Ethical Practice
Our story
Supporting Other First Nations Business
Over the years Yarn Strong Sista has built a solid reputation as an Aboriginal business working in the Early Childhood Profession. We utilize this platform to build the economics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Businesses by purchasing, promoting, and selling ethical, local, and authentic resources. We collate Aboriginal resources in collaboration with Aboriginal Artists and Art Groups creating reliable and authentic products in hopes to eliminate the appropriation of Aboriginal art and culture in the industry.
Arron Nicholls is a Yorta Yorta, Wemba Wemba and Wiradjuri Artefact Maker and Aboriginal Educator.
Fair Trade & Ethical Resourcing
At Yarn Strong Sista we are inspired by Indigenous values and foreground these into every element of our business. Our Core Values are to Revive, Reclaim and Represent Cultures and this is inclusive of our International Fair Trade Partners. We strive to support all First Nations Peoples to maintain their Cultural Customs and Traditional Handicrafts, through Global Economic Empowerment.
Our felt toy collections are made by First Nations Nepalese women, whose Families have been felting traditionally for over 1000 years. No business in Australia produces felt toys to the capacity or quality of the Nepalese Community. Sourcing our materials through Fair Trade Organisations means that we are doing our part in empowering First Nations Peoples who work hard to produce resources that meet our high standards of quality.
For Annette Sax, Taungurung Designer and Director of Yarn Strong Sista it is extremely important to use Fairtrade Producers and operate in Sustainable and Ethical ways. We believe working Sustainably reduces harm to Mother Earth and adheres to Aboriginal ways of living and being. Since 2013, we have been visiting Nepal to build strong, meaningful relationships with our Fair Trade Partners and Producers who handcraft Annette’s Aboriginal Education Resources.
Annette’s Designs are inspired by her connection with Taungurung Country, Eastern Kulin Nation. Annette uses Aboriginal Symbolism and Cultural Knowledges shared by her Elders in her design concepts for screen printed fabrics, felted family animal sets, bush mats, coolamons, hand puppets, mobiles for babies, and garlands.
Enterprise for Empowerment
A goal of Yarn Strong Sista has always been to empower and enrich the lives of First Nations Communities. Achieving this has been possible by commissioning Artists, independent suppliers, and Fair Trade workers of all identities. We offer the ‘Yarn Strong Sista Indigenous Scholarship in Commerce’ for First Nations Women in collaboration with Deakin University. As well Yarn Strong Sista is the sole First Nations Sponsor of the 7NEWS Victorian Young Achievers Award under the category ‘Indigenous Achievement Award’.
Robert Williams, Accountant, and Director of YSS initiated the Sponsorship and believes in the importance of both recognizing and positively acknowledging the ingenuity and excellence of First Nations Youth leaders in their communities.
Hollie Johnson is a proud Gunai-Kurnai and Monero-Ngarigo woman who has been working in language reclamation, both by teaching Indigenous language in schools, as well as taking the role of mentor to Indigenous students.