A unique partnership between vegan fashion designer Emma Hakkansson, Cotton Australia and cotton farmer Renee Anderson this week culminated in the launch of a film that followed the journey of cotton from farm to finished product.
The film, called Willow and Claude, starts on Renee Anderson’s cotton property near Emerald Queensland, and follows the story through the spinning process at CSIRO in Geelong, knitting at KNIT.Melbourne and finally to a finished knitted product that is now selling online. It takes a deep dive into the cotton industry and the processes required to make a garment here in Australia.
Through her own research Emma recognised early on that Australian cotton, grown under the Best Management Practices program, presented a superior option in terms of sustainable raw materials.
“As a committed vegan, Emma wanted to focus on a plant-based fibre, and we saw this as a great opportunity to position cotton as the perfect choice. Obviously there’s been tension between farmers and vegans in the past but there’s always common ground and it’s been a great learning experience for us all,” Cotton Australia Supply Chain Manager, Brooke Summers said.
To watch, please click here.