Petria Cumner of Stirling and Truffles wins third place in Women Changing the World Award 2024
A Toowoomba business owner has been globally recognised for her work in sustainability, winning third place in an international competition presented by the Duchess of York.
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Regional Queensland has been propelled into the spotlight after the owner of a small business with a focus a sustainability in fashion and events placed third at a global event.
When Petria Cumner noticed a growing mountain of plastic bottles piling up beside her newborn son during her family’s move to Toowoomba in 2020, she thought: is this the environmental inheritance I am leaving for my son?
The thought was the spark which brought Stirling and Truffles to life, starting with a handmade water bottle harness, and her creation and passion for sustainability placed her as a finalist in two categories in Women Changing the World awards.
The Toowoomba business owner said she was “in a bit of shock” to place third in the Women of Sustainability category at the ceremony on May 25, 2024.
“I’m bringing a global award home from the UK to Toowoomba,” she said.
“Such a whirlwind.”
The awards were presented by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Dr Tererai Trent, an author and international advocate for quality education and women’s empowerment.
Getting to meet them both was an unexpected surprise for Ms Cumner who started designing a water bottle carrier, simply so she could have water by her side while still keeping her hands free to chase or pick up her young toddler.
It is these humble water bottle carrier straps which ignited a much bigger passion inside the founder and designer, which has spread globally.
Earlier this year she worked closely with Toowoomba Fashion Festival to encourage sustainable practices both in fashion, and during the event.
“I’m wanting to not just highlight the problem but also offer real solutions,” she said.
“I don’t want him (my son) to partake in this mindless consumerism,” Ms Cumner said.
“I want him to pick up seashells from the beach, not microplastics.”
Now she is going beyond the Australian, vegetable-tanned leather carrying harnesses and advocates for sustainable change in businesses, working particularly at building awareness around single-use plastics in regional and rural areas.
Ms Cumner formally launched the business in July 2022, in three months she had already been recognised and won the sole trader of the year at the Business Excellence Awards.
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