Soul Economy

Founder and designer of Slingfings and Bird Textiles, Rachel is a true inspiration and a great role model for those of you wanting to start a sustainable and ethical business. Regarded as a pioneer of sustainable practices in fashion and interior design, this soulful entrepreneur has challenged the fashion industry and achieved significant success in only a short period of time. Not the least of which, was that her business was the first in Australia to become climate neutral.

The Beginnings….
After studying at the Glasgow School of Art, followed by event director roles at Saatchi Group and The Princes Trust, Rachel followed her passion for the environment and combined this with her design training to start Slingfings and Bird Textiles.

Rachel’s objective was to challenge the fashion industry – an eternally producing and consuming industry – to show designers that it is possible to create beautiful things in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way, without compromising on quality.

“In this age of mass production and mass merchandising, our customers really appreciate our sustainability ethos”

“What it comes down to is corporate responsibility. The buying public is becoming more discerning. People are seeing sense in ethical and sustainable consumerism, and will buy with this in mind if we give them the choice.”

Rachel Bending

The Brands: Promoting Environmental Responsibility & Social Harmony
Rachel’s work started in 2002 with Slingfings, a brand widely recognised for its environmental consciousness. Bird Textiles launched in March 2006 and continues this brand ethos, exposing its products and message to a global marketplace.

Slingfings garments are made from reclaimed vintage fabrics, Bird garments are made from fabrics designed in-house and hand printed using water based dyes.

Gift wrap is printed on recycled paper stock using soy inks.

Products in the homewares and lifestyle fashion ranges are manufactured using 100% renewable solar power.

Rachel: Designer and Educator
Rachel sees her role as both designer and educator. Her role as educator currently encompasses the following:

• ongoing consumer education around sustainability through brand marketing materials and editorial exposure
• undertaking seminars, lectures and studio visits for school children, high school teachers and university undergraduates (specialising in design)
• offering two month long work placements a year to undergraduate fashion or textile design students

The Magical Journey

2002
Rachel starts Slingfings, whilst based in a sustainable grassroots community in the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, using two small solar panels and a couple of old car batteries.

2003
Slingfings is nominated as a Lovemark, an initiative started by Kevin Roberts CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi International, and then featured in ‘The Lovemarks Effect’ book published 2004.

2004
Slingfings is recognised as Australia’s first climate neutral business. Rachel did a life cycle analysis of the carbon costs for the entire business. The carbon impact through from freight of raw
materials, manufacture, operations and delivery of finished goods was calculated so that they could green their carbon emissions by funding projects that slow global warming. This was done by purchasing renewable energy in wind farms and UV solar plants.

2006

• Bird Textiles launches, and writes 20 new accounts within 6 months.
• Glynis Nash from the Powerhouse Museum interviews Rachel and initiates procurement of garments from both Slingfings and Bird Textiles for the permanent collections at the Museum.

2007

• Bird Textiles selected by Austrade to represent Australia in New York at G’Day USA.
• Time Magazine feature Bird Textiles as one of three significant sustainable fashion brands in Australasia.
• Bird Textiles awarded a stand at the new ‘green’ section of Designers and Agents fashion tradefair in Los Angeles and launches Bird in the U.S.
• Bird Textiles featured in ‘Cool Hunting Green’ book, published internationally.
• Curators at the Powerhouse Museum nominate Rachel for a Powerhouse Wizard Award, recognising emerging leaders in Australian innovation and achievement.
• Fashion Group International (a global, non-profit organisation for professionals in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle industries, with an advisory board in New York including executives from Burberry, Vogue, Diane Von Furstenberg and Estee Lauder to name a few) select Bird as a finalist in the Sustainable Product category of the FGI Sydney Awards for Excellence 2007.

2008

• Rachel invited to exhibit at the renowned Artisan Gallery (formerly Craft QLD) as part of their ‘Unleashed’ group exhibition of exceptional craft and design.
• Bird Textiles commissions a mill in India to weave fabrics to their spec in SKAL certified organic cottons, and moves the entire range across to organics. This completes their three fold sustainable vision of using organic or renewable materials, 100% renewable energy in production and 100% climate neutral business practice.
• Bird Textiles Emporium flagship store opens in Surry Hills, Sydney.

The Future
In addition to ongoing strategic international growth, Rachel is committed to further lowering the environmental impact of her businesses. She is currently sourcing ethically produced base fabrics like bamboo, ingeo, hemp and soy from India and Europe so she can introduce a further level of sustainable practice in her work.

Now we here at Soul Economy like to get to know our soulful entrepreneurs a little better, so we asked Rachel a few more questions:

1. What are you reading at the moment?
Dumbo Feather Pass It On.

2. Who would be your dream real-life neighbour?
Tenzin Palmo

3. What do you do to relax?
Get my hands dirty in my garden

4. What is your favourite spot in Byron Bay and why?
The natural waterpark, hidden somewhere in the hills on the edge of the rainforest. Need I say more?

Bird Textiles
Emporium: 380 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills, Sydney NSW 2010 Australia
Showroom: 13 Banksia Drive, Byron Bay NSW 2481 Australia
T: +61 (02) 6680 8633
E: info@birdtextiles.com
W: www.birdtextile.com

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