Sustainability for us is all about intentional, thoughtful and local design. Creating your project with high quality materials that are designed to last and are made right here in Australia. This newsletter we wanted to celebrate some of the local talent bringing our fabric to life through their quality craftsmanship. In this edition we will be highlighting the work of 3 Melbourne based upholsterers, giving a bit of insight into their personal stories and how they came to choose our fabrics. Choosing to reupholster instead of buying new means bringing back to life a piece of furniture that may have otherwise gone into landfill. It also means you are left with a one of kind piece that you will admire for years to come. Local matters to us, Sustainable Living Fabrics is an Australian made small business using Australian wool, so we love working one on one with artists, upholsterers and manufacturers to help our local industry thrive. |
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UPHOLSTERY DIRECT@upholsterydirect |
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We visited Rob from Upholstery Direct at his new workshop in Melbourne to ask him a bit about his story. We love seeing pieces by Upholstery Direct pop up all over Melbourne and chances are you've already seen a few on our Instagram. |
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The story behind Upholstery Direct Upholstery Direct is owned by an absolute legend Rob Hope and has been running for over 20 years. Rob's studio in Preston is where he brings furniture back to life, working with a team of 3-4 including his good mate Michael who he has worked with for years. Rob got into the trade after a family friend had a apprenticeship position open up at their upholstery business. Rob and Michael both studied at the same trade school in Prahran. Now, working together they have over 50 years of combined experience in the industry, and you can tell by the quality of their craftsmanship, they know what they are doing. |
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Why choose sustainable living fabrics? Upholstery Direct has used our fabric for years with a range of private and business clients. He has upholstered pieces such as the iconic Featherston Numero you see to your left. So we asked Rob what he likes about working with our fabrics. "I work with Sustainable Living Fabrics because it's Australian made and easy to use. Being Australian wool it sits better on the piece and ultimately looks better. We now encourage people to use more commercial fabrics like Sustainable Living Fabrics in residential projects because you get better and longer lasting quality." - Rob Hope. | | |
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ZIMMERMAEDCHEN@zimmermaedchen_oz |
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Stephanie Jung from Zimmermaedchen is another favourite of ours, being close by, she often pops in to see new ranges or pick up fabric. Stephanie also returns any extra cardboard rolls from the fabric for us to re-use! We love that sustainability mindset! |
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A little bit about you, your story and how you got into the field? My love for furniture, craftsmanship and textiles encompasses the profession of a ‘Raumausstatter’. I’ve completed my interior decoration apprenticeship majoring in soft furnishing and upholstery in Germany. After graduating, working 5 years as a ‘Geselle’ (a fellowship), pursuing a further study to become a ‘Meister’ (master craftsman), I landed a position in an interior design company in South of Germany. A change of scenery at my partner’s workplace led to Vancouver, Canada. |
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Canada was where I pursued more jobs in this field, learning more techniques working with international upholsterers. Melbourne came calling after a job posting for my partner, and this is where I was ready to venture into my own business after a short career break, with pregnancy and spending more time with my boy. In ode to my German roots, I’ve called my business ‘Zimmermädchen’. It means maid, but I am a maid who made reupholstering my kismet in Melbourne. ‘Maid in Melbourne’ is what this business is all about! |
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Why do you choose to use sustainable living fabrics? "After doing some research I found your business online. Reupholstering Australian designed and made vintage furniture in Australian made fabrics is where the process comes full circle and keeps its authenticity. One of the wool benefits are it’s durability and I hope that the newly reupholstered item lasts another 50 years. In addition to that I love how sustainably the fabric and the business is run. Everything is well thought through with the environment and further in mind. Besides, it’s a dream working with your products on rounded furniture." | | |
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MEUBEL MELBOURNE@meubel_melbourne |
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Ann Wielakker is the lovely person behind Meubel Melbourne, she found us through the Instagram grapevine over a year ago and has since created some incredible pieces with our fabrics. She has a keen eye for mid century furniture and not afraid to bring out a pop of bright colour as well! Amazing work! |
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Tell us a little bit about you, your story and how you got into the field?
Meubel Melbourne has been around for two years. Meubel is the Dutch word for furniture - and also where I’m from - but we specialise in Australian mid-century modern goods & reupholstery. What was born out of a frustration with climbing the career ladder to others' visions & being unable to find the job that I’d really be passionate about, turned into Meubel. A fortunate force of hand. I've been a long time collector of 20th century design and previously worked in furniture retail, visual merchandising & upholstery. Setting up a business combining those passions was a natural progression. |
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Why do you choose to use sustainable living fabrics? "Sustainable Living Fabrics fits seamlessly with the ethos of circular furniture & design; leaving less of an environmental footprint is something my clients care about. Creating something beautiful out of what previously was an unloved & under-appreciated piece of furniture is something I care about, adding a rich textile in a playful shade is sometimes all it needs. Sustainable offers plenty of those!" | | |
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We hope you enjoyed a bit of insight into the people bringing our fabrics to life. It's amazing to see Australian designers recognising the importance of supporting our economy by choosing local, curated and environmentally preferable materials. We are keen to showcase more master creators that use Sustainable Living Fabrics. If you have used our fabrics and would like to be featured on our website or Instagram then reach out to samantha@sustainablelivingfabrics.com.au and submit your work! We would love to see it! |
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Stay up to date with the latest on our operations and design inspiration through our Instagram @sustainablelivingfabrics
Head Office
sales@sustainablelivingfabrics.com.au - 03 8544 3500
Account Manager (NSW, ACT, TAS, WA, SA & International)
liz@sustainablelivingfabrics.com.au - 0403 660 634
QLD Account Manager
jac@sustainablelivingfabrics.com.au - 0488 920 998
VIC Account Manager
samantha@sustainablelivingfabrics.com.au - 0417 345 765
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Photo credit
Image 1: @nord_modern Image 2: @_goodspace_ Our fabrics meet the environmental, health and social performance criteria of GECA Standard No Tlv3.0-2014 Textiles and Leather, a Type I environmental labelling programme for overall environmental preferability, developed by GECA in accordance with ISO 14024 on a product lifecycle basis. GECA Certified Furniture Fittings and Foam upholstered with GECA Licenced fabrics are recognised in the Green Building Council of Australia’s GREEN STAR sustainability rating program as Level A. |
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