Onshore textile manufacturing project among Country Road Climate Fund grant winners

Country Road has announced the first grant recipients through its Climate Fund, a three-year, $1.5 million grants program announced last year, backing projects led by Full Circle Fibres, Landcare Australia and Trust for Nature.  

In a statement on Thursday, the clothing company said it received 40 applications, with an Assessment Committee undertaking “in-depth due diligence” to select fund recipients from them.

Finalist Mud to Marle – a fashion industry collaboration comprising Full Circle Fibres, Deakin University, Geelong Textiles, Geelong  Dyers, Ridgehaven and Australian Super Cotton – was awarded $147,000 of funding “to contribute towards production, including the sourcing of raw fibre, dyeing, spinning, knitting and weaving as well as sampling.”

The project will focus on turning low-value wool fibre into a high-value product, with the project to pilot and test proof of concept end-to-end on-shore manufacturing, including spinning, knitting, weaving and dyeing in Australia. 

Landcare Australia was awarded $200,000 towards development of a toolkit “to unlock environmental and financial  benefits associated with participating in the emerging green economy” for landholders.

Conservation group Trust For Nature was awarded $200,000 to assist work to increase the area of permanently protected grassland habitat for the Plains-wanderer, a critically endangered bird fighting for survival with habitat in Victoria’s Southern Mallee region.

Country Road’s managing director Elle Roseby said, “We believe that partnerships are key to tackling industry-wide challenges and driving deep, long-term change. We are thrilled to be able to support those driving innovation at the grassroots level, and look forward to  working alongside the first three finalists.” 

The assessment committee is made up of Yatu Widders Hunt,  General Manager Cox Inall Ridgeway, Dr. Helen Crowley, Managing Director Pollination, Fabia Pryor, Brand  Sustainability Manager Country Road and Aleasha McCallion, Co-founder of the Circular Economy Textiles  Program, Monash Sustainable Development Institute; and NZ | AUS Circular Lead for Renewal. 

Picture: members of the Mud to Marle team (supplied)