Emma Hakansson

Emma Hakansson
BornSeptember 1999
London
CitizenshipAustralian/Swedish
Occupation(s)Writer, activist, and advocate
Known forWriter, activist, and advocate for ethical fashion, animal rights, and child protection
Websiteemmahakansson.com.au

Emma Hakansson (born September 1999) is an Australian-Swedish writer and activist who focuses on ethical fashion, animal rights, and child protection. She is the founding director of Collective Fashion Justice,[1] a non-profit organization that prioritizes people, animals, and the environment over profit.[2] ted award-winning short films focused on ethical fashion and social justice.[3][4]

Hakansson is also involved in efforts to prevent child sexual abuse and is the Chair of the Australian Childhood Foundation’s Lived Experience Advisory Committee.[5] She has written several books and directed short films that have received awards, focusing on ethical fashion and social justice.[3][4]

Early life and education

Hakansson initially worked as a model but was dropped by her agency due to her ethical stance on animal rights and sustainability.[6] She later transitioned into advocacy, writing, and filmmaking. Hakansson attended the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, where she completed her secondary education between 2016 and 2017.[7]

Career

Emma Hakansson established Collective Fashion Justice (CFJ), an organization focused on promoting ethical and environmental considerations within the fashion industry.[1][4][8] The organization supports fashion that is better for the environment, does not use animals, and treats workers fairly.[4][8] CFJ has taken part in law-making efforts, given advice to fashion companies, and worked to inform the public. It has also helped bring about policy changes at fashion weeks in London, Copenhagen, Berlin, and Melbourne,[4][8] leading to bans on fur, wild animal skins, and feathers.[1][4][8] Additionally, CFJ has worked with groups such as the United Nations Environment Programme and Fashion Revolution.,[9] and the Center for Biological Diversity.[10][11] It has also released research reports on the environmental and ethical effects of using animal materials in fashion. The group has made short films, such as Willow & Claude and SHIRINGA: Fashion Regenerating Amazonia, about other options for making fashion more sustainable.[12][13]

Hakansson has directed and produced multiple films focusing on ethical fashion and social justice. Her short film Willow & Claude (2022) won Best Documentary at the Amsterdam Fashion Film Festival.[4] She also directed SHIRINGA: Fashion Regenerating Amazonia (2025),[4] a documentary exploring sustainable, Indigenous-led bio-leather production in the Amazon, which has received multiple awards. In addition to her directorial work, she contributed to the feature documentary SLAY (2022) as a researcher, line producer, and interviewee, addressing ethical concerns within the fashion industry.[14] Beyond filmmaking, Hakansson co-hosts the Fashion, Really? podcast and has made appearances on Wardrobe Crisis,[15] BBC's Woman's Hour[16] and ABC Radio.[17]

Advocacy for child protection

Hakansson is also involved in advocacy for child protection, particularly in the prevention of child sexual abuse.[17][18] A survivor herself, in 2022, she launched Emma’s Project (collectively renamed Our Collective Experience Project with other survivors),[17] a survivor-led initiative from the Australian Childhood Foundation aimed at gathering insights from abuse survivors to inform child protection policies. She has co-authored reports advocating for mandatory child abuse prevention[18] training as part of the Working With Children Check and has lobbied for legislative changes, contributing to the passage of a reform motion in New South Wales in 2025.[19] She currently serves as Chair of the Australian Childhood Foundation’s Lived Experience Advisory Committee. Her advocacy efforts have been covered by media outlets including ABC, The Australian, Mamma Mia, and Triple J’s Hack program.[20][21]

Books

Hakansson is the author of multiple books focused on ethics, sustainability, and collective liberation. These include:[3]

  • How Veganism Can Save Us (Hardie Grant, 2022)
  • Total Ethics Fashion (2023), was named one of the best style books of the year by The Financial Times[22]
  • Sub-Human (Lantern Press, 2024), which explores animal rights and ethical considerations in society[23]

Her articles, quotes and research have been featured in The Guardian,[24] Business of Fashion,[25] Vogue,[26] and others.[25]

Awards and recognition

Hakansson has received several awards for her advocacy and activism:

  • Voiceless Award for Youth Advocacy (2023) by the Animal Justice Foundation[27]
  • International Women’s Day Award (2021) from PETA[28]
  • Listed in the Vox Future Perfect 50 (2024) for her contributions to climate activism[29]
  • Named in Herald Sun’s 25 Under 25 (2025) for her impact in advocacy and activism.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Bramley, Ellie Violet (2024-03-31). "Skins and feathers are as cruel as fur, the fashion industry is told". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  2. ^ Hamlett, Claire (2023-09-20). "New Book Explores How Fashion Can Prioritize Animals, Humans, And The Planet". Plant Based News. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  3. ^ a b c "Emma Hakansson". Amazon.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Emma Hakansson | Director, Writer, Producer". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  5. ^ "Emma Hakansson". childtraumaconference.org. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  6. ^ Anonymous (2025-02-01). "Leather do well". The Monthly. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  7. ^ "Conscious Creativity with Willow founder, Emma Hakansson". Bob Hair Co. 2019-07-19. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  8. ^ a b c d e "subscription required". www.heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  9. ^ "Total ethics fashion: bringing the planet, people and animals together : Fashion Revolution". www.fashionrevolution.org. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  10. ^ "Collective Fashion Justice | Department of Economic and Social Affairs". sdgs.un.org. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  11. ^ "Wool Production Is Accelerating the Biodiversity Crisis". 2021-11-30. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  12. ^ Jin, Jim (2021-09-16). "On the world stage". Central Queensland Today. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  13. ^ Chua, Jasmin Malik (2025-02-07). "This Latex-Based Leather Alternative Fights Deforestation in the Amazon". Sourcing Journal. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  14. ^ "CREW". SLAY. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  15. ^ "Ep187, Emma Hakansson - "If we want total ethics in fashion, we can't ignore animals."". Wardrobe Crisis. 2023-06-08. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  16. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, Marisha Wallace on Cabaret, Giving birth in prison, DR Congo, Ethical fashion". BBC. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  17. ^ a b c "Child abuse survivor Emma Hakansson leads campaign to help build better prevention and support strategies". ABC listen. 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  18. ^ a b "Plucky abuse survivor on a mission". www.theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  19. ^ "parliament.nsw.gov". www.parliament.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  20. ^ Bath, Gemma (2022-07-12). "Emma is a survivor of child sexual abuse. This is what she wants parents to know". Mamamia. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  21. ^ "Big changes to unemployment payments". triple j. 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  22. ^ Indvik, Lauren (2023-11-17). "Best books of 2023 — Fashion". Financial Times. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  23. ^ "Sub-Human? The Psychology of Anthropocentric Exceptionalism | Psychology Today". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  24. ^ "Gloves made of cat fur sold at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 2022-05-20. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  25. ^ a b "Fashion's Animal Welfare Taboo". The Business of Fashion. 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  26. ^ Chan, Emily (2025-01-26). "Is Wearing Vintage Fur Socially Acceptable Now?". British Vogue. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  27. ^ "Prizes and Sponsorships". Voiceless. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  28. ^ "PETA's International Women's Day Awards". PETA Australia. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
  29. ^ Walsh, Bryan (2024-11-21). "The 2024 Future Perfect 50". Vox. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
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