Funding has been secured for the initial phase of a world-first research initiative to establish First Nations circular design principles for Australia’s clothing industry. The UTS Social Impact Grant has been awarded to a partnership between The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion and Textiles, Jumbunna Institute and Seamless.
The project will establish initial Indigenous circular clothing design guidance, which will be informed by tens of thousands of years of First Nations knowledge and sustainable practices for creating and caring for Country. With Australia sending 222,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill in 2023, this initiative represents a critical first step toward a more culturally grounded approach to how Australians choose, enjoy and recirculate their clothing.
Aunty Rhonda Dixon-Grovenor, respected Elder, poet and knowledge holder, emphasised the importance of respectfully understanding cultural knowledge, “First Nation peoples have always practised circular thinking — our designs, our storytelling, and our ways of living are based on respect for Country, renewal and kinship. This research is another helpful way to align with our visionary leadership so that our practices, technologies and traditions shape the future of Australian clothing in a meaningful way.”
Aunty Rhonda Dixon-Grovenor. Source: supplied
Through intentional engagement, the project will document how First Nations designers and communities incorporate circularity into their work. It will inform a living framework of principles, positioning Indigenous perspectives at the forefront of clothing design. Leadership will be provided by Professor Jason DeSantolo, (Jumbunna First Nations Land Justice Hub) at UTS and Dr Treena Clark, Chancellor's Postdoctoral Indigenous Research Fellow at UTS. Lucy Simpson, Creative Director and Principal Designer and Maker behind Gaawaa Miyay, a First Nations process-led studio inspired by Country, will be the lead industry collaborator on the project.
Seamless CEO, Ainsley Simpson said being awarded the grant is a defining moment. “This project acknowledges the deep wisdom of First Nations communities in sustainable design. It is the first step in our sector’s collective learning journey which recognises the importance of culture and ceremony, and brings greater awareness of the responsibility held by Traditional Owners, but shared by all, for connecting and respecting Country.”
The project will be led by the UTS Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion and Textiles and Jumbunna Institute, in collaboration with Seamless. It will include two workshops to bring together researchers, designers, and industry leaders using the ten principles and practices for studying and working respectfully on Country developed by Aunty Rhonda through her Masters research.
UTS Pro Vice Chancellor (Indigenous Leadership and Engagement) Robynne Quiggin sees the pilot as an important opportunity for the Australian fashion and textiles industry, “The potential for the application of circularity principles, particularly those valuing nature, rejecting extraction, and focusing on regeneration, to foster a vibrant economy aligned with Indigenous values and supported by cutting edge European trade standards is a ground breaking opportunity for business and investment to meet the climate challenge”.
As a lead industry collaborator on the project, Lucy Simpson also reflects on the longer term potential, “Inherent with notions of reciprocity, wellbeing and regenerative practice (baayangalibiyaay), First Nations design philosophy can act as a conduit and tool for healing.”
Associate Professor, Timo Rissanen from the UTS Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion and Textiles, highlighted the project’s global significance, “The clothing industry is beginning to acknowledge the value of Indigenous knowledge, but there has been little direct engagement with First Nations perspectives. This research is the starting point in bridging that gap, ensuring circular design principles are shaped by the people and cultures with the deepest understanding of sustainable living.”
The final outcome will be a published, evolving document, ensuring First Nations-led principles and practices remain central to Australia’s circular clothing future.
About the UTS Social Impact Grant
The UTS Social Impact Grant program supports research that contributes to positive social change through projects aligned with strategic areas of impact, including social, health, or environmental challenges in the wider community. Find out more and see the full list of 2025 grant recipients on the UTS website.
