Better Threads

The Better Threads Project was an inquiry into the question, are circular models for denim possible in Australia? Our vision for circularity in denim is to utlise materials at their highest utility, diverting textiles from landfill and returning the value to producers and consumers of denim. Understanding that the key to using waste a resource is collaboration for scalability, we set out to establish a network and a pooled body of knowledge. 

Piles of denim jeans
Can denim jeans be recycled at the end of their life? Image: Chicago Now 

The Better Threads Roundtable was a waste-to-resource focused business gathering in Sydney on 26 September 2016, that discussed the barriers and opportunities to a circular denim business model in Australia. The event brought together 10 key stakeholders from a range of industries including denim and cotton production, logistics, retail, charity and upcycling, expert consulting, waste and recycling and academia to discuss different circular economy approaches. The body of knowledge and useful insights gained by the business roundtable was distilled into a report that was distributed to interested parties.

To see the project's findings check out the Better Threads Roundtable Report. 

Better Threads project team: Simone Awramenko, Nikki Gravning, Karina Seljak, Paula Wallace and Harriet Watts