TCF Australia Online Training Mentoring Project will provide a free Help Desk and Mentoring support to small businesses attending Fashion Exposed August 29th-31st at Melbourne Exhibition Centre. TCF Australia Helpdesk expertise available will include access online web site support, linkages through TCF Global supplier and sourcing networks, marketing support, IT and new mobile technologies. Additional business mentoring support will also be available through the TCF Australia Improving Enterprise Productivity through Best Practice program which will cover areas of Managing Human Resources, Creating Environmental Sustainability and Adopting New Technologies.

The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Resource Centre of WA (TCF WA) and TCF Australia will be sponsoring 9 Australian emerging fashion businesses to attend Fashion Exposed in Melbourne this month. Fashion Exposed is Australasia’s premier trade fashion event, and is being held from the 29th to the 31st of August 2010 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. With a reputation for launching new labels, cutting edge designers and showcasing the big brands, the August 2010 fashion event will showcase more than 1,500 new ranges in womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, streetwear and more.

TCFWA (The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Resource Centre of Western Australia Inc) has recently been awarded funding to implement two exciting projects under the Enterprise Connect WIIN (Workshops, Industry Intelligence and Networking) program. WIIN is a competitive small grants program that helps organisations to deliver seminars, workshops and other activities to small and medium sized businesses in the Enterprise Connect target markets. The aim of WIIN is to provide relevant information on good business practices to businesses to help them reach their full potential.

Perth will host the 3rd International Conference of Fashion Incubators in 2011, and the event is calling for papers now. Conference Convenor Carol Hanlon was successful in winning the conference for Perth through her award in the prestigious 2009 City of Perth Convention Scholarship prize which enabled her to travel to the 2nd International Fashion Incubator in Atlanta in the USA and beyond in 2009, and her dream was realised when she then won the opportunity to bring the 3rd International Fashion Incubator Conference to Perth in 2011. The conference is currently calling on interested partners and sponsors.

At June 5th State Conference of Business and Professional Women Western Australia (BPW) held in Mandurah, Christine della Vedova was awarded the honour of Young Business & Professional Woman of the Year 2010. Christine a member of Belmont BPW has international & local experience in volunteering and in recent years has focused attention on culturally and linguistically diverse women and children (CaLD) in the local Perth community.

TCFWA / Belmont BEC is coordinating an opportunity for Australian and International fashion designers, retailers and manufactures to join a buying mission to India International Garment Fair, New Delhi, July 12-14, 2010 showing Spring/Summer 2011. The buying mission will provide the opportunity for eligible firms to apply for sponsored airfare and two night’s accommodation sponsorship.

TCF Australia Online Training Mentoring Project will provide free access to eCommerce business workshops, online web mentoring, ‘Ask an Expert’ forums and helpline access to small businesses operating in the textile, clothing, footwear & leather industry across Australia. The project will help participants improve their skills in website development, web marketing strategies and online sales tools that will assist to increase brand exposure, increase sales & profitability.

The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Resource Centre of WA (TCF WA) in conjunction with TCF Australia, designedge Fashion Incubator and Fashion Exposed will be sponsoring 6 emerging Australian fashion businesses to exhibit at Fashion Exposed in Sydney this month. Fashion Exposed is Australasia’s premier trade fashion event, and is being held from the 14th to the 16th of February 2010 at the Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour.

Ms Carol Hanlon, President of Belmont Business Professional Women (Belmont BPW) will be representing local women at the upcoming fifty-fourth session of the United Nations – Commission on the Status of Women to be held from the 1st to the 12th of March 2010 in New York. The Commission on the Status of Women will undertake a fifteen-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly.

Carol Hanlon, Manager of the Belmont Business Enterprise Centre (Belmont BEC), and Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre WA (TCFWA / TCF Global) has recently returned from an amazing world journey after winning the coveted 2009 City of Perth Convention Scholarship which was worth $10,000. The City of Perth Convention Scholarship is designed to assist the winner, from a not-for-profit organization, in their personal and professional development, either through attendance at a relevant international conference or undertaking further study in their field of chosen study or endeavour.

Carol Hanlon, Founding Manager of the Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre Inc. (TCFWA), Designedge Fashion Incubator and Belmont Business Enterprise Centre Inc (Belmont BEC) is delighted to announce that the 3rd International Fashion Incubator Conference will be held in Perth, September 2011 during the staging of Perth Fashion Festival. The International Conference will offer new opportunities for fashion business educators and fashion trade events from around the globe to network, discuss best practice and expand global designer marketing and promotional opportunities. The event will also launch an International Fashion Incubator Organisation that will form strategic alliances, share networks and develop new opportunities for Fashion Incubators and its designer members.

TCF Global & the Textile Clothing and Footwear Resource Centre of WA (TCFWA), is calling for donations to continue the TCF Ormoc project. This project began in 2007 and ships much needed sewing materials to Ormoc in the Philippines. 21 Village community centres have been established, and received fantastic results during 2008, including the assistance of 130 men and women to start their own micro sewing businesses. Each of the centres assists participants to create evening wear, children's wear, uniforms, and home wares.

TCF Ormoc is pleased to announce that a second freight of supplies is headed to the Philippines! This project, which collects sewing donations from across Western Australia to ship to Ormoc, was started in 2007 by The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Resource Centre of WA (TCFWA) and Business and Professional Womens Clubs of Belmont & Western Australia (BPW).

The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Resource Centre of Western Australia Inc (TCFWA) provide a valuable resource for the design industry. Since being established in 1998, the centre has been so successful, that it now receives requests from across Australia and overseas, from organisations and designers wishing to be involved.

The 'Managing your Firm through the Global Downturn’ Workshop series is an Australian Government funded program through Enterprise Connect and supported by TCFWA, TCF Australia, Belmont Business Enterprise Centre Inc (Belmont BEC) and designedge fashion incubator.

Selling rubbish since 1998 is the catchcry of Scott Kilmartin from Haul, winner of B3000 City of Melbourne Business of the Year 2008 who is making flying visit to Perth to support two events being staged on May 20th by the Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre of WA (TCFWA) and Belmont BEC – Small Business Centre. Haul makes product for enterprises from their billboards, uses both found and recycled materials for installation art pieces, makes furniture for bars and cafes and designs urban lifestyle accessories, Haul is green, street, design, furniture, art and innovation.

Carol Hanlon, Manager Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre (TCFWA) Belmont Business Enterprise Centre and Belmont Small Business Centre (Belmont BEC/SBC) has won the coveted City of Perth Convention Scholarship for 2008/2009 which is worth $10,000.

The Designedge Fashion Incubator is the only virtual fashion incubator in Australia. It provides a virtual shop front for more than 40 small fashion businesses currently, and 10 feature Indigenous designers. The incubator not only gives local fashion designers a chance to show and sell their work, but it provides the opportunity for fashion designers to access business information, mentoring and small business skills workshops so they can grow their businesses in Australia and internationally.

Carol Hanlon has a vast and impressive resume which has seen her serve the local Belmont community in numerous roles for 15 years. Carol’s diverse experience also includes being Founding Manager and Facilitator of the Belmont Business Enterprise Centre Inc. (BEC) - Small Business Centre Belmont (SBC), Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre of Western Australia Inc. (TCFWA) and the designedge fashion incubator.