A Q&A with Giuliano from Compuknit

Hey Giuliano, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I grew up in Melbourne’s north-eastern suburbs where I still currently live with my wife and two young children.

What led you to work in the textile, clothing and fashion industry in the first place?

There’s no hiding the fact that the pull of the family business influenced my career path. However, initially it was never on my radar to work in the industry. I was approaching the end of my engineering degree in 2012 and applying for jobs, which were difficult to come by. My father sat me down to discuss joining the family business. After attending a job interview for an engineering position in a FMCG factory, I realised that if I was going to work in a factory, it ought to be that of my own family. A decision that I’m particularly glad I made.

Can you tell us more about Compuknit?

Compuknit Hosiery Australia was founded in 1994. We operate out of a factory in Thomastown where all the manufacturing, finishing and packing takes place. We produce for a wide range of customers nation-wide, in areas such as professional and amateur sports leagues, schools and colleges, and retail and fashion. Our history in the industry dates as far back as the 1950s and has seen us work on and off with brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, Asics, Kookaburra and many more. We have an online retail brand, Soxy Beast, which sells unique dress socks and monthly sock subscriptions. Lastly, we plan to expand on our retail presence in the near future.

What’s your current favourite item from Compuknit?

I am most fond of our range of wool socks. We produce a truly exceptional wool work/hiking sock that I enjoy wearing in work boots or around the house in winter. In the warmer months, our wool ribbed dress socks are my go-to.

What does a typical workday involve for you?

My workday is predominately spent in our knitting room where I manage production, prepare orders, samples and coordinate operations/maintenance. I also respond to customer’s emails and manage the general running of Soxy Beast – none of which would be possible without a few espresso breaks!

Why is it important to your business to manufacture locally and ethically?

Manufacturing locally and ethically is synonymous with quality and high standards. We pride ourselves on delivering high quality products to our customers, and the long-term relationships that have been built with many of them is a testament to that. Manufacturing locally allows us to work closer with our customers and to react quickly to their needs. It is important to us that we conduct ourselves with honesty, transparency and strong ethical morals so that we can deliver the best results for our customers every time.

What is a challenge you’ve faced in your business and how did you overcome it?

A significant challenge that we faced was hiring specialised machine technicians. Unfortunately, the experience and expertise required is not something that can be found locally despite our best efforts. Once we focussed our attention abroad, we were able to find two eligible candidates and the lengthy and complicated task of bringing them to Australia began. It took over two years, a lot of paperwork and investment before we were successful and our newest members of staff commenced their employment with us. Their inclusion to our workforce boosted staff morale and improved our efficiency and capacity.

What is a milestone or achievement that you’re proud of?

Last year, we celebrated 50 years of sock manufacturing as a family in Australia. My grandfather, Antonio, founded his first business in 1974 and in one form or another, we’ve been knitting socks ever since. My father, whose career started in ’74, took over from 1998 seeing off many challenges in a declining industry. I consider myself very fortunate to be in the position to continue our family’s involvement in the industry for many years to come.

Compuknit has been accredited since 2013 – congratulations! What does being accredited with Ethical Clothing Australia mean to you?

We value our Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation highly on a number of fronts. It represents a clear statement of where our values lie and shows our existing and potential customers that we are a trustworthy business to work with. We greatly appreciate the opportunities offered by Ethical Clothing Australia by way of educational seminars, presentations and material to help us better ourselves.