If you have bought a business shirt, t-shirt or item of knitwear at Target over the past three years, chances are you’re putting dollars right back into the pocket of cotton farmers in our very own backyard.
Target Australia is leading the way in support for the Australian cotton industry, as more and more consumers are becoming increasingly interested in where their product comes from.
The Australian department store is proud to have partnered with Cotton Australia over the past three years, offering 100 per cent Australian cotton apparel.
“We like to think we’re the home of Australian cotton,” business manager, menswear and intimates Neil Ainsworth said.
“We were the first Australian retailer to launch Australian cotton and we’re big advocates, being an Australian retailer and wanting to support Australian farmers.”
The menswear department led the initiative with its 100 per cent Australian cotton range which includes t-shirts, business shirts and knitwear. Other departments are now also stocking ranges of 100 per cent Australian cotton products.
“We launched Australian cotton in menswear, first within our formal shirt business, and then into knitwear, t-shirts and more recently into our flannelette shirts, so for this season we’ve converted all our $16 flannel shirts to be Australian cotton,” Mr Ainsworth said.
Australian cotton is the highest-quality in the world and produces yield three times the world average, so Mr Ainsworth said the transition to using locally-grown fibre is an obvious choice.
“It just gives a better quality garment. It’s more durable and beautifully soft,” he said.
“It’s world-renowned that it is a good staple cotton and a good quality, and also I think it’s great that we’re supporting hard-working Australians and we’re keeping that money in the country.”
“Why would we want to buy cotton from another place in the world when we know we’ve got the best quality and the most sought-after quality cotton, so we’re very keen to use it,” Mr Ainsworth’s colleague, head of design and quality Anna Milner added.
Mr Ainsworth and Ms Milner were in Narrabri on Tuesday as part of a Fashion Farm Tour organised by Cotton Australia to gain a better understanding of the process involved in growing cotton.
“To actually come and see the cotton being grown is fantastic,” Mr Ainsworth said.
“For me, it’s just fully understanding the work that goes into growing the cotton, the vastness of it as well and it’s just really interesting to hear how it has grown and the science behind it and to fully understand the process of growing the seed to wearing a shirt like I’m wearing today.”
Target buys cotton from Australian producers, ships it to China to be spun and weaved into fabric before being shipped back to Australia to sell in store.
It’s understanding this process and being able to trace it every step of the way that Ms Milner said is very important.
“We’re making the garments in places like China, so we can trace it all and truly get involved in how the garments are made,” she said.
The Narrabri tour is part of Fashion Revolution Week, which encourages designers, producers, international brands and retailers to break the mould and bring ethically produced fashion to the public, as well as making traceability a reality.
The campaign, #whomademyclothes, encourages consumers to ask their favourite labels where their clothes actually came from.