The Australian Fashion Council (AFC ) and RM 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. Unveiled at Parliament House in Canberra, the ten-year strategy aims to strengthen sovereign manufacturing capability, expand advanced production and capture greater value from Australia’s natural fibre base.
- The roadmap emerged from nearly a year of national consultations led by the AFC and RM Williams involving manufacturers, brands, educators and policymakers across Australia.
- More than 300 stakeholders contributed to the consultation process, generating over 1,000 proposed initiatives and nearly 900 votes to shape long-term manufacturing priorities.
- With 97 per cent of Australia’s clothing and textile products manufactured offshore, the industry remains vulnerable to global supply disruptions and trade volatility.
- The strategy was launched during a breakfast symposium and industry showcase attended by more than 90 industry and parliamentary guests at Parliament House in Canberra.
- The ten-year manufacturing roadmap for Australia’s fashion and textile sector was formally launched by the AFC and RM Williams on 12 March 2026.
THE STRATEGY UNVEILED: The AFC and RM Williams unveiled the national roadmap to rebuild targeted domestic manufacturing capability across Australia’s TCF sector at Parliament House in Canberra. The ten-year plan followed nearly a year of industry consultation.
- The consultation process included 14 national discussions involving manufacturers, brands, educators and policymakers across Australia to gather industry priorities and proposals.
- The launch event included a showcase of domestic manufacturing capability featuring companies including RM Williams, Bianca Spender, Bond-Eye Australia, Clothing the Gaps, ABMT, Sylvia P, Waverley Mills, Silver Fleece and Stewart Heaton & Clothing.
- Parliamentary support includes the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Fashion & Textiles group, with more than 60 bipartisan members and co-chaired by Matt Burnell MP, Dai Le MP and Zoe McKenzie MP.
- The launch also featured a short film titled “Made Here, Worn Everywhere”, produced by the AFC and RM Williams and profiling AFC members including Australian Defence Apparel, The Social Outfit, Maara Collective, Citizen Wolf, Waverley Mills and Silver Fleece.
THE ECONOMIC CASE: Independent modelling commissioned for the roadmap presents a quantified case for expanding Australia’s TCF manufacturing base. Analysis by RMIT University and RPS indicates that coordinated policy implementation could increase the sector’s economic contribution while strengthening employment and wages across domestic production. The projections highlight the potential gains from expanding domestic manufacturing capability over the coming decade.
- Full implementation of the coordinated policy platform is projected to increase TCF manufacturing value added from $2.6 billion to $2.9 billion by 2030–31.
- The modelling estimates a cumulative economic dividend of $1.4 billion over five years from strengthened domestic manufacturing capability.
- The strategy is projected to generate more than 1,000 new skilled jobs across the sector if the policy platform is implemented.
- Additional wages generated by the sector’s expansion are estimated at $864 million, with approximately half of new jobs expected to be filled by women.
- TCF manufacturing employs more than 27,000 Australians and pays over $1.4 billion in wages annually within a broader $28 billion fashion and textile industry employing nearly 500,000 people.
- Workforce demographics indicate the sector’s labour profile: women represent 58 per cent of workers, compared to 28 per cent in other manufacturing industries; 41 per cent are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and the median manufacturer age is 57.
THE STRATEGIC ROADMAP: The strategy outlines a coordinated national effort to strengthen Australia’s fashion and textile manufacturing capability by focusing on areas where the country holds comparative advantages. Rather than competing with high-volume offshore production, the roadmap emphasises premium, technology-enabled and traceable manufacturing anchored in Australia’s natural fibre base, while seeking to address structural gaps in the domestic value chain and rebuild critical processing capacity.
- One outcome is capturing greater value from Australian fibre by expanding domestic processing and spinning of natural fibres such as wool and cotton.
- The strategy also aims to strengthen sovereign manufacturing capability in specialised textile applications including defence, healthcare and emergency services.
- Another focus is building a globally competitive premium sector centred on high-quality, traceable and sustainably produced textiles and apparel.
- Three strategic pillars underpin the roadmap: activating demand through procurement and promotion, securing future workforce skills, and accelerating advanced manufacturing investment.
- Implementation will be led by the Australian Fashion Council, with progress measured through an implementation review to 2029 and a strategic outcomes review extending to 2036.
WHAT THEY SAID
This Strategy sets out a clear roadmap for rebuilding a globally competitive Australian fashion and textile manufacturing sector. 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.
— Marianne Perkovic
Executive Chair
Australian Fashion Council
Australia is the world's largest exporter of greasy wool and a globally significant cotton producer. Yet we export raw fibre and import finished goods at multiples of the original value. Re-establishing fibre processing and spinning capability restores the missing link in our value chain. Building the next generation of capability to capture this value - capability that is advanced, technology-enabled and circular - will also require stronger demand signals. Strategic public procurement can help anchor that demand and support the growth of Australia’s domestic manufacturing capability.
— Samantha Delgos
General Manager
Australian Fashion Council
RM Williams has manufactured in Adelaide for more than 90 years. We employ skilled craftspeople, invest in apprentices and continue to modernise production while competing globally. What's needed now is to activate a flywheel: demand enables investment in skills, skills enable advanced manufacturing, and technology allows Australian manufacturers to scale while maintaining quality.
— Tara Moses
Chief Operating Officer
RM Williams
This Strategy is a serious economic blueprint for communities, supporting skilled jobs, strengthening regional manufacturing, and creating clearer pathways for women into trades and long-term manufacturing careers. It presents a coordinated, cross-portfolio agenda that connects procurement, skills and industry capability. As Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends group, I'm committed to supporting the sector to turn this plan into long-term coordinated action.
— Matt Burnell MP
Co-Chair
Parliamentary Friends of Australian Fashion & Textiles
