TikToks of Today + Threads of Tomorrow 19.06.26

Thanks to the team at RUBY, yesterday I got to attend the Threads of Tomorrow Summit in Auckland.

It was a super special day, because it marked the first time Aotearoa’s fibre, textile, fashion, and manufacturing sectors had come together in one room to talk about the future of the industry. As someone who had little to NO knowledge about what goes on behind the scenes, it was a super eye-opening experience. Speakers included Hon. Nicola Willis, Juliette Hogan, Emma Wallace from Kowtow, leaders from Patagonia, and many more!!

Emily Miller-Sharma and the team behind Fashion & Textiles NZ put together such an inspiring event.

I thought I’d share my top four takeaways, because I was pretty clueless before I went in there, and I hope this will help anyone else out there like me.

1. Composition labels only tell a SMALL part of the story.

Before I went, I only ever looked at fibre composition labels, and thought, more natural fibres = better quality. What I learned yesterday is that two garments can have the exact same composition on the label but be worlds apart in terms of impact and price. Things like certification, traceability, ethical labour, animal welfare, environmental care, and responsible sourcing all take a huge amount of time and investment, hence why you can have two garments of the same composition marked at different prices.

2. We need to start thinking about garments end-of-life before we buy it.

I’m embarrassed to say I had never given much thought to clothing end-of-life when I would buy it. I had never thought about what happens to clothes once I drop them off at the op shop, and in the long run, where they end up.

One of the strongest themes of the day was circularity. The traditional model of buy, wear, and dispose is not sustainable. The future lies in in designing products that can be repaired, reused, resold, recycled, or regenerated. Many lower cost model brands cannot be repaired, recycled, or resold, and just ends up in our landfills. Around 52,000 tonnes of clothing are sent to landfill in NZ each year.

Op shops are constantly getting rid of ‘un-sellable’ items. Buying fewer, better-made pieces that are designed to last can help reduce this massive environmental burden.

3. The change can only come from us. Consumers can shift and change the world. (That’s me and you!).

Something I heard over and over at the Summit was that businesses respond to demand. Every purchase is a vote for the type of industry we want to support. If consumers prioritise durability, transparency, ethical production, and sustainable materials, brands will continue investing in those areas. So next time I want to buy the $20 cheap option at a global, fast fashion store, I will stop to think about what my purchase means. Every purchase is a vote, we all have a say in this!

4. Supporting New Zealand Businesses creates positive change locally.

I came away with a deeper appreciation for New Zealand’s fashion and textile industry. We have talented designers, and world-class natural fibres, including wool, right here at home. One thing I hadn’t considered was the cost of operating as a New Zealand brand. Being geographically isolated means higher freight, logistics, materials costs. This helped me understand why ethically and responsibly made NZ products can cost more than fast-fashion alternatives. Before the summit, price was one of the biggest drivers of my purchasing decisions. Now I see paying more for well-made New Zealand brands as me doing my part to help our economy, and vote for the kind of industry we want to support in NZ.

I left the summit feeling so empowered to be part of the solution. Issues that always get lumped into the ‘too-hard basket’ in my mind such as overconsumption, waste, and climate change, suddenly feel more tangible. I feel like I can tackle these issues in my every day life purely by being conscious of what I buy.

The biggest shift in my thinking has been realising that a clothing label only tells a small snippet of the story. The true value of a garment includes how it was made, who made it, the standards behind it, how long it will last, and what happens to it at the end of its life.

Moving forward, before I buy anything I want to ask myself these questions:

• Do I know how and where this was made?
• What materials is it made from, and where did they come from?
• Does this purchase reward the kind of practices I want to see more of in the world?
• What will happen to this piece when I’m finished with it?

Written by Sage Brinda