Speakers

Andreas Streubig: Div. Manager Environmental and Social Policy for the Otto (GmbH & Co KG) Hamburg

Developing an environmental management system for Otto

The Otto Group’s global retail and services empire embraces 123 major companies and 50,000 employees in 20 countries. It became the first retail company worldwide to develop an environmental management system that defined clear goals to address the impact its activities had on the environment. Andreas will outline the company’s herculean mission to reduce its environmental footprint in garment and hardware sourcing, transport, packaging, and catalogues and advertising.

Jill Moodie: Sustainability Manager of Target Australia Pty Ltd 

Target Australia - sustainability direction and reporting

Charged with developing and managing the sustainability direction and reporting for Target Australia, Jill Moodie and her team assist close to 300 stores and sites across the country meet the organisation’s environmental objectives. Jill will speak on the process of measuring and reducing Target’s environmental footprint in regards to waste and energy use, ethically sourcing products, as well as highlighting recent examples of environmental awareness projects the company has implemented.

Matt Perry: Partner of the Republic of Everyone 

Communicating a positive impact on the world

Awakening to the environmental crisis in the course of his work and travels through Europe and North, Central and South America, Matt co-founded the Republic of Everyone. He now represents the new breed of sustainability strategists and communicators with a focus on making a positive impact on the world.  Matt has helped promote yoghurt, beer, chocolate, toothpaste, cars, flights, holidays, drugs, search engines, cameras, TVs, fashion, cola, banks, insurance and newspapers and ....is proud that he doesn’t do “Greenwash.” Matt will profile some of his recent work with companies in view to improving their corporate and social responsibility.

Professor Mohammad Taherzadeh: School of Engineering, University of Borås, Sweden. 

Ethanol and fish food from old jeans

Driven by the European Union’s strict legislation regarding waste management and landfill sites, Professor Taherzadeh’s team saw end-of-life clothes as an unrealised source of valuable raw material. Brave enough to imagine a new world where biodegradable wastes were saved from landfill and that buses could be fuelled by old jeans, Professor Taherzadeh led innovative research to find a method to produce ethanol and biogas from denim.  In this second visit to Australia, Professor Taherzadeh will provide an update on his journey to commercialise the technology with waste management authorities all over the world.

Michael Coates: Managing Director of I.N.C 

Vision, Investment, research and product development in textile regeneration

Disturbed by the waste his manufacturing company was generating and taking seriously his responsibility to operate with zero land-fill, Michael invested money, energy and expertise in production equipment that can turn textile waste into new commercial products– as a short-fibre nonwoven textile. Michael will profile the visionary research and product development by his Melbourne based company which has long supplied technical products into the automotive industry both in Australia, Europe and North America.

John Cumming: Managing Director of Infotech Research 

The ecological footprint of textiles

As with all ecological questions, the answer to the ecological footprint of textiles is a complex one, yet one that all companies in the carpet, textile and garment industries need to consider. Through his technically focused management consultancy working in R&D, business planning, Occupational Health, Cleaner Production and Environmental Management, John Cumming has worked extensively in Australia on this issue. Indeed, John’s vital contribution to the carpet industry and other industrial facilities has assisted Australian manufacturers to apply technological solutions to environmental stewardship.

Sue Thomas: Consultant with Atticus, Thomas & Associates 

Design’s importance in overcoming a world made unsustainable

A British academic and researcher with a career in design and fashion education, Sue will argue that ethical, political, social and ecological concerns now require a new type of practice:  which recognises design’s importance in overcoming a world made unsustainable. In short, we will all need to future our businesses through sustainability. Sue will unpack the issues of how change and innovation can create a fuller voice for ecological interests and will offer ideas for ethical change and the evolution towards sustainability.

Chris Arkell: National Sales Manager & Architectural Specification, Innova International - Engineered Fabrics 

The Texyloop® recycling process for the separation of the PVC and polyester components

In partnership with a key supplier and following the investment of more than six million Euros, Ferrari® developed the Texyloop® recycling process, which is breakthrough technology for the successful separation of the PVC and polyester components. A network of collection points across Europe now forms the backbone of this fully industrialised recycling / product stewardship service. Representing the Melbourne based engineered fabric firm Innova, Chris will outline "close the loop" process that reclaims vital raw materials and reduces the environmental impact of disposal by land-fill or incineration.

