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Dina Corporate, the brand that supplies Virgin Blue with staff uniforms, has recently become accredited to display the Ethical Clothing Australia trademark on their Australian-made garments.

Ethical Clothing Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that assists local clothing and fashion business to ensure that Australian workers making their garment receive fair wages and decent conditions. It does this through an accreditation and labelling system that provides consumers and buyers with a way to identify and support ethically-made Australian clothing.

Dina Corporate provides Virgin Blue with a total management solution for their uniform needs and also for other accessories. While much of the range is manufactured off-shore, Dina’ Corporate’s managing director, Peter Glynn, said it was essential to have a local manufacturing capacity when catering for a client’s need for unique looks and unique garments.

“At Dina were proud that we’ve managed maintain a local manufacturing base and we’re committed to taking practical steps to ensure that it’s done ethically with everyone involved receiving their legal wages and conditions. That’s why we were keen to formalise our good working relationship with the union by undergoing the accreditation process,” Mr Glynn said.

The iconic red coats worn by Virgin Blue’s flight attendants are made in Sydney along with the leather pilot jackets and many of the staff shirts. Having successfully undergone the accreditation process, Dina will start displaying the Ethical Clothing Australia trademark in future ranges on all of their Australian-made garments.

Ethical Clothing Australia’s national coordinator, Emer Diviney, said any corporation with uniform or clothing-merchandise needs can play a significant role in supporting local and ethical clothing businesses.

“Every bit helps. Whether it’s a shirt, a jacket, the pants - if it’s sourced locally from an accredited brand it helps support our initiative and support local jobs. Obviously, having a uniform comprising exclusively of Australian-made garments from accredited brands would be ideal, but in many cases this simply can’t happen, so we encourage companies to consider whatever components of their uniforms can be sourced ethically as it all helps,” Ms Diviney said.

Picture caption: Ethical Clothing Australia’s national coordinator, Emer Diviney, poses with a V Australia flight crew in uniforms manufactured by accredited brand Dina Corporate.