One of the Australia Day awardees for 2022 is Jane Milburn, recognised for the work she has done in the fashion sustainability space.
Having previously been awarded a Churchill fellowship in 2019 and various other accolades in the media and agricultural industries, Ms Milburn is no stranger to success.
When asked how she felt about receiving the award, Ms Milburn said she was honoured and grateful for the recognition.
"I've been working away in this space for a decade and it's fabulous recognition for the work," she said.
"So, I feel very honoured to be recognised and grateful for all of the support of various people around the state and country who have supported me in my work for fashion sustainability."
Ms Milburn is the founder and director of Textile Beat, a business promoting fashion sustainability, focusing on the philosophy of slow clothing.
"What I did over time was, I basically modelled what I thought was a more sustainable way of dressing, choosing natural fibres, and removing the stigma around secondhand clothing."
Harnessing her background in communications and media, an agricultural science degree and fellowship in Australian rural leadership, Ms Milburn ran two campaigns: the Sew It Again Project in 2014 and the Slow Clothing Project in 2016.
She also went on to publish a book in 2017, Slow Clothing: finding meaning in what we wear, and develop the "slow clothing manifesto", which encompasses ten actions to reduce your material footprint.
Ms Milburn also has a background and keen interest in agriculture, something that inspired her to champion natural fibres, in particular Australian cotton.
Speaking to Queensland Country Life, Ms Milburn encouraged young people to follow their heart and fight for something they believe in.
"I think it's just stepping out and being prepared to speak your own truth," she said.
"It's about speaking out about things that you think are important.
"Just work to your values and believe that you can do it. Believe that your view is worthwhile, and I guess it's also being prepared to be different, to swim against the tide.
"In my case I kept speaking out because I believed in what I was saying and it has resonated with a lot of people. I'm quite thrilled with the way that the conversations have shifted amongst people from when I started this work."
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