Wootten
Wootten was founded in Adelaide's iconic Jam Factory arts collective in the mid 1970s surrounded by Australia’s leading craft practitioners. The generational tradition of handcrafting boots and leather goods continues from their repurposed WW2 munitions workshop in the historic city of Ballarat - Victoria.
Lead by Master Cordwainer, Jess Wootten, Wootten’s small team of highly skilled leather craftspeople are renowned for their timeless and considered approach to design, craft and construction. This has borne an uncompromising pursuit of quality over quantity, making Wootten unique in the Australian footwear industry for the best part of 50 years. Quality, durability and craftsmanship are the cornerstone of Wootten's ethos.
Wootten is run by husband and wife team, Jess and Krystina (pictured), and comprises of four craftspeople with a combined experience of over 50 years in the leather industry.
Humphrey Law
In 1947 Sidney Humphrey and Albert Law formed a partnership to make socks in Australia. They built a factory on land that had been a lemon orchard in the bush at Heathmont about 20 miles out of Melbourne
That factory still exists, although it has been considerably extended, and while the original partners have died, sockmaking continues there under the management of Albert Law’s children Rob and Elizabeth.
From the beginning, the aim of Humphrey Law & Co Pty Ltd was to provide quality and value for money. This has not changed. Today’s Humphrey Law socks are carefully made with the finest natural yarns - predominantly wool and cotton - and sold at realistic and competitive prices.
Humphrey Law continues to make socks wholly in Australia. That way, they can ensure their quality in a way that is simply not possible for importers whose manufacturing is distant from them. More importantly Humphrey Law provides employment for Australians and keeps some manufacturing capacity in Australia.
Humphrey Law is the Sock Specialist – they make only socks. By concentrating and producing one thing very well they continue to produce the very best socks possible.
Carlisle Hats
Carlisle Hats began 16 years ago in St Kilda East and is run by Leanne and her husband Tibor, both makers and creatives in the hats business.
It can take about a week to produce their hats and Wootten are proud to stock these locally made beauties.
Hills Hats New Zealand
The Hills Hats story began in 1875 when Englishman Chas Hill opened Hill and Sons, Men’s Hatters on Wellington’s Lambton Quay.
Chas knew his hats. He had worked in the business in his home city of Bristol before setting out for the other side of the world. He travelled via Australia to Auckland looking for the ideal place to open a hatter’s shop. A savvy businessman, Chas quickly realised that as the seat of government Wellington was where he would find the majority of elite hat wearers.
The business flourished. By 1890 Chas had added another two shops to his business, in Napier and Nelson. He made his own hats as well as representing major companies from around the world. His advertising announced “We are in receipt of regular shipments of Hats from the following High-Class Makers: Christy and Co., Stetson and Co., Tress and Co…”
When he retired Chas’ son and later his grandson took over the reins. Over the following decades the business expanded to make an ever-growing range of headwear including fashion, outdoor, and uniform hats and berets.
Today Hills Hats continue to enhance the business established by the adventurous Chas over 140-years-ago. But now it’s they who design, make and supply high-end hat specialists around the world.
The team at Hills Hats love hats and are at the forefront of the hat revolution, encouraging people to come back to the hat as everyday wear.
Penelope Durston
With a degree in Textile Design and a passion for all things textile-based, Pene Durston spent 20+ years freelancing in fabric, fashion, accessory and homeware design before opening Cottage Industry Store in 2008 in Fitzroy. The concept behind the store was to bring together all the products coming out of the studio and to tell the story behind their creation.
A core product of the range has been the angora and lambswool fingerless gloves and accessories, made in the studio in Fitzroy and all hand-dyed in small batches, a Melbourne staple for almost 20 years.
Lord Bloomfield
Lord Bloomfield is the pseudonym for Master Armourer, Sam Bloomfield. Sam creates armoury and other metal wizardry out of his workshop in regional Victoria. This includes beautiful brass shoe horns for the Wootten Goods store.
The Knit Studio
Dean Jones founded The Knit Studio in 2008 after spending twenty years in the industry. He crafts our beanies out of 100% extra fine Merino wool out of his tin shed in the Mornington Peninsula and chips away at his work often in the company of his daughter, Sage.
Denimsmith
Vihn Le and his wife Lam have been in the clothing industry for over thirty years. Vihn opened his own factory in the 1990s with a focus on denim clothing manufacturing, helping to establish local clothing companies, such as Nobody Denim. Denimsmith was borne in 2015 and continues to make high quality denim garments for businesses and locals alike. Approximately ten sets of hands and hearts enrich every Denimsmith jean.
The Rag Trade
Melbourne and Australia's rag trade were synonymous for decades. Much like the footwear industry, the tariff cuts in the 80s all but killed it off. There are a handful of local manufacturers that have endured like ourselves. We aim to partner with them to produce all of our apparel both ethically and locally.
Our T-Shirts are made from Australian cotton, milled, cut and sewn in Melbourne by a company who have been operating since the mid-1970s. They are accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia.