The Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre of Western Australia (TCFWA) founded by Carol Hanlon in 1998, has expanded over the years to include designedge Fashion Incubator, TCF Australia and TCF Global.   The TCF WA Virtual Incubation model has assisted many thousands of fashion designers in WA, nationally and internationally through a vast range of projects and programs including global village community sewing projects.

In 2009 Carol was awarded the City of Perth Convention Scholarship to attend the 2nd International Fashion Incubator Conference, Atlanta, USA with the mission to bring the 3rd International Conference to Perth 2011.  

During the scholarship travels, visits were undertaken to a range of fashion, creative and business incubators in USA, Canada, New Zealand, Peru, UK, Netherlands and Italy.  During the visits, Carol identified common issues and strengths, meeting up with many committed and passionate Incubators Managers that were the driving force behind each of the operations visited.

Carol identified the need to establish an International Fashion Incubator Network which will provide for better global networking, exchanges of best practice, new opportunities and the continued growth and development of the niche industry Fashion Incubator sector.