Buya Subi: Woven Futures follows the unfolding of an ambitious international collaboration to revitalise the endangered weaving traditions of Donggala, Central Sulawesi, part of Indonesian cultural heritage which is now at risk of disappearing. At the centre of this effort is Eco Fashion Week Australia founder Dr. Zuhal Kuvan Mills, whose twelve year commitment to sustainable fashion has given Australian and international fashion designers a platform to promote their work. For more than a decade she has advocated for sustainability in fashion, often in an industry that has not always welcomed the message. Despite years of being dismissed, overlooked, and told that “sustainable fashion doesn’t exist,” she has continued to champion artisans, designers, and communities who believe in a different future.
The film traces her journey as she partners with Indonesian leader Diah Agustingsih and the women weavers of Donggala, whose Buya Subi textiles carry centuries of knowledge. Supported by a small but dedicated circle including her husband Carl, fashion journalist Edward Quan, photographer Simon Lau, and designers such as Jose Hendo and Sylvia Calvo, Zuhal works to build international pathways for these textiles through EFWA’s global network. Their efforts align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in partnership with the UN Lifestyle and Fashion Network, and contribute to Indonesia’s broader mission to safeguard traditional textiles showcased on the world stage, including at UNESCO Headquarters.
As the project expands across Australia, Indonesia, and international runways, the documentary reveals the challenges and triumphs of bringing handmade textiles into a global conversation dominated by fast fashion. At its heart, the film explores how one woman’s persistence, supported by a community of collaborators, can help revitalise cultural heritage, empower women, and prove that sustainable fashion is not only possible, but essential.
Alexis Winch-Buist is a Western Australian photographer and filmmaker whose creative work explores the intersection of sustainability, fashion, and visual storytelling. With a background in fine arts and a portfolio of editorial and runway photography, she has collaborated with Eco Fashion Week Australia both locally and internationally, including capturing over 20 designer collections at the Closet of the Anthropocene festival in Florence.
Alexis is passionate about creating imagery that inspires change and is deeply engaged in building creative opportunities for regional artists through collaborative, community-driven projects. She produced a small-scale documentary for the Kimberley Architecture Project in 2005 funded by the Department of Communities in partnership with UWA and has been teaching photography and media studies for the last 8 years. She also runs South West Photo Walk, a community project to support creative development in the south west.
