UPPAREL Wins Premier’s Sustainability Award!
How our nation-wide clothing collection program earned us the Industry Leader Award in the Waste and Recycling Solutions Category.
- Updated
- March 1, 2024
- 11:24 am
Back in 2020, UPPAREL was nominated for a Premier’s Sustainability Award in the Small and Medium Enterprise category. This nomination recognised the impact made by our Sock Recycling program that launched in September 2019. At the time, the program had diverted 13,000kg of socks from landfill! Unfortunately, we weren’t successful in winning the award and went back work.
Shortly after this nomination, we launched our Australia-wide clothing recycling collection program that enables Australians to recycle not just socks, but any type of clothing, footwear and textile! Since then, this service, and our organisation, has grown exponentially, diverting nearly 2 million kilograms of textiles from landfill in just a few years!
So we are thrilled to share the exciting news that UPPAREL has been honoured with the prestigious Industry Leader Award at the 2023 Premier’s Sustainability Awards, specifically in the Waste and Recycling Solutions category! This recognition is a testament to our commitment to textile recovery and recycling, as well as our dedication to finding innovative ways to repurpose textiles and reduce waste.
Hosted by Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government, the Premier’s Sustainability Awards shine a spotlight on individuals and organizations that are pioneering sustainable practices and leading the charge towards a more environmentally conscious future. We are deeply honoured to be recognised among all the other innovators and change-makers at the event.
During the awards ceremony, we had the privilege of meeting our fellow finalists, each of whom has made significant contributions to sustainability and environmental conservation. It was inspiring to witness the passion and dedication shared by all finalists, reaffirming our belief in the power of collaboration and collective action to drive positive change.
In particular, we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Porous Lane team for receiving the Community Champion award in the same category. Their innovative use of recycled tires to create permeable pavement not only provides functional pathways but also helps divert thousands of tires from landfills, thereby mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to a more sustainable built environment.
We’d also like to extend a massive thank you to our community, partners and of course the whole UPPAREL team that makes the work we do possible. Without everyone’s trust in our purpose and commitment to our mission, we wouldn’t have made anywhere near the impact we have.
Visit Sustainability Victoria’s website to learn more about our entry and the winners: https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/about-us/awards-we-administer/premiers-sustainability-awards
