many faces suggests that many of this information was new and unexpected, and I was asked thoughtful and insightful questions about how they can start to address some of these concerns in their own labels, and some of the misconceptions about 'sustainable fashion'.

I also had the joy of presenting alongside fellow Clean Cut co-founder (and sustainable fashion designer extraordinaire) Carlie Ballard. Hearing firsthand from a designer who has gone to great lengths to create an ethical and sustainable supply chain - all the way from raw materials through to fabric weaving and garment production - would no doubt have provided the delegates with invaluable insights.

Love her top and jacket? Check out Carlie Ballard's label!

During the tea break I also had the chance to talk with some of the designers in greater detail about their work. I was reminded of the differences between developed and developing countries, and the necessary variation in business priorities and sustainability initiatives depending on the local situation. I also met a designer interested in gaining Fairtrade and/or GOTS accreditation for the cotton she grows without chemicals on her land. I suspect I learned nearly as much about Indonesian fashion and textiles as they did about sustainability that morning!

Thank you, QUT, for the opportunity to engage with this warm, generous and talented bunch of designers.

xxLisa

PS - if you would like me to come present on fashion and sustainability to your school, workplace, community or otherwise, drop me a line!

Clean Cut Future Talks 2

Last week marked the third appearance of Clean Cut at Sydney's premier fashion event - Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Unlike CC's inaugural appearance, when I helped launch the company and we hosted a sustainable fashion runway, I had the pleasure of simply being a guest at this year's panel discussion/seminar.

The Future Talks 2 panel was hosted by the charming Kellie Hush, Editor of Harper's BAZAAR Australia, and featured representatives from Country Road, Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) and TOME.

L to R: Anna Scott from Clean Cut, Kellie Hush, Lucy King of Country Road,
Sigrid McCarthy of ECA, Ramon Martin of TOME.
You can watch the entire talk online.

Hush opened the talk with the infamous Vivienne Westwood quote, always worth repeating:

Buy Less. Choose Well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity. Everybody's buying far too many clothes.

The panel offered up genuine insights about what is means for a fashion brand to be, or become, 'sustainable'. The message of the day? Sustainability is a journey. Sure, some of it's hard, and some of it will take awhile to figure out, but it's better to get started than to worry about being 'perfectly sustainable' (as if such a thing exists).

Interestingly, this is what I tell people in my book and events - it's best to simply start somewhere. The perfect is the enemy of the good, they say, and it seems that this advice rings true whether we're talking about one person's lifestyle, or an entire fashion brand.

New designers were given the advice to regularly talk about sustainability in order to remain connected to their goal. Encouragement to 'walk your talk', so to speak. Hand-in-hand with this advice is the importance of knowing why you're producing in this way. Branding has moved way beyond product now, customers buy into the "soul of your brand" and want to feel good on multiple levels when wearing your clothes.

The panel also highlighted that you cannot rely on 'story' or 'branding' alone - design remains as important as ever. As Ramon from TOME put it, "The responsibility is ours. If you can put together a [successful] sustainable collection without telling your customer the story, you're a really great designer."

Another message from the panel was the importance of collaboration. Ramon from TOME spoke of the importance of sharing sustainability ideas and information amongst other designers, and Lucy from Country Road explained that even though this can feel awkward - most of the time retailers and fashion brands do NOT wish to share supply chain secrets with one another - in order to truly change the way clothing is produced retailers and brands must come together, share knowledge, and collaborate.

Finally, the audience was reminded that "design is a central figure in the supply chain process," and that designers have to decide they are going to change the system and create a supply chain that works for them and aligns with their sustainability values.

The message that resonated with many of us in the audience came from Ramon of TOME, and are the words I'll leave you with today as my optimistic hope for the future of fashion:

When people look back in time, this is what fashion was in the early 21st Century. It wasn't about high hemlines or a miniskirt, it was about changing the way we make clothes.

Were you at the Clean Cut Future Talks 2? What did you take note of? What would you ask the panel if you could?

ecosydney magazine

I hope you've all had a great weekend - an extra long one for my fellow Australians!

I want to share a news story I participated in for EcoSydney Magazine, an independent online magazine featuring the latest environmental news from around Sydney.

The call for fast fashion to slow down - by Jordan Wellard

I just love that there's an online magazine dedicate to sustainable Sydney - I look forward to reading your latest news.

xxLisa

clean cut designer showcase

I know, I know. I've been absent for awhile. But with good reason, I promise!  I finally finished the second edition of Sustainability with Style (more on that later), and I've started my PhD. Hooray!

