Australian Fashion Council explores first local clothing smart factory

The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) has commissioned a feasibility study into establishing a clothing smart factory in New South Wales, with the longer-term aim of creating a scalable model for local garment manufacturing.

The proposed facility would give Australian fashion brands access to small-scale, on-demand production and product development that is currently difficult to deliver domestically at a viable cost. The planned model would combine digital pattern-making, textile printing, CNC cutting, automated production and advanced finishing.

The study is supported by Epson, Investment NSW and the NSW Government’s Fashion Sector Strategy. RMIT, Swinburne University of Technology and the University of Technology Sydney are contributing expertise across manufacturing, textile technology and workforce development.

The AFC said the project could provide a blueprint for a future network of smart factories across Australia. The study, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, will assess market demand, technology, skills, financial requirements and potential public-private investment.

In a statement, Sam Delgos, general manager of the AFC, said: “Australia has extraordinary design talent, but for decades we've watched our clothing manufacturing capability move offshore. If we're serious about building a globally competitive fashion industry, we need the infrastructure to support it.”

He added: “This feasibility study is our blueprint; bringing together industry, government and Australia's leading universities to explore a new model for advanced, on-demand production.”