John Bull: Export Manager Clothing Recycling, The Smith Family Commercial Enterprise

Input choices for efficient recycling

Ever wondered what happens to second/third hand clothes? A significant proportion of post-consumer waste is textile products (such as sheeting and towels) and clothing that finds its way to charitable recyclers by way of well intentioned donations. While much of it can effectively be recycled by sale or gifted to another user, there is significant trade in used clothing with other countries. The end use is often dictated by the garment design and choice of raw materials and trims. John’s presentation will outline how design choices can contribute to the recyclability of a garment or household product.  

Rod Riley: IT Manager of The Stafford Group

How a simple IPhone app resulted in a 16% increase in sales 
 
Bloated and inefficient supply chains and order inaccuracy result in excess stock and a misuse of resources. Rod believes that RPG Open Access architecture now allows firms to reuse their RPG investments, to support today and tomorrow’s new devices and technologies including web services and the Cloud, rather than starting again. He will explain how the development of a simple IPhone app resulted in a 16% increase in sales through the Stafford concession stores within David Jones.

Dr Stuart Gordon: Project Leader for the Cotton Textile Research Unit at CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering

The Sustainability of Australian Cotton

Sustainability is defined “as balance between growing profitability, protecting the environment and promoting social responsibility. With close to 100 million bales of cotton grown in more than 100 countries every year, the key environmental and social impacts of cotton cultivation and processing have been presented as both sustainable and unsustainable. Stuart’s presentation will define the sustainability of cotton cultivation in Australia.

Chris Hurren: Research Fellow, Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation Institute for Technology Research and
Innovation, Deakin University

Fibre Selection for the Environment

Fibres used to produce textiles have been of great importance to humans throughout history and remain so to this day. Given the intensive pressure for firms to invest more heavily in the production of products with a smaller ecological footprint, fibre knowledge and the exploration of potential options to reduce the environmental impacts of the different materials is critical. Chris will provide an outline of the important factors which determine the environmental burden and long-term sustainability of fibres used in textile production.

Dr Tony Pierlot: Project Leader, CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering's Fibre Science and Engineering Program

Competitive positioning using Eco labelling

Enabled by national environmental legislation - particularly in European countries - eco-labelling is increasingly playing an important role in consumer purchasing decisions and is being used to competitively position products within the fibre, textile and apparel supply chain.  Tony’s presentation will outline some of the differences in the types of labels commonly used and the eco-label activities recently undertaken by CSIRO to competitively position Australian wool in international markets.

Leyla Acaroglu: Director, Eco Innovators

Lifecycle thinking

A Director of award winning Melbourne based Life Cycle Analysis and eco-design consultancy, Leyla was voted one of Melbourne’s Top 100 people of influence in 2010, and is a new judge on the ABC TV’s New Inventors program. She has developed award winning sustainability education projects, as well as launched many successful communication and engagement projects around design for sustainability. Leyla advocates that the momentum and practices of modern consumption is beyond the ecological capacity of the planet, and yet has faith that the adoption of lifecycle thinking in both the design and manufacturing sectors will bring about worthwhile product innovation and good design.

Co-presentation - Trevor Price, Managing Director, Tuff Tonneaus Pty Ltd and Ray Littlefield: Director, The Institute for Lean Systems Australia.

Lean is green

Approaching sustainability issues with lean thinking makes sense. Trevor Price will outline how his organisation has applied lean systems principles to reduce their environmental footprint making it more sustainable.  As a specialist in lean transformation programs, co-presenter Ray Littlefield will address the challenges of a sustainable future for manufacturing and the use of lean systems principles to advance learning and innovation across industry.

 Tara Afrin: Textile Engineer and PHD Candidate, Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation, Deakin University

Bamboo – an emerging sustainable fibre

As an emerging fibre, bamboo is seen as a resource efficient fibre reportedly needing little irrigation, pesticides, chemical weeding, insecticides, and fungicide to grow and is increasingly chosen as an attractive alternative eco friendly fibre for clothing, Tara’s research into Bamboo fibre also identified that it is 60 per cent better than other cellulosic fibres at blocking the sun’s UV rays. With all these attributes, she is continuing her research to find alternative solutions to its less than sustainable chemical intensive processing.

Andreas Schimkus: Senior Industry Advisor/Program Manager, Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia

Volumes and profile of apparel imports

Andreas will present statistical information on domestic production, imports and market supplies and market changes for apparel production. Given that measurement is the indispensible tool of all environmental stewardship, these statistics will argue the compelling case for knowledge and control of the inputs used in apparel production (both domestic and imported) and to develop efficiencies during production that consume less water and energy, and create less waste.

 Ms Kerryn Caulfield: Executive Manager, NACRO & TTNA

The fashion industry - positive sustainability programs