EFWA 2026 - SEMINAR: THREADS OF CHANGE
WHY HANDMADE IS THE FUTURE
A vital educational program featuring designers, textile researchers and cultural custodians discussing:
Why handmade textiles are the most sustainable textile
Preserving endangered weaving traditions
Natural dyes, fibres & slow processes
Ethical trade & protecting artisan intellectual property
Green economy, UN & SDG targets
Limited spaces available. Reserve your spot via humanitix (click on the button below).
- SEMINAR SPEAKERS -
Professor Ayu Wahyuningsih - Tadulako University, Palu, Indonesia
Prof. Ayu Wahyuningsih is a Professor of Marketing and currently serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business at Tadulako University, Indonesia. She earned her PhD from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, and her Master’s degree from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Her academic and professional interests focus on community economic empowerment, particularly strengthening local economies, local heritage, and community-based enterprises to access and compete in global markets. She has been actively involved as a keynote speaker and invited speaker at various national and international conferences and has published extensively in international journals and academic books. Through her research, academic leadership, and community engagement, she is committed to bridging local potential with global opportunities and promoting inclusive, sustainable, and globally connected economic development.
Carol Hanlon - CEO/Founder TCF WA/ AUS/ Global
Carol Hanlon has over 55 years experience in the Australian and Global Fashion, textile manufacturing industries across many business sectors, design, innovation, manufacturing, supply chains, sustainability, and business skills development.
Carol Hanlon established her own fashion label in 1974 ‘Carol Hanlon’ in Victoria and successfully designed and manufactured, wholesaled and retailed her label for nearly 20 years. Carol’s label was stocked by hundreds of boutiques across Australia and overseas and featured in leading global fashion magazines.
After relocating to Perth, Western Australia, Carol established not-for-profit industry associations - the 'Belmont Business Enterprise Centre Inc. ('BBEC) in 1994 assisting small businesses to start and grow their business and founded in 1998, the 'Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre of Western Australia Inc'. (TCFWA) a not-for- profit association. TCFWA's goal was to assist new and existing designers and TF manufacturers to grow and develop their business and has since expanded to also establish TCF Australia & TC Global.
Dr. Anne Farren - Academic Advisor, Curtin University
Dr Anne Farren is a maker, educator, curator and researcher in the fields of fashion design, and textiles. She originally trained as an arts educator with textiles as a major area of study with experience gained in spinning, weaving, print and dye providing the foundations of her practice and career in the arts.
In her practice as maker, educator, curator and researcher she is driven by a passion for design innovation and the craft of making, with both traditional and new technologies applied to the enhancement of the hand-made. Since the 1990s she has been engaged in collaborations with colleagues in Australia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, and China, working on projects designed to support the development of local connection with a global community of practice focussed on the significance of cultural preservation to sustainability.
In her role as an academic at Curtin University, Dr Farren led the introduction of fashion studies at Curtin University and coordinated the course for over 20 years. She introduced studies in sustainable fashion, led a Western Australian team in the writing and launch of 'The State of Fashion & Textile Circularity in WA' Report and initiated the research project 'Closing the Loop on Textile Waste Locally'.
Anne draws on a lifetime of knowledge gained from living in regional, urban and city environments, working with community and engagement in making over the past 50 years, that have provided her with experience of fibre harvesting, in yarn making, weaving, knitting, dyeing, sewing and object construction. She brings to projects her journey as a maker, teacher, academic, researcher, facilitator, collaborator and mentor.
Dra. Dish Agustiningsih, M.Pd Head Tourism Office of Central Sulawesi
Born in Palu, Diah Agustiningsih is a passionate leader and educator dedicated to empowering communities through education, sustainability, and tourism.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education from the State University of Makassar and a Master’s Degree in English Education from the State University of Malang.
Currently serving as the Head of the Tourism Office of Central Sulawesi, Diah plays a vital role in promoting sustainable tourism and fostering cultural appreciation within the region.
Her work reflects a deep commitment to education, people empowerment, and creative industries such as fashion and sustainable development.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Diah enjoys exploring the world through culinary experiences and traveling, embracing every opportunity to learn from diverse cultures and perspective.
Dr. Zuhal Kuvan-Mills - CEO/ Founder Eco Fashion Week Australia
Founder and Curator of Eco Fashion Week Australia, Visual artist and Sustainable Environmentally conscious haute-couture fashion artist. The Western Australia-based artist has two unique labels to her name – Atelier Zuhal, an artisan studio specialising in handmade textiles alpaca and merino fibres, and Green Embassy, a cutting-edge avant-garde ‘slow fashion’ clothing label employing earth-friendly, handcrafted techniques.
Zuhal began her professional career as a Veterinary Surgeon graduating from Istanbul University in 1986. She then worked as an Animal Science, Environmental Science and Conservation lecturer in England until 2004. In 2004 she returned to her biggest passion of Contemporary Art, she studied at the University of Creative Arts in Farnham, England and in 2010, graduated with a Visual Arts degree from Curtin University in WA with several awards.
Zuhal is probably Australia’s most well-known Eco fashion artist.
Amee Dennis - Farmer, Fibre Artist & Eco Designer
Amee Dennis is a South Australian fibre artist, designer, and storyteller whose work is grounded in authenticity and connection to place. Working between the farm and the studio, she transforms raw, locally sourced materials — from alpaca fleece raised on her family property to handmade paper crafted from native Central Australian grasses — into handcrafted jewellery, accessories, clothing, and art that celebrate the natural colours, textures, and the stories behind them.
Her paddock-to-product philosophy bridges agriculture and art, exploring how materials can retain the truth of where they came from while being re-imagined through design. Each work carries an honesty born from the land — imperfect, resilient, and beautifully real.
Amee’s work unites refined design with authenticity, proving that style and substance can share the same story. Her pieces are intentional — created to be touched, worn, or lived with. For her, design is storytelling; a conversation between maker, material, and environment. She works with what the land provides and redefines it, proving that authenticity outlasts trends — and that true creativity begins in the paddock, not the studio.