In more recent news, last week the fabulous sustainable fashion start-up I'm working with, Clean Cut, hosted the first ever green runway as part of Sydney's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

Here are some of the highlights from the Clean Cut Designer Showcase.

Backstage excitement! Thanks so much to Lush for being our Principal
Sponsor and also providing hair & makeup.

The clothes were meticulously organised, ready for fast changes
as we showed 8 different labels in one show.

First, I LOVED this dress I borrowed from Goodone,
a designer we featured in the showcase.
Second, I made my TV debut on Channel 10's Wake Up!

I was thrilled to have my mentor, Romilly Madew, as one
of the intro speakers, alongside Lisa Messenger from
Renegade Collective.

It was a full house at The Hughes Gallery - thanks again
for letting us use your space!
And check out the amazing greenery on the ceiling and
walls, the vision of the Flower Era.

A look into our goody bags - treats from Lush, ALAS,
EcoStore (another amazing sponsor of ours), Camper,
The Collective Magazine, and the second edition
of Sustainability with Style!

And we're ready . . .

First up were some jaw-dropping gowns by
Rachael Cassar, made with recycled materials.

We loved pairing these Bhalo dresses with the Sass & Bide
Made in Africa clutch.

We were thrilled to celebrate Desert Designs
first 'Made in Australia' collection.

Great little number from the Social Studio.

One of my favourite looks from Goodone.

Clean and chic by Ovna Ovich.

Some of the striking looks from Kowtow.

A few of the gorgeous pieces from Lalesso - made ethically
in Kenya, and some pieces made from recycled water bottles.

The Clean Cut team - happy and relieved at the end of a fab show!

One thing I know for sure, we couldn't have done this
without our extended sustainable fashion family.
Here's a pic with our colleagues from Peppermint Magazine,
Fashion Revolution and Ethical Clothing Australia.

Long after the excitement of our show, when all the
clothes had been packed away, the flowers taken
down and the Hughes Gallery put back to normal, we finally
had a moment to relax. We went to MBFW central, Carriageworks,
for a celebratory beverage and a snap of the four Clean Cut gals
in front of our official listing on the MBFW schedule.

Whew! What a ride. It's been a hectic few months planning all the details, and I couldn't be prouder to have been involved in this significant moment in Sydney fashion history.

Thank you so much to everyone who volunteered their time, skills, insights and energy to create this amazing event. And thanks to our PR team at New Future PR for getting this sustainable fashion news out far and wide!

If you want to see more of the fabulous fashion, check out our Facebook page, as well as the slide show on Marie Claire online. We'll be updating the Clean Cut website in the coming weeks with more photos, video, and news of what's next for Clean Cut.

For now, I'm off to relax and enjoy this long Easter weekend.

xxLisa

1 Million Women reblog

Thanks so much to 1 Million Women for considering me as one of your inspirational women! It was truly an honour to be asked to participate in your blog and campaign (one of my fave climate change campaigns, even gets mention in Sustainability with Style).

Also, you've made my weekly blog post extra easy this week - I'm just copying and pasting - thanks a million!

xxLisa

Celebrating inspiring women: Clean Cut Fashion founder, Lisa Heinze

International Women’s Day was Saturday the 8th of March.

The theme this year was INSPIRE CHANGE calling for advocacy for women’s advancement everywhere in every way, and challenging the status quo for women’s equality to bring positive change.

In light of this wonderfully stirring theme, we’ve also made it the March theme for the 1 Million Women blog! We’ll be sharing the inspiring stories of women from all walks of life, who are changing the world for the better everyday. Never think that 1 person can’t make a difference, because we can and together we are a community of women changing the world!

1. Describe yourself in 3 words? (Or more if you need too!)

Stylish, Playful, Passionate, Traveler, Greenie (does that last one go without saying?!) 

 

Photo by: Alicia Fox

2. Tell us a bit about your story, what you do, what you’re doing at the present?

I tend to joke, but it’s very true, that a coffee cup changed my life. When I learned that takeaway cups are generally not recyclable, my inner greenie switch flipped and I haven’t looked back. I completed Masters research on lifestyle/cultural barriers to climate action, traded my job in advertising for a green-collar career, and published my book, Sustainability with Style.

2014 is a very exciting year!

First off the rank – a special second edition release of Sustainability with Style, available in print for the first time, and including a brand new shopping guide for sustainable fashion and beauty products. Essentially it’s a peek into my wardrobe and beauty cabinet, sharing my favourite shops and brands. I hope it will help many women see how easy it is to maintain your personal style, sustainably.

