Australian fashion manufacturing survival

Provocator is an Australian fashion label and manufacturing company for local and overseas labels and businesses alike. The owner/director Arthur George has been working in the industry for over 30 years and in that time he has launched and developed such a vast amount of success for emerging and established designers or labels it would be impossible to measure on any particular scale. Since the year 2000, Arthur has been operating his services and label from an industrial zone in Marrickville, Sydney.

The landscape across Sydney has changed rapidly since 2000 and all sydney residents and businesses have experienced the effects of inflated rental property prices. The core of Australian businesses have long been adapting to these changes as best as they can, but not everyone has been so fortunate to endure these changes and sadly we have lost skilled trades and labour due to many of these relentless challenges. 

The property owners of the factory Arthur has worked out of these past 18 years has bought most of the property on the residing street and surrounding ones. Those same onwers have notified and advertised to locals of their development plans which has caused leasees to have to move out of the area entirely or close their businesses down. Provocator has recently been notfied that the owner wishes to use the factory for his own interests and therefore Arthur will need to find new premises before the final date- the 31st of July 2018.

The importance of retaining this business is crucial to the Australain fashion industry because so many people rely and depend on Arthurs services and operation. Arthur has one of only 4 denim laundrys and dyeing labs left in Australia which is a vital aspect of the industries survival as a whole. The flow on effect of losing these resources to overseas companies would impact so many people unaware of the need for these services that are distributed locally and exported internationally. The cost and qaulity of fashion would suffer and the end consumers would pay the penalties for losing Austrlaian fashion. Arthurs label and deveopment of others have been at the forefront of inovation and these types of designs have received international heights of appreciation, respect and admiration. This skilled trade should not be lost and with your support we can keep this tradition and artistry alive in the country. 

The overall cost of changing locations is tough to know exactly, however the qoutes and pricing for moving heavy duty industrial equipment would go close to our target. Industrial sewing machines are one of the easier machines to move. The larger machines like stone wash machines and industrial dryers, dyeing machines have high fees attached to disconnecting, moving and reconnecting. There is no other way to safely transport these types of equipment to a new location without cranes, hoists, hydraulic lift tray removal trucks and qaulified specialists.

The bond for a new working space and long term advancement in rent is required by the real estate agents leasing out suitable locations that Arthur has been to see. In order to secure a new location Provocator will need to raise money that does not currently exist so it is my hope that we as a comunity of people can help make this possible to support someone that has provided so much support for others over the years.