Enhance your visit by attending the 2024 Global Seminar Series taking place across the three days of the event.
This year we welcome a line-up of industry experts to help you navigate the world of global sourcing and build your knowledge.
Each session is one hour in duration and tickets cost $40 +gst per session.
Daily Program
Paul Zahra
CEO, Australian Retailers Association
Decoding The Brave New World of Retail: How Disruptions Have Sparked Game-Changing Innovations
Tuesday 19 November
10 – 11am
Session Overview
Decoding The Brave New World of Retail: How Disruptions Have Sparked Game-Changing Innovations
Paul Zahra, CEO of the Australian Retailers Association will decode the ‘Brave New World’ of retail in a post-pandemic era. He’ll share how major disruptions have ignited ground breaking innovations and revolutionised the industry.
With new approaches to global sourcing and technology reshaping retail, he’ll examine the latest global and local trends, offering a captivating glimpse into the future by reflecting on the lessons of the past.
Belinda Paul
Founder and Director, RCYCL
Empowering Consumers to Drive Change
Tuesday 19 November
11:30am – 12:30pm
Session overview
Empowering Consumers to Drive Change
Curious about the future of textile waste? The statistics are staggering! Prepare to be inspired as Belinda Paul shares the actionable solutions that will make a real and immediate difference. Belinda’s mission with RCYCL is to breakdown the overwhelming data and empower everyone with impactful solutions to improve our environment.
Joining Belinda to discuss the opportunities ahead of us in the world of fashion recycling, are Anne- Marie Cheney, Fashion Lead, eBay Australia; Matt Davis, CEO of Salvos Stores; and Danielle Kent, General Manager, Industry Transformation, Seamless.
Elizabeth Park
Industry Consultant, Fashion True Futures
Regulations and Realities – Navigating Regulatory Shifts and Consumer Demands in Fashion
Tuesday 19 November
1 – 2pm
Session overview
Regulations and Realities – Navigating Regulatory Shifts and Consumer Demands in Fashion
In an era where sustainability has become a necessity, the fashion industry faces a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape that demands immediate and strategic action from retailers and manufacturers alike. This insightful presentation summarizes the latest regulations and delves into the critical need for businesses to develop comprehensive sustainability programs that are not only compliant but also future proof.
Brian Goldberg, Trademark Attorney
In conversation with Zoe Goodhardt Head of Growth and Marketing, TA, and Hamish Jones, Fractional CTO
AI, Marketing and Protecting your Brand
Tuesday 19 November
2:30 – 3:30pm
Session Overview
AI, Marketing and Protecting your Brand
How can AI support and revolutionise your brand marketing whilst protecting your IP?
Our panel of experts, Brian Goldberg, Trademark Attorney; Zoe Goodhardt Head of Growth and Marketing, TAG; and Hamish Jones, Fractional CTO, will discuss:
- Understanding (IP) Intellectual Property [Trademark, Design, Copyright, Patent]
- The Role of IP in Sourcing
- Leveraging AI for IP Protection
- Harnessing AI in Marketing Strategies
- AI uses in Business Operations
- Current trends in Marketing and Business
- Navigating the Risks of using AI
Professor Alice Payne
Dean School of Fashion & Textiles, RMIT University
How do Australians acquire, use, and dispose of their clothing? Findings from a national survey
Wednesday 20 November
10 – 11am
Session Overview
How do Australians acquire, use, and dispose of their clothing? Findings from a national survey
Led by Professor Alice Payne, Dean, School of Fashion & Textiles, RMIT University, a panel of industry experts, government, and researcher representatives will discuss clothing acquisition, use and disposal behaviours in Australia. The discussion will highlight key findings from the nation’s first representative survey on clothing practices, offering an interesting look at the habits shaping the future of fashion. These results reveal important implications for policy at the local, state and federal levels. The results can also be used to monitor the uptake of circular practices over time in Australia, providing essential metrics for Australia’s transition to a circular clothing economy.
Our panel
Dr Ninh Nguyen, Senior Lecturer, RMIT Graduate School of Business and Law; Peter Allan, Founder, Sustainable Resource Use and Refuture Foundation; Annabel Talbot, former Myer General Manager; Nooshy Farid, Events & Networking Coordinator for Uniting Op Shops and Megan Dyring, Chief Operating Officer of FabPatch.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Aligning your values – managing sourcing and the supply chain
Wednesday 20 November
11:30am – 12:30pm
Panellists
Aligning your values – managing sourcing and the supply chain
Creating considered pieces that don’t compromise our planet and its people is one of today’s biggest challenges for manufacturers worldwide.
Athena Voudiotis, committed to minimising environmental impact and promoting positive social practices, will share her insights and strategies on ethical production.
Paul Murdoch, with 28 years of global sourcing experience, will discuss the importance of building key, sustainable partnerships.
Courtney Holm will dive into circular design for fashion and apparel while sharing how to scale sustainable business models.
Neale O’Connor will provide insights into negotiating with overseas suppliers to optimise business operations.
Panellists:
- Athena Voudiotis, Huxbaby
- Paul Murdoch The Sourcing Club
- Courtney Holm, A.BCH
- Associate Professor Neale O’Connor, La Trobe University
Mr Shan
General Manager, Ningbo King O’Melly IMP EXP CO LTD
Changes to Chinese Garment Supply Chain and How to Deal with Your Chinese
Suppliers – from a Chinese clothing supplier’s perspective
Wednesday 20 November
1 – 1:40pm
Session Overview
Changes to Chinese Garment Supply Chain and How to Deal with Your Chinese Suppliers – from a Chinese clothing supplier’s perspective
In this session you will gain a better understanding of the garment supply chain in China and how should inform your sourcing strategy. The session will explore the strengths and weaknesses of small, medium and large exporters, and give you first-hand advice on how to establish effective relationships with your partners.
