Seamless CEO Ainsley Simpson looks ahead to the first six months of 2025 and how we’re working together on the greatest challenges our sector has faced.
Watch Ainsley talk about our plans for 2025, recorded in the Fitzroy store of Seamless supporter, HoMie.
Welcome back and happy new year. Over the next six months we're looking forward to collaborating with you, to help Australians choose, enjoy and recycle their clothing more responsibly.
Last year, our members confirmed that circular design is a priority, so we're developing principles, practical guidance and a training program for designing with the end of life in mind.
Circular business models are also an area of innovation and interest, so we'll be documenting current best practice in case studies with targeted pilot programs to accelerate outcomes, because Seamless provides a de-risked environment to do so.
Most of our progressive members have made it clear that they are not moving forward on building bespoke siloed takeback or recycling programs - that's not their core business.
Their strong interest is in Seamless costing, scoping and implementing a national solution that is co-designed by industry for industry which benefits all Australians. So we've started with our clothing benchmark released in November last year. That's the basis of this development.
One of our working groups is solely focused on a taxonomy of terms that we can all use locally and which translates globally.
Our other three working groups get started next month. These focus on eco modulation criteria which reward best practice, managing aged inventory and mapping the scheme requirements for uniforms. With the National Environmental Sustainable Procurement Policy coming into effect on the first of July, that's really important.
With the analysis of the current state of clothing flows, coupled with the first year's reporting data, we have the early makings of an evidence base to inform industry led advocacy for policy intervention.
So, as we gear up for a big 2025, I want to reinforce the importance of our commitment to continuous improvement.
The leadership from Seamless members and supporters is backed by strong global headwinds, continued domestic progress on climate and circularity, and all of the levels of government are addressing policy reform.
Now is the time to work together on the greatest challenges our sector has faced. Let's keep moving together.
