Lush and Clothing The Gaps launch ‘Not a Date to Celebrate’ campaign

Lush Australia has launched a limited‑edition fundraising soap, Always Will Be, partnering with Aboriginal‑owned social enterprise Clothing The Gaps as part of the Not a Date to Celebrate campaign.

On Lush’s Australian website, the company says the campaign supports Clothing The Gaps “in calling for a respectful change to January 26”, and urges people to sign a national petition.

The Always Will Be bar retails at A$11 for 90g, and Lush says 75% of the sales price (excluding tax) will be donated to Clothing The Gaps.

Clothing The Gaps’ Change.org says the petition had reached 90,000 signatures, with a target of 100,000. The same update says the soap is “available in all Lush stores”, with profits supporting the campaign.

National Indigenous Times reported the campaign is backed by two co‑founders of Clothing The Gaps, Ms Laura Thompson and Ms Sarah Sheridan, and Lush Australia’s director Ms Jessielee Pearce.
Ms Thompson said: “Continuing to celebrate on this date ignores these lived realities and undermines national values of respect, unity and reconciliation.

In its campaign article, Lush describes January 26 as a day that is celebrated by some Australians, but is experienced by many First Nations people as “a day of mourning, survival and remembrance”.