Silver Fleece rescuers gear up for long innings
An Adelaide couple have won their fight to raise funds and restart a collapsed knitwear firm which made Australian cricket team tops, with aims to pitch for a national schools and corporate uniforms market.
Melanie and Dean Flintoft told InDaily in late July that they were attempting to raise $1 million by July 30 to save the 73-year-old Hindmarsh firm which went into liquidation in June.
Silver Fleece made woollen jumpers and vests for the Australian cricket team, among other products.
A Silver Fleece top for Cricket Australia. Photo: supplied
The couple today announced they were successful in raising the funds, allowing them to secure the assets of Silver Fleece on August 9, while they officially ‘take over’ today.
The company will ‘resume’ business today under the Flintofts’ management, with the jobs of 20 staff, primarily women and younger employees, retained.
“We get the ‘keys’ today and will immediately reassure all existing customers of our renewed operations, well-capitalised status, and continued commitment to excellence, whilst concurrently building a new portfolio of clients to further strengthen our position and get the mill operating at 100 per cent capacity,” the Flintofts said.
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Their resort-wear brand Sunset Lover, which they founded in 2021, will join the mill’s existing clients such as Cricket Australia.
The Flintofts’ company Sunset Lover will begin production at the mill for its new line. Photo: supplied
Speaking with InDaily previously, the pair said they wanted the brand to start providing more uniforms around Australia.
“[It’s] only selling to 77 schools, we want to sell to, I mean there’s 10,000 in Australia,” Dean said.
“And 3000 private schools,” Melanie said.
“They should all be thinking about manufacturing in Australia and teaching the students how important it is to support local and support farmers.
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“And more corporates. Qantas should be manufacturing with us, they should be making Australian-made. There should be people wearing Australian-made uniforms. That just should be what they’re looking for.”
The 73-year-old mill is equipped with Shima Seiki Japanese knitting machines, with the new owners saying they will bring in a new Shima Seiki Wholegarmet knitting machine, improving the factory’s capabilities and efficiency.
“Our ethos is to manufacture exceptional, proudly Australian-made products,” the Flintofts said.
“With our industry experience and commitment to sustainable fashion moving forward, and the overwhelming response to our capital raising campaign – we are confident that we can revitalise Silver Fleece and make our investors happy because Australians do care about where ‘their clothing’ is made.”
The Sunset Lover Resort 2024/2025 collection will launch under the collaboration.
“This is a dream partnership with Sunset Lover because Silver Fleece 100 per cent aligns with sustainable Australian made fashion,” the couple said.
“It will showcase the blend of craftmanship and sustainability that this knitting mill can produce.”
The couple said they hope to sign on luxury fashion brands, corporates, government, healthcare, sporting clubs and schools as Silver Fleece resumes work.
“There is so much opportunity to revitalise this mill and now we have enough capital to reinvigorate local manufacturing, protect Australian craftmanship and the Australian wool industry.”
