Why Choose Australian Made
It's rare to find a brand that genuinely supports local manufacturers and businesses. Matilda Life is one of the few brands that proudly supports Australian-made products. Not only do we source raw materials locally, but we also use local talent to make our products.
We educate you on what goes into your clothing (materials and labour) while supporting local producers. Your wardrobe pieces will not only be stylish but also comfortable and flattering. In this article, we will highlight why Matilda Life is your go-to lifestyle fashion brand.
Inside Matilda Life: Products, Purpose & Practices
Matilda Life is an Australian-made lifestyle brand established in 2021 by two talented women, Jo Mercer (a renowned Australian footwear designer) and Lauren Mastromanno. Jo and Lauren have years of experience in fashion retail. Launching the business after the COVID pandemic, the duo wanted to support skilled local manufacturers.
A core value of Matilda Life is promoting Australian manufacturing and sustainability. In addition, Matilda Life believes in another primary goal: providing high-quality, affordable product collections. Passionate about local industries, Matilda Life sources all its raw materials locally — partnering with trusted suppliers like Melbourne Textile Knitters (MTK), a Dandenong-based manufacturer established in 1929. MTK produces luxury knits for Matilda Life’s core collections, using Australian-made textiles that are also shipped to designer brands worldwide.
Clothing
All garments are made by local manufacturers, prioritising locally available natural fibres such as merino wool, 100% organic cotton, and viscose. By using natural fibres, our clothes last longer and are more sustainable to wear. The beauty of natural fibres is that they biodegrade very fast (less than one year), unlike synthetic fibres.
Matilda Life mainly specialises in women's clothing, which was our initial focus. In 2022, we began the men’s clothing line. Specialising in Australian-made clothing does not mean we compromise on quality. Our “transeasonal pieces” are made from high-quality materials by skilled local talent.
As an Australian lifestyle brand, Matilda Life is for women who want to look stylish and comfortable. We focus on classic pieces that you can wear throughout the year. Despite facing intense competition from imported clothing and accessories, we are one of the few brands prioritising local manufacturing and sustainability.
Footwear
Anna Fiori Footwear Factory, based in Thornbury, Melbourne, handmakes all our leather shoes. The factory reopened to support Matilda Life footwear production. Caterina Angerosa (an Australian immigrant who co-founded the factory with her husband in 1966) uses premium soft leather for the upper and a full leather lining.
Kangaroo leather is a key material used in our footwear. We do not engage in animal harvesting for this purpose; instead, we ethically source the leather as a by-product from the meat industry — a practice that helps reduce waste that would otherwise end up in landfill.
Our footwear consists of timeless pieces, built to be stylish throughout time. Leveraging Jo Mercer’s background (as a former head of Myer’s footwear, handbags and accessories division), we have an edge in footwear branding.
Other Products
Matilda Life also offers fragrances, accessories, jewellery and wellness products. Working with vibrant and creative jewellers, Matilda Life makes beautiful gold and sterling pieces. Some of their jewellery pieces have opals and sapphires. Australia has a wide variety of gemstones such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, topaz, and jade. Matilda Life also offers a curated selection of Australian-made fragrances, accessories, jewellery, and wellness products. Rather than producing these in-house, we proudly stock locally made pieces from talented jewellery brands across the country. Many of these collections feature gold, sterling silver, and gemstones such as opals, sapphires, and other native Australian stones.
Matilda Life has partnered with Metascent (Melbourne-based artisan fragrance boutique) for their brand’s fragrances and room scents. We also offer essential oils and high-quality diffusers. Matilda Life stocks Metascent’s artisan fragrance collection—crafted by a Melbourne-based boutique known for their distinctive room scents. In addition to Metascent’s range, we’ve also developed our own line of fragrances. For wellness products, we offer essential oils and high-quality diffusers from Australian brand Addition Studio and bath and body products from WORKS.
Matilda Life vs. the Competition: Key Differences Explained
While other competitors use plastics for their packaging, Matilda Life ships products in compostable boxes. Our swing tag clips are made from organic cotton and cornflour. We continuously look for ways to improve our packaging and minimise waste. Our primary target is to strengthen local manufacturing jobs.
Matilda Life often leans into making products that are timeless, classic and refined. We target people who want something they can wear every day and not just as a statement. Unlike our competitors, we offer a head-to-toe solution (clothing + footwear) with Australian-made fashion.
What Does Matilda Life Stand For?
Jo Mercer had a first-hand experience of the challenges small-scale Australian local manufacturers faced during the pandemic. However, Jo and Lauren could still see a massive demand for Australian-made products. They made a conscious effort to come up with a brand that could support local jobs.
Behind every piece of garment is a dedicated Australian maker. Vince Clothing (a denim manufacturer) was among the local manufacturers who made clothes during Matilda Life’s first range, particularly our denim collection. Accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia, Vince Clothing is 100% Australian-made and has been in existence for over 30 years.
Why Matilda Life Isn’t Just Another Brand!
Our use of eco-conscious raw materials helps us to focus on genuine sustainability without greenwashing. We also focus on high-quality, fair pricing, and Australian-made lifestyle products.
By creating stylish and timeless pieces that celebrate the Aussie lