Unfortunately there remains a vocal minority in the Australian TCF sector who are unwilling to accept the provisions in legislation protecting outworkers, many of which have existed in law since the 1980’s.

They seek to blame all the woes of the TCF sector on the ECA accreditation program and the law. However, ECA exists to ensure some of Australia’s most vulnerable workers receive their legal pay and entitlements by making sure TCF businesses simply comply with the law!

The TCF sector in Australia cannot survive by returning to the days of exploitation. To survive and prosper the local TCF industry needs to adopt a collaborative rather than a confrontational approach.

A local TCF sector built on ethical labour practices and sustainability is one that can survive and serve as an inspiration for those new designers and businesses to come. This requires the Australian TCF sector to continue to invest in technology and productivity to remain competitive.

In addition to the obvious legal and moral motivations to ensure compliance with various labour laws and regulations, there are also commercial incentives for taking a principled approach to business.

Australian brands are well placed to build a profile both locally and internationally as providers of not only quality, but also sustainable and ethical products. However, to do so, they must first ensure their supply chain is managed sufficiently to ensure ethical standards are upheld.

Ethical Clothing Australia