"Strong and Kind" Tote Program: A Look Behind the Scenes

The Social Outfit's "Earn and Learn" Sewing Program supported by Sydney Women's Fund. from The Social Outfit on Vimeo.

To celebrate the amazing efforts of the women involved in the "Strong and Kind" Tote Program, we have made a video to share some behind the scenes stories (including how we made the leap from a face to face manufacturing program to online craft classes and back again) and what it has meant to the refugee and new migrant women who participated.

In February 2020 The Social Outfit, supported by Sydney Community Foundation Sydney Women's Fund, began manufacturing tote bags for Australian fashion label Ginger & Smart.

The program was created to provide an "Earn and Learn" work placement experience for women from refugee and new migrant communities- teaching them skills in industrial manufacturing. All the women had existing experience on domestic sewing machines and through the program learned how to manufacturing in a professional Australian standard workroom.

The bag was designed by Genevieve Smart to utilise the label's remnant fabrics, and The Social Outfit's Production Manager Joucelen Gabriel taught the classes at The Social Outfit's workroom in Newtown, Sydney.