World Oceans Day: Our Commitment to AMCS
This World Oceans Day, SARAH & SEBASTIAN is proud to deepen our support of the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), a long-standing partner of our philanthropic Xanthe Project, through a $50,000 donation to support their vital work protecting Australia’s marine environments.
As Australia’s leading national charity dedicated solely to ocean conservation, AMCS has spent more than sixty years advocating for the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems and wildlife threatened by climate change, pollution, and destructive commercial fishing practices. Their work — grounded in science, education, and community action — continues to play a critical role in safeguarding the future of our oceans, making them a partner our team feels incredibly passionate about supporting.
Most recently, we worked alongside AMCS on a campaign advocating for stronger nature laws in Australia, helping raise awareness around the urgent need for greater environmental protection and accountability. Earlier this year, our team also travelled to Far North Queensland alongside AMCS during the filming of a new documentary exploring the legacy of Ellison Reef — the reef that helped spark the creation of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Australian Marine Conservation Society itself. Witnessing firsthand the work being done by scientists, conservationists, Traditional Owners, and advocates to better understand the future of these fragile ecosystems was a powerful reminder of the importance of collective action and long-term environmental protection.
Ocean conservation remains at the heart of SARAH & SEBASTIAN and The Xanthe Project. We are incredibly grateful to continue working closely with the AMCS team and to support the important work they do every day to protect the oceans that inspire everything we create.
Discover more about the Australian Marine Conservation Society and support their work here.
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Ellison Reef: The Reef That Saved Them All
Imagery by Harriet Spark Earlier this year, ourGlobal Head of Brand, Matt Lennon, travelled to Far North Queensland alongside theAustralian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), as documentary filmmakers Harriet Spark and Richard “Woody” Spark of Grumpy Turtle Films set out to capture the story of one of the most consequential reefs in Australia’s conservation history for their new film. In 1967, Ellison Reef became the unlikely battleground for a proposal to mine coral rubble. What followed would change the course of environmental protection in Australia. A small group of citizen scientists, artists and local advocates rallied to prove that the reef was alive and worth saving. Their efforts halted the mining proposal, sparked a national outcry and helped lead to the creation of the Australian Marine Conservation Society and the eventual establishment of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Ellison would come to be known as “the reef that saved all reefs.” “THE REEF THAT SAVED ALL REEFS.” Nearly sixty years later, a new generation has returned. Scientists, community divers, reef advocates and Mandubarra Sea Country rangers have revisited Ellison Reef to better understand how it has changed — and what it might reveal about the future of coral ecosystems as climate pressures intensify. During our visit, we joined the AMCS team on the reef as Harriet and Woody documented the resurvey and the people behind it. Through their lens, the film combines archival material, science, art and intimate underwater storytelling, reflecting on the legacy of the original Fight for the Reef campaign while bringing today’s urgency into clear view. Recently premiering as part of the Ocean Lovers film festival, Ellison: The Reef That Saved Them All is both a reflection on Australia’s conservation origins and a reminder that meaningful change often begins with committed individuals willing to speak up for the places that matter most. Through our philanthropic initiative the Xanthe Project, we are proud to support organisations like AMCS who continue this work; protecting the reefs that shape our oceans, and our future. Learn more about Ellison Reefand where you can see the film for yourselfhere.
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Operation Crayweed: The Revival of Sydney’s Underwater Forests
Crayweed might not be well known, but its impact is profound. Much like forests on land, these underwater habitats support hundreds of marine species, stabilise coastal environments and absorb carbon from the atmosphere. Without them, marine biodiversity suffers and so does the broader health of our ocean. Once abundant along Sydney’s coastline, the native seaweed Phyllospora comosa disappeared in the 1980s due to pollution. For decades, the underwater landscape has remained bare where vibrant forests once flourished. This loss isn’t just ecological. It’s deeply felt by anyone who fishes, dives or enjoys seafood. Without seaweed forests, the species they shelter—such as crayfish, abalone, and countless others—vanish too. "This loss isn’t just ecological. It’s deeply felt by anyone who fishes, dives or enjoys seafood." Operation Crayweed is working to bring these forests back. Led by Professor Adriana Vergés and a team of marine scientists, it’s a hands-on effort to replant lost crayweed by hand, with the goal of restoring 70 kilometres of Sydney’s coastline. In September, the SARAH & SEBASTIAN team joined Operation Crayweed at Wylies Baths in Coogee to help restore this vital ecosystem. Working alongside the team on site, we helped prepare live crayweed to be planted in the shallows, replanting over 100 crayweeds across the day. [featured_images1] As a brand deeply connected to the ocean, we feel a responsibility to help protect its future. Kelp forests are intrinsic to the Great Southern Reef that lies at our doorstep and have long inspired our work, not only for their beauty but for their role in sustaining marine life. Seeing these ecosystems under threat only deepens our commitment. "As a brand deeply connected to the ocean, we feel a responsibility to help protect its future." Through The Xanthe Project™, we’re proud to support initiatives like Operation Crayweed, focused on tangible, long-term ecological impact.
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Take 3 For The Sea: Protecting What Is Precious
The ocean remains a defining influence on SARAH & SEBASTIAN’s design ethos. Its movement, depth and raw beauty continue to inspire our work while reinforcing our responsibility to protect it. In 2022, we launched our philanthropic initiative, The Xanthe Project™, a long term commitment to safeguarding the marine environments that shape our designs. Through partnerships, education and direct action, the initiative supports organisations working to protect the future of our oceans. Yet the scale of the challenge continues to grow. Each year, millions of tonnes of plastic enter the ocean, travelling through streets, drains and waterways before reaching the sea. What disappears from view rarely disappears at all. Over time, plastic breaks down into microplastics that spread through ecosystems and threaten marine life. The SARAH & SEBASTIAN team gathered at Coogee Beach alongside our partner Take 3 For The Sea. More than 40 volunteers came together for a morning of education and collective action. At first glance, the coastline appeared pristine. But the closer we looked, the more we found. Fragments of plastic caught between rocks. Cigarette butts pressed into the sand. Foam packaging scattered through the grass along the foreshore. In just over an hour, our team removed 5,486 pieces of waste, totalling 17.5 kilograms of debris. Among them were 2,379 cigarette butts, alongside hundreds of plastic fragments and pieces of foam insulation. Unexpected finds included an air mattress, nicotine pouches and SIM cards, fragments of everyday life that had washed ashore. Beaches like Coogee are cleaned regularly by local councils, yet much of this debris remains hidden in plain sight. Many pieces were partially buried in the sand or tangled within coastal vegetation. Others had already broken down into smaller fragments, almost invisible at first glance. Plastic rarely disappears. Instead, it breaks apart, becoming smaller and more widespread over time. These particles are often mistaken for food by marine animals, causing lasting harm within marine ecosystems. Moments like this reveal how easily everyday waste finds its way to the ocean. Through The Xanthe Project™, SARAH & SEBASTIAN continues to support initiatives that protect and restore marine environments. The same ocean that inspires our work is the one we must continue to safeguard. Discover more about the Xanthe Project here.
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