A Q&A with Lorretta from Smart Stuff

I live in the Macedon Ranges in regional Victoria. We are close enough to Melbourne to enjoy many aspects of city life but are also able to enjoy the benefits of living in a beautiful rural environment. I originally came from Western Australia but have been in Victoria for over 30 years and this is where I have raised my family.

My business Smart Stuff began as a hobby project. I have always loved sewing and enjoyed making things for my children when they were young. When they started school, I would make them an art smock, using fabric and colours that they chose. They loved wearing them and I would get them to choose from fabrics that would give the maximum protection, so we never had an issue with paint or glue on school uniforms. 

While standing at the school gate one day, a class emerged with PVA glue all over them. Parents were horrified… and so began Smart Stuff. I knew that kids hated the plastic smocks that are hot and get brittle over time, and that using dad’s old shirt was not going to cut it.

I learnt about sewing from watching my mother and grandmother from a very young age. They were both fantastic seamstresses and my love of creating came from them. I have always enjoyed doing lots of different crafts – I knit and sew, and I love nothing more than visiting a speciality wool or fabric store. It was learning to use a sewing machine and then an overlocker which really broadened my skills and imagination. 

I have never been interested in manufacturing overseas. I found the whole idea just too overwhelming. Initially, I received orders for art smocks from a few schools, so I was able to do all the sewing myself. As things took off, it became apparent that I would not be able to keep up with demand, so I had to seek alternatives. This was a whole new experience for me, and I had to learn very quickly about the garment manufacturing industry. 

Behind the scenes at Smart Stuff. Image provided. 

Now this was quite a long time ago, but I did have some manufacturers quoting prices that were just ridiculously low. If someone else was going to be producing my smocks, I really had to know that everything was being done correctly. This was my product and I was showing it to schools and kindergartens. I had to know that whoever was sewing the art smocks was being paid and treated fairly.

It was a very steep learning curve initially, but I learnt to ask the right questions and look a bit deeper. Then I learned about the Ethical Clothing Australia and realised that by accrediting Smart Stuff with them, I could be confident that this was happening. It also meant that my customers could take not just my word for it – they could see the Ethical Clothing Australia logo and recognise that it was an ethical product.

Behind the scenes at Smart Stuff. Image provided. 

Rather than milestones, what I think makes me feel most proud is when a school or individual contacts us to see if we can help them with a particular need they have. I love working to solve problems and address individual needs. We can provide a personalised service, and I love that part of the business. It makes me smile any time I am contacted by a new school that has heard about our smocks and wants to have a closer look.

My accreditation is something I am incredibly proud of. I could not continue with my business if I did not have the absolute confidence that whoever was making my products was being paid and treated fairly – it really is a cornerstone of Smart Stuff. I hope that by engaging with schools and organisations, I can make more people aware of Ethical Clothing Australia, what the organisation stands for and what it does. Accreditation also means that the skills of the people involved in producing my smocks are recognised and appreciated.