Richmond Football Club’s collaboration with SisterWorks will extend to its AFLW match days, starting with this weekend’s AFLW Pride Round clash at the Swinburne Centre.
SisterWorks is a not-for-profit social enterprise that empowers refugee, migrant and asylum-seeking women through work and entrepreneurship.
Richmond has provided SisterWorks a total amount of approximately 96 kilograms of guernseys and other fabrics in recent months, with the upcycled products to be on sale at Saturday’s clash.
The repurposed items, equivalent to 436 units, have been transformed into six different items including multipurpose bags, stuffed toy balls, dog suits and lanyards.
By repurposing 96kg of donated materials, 0.19 tons of CO2 have been saved from landfill, helping the Club fulfil its commitment to fighting climate change.
Richmond became the first Club in the AFL to launch an Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (ESAP) in 2022. The ESAP details the Club’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.
The SisterWorks Shared Values Partnership also has a significant impact on the local community, providing employment hours for migrant and refugee women, totalling 140 hours.
Richmond Sustainability Lead, Gabrielle McKeown said the Club was proud to support the initiative with SisterWorks.
“It's exciting to be able to offer the Tiger Army unique yellow and black products with both a social and sustainability story,” she said.
“There is a lot of substance to our collaboration with SisterWorks, and it will be fitting to have their Richmond products available at our home AFLW games.
“SisterWorks are doing incredible work in the community and for the planet, so we encourage all of the Tiger Army to take the time to learn more about them when attending the game on Saturday and looking at the fantastic products.”
Shamila Gopalan, Chief Commercial Officer of SisterWorks, expressed her pride and optimism about the partnership’s success, which offers migrant and refugee women meaningful work opportunities while advancing environmental sustainability.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved through this partnership. It’s not just about repurposing materials; it’s about providing real opportunities for women to build new skills, earn an income, and connect with the community,” Gopalan said.
“Seeing our Sisters grow, gain confidence, and move toward financial independence is truly fulfilling and exciting for their future.”
Gopalan also praised Richmond Football Club for their innovative waste-diversion efforts.
“The reuse and repurposing of guernseys and other fabric is an inspiring initiative from Richmond, helping to reduce landfill waste. This partnership showcases how organizations can creatively reduce their environmental footprint while driving positive social impact.”
The collaboration will be showcased at this weekend’s AFLW Pride Round, with upcycled Richmond products on sale, symbolizing both sustainability and women’s empowerment through meaningful work.
SisterWorks products will be available this Saturday 12 October at Gate 1 from 1pm. Look for the Tiger Traders signs.
