Launched in 2007, multiple award-winning Pure Pod is an Australian pioneer eco fashion label founded by Kelli Donovan and her partner and lifestyle photographer Sean Watson.

Pure Pod collections are described as chic, contemporary and stylish, with an urban influence. Pure Pod—100% Australian designed and made—uses ethical and eco credentials, as much as possible, to produce garments from farm through to finished product.

The company creates beautifully created collections with unique and high-quality eco and sustainable textiles made with sustainable fibres, hand-printed eco inks, natural fibres grown without pesticides and chemicals, natural dyes and trims made from bamboo, coconut, nuts and wood and all garments are made in Australia.

Pure Pod’s philosophy is: Be AWARE of what you WEAR.

Q. Thinking back on 2013, what goals have you achieved that you are most proud of?
2013 was a year of re-establishing Pure Pod after I moved with husband Sean from Byron Bay back to our hometown. Canberra has opened its heart to our clothing and we’ve continued to grow our customer base locally and internationally.

Online sales began to boom and participating in designer markets helped us find our feet. We also found local makers and fashion industry people to help us grow our business within the region.

We won Best Eco Fashion Product at the Green Lifestyle Magazine Awards in Sydney and were interviewed for our eco-fashion achievements on a world-wide online web eco fashion seminar. One exciting achievement was taking part in Fashfest. It launched Pure Pod into the minds of Canberra’s women, and we haven’t looked back.

Q. What is on the agenda for Pure Pod in 2014?
Many exciting projects are underway. We’re working on new winter products, a new summer line, increasing our wholesale lines and getting ready for Fashfest 2014.

One of our most exciting projects is the launch of our ‘Dirt Girl World’ children’s collection. ‘Dirt Girl World’ is an award-winning ABC2 children’s program and Pure Pod has signed a license to produce a range of eco-children’s clothing based on the program for Australia, NZ and the UK. We’ll launch this later in 2014. In signing this license we hope Pure Pod will bring textile and fashion employment to the region.

Q. What does it mean to you to be participating as a designer in FASHFEST 2014?
It’s exciting to have returned to Canberra and be a part of this fantastic fashion event. When I left 20 years ago, after studying in fashion design at the Canberra Institute of Technology, there was nothing like this here. It helped us launch our brand at local level, but at the same time made waves nationally. Fashfest is professional and entertaining. It’s not just a fashion event. It’s a fashion experience. We love celebrating Canberra’s talented arts sector, including designers, musicians, models, hair and makeup stylists, milliners, jewellers and other creative.

A few just for fun:
Q. I would love to travel to – India, Portugal, Morocco—anywhere third world because Sean and I love to travel and explore exciting places and cultures. We find creative inspiration in the smells, colours, traditions, landscapes and people. We just board a plane and go, but we never really get a holiday because we work for ourselves.
Q. My heaven on earth is lying in the backyard on the grass, near the beach or outdoors in the warm sun, with my daughter, Sean and our dog Cooper, and having a picnic.
Q. If I could have one thing in the whole world it would be an eco house or studio or more kids. I’ve always wanted a completely modern, self-sufficient home and studio, bathed in natural light, with a beautiful garden. This would increase my inspiration and creative essence.
Q. My favourite designer is Katherine Hamnett because she was an original eco pioneer who made a statement through her designs to the world. She made the first ‘Choose life’ t-shirts in the 80s and made political statements about nuclear weapons, the destructive cotton industry and the effects they had on people and the planet.
Q. The greatest risk I ever took was when I spent my last savings on starting Pure Pod in 2007. To this day, I still take a risk by choosing to follow my dream rather than securing a stable income and the lifestyle a full-time job may give. But working as an eco pioneer in the fashion industry and going against all odds to make this happen is worth it. We all have to follow our dreams. I don’t want to wake up in 20 years’ time and think ‘What if?’

Thanks Kelli!

Pure Pod will also be appearing at Fashfest this year for the second time.

Fashfest 29 April to 3 May
Canberra Airport
Tickets: www.fashfest.com.au