Industry veteran, Mr Shan is from Ningbo, a garment manufacturing hub and home to thousands of clothing companies, including producers of international brands like Uniqlo, as well as small to medium companies that serve boutiques and online stores.
Melinda Tually
Director Ndless: The New Normal, Strategic Human Rights & Sustainability Consultancy
Tools to trace: Regulatory demands require real time traceability. Are you prepared?
Wednesday 20 November
2 – 3pm
Session Overview
Tools to trace: Regulatory demands require real time traceability. Are you prepared?
Whether demonstrating cotton provenance for exports to the US, publishing supplier locations for laws in the EU, or collecting environmental data for carbon reporting, digital mapping of the supply chain beyond the first tier is now essential for regulatory compliance.
Navigating the move from manual spreadsheets to digital solutions is now easier given solutions on the market which combine physical traceability data with supply chain transactions to provide end to end supply chain visibility and product information.
Join this panel to learn how unlocking your supply chain in partnership with your suppliers enables your business to comply with reporting obligations in a timely manner as well as identify operational efficiencies to future proof your growth.
Our panelists
Melinda Tually, Director Ndless: The New Normal, Strategic Human Rights & Sustainability Consultancy, along with Thakane Bazill, Senior Account Executive, Retraced (presenting via Zoom) and Kara Hurry, Head of Strategy, Fibretrace.
Jude Kingston
Director, Mind your Fashion
Understanding what you need to succeed in the Fashion Industry
Wednesday 20 November
3:30 – 4:30pm
Session overview
Understanding what you need to succeed in the Fashion Industry
Do you have what it takes?
What you need to know to achieve your goal. Honest and thought-provoking insights from inside the mind of fashion buyer, mentor and industry expert who will share invaluable information and to prepare you and set you on the right path to realising your dream. Learn the hidden secrets to you need to achieve success nationally and internationally.
PANEL DISCUSSION
The Fiji Fashion Explosion
The Fiji Fashion Explosion
Thursday 21 November
10 – 11am
Session Overview
The Fiji Fashion Explosion
A comprehensive discussion about the opportunities and challenges within the Fijian fashion and manufacturing industry. This session will explore everything from Fiji Fashion Week to the thriving Fijian apparel manufacturing industry which has attracted sourcing from international fashion labels.
We will hear from Kookai managing director Robert Cromb, who manufactures his global fashion brand out of both Fiji and Sri Lanka, as well as Tracey Farrington, a Fiji-based Australian designer with 30 years of manufacturing experience.
We’ll also hear fascinating insights from Fiji Fashion Week founder and managing director Ellen Whippy Knight, emerging menswear designer Temesia Tuicaumia and educator Nicholas Huxley, the former head of Sydney’s Fashion Design Studio (who taught so many of Australia’s best-known designers such as Nicky Zimmermann and Dion Lee and is now mentoring Fiji’s next generation of talent).
Mr. Rajesh Rawat
Additional Executive Director, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts
India – A profitable Sourcing Destination for Home, Lifestyle, Fashion, Furnishing, Furniture
Thursday 21 November
11:30am – 12:30pm
Session Overview
India – A profitable Sourcing Destination for Home, Lifestyle, Fashion, Furnishing, Furniture
India is one of the important suppliers of Home, Lifestyle, Fashion, Furnishing, Furniture to the world market, thanks to its rich heritage of craftsmanship and versatile production capabilities. India’s diverse product offerings, from handcrafted textiles and intricate décor to high-quality furniture, cater to the unique tastes and demands of global markets.
With competitive pricing driven by cost-effective labor and production, India delivers high-quality products that enable global buyers to secure attractive margins. Moreover, as sustainability becomes a global imperative, India’s sourcing landscape has shifted towards eco-friendly practices and ethical production. Many suppliers are now adopting sustainable materials, fair-trade practices, and environmentally conscious methods, positioning Indian products as appealing choices for environmentally aware consumers.
Join the session and explore opportunities offered in India.
Liam Salter, Founder and Group CEO of RESET Carbon
With Rick Lambell, Founder and CEO of Beyond Sustainable Retail Group
Net Zero and Scope 3 GHG Emissions – How to get Started and Deliver Results
Thursday 21 November
1 – 2pm
Session Overview
Net Zero and Scope 3 GHG Emissions – How to get Started and Deliver Results
With the push for Net Zero targets and the introduction of mandatory climate reporting in Australia and New Zealand, brands and retailers are facing increasing pressure to make commitments and show tangible results.
Yet navigating greenhouse gas emissions in global supply chains is daunting, with many retailers struggling to make progress.
In his only speaking engagement while in Australia, global supply chain decarbonisation expert Liam Salter will deliver a keynote presentation delving into effective strategies and programs to help you get moving – from setting targets, to engaging suppliers, to selecting materials, and reducing emissions at a factory level. The presentation will be followed by a fireside chat and Q&A moderated by Beyond Sustainable Retail Group CEO, Rick Lambell.
Natasa Pitra-Grbic
Fashion Designer, 2024 Australian Business champions award PITRA
Production and Sourcing Workshop
Thursday 21 November
2:30 – 3:30pm
Session Overview
Moving from Opportunistic to Strategic Sourcing – unlocking ESG opportunity
Moving from an Opportunistic to a Strategic Sourcing focus requires detailed planning. Your “True North” means a graded, transparent supply chain capable of delivering on the strategic plans of your brand, balancing both ESG and commercial success. Gaynor will guide you with the ‘know-how’ to source from different regions and help you ask the right questions to potential suppliers.