As of 1 September 2022

 

The Social Outfit community is both global and local:

 

 

1. Through our employment, training programs, and creative events, we've worked with people from over 30 countries around the world.

2. Communities are crucial to building a sense of belonging, and The Social Outfit is a place for learning, contributing, and sharing.

3. For 60 of our community staff members, The Social Outfit was their first paid job in Australia.

4. We have more work to do, and one of our ongoing focuses is community engagement. (Source: Scanlon Foundation Community Discussion Paper, 2016)

The Social Outfit provides skills which translate to new professional and social contexts:

 

 

1. We've now assisted 48 people from the refugee and new migrant community in securing jobs with other employers.

2. The Social Outfit's sewing programs provide industry-recognised skill acquisition, as well as positive social interaction and confidence-building while speaking English in a professional environment.

3. 8 students participating in our training programs have since set up micro-enterprises in their own communities.

4. We have more work to do, and one of our ongoing focuses is building industry-recognised skills in our community. (Source: Centre for Policy Development, 'Settling Better' Report, 2017)

The Social Outfit creates jobs for the community:

 

1. We've now employed 71 people from the refugee and new migrant community.

2. At the Social Outfit, we employ and train people from all professional backgrounds, whether they're building skills without any prior experience, or translating existing skills for Australian contexts.

3. So far, we've provided over 50,000 hours (and counting!) of paid employment to people from the refugee and new migrant community.

4. We have more work to do, and one of our ongoing focuses is providing paid, secure employment in our community. (Source: From Refugee to Entrepreneur in Sydney in Less Than Three Years: Final Evaluation Report on the SSI Ignite Small Business Start-Ups Program, 2017)

The Social Outfit champions creativity and collaboration:

 

 

1. 70% of our organisation’s activities are running our shop and workroom, providing employment opportunities for the refugee and new migrant community in manufacturing and retailing ethical fashion. 30% of our organisation’s activities are running free training and education programs for our community, delivered through our sewing school and creative projects.

2. Our sewing school, online school, creative programs and events provide welcoming opportunities for people from the new migrant and refugee community to expand their social connections. Individuals can express themselves, share their worries and ideas, and come together in an encouraging environment.

3. We’ve had more than 800 people from the refugee and new migrant community participate in our sewing school, digital print projects, creative programs and fashion events!

4. We have more work to do, and one of our ongoing focuses is providing opportunities for creativity and collaboration in our community, especially for young people. (Source: Scanlon Foundation Community Discussion Paper, 2016)

The Social Outfit has both social and environmental positive impacts:

 

 

1. We've already saved more than 10 tonnes of fabric and textile waste from landfill, thanks to our generous fashion industry supporters including Bianca Spender, Romance Was Born, Good Day Girl, Cue, Citizen Wolf, Seafolly, Carla Zampatti, Ginger & Smart, Alice McCall, Bec & Bridge, Rittenhouse, Manning Cartell, Gary Bigeni, Signature Prints, Tessuti Fabrics, Seneca Textiles and Sant Elia.

2. We focus on trans-seasonal garments which are well made, using high quality materials. We want every garment and accessory made in our workroom to be long lasting, and well loved for a long time!

3. We've collaborated with 46 Australian fashion brands and designers to date, including Linda Jackson, Ken Done, Romance Was Born, Publisher Textiles, Dragstar Clothing, Yoshi Jones, KITX, Byron Spencer, Peter Simon Phillips, Clare Press, Next State Print and all our generous fashion industry fabric donors!

4. We have more work to do, and one of our ongoing focuses is working towards a more sustainable fashion industry. (Source: 'Challenges for Australian Fashion’ by Jennifer Craik in Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 2014)

The Social Outfit is industry-recognised and growing:

 

 

1. We're independently accredited by Good On You and Social Traders.

2. Our various employment and training opportunities aim to cover many facets of running an ethical fashion brand, from pattern making and garment construction, to retail, social media and marketing.

3. We've stocked a range of products from 12 other social enterprises, supporting their work around the world: WEFTshop, Tabitha, Quazi Design, Dorsu, Liminal, What Daisy Did, Interior Trading Co., Purple Community Fund, Enterprise Learning Projects, and Avenue.

4. We have more work to do, and one of our ongoing focuses is growing our business responsibly. (Source: 'Challenges for Australian Fashion’ by Jennifer Craik in Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 2014)

 

And that's just the start! If you love the work we do, the impact we achieve and want to help us continue changing lives for the better, the best way you can support us is by buying our wonderful ethically made products - created on-site by refugee and new migrant sewing technicians, of course!

By purchasing our gorgeous garments and accessories, you provide us with the means to support, employ and upskill more women just like our Retail Trainees, Sewing Technicians as well as the wider refugee and new migrant communities that we engage with.

Click here to shop some of our incredible garments, all locally and ethically made in the heart of Newtown.