I’m also so excited to be part of Clean Cut, Australia’s new sustainable fashion advocacy group. We are officially launching at Sydney’s Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in April with the first sustainable fashion show to be part of Australian fashion week. We will have a media launch as well as special industry dinners/events, sharing ideas on how we can transform the future of Australian fashion to a more ecologically and socially responsible business model.

I’ve also commenced a PhD with the University of Sydney, examining how sustainable fashion can influence a transition to sustainable living – I will make sure to keep you posted on what I find out!
You can see why I’ve named 2014 the Year of Sustainable Fashion!

 

3. What inspires you to lead a life that is better for the planet?

It may sound corny, but I truly love life and this gorgeous planet of ours. It saddens me to think that future generations and others in less-developed nations may not be able to enjoy life on this amazing earth because of my actions.

 

4. What do you think are the unique strengths of women taking action on climate change and living more sustainably?

I think that most women have an innate sense of empathy that enables us to view the world in a different way to past male leaders of the world. We have the ability to look beyond simply the dollar value of an item to see the underlying qualities of life that must be maintained. (Of course many men have this quality, it just has not been encouraged in the past, and doesn’t seem to come as naturally to most men).

I also think women are excellent multitaskers and networkers – it comes second nature to us! Both qualities are essential for taking climate action.

 

5. We know the time is now to act on climate change! Do you have an inspiring message about living a more sustainable lifestyle you’d like to share with our 1 Million Women community?

Don’t worry about the past or the size of the issue, the important thing is to just jump right in and see where you can start making change in your life. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve in a short span of time, and you’ll feel better than you can even imagine knowing you are making a real difference.

 

6. What’s your top tip for living sustainably in the modern world?

Identify the area in your life that has the biggest impact on the climate, and make change in this area.

For me, this meant buying fewer new clothes (what can I say, I’ve always been a fashion fanatic!). I have been able to enjoy the beauty of fine vintage, enjoyed the camaraderie that comes with clothes swaps and markets, and embraced the value of quality items building a wardrobe to outlast the trends. For others this may mean taking public transportation a few times a week, or installing solar panels because of their electricity usage. Whatever it is - just get started!

Clean Cut and 1 Million Women reblog

Have a read of the article by my business partner, Yatu Widders Hunt, as she explains Clean Cut's vision of sustainable fashion to 1 Million Women.

Yatu Widders Hunt and Carlie Ballard, two of my partners at Clean Cut.
(I'm the one behind the lens!)

 

This guest post is written by Yatu Widders Hunt, Communications Director of Clean Cut, a new collective bringing a more sustainable focus to the Australian Fashion Industry.

 

Last year, Lisa Heinze, Carlie Ballard, Kelly Elkin & I came together to form Clean Cut, a collective which is all about generating greater awareness and celebration of the future of Australian fashion.

I guess you could call the four of us sustainable fashion advocates. We were drawn together by a common goal of wanting to support and perhaps gently nudge the industry, in a greener, fairer and more ethical direction.

Equally, we wanted to support other fashion lovers like ourselves, to make purchasing decisions that were more in line with their values.

There’s a lot I could talk about when it comes to the idea of
‘less is more.’

 

Like most others, Clean Cut would like to see less greenwashing and more honesty in advertising, less garment worker exploitation and more transparency, less ignorance and more awareness of how the fashion industry is impacting on our environment.

But the one thing that stands out for me, that makes Clean Cut unique, is the way we approach encouraging a more sustainable industry. We believe that the best way we can make a difference, is to promote the good work being done, to celebrate achievements and set the sustainability standard by example.

In a nutshell, I suppose we want to see less negativity and more celebration of the huge number of Australian fashion labels who are moving in the right direction.

Sure, there are lots of things that still concern us about our industry, there are a whole raft of areas where we can do better and undoubtedly, we need to keep the pressure up and call out bad practice when we see it.

We just don’t want the conversation about the future of our industry to be dominated by the companies and individuals whose practices shouldn’t be part of it. We want to make more room for the movers and shakers who are breaking boundaries, agitating for change and putting Australian ‘clean cut’ fashion on the map.

And there has been lots to celebrate.

 

Last year, iconic homegrown label Sass & Bide released a second ethical accessory collection, Manning Cartell became ethically accredited through Ethical Clothing Australia and Undressed announced it was spreading its wings and heading south to Melbourne.

So this year, I am going to commit to spending less time giving oxygen to the labels that are doing the wrong thing and more time supporting and actively promoting the ones who are leading us into the future of fashion.

To find out more about Clean Cut visit www.cleancutfashion.com

****

And now, off to my next Clean Cut meeting. (That's right, at 8.30am on a Saturday morning - the future of Australian fashion doesn't have time to sleep in!)