Australia’s cotton capital struggles to buy underwear
Published on 28 May 2025
Narrabri Shire Council has launched a bold new campaign with a humorous twist to spotlight a very real problem – despite being one of Australia’s top cotton-producing regions, residents of Narrabri Shire can’t even buy basic affordable cotton essentials like bras, socks or jocks in their own town.
In a new promotional video titled #BringBackSocksAndJocks, the Council presents a tongue-in-cheek scenario where locals are forced to take drastic steps in making their own clothes from the ample raw cotton available in the region. But the message is serious: Narrabri is calling for a major retailer to set up shop in the town.
Narrabri Shire Mayor Darrell Tiemens shared that the campaign is about more than socks and jocks, it’s also about closing the retail gap between regional and metro areas.
“It’s time retailers recognised the growing need in regions like ours. Narrabri Shire produces the cotton that clothes the country, yet our families are driving hours just to buy socks and undies. We’re not asking for luxury – we’re asking for basics,” Mayor Tiemens said.
The lack of a large-format clothing retailer in Narrabri has left many residents without access to affordable, quality essentials. Parents face hours of travel and expense just to clothe their children, while older people, many of whom are not confident online, are left without practical means to shop for basic necessities.
Beyond attracting more retailers to Narrabri, the Council hopes the campaign will spark a larger national conversation about access and equity. The campaign asks why regional and rural Australians, who help drive billions in export and industry value, should be left behind when it comes to something as basic as buying clothes in their own communities.
"Narrabri grows the nation’s fibre, quite literally. So, the idea that we can't even buy socks and jocks in town? It’s laughable,” Mayor Tiemens added.
“We've had a bit of fun highlighting the issue, but the message is serious: it's time for a major retailer to come back and support us.”
Narrabri Shire, home to nearly 13,000 people, generates an annual economic output of almost $6 billion and supports over 6,900 jobs across key industries including cotton, grain, wool, beef, coal mining and gas. The region contributes approximately 11.6% of the national cotton production – a crop valued at nearly $4.1 billion nationwide.
“As an economically strong and resilient community, we are more than contributing to the nation’s bottom line,” Narrabri Shire General Manager Eloise Chaplain said.
“We have a stable workforce, a growing population, and a 20-year rezoning strategy to deliver 2,100 new homes and a vibrant new CBD centre. This is the ideal environment for a major retailer ready to expand.”
With the #BringBackSocksAndJocks campaign, Narrabri Shire Council is urging major retailers to see the opportunity and meet the demand in regional communities that help power the national economy.