The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) and R.M.Williams have launched the National Manufacturing Strategy for Australian Fashion and Textiles 2026-2036 – the first coordinated national roadmap to rebuild targeted domestic manufacturing capability across Australia's textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) sector.
As the official print and projection partner of the AFC, Epson is fully supporting this national manufacturing strategy, its strategic outcomes and strategic pillars, which firmly promote Australia’s onshore manufacturing capabilities.
The 10-year strategy is the result of almost a year of industry consultation led by the AFC and R.M.Williams, including 14 national consultations with manufacturers, brands, educators and policymakers across the country.
More than 300 stakeholders contributed to the process, generating over 1000 proposed initiatives and nearly 900 votes on strategic priorities to shape the sector’s long-term manufacturing future.
“Epson is firmly committed to our partnership with the AFC and our joint goals around improving local manufacturing, furthering innovation and developing digital transformation,” said Craig Heckenberg, managing director of Epson Australia.
“To that end, Epson are also working closely with the AFC on a feasibility study for a ‘smart factory’ and shared manufacturing hubs similar to those we have already developed and implemented with The Social Outfit and Citizen Wolf where Epson’s direct-to-fabric digital printing technologies play a part in the overall production workflow.
“This National Manufacturing Strategy represents an important step forward for Australia’s fashion and textile industry. Epson is proud to support this initiative and help accelerate the adoption of advanced digital technologies that can drive greater sustainability, unlock new opportunities, and create the jobs of the future.”
The strategy was unveiled at a breakfast symposium and AFC member showcase in Mural Hall attended by over 90 industry and parliamentary guests, including members of the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Fashion and Textiles, and its co-chairs, Matt Burnell MP, Dai Le MP and Zoe McKenzie MP.
The strategy comes at a critical time for the industry. With 97 per cent of Australia’s clothing and textile products manufactured offshore, the sector remains vulnerable to ongoing global supply disruptions and trade volatility.
Rather than compete against high-volume offshore manufacturing markets, the strategy is focused on closing structural gaps and accelerating advanced manufacturing to scale the sector’s comparative advantage, aiming to position Australia to compete globally in premium, technology-enabled and traceable production, built on the country’s natural fibre strengths.
The strategy outlines three strategic pillars underpinned by industry and government coordination as the levers required to deliver these outcomes by 2036 – activate and drive demand, secure the workforce of the future, and accelerate advanced manufacturing.
“This strategy sets out a clear roadmap for rebuilding a globally competitive Australian fashion and textile manufacturing sector,” explained Marianne Perkovic, executive chair of the AFC.
“Australia already has exceptional design talent, advanced manufacturing capability and globally recognised brands. With the right coordination across industry, skills and procurement policy, we have a real opportunity to strengthen sovereign capability, create skilled jobs and position Australia as a leader in premium manufacturing.”
Independent modelling by RMIT University that full implementation of the strategy's coordinated policy platform will grow TCF manufacturing value added from $2.6 billion to $2.9 billion by 2030/31, delivering a cumulative $1.4 billion economic dividend over five years.
The strategy is also projected to create more than 1000 new skilled jobs and $864 million in additional wages, with approximately half of those jobs are projected to be filled by women.
At present, TCF manufacturing already employs more than 27,000 Australians - 58 per cent women (compared to 28 per cent in other manufacturing industries) and 41 per cent from culturally and linguistically diverse communities – and pays over $1.4 billion in wages annually.
Strengthening this base will increase the competitiveness of Australia’s $28 billion fashion and textile industry, which employs nearly 500,000 Australians across the broader value chain.
The strategy will be led by the AFC as the peak body for the sector and progress will be measured through a two-stage assessment framework.
Implementation review (to 2029): This phase will assess progress in establishing the core architecture underpinning the strategy, including procurement reform, national capability mapping, skills recognition pilots, shared manufacturing infrastructure and governance arrangements to coordinate delivery.
Strategic outcomes review (to 2036): This phase will assess progress against the Strategy’s long-term ambition - a competitive, technology-enabled and domestically anchored manufacturing sector with a sustainable workforce pipeline and globally recognised market position.