Guest Speaker - Emily Riggs

Emily Riggs’ story is one of triumph over tragedy. From great loss, she founded the Australian fashion brand, Iris & Wool. Since then, the company has grown into an award-winning label with a loyal following both locally and internationally, turning her childhood dream into a successful reality. 

For as long as she can remember, Emily has loved and found solace in fashion. At just nine-years-old, she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. A year into her treatment, her mother sadly passed away from breast cancer at only 43 years of age. With so much to process at such a young age, Emily turned to fashion. To her, it was so much more than the clothes she wore. Fashion represented hope and gave her the opportunity to show off her creativity. It also “allowed others to look beyond the illness,” she reveals. It was at this time that the idea of starting her own brand first began to form.

Fast forward 15 years and Emily found love with Tom – a Merino sheep farmer. She moved to Burra, in rural mid-north South Australia, to live on a farm. Three years and two children later, she realised her childhood dream and founded Iris & Wool.

Since launching in 2019, the business has steadily grown. Emily traces this to using what she believes is the best fibre in the world – 100% Australian Merino Wool. Renewable, biodegradable, sustainable and breathable – it is the perfect choice for creating a low-impact fashion label. “It really is a super-fibre!” she says.

Iris & Wool’s growth hasn’t gone unnoticed with the brand featured in national press and worn by high-profile influencers across the world. Through this it has remained a company with heart and soul. Emily has never forgotten the reason why she started the label. The Iris in the name is in honour of her mother – it was her favourite flower. Iris & Wool also partners with the Childhood Cancer Association – donating $1 from every sale to the non-profit organisation as well as donating beanies to children newly diagnosed with cancer across South Australia. Emily is now looking towards the future and is excited about expanding the business internationally – introducing the beauty of Australian Merino wool to customers across the world.

Information and Image from: https://irisandwool.com/pages/about-iris-wool

Opening Speaker - Glennis Crawford

Glennis and her late husband Robert joined the North East Branch (SA) of lCPA in the early 1980's. Glennis educated their three sons - Ben, Angus and Henry at home whilst helping Robert run the station. Following Robert's tragic death, Glennis stayed on.

Many would have packed up and left - but Glennis not just managed, but the huge success she made of this is a tribute to her tenacity, dedication and sheer willingness to get on with the job at hand, no matter what the obstacles may be, and this concept has had a big bearing on her involvement with ICPA.

Brian Rowe stated "Glennis joined South Australia State Council in 1987 as an enthusiastic young North East branch representative and, on the basis that you just cannot hold a good woman back, it wasn't long before she took on an Executive role, and she has served State Council over the years as Publicity Officer, Newsletter Editor, Vice President and President, finally retiring from State Council in 2004, and our meetings have been considerably quieter and less exciting since!

Glennis is a firm believer in putting your money where your mouth is, and she demonstrated this by taking on numerous portfolios and a plethora of committees over the years.

Glennis took her ICPA career to another level in 2001 when she joined Federal Council, becoming the Federal Secretary in 2004."

Brian spoke of Glennis' presence at meetings, including the clear and distinct call of "Glennis Crawford - North East branch", often accompanied by a frantically waving hand, - having the capacity to strike trepidation into the hearts of many a chairperson, and woe betide if it is ignored!

"Glennis' dedication to ICPA and to the education of our rural and remote young people has been recognised in the past with awards from the Yunta community in 1994, another from Graham Gunn MP, a South Australia State Council Certificate of Appreciation and of course Life Membership of her own North East branch.