Making time for the next generation is critical for keeping knit manufacturing a viable industry in Australia.
Fashion students can apply directly each year to commission a piece of their final range to be knitted in our factory. Our preference is for hands on students who can attend the factory in person a few times during the process to select yarn colours, make decisions based on real life output and supervise the project.
A subsidised sampling fee is charged which includes a few programming hours. Programming and changes beyond this incur an hourly rate.
Applicants should have a detailed spec pack with consideration to stitch types; content; garment types and finishings including drawings. These will be forwarded to our production team who will check our machine types are suitable to produce your garment. You will then either receive an email requesting more information or a phone call to discuss your project and make a time to visit the factory. Please allow 8 – 12 weeks before your due date at a MINIMUM.
Jordyn Smith spent her degree commuting from Ballarat to RMIT in Melbourne and wanted to foster a network of makers and creatives in her hometown rather than in the city upon entering her graduating year.
Applying for a scholarship from the Australian Wool Education Trust, Jordyn pitched to them that she wanted to put the funds back into Australia’s textile industry by working with one of the only remaining knitting mills in the country.
With a scholarship in hand, Jordyn approached Interknit Branberry with “Now I’ve seen that you’ve put a French Bulldog on a baby blanket, do you think we can put a photograph of my Mum on a jumper?”. The rest is history.
With Jordyn’s proactive nature in wanting to support and foster the local textile industry, she created a pathway for fellow students to approach and work with Interknit – such as Phoebe Pendergast below.
Recommeded by her friend, Jordyn Smith, we met Phoebe Pendergast under her label, Phoebe’s Angels, to create her ‘warped vest’ and flower scarf.
As her warped vest gained popularity, Phoebe commissioned it in different colourways and not only sold online, but had stock in Melbourne stores.
It was an exciting process to see a fashion design student become entrepreneur and work through the very real life manufacturing process of costing a garment for bulk production and sale.
