By Amy Conlon, Co-Assistant Country Coordinator for Fashion Revolution NZ @amyjeancreative
I didn’t mean to be… in fact I started out like so many others: a young girl who loved clothes and creativity.
My nana taught me how to sew, and I made endless scrunchies with my neighbour while dreaming of becoming a designer. That love carried me through fashion school at AUT, and into the local fashion industry.
Eventually, I headed to London with the dream of working for a luxury brand. At that time, Stella McCartney stood out as someone taking a strong stance against fur. She had integrity right from the beginning which I admired, and while I didn’t get the chance to work for her I still have the most iconic rejection letter.
I worked across all sides of the industry supplier, manufacturer, brand, and luxury. From design studios in the UK to research trips around Europe, I was producing designs so quickly I started to feel disconnected from purpose and authentic design. I remember feeling overwhelmed and thinking, “Does the world need so many clothes?”
When I returned home to Aotearoa after more than a decade abroad, I had two young children and a completely new lens on the world. Like all parents, I wanted the best future for them and the fashion industry I knew just didn’t sit right with me anymore.
Looking for inspiration, I visited Melbourne Fashion Week and found myself at a panel discussion hosted by Melinda Tually, the Fashion Revolution Australia Country Coordinator at the time. That moment changed everything. As she spoke, I had a quiet but powerful realisation: waste is a design flaw — and also a design opportunity. I envisioned a chance to be part of something better, and I wanted in! Inspired, I reached out with the ambition to form a local team, and in 2019 the first Fashion Revolution NZ team was formed.
Fashion Revolution NZ has grown beautifully since its beginnings. Last year, awarded Highly Commended at the Zero Waste Awards for Growing the Movement. Our volunteer team led by Coordinator Amanda Butterworth, supported by Natalia Bertolo and myself in assisting roles along with a wider team, work around our other commitments. In six years, we’ve hosted 37 in-person events, 8 online events, reached over 10,000 New Zealanders, been featured in media 47 times, and built a community across social channels. We’re proud of our mahi, and can see a clear desire for change.
Globally, Fashion Revolution was born in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013, when over 1,100 garment workers died in a factory collapse in Bangladesh. Since then, the movement has pushed for transparency, ethics, and justice in the fashion supply chain encouraging people to ask Who Made My Clothes?
Here in Aotearoa, we’re building on the global movement by amplifying uniquely local voices. Our team collaborates with local industry and activists to create content that’s community driven, accessible, and relevant. We aim to spark conversation, inspire action, both globally and here at home.
So what’s next?
In the short term, we’re preparing for Fashion Revolution Week (22–27 April 2025), growing our volunteer base, and strengthening our regional presence. We’ll continue Secondhand September campaigns, NZ Fashion Week activations, and expand our social channels as a hub for education and engagement.
Long term, we like to dream big. We’re planning to mark 10 years of local action with a national event and a storytelling campaign, celebrating the change-makers driving progress. We also aim to deepen connections with fashion education at all levels and advocate for circular design, better policy, and a regenerative future.
In the decade since the Fashion Revolution began, more than 80 country teams have hosted local activations and pushed for change in their communities. Together, we’ve helped fuel a global shift toward transparency, ethics, and accountability. But like sustainability itself, the work is ongoing, especially as the fashion landscape continuously changes.
Overproduction is accelerating, driven by ultra-fast fashion giants like Temu and Shein. Their model fuels a ‘wear once’ culture that ends in landfill or is dumped in the Global South. Millions of workers, mostly women, remain underpaid and unsafe, with fashion still among the top five industries linked to modern slavery. Environmentally the cost is just as alarming, from carbon emissions and fossil fuel based fibres to polluted waterways and deforestation. Harm is embedded at every stage of the supply chain.
Now in its eighth year, the Fashion Transparency Index, published by Fashion Revolution, reveals slow but growing progress, with an average score of just 26% across 250 of the world’s largest brands. Despite some improvement, 99% still don’t disclose how many workers earn a living wage showing just how far we still have to go.
What’s kept me going is simple… I still love clothing. I’ve had to battle with my conscience, staying committed to this industry, while learning how damaging it can be. But I’ve found a new sense of purpose. Over the past few years, I’ve run my own upcycled accessories brand, worked in the preloved charity sector, and supported a local sustainable brand. My mission now is to help our local industry align with deeper values for people, planet, and profit. Because businesses need to thrive to create lasting change.
If you need a reminder of why this work matters, watch Buy Now on Netflix or revisit The True Cost. These documentaries offer a confronting look at fashion’s true impact. But don’t let them discourage you. We don’t need to be perfect; we just need to begin. It’s about finding ways to make more considered choices in everything we do, collaborating with others to create greater impact. Small, consistent actions, like buying secondhand, mending what we have, or supporting ethical brands, can collectively lead to real change.
And if you’re wondering where to start? Begin by asking ‘Who made my clothes?’ It’s a small question that opens the door to a bigger, more ethically conscious way of thinking.