Australia has a fashion crisis. More than 1.4 billion pieces of new clothing are imported each year, half of which typically end up in landfill, contributing to a carbon footprint that might be as high as 13 million tonnes a year, if current estimates are correct.

And while recycling and upcycling programs exist to extend the life of garments, these are expensive and don’t get to the heart of what is really needed, which is to produce less, Australian Fashion Council chief executive Leila Naja Hibri says. A 4 cent per garment levy on every new product made or imported in Australia may be a big part of the solution, she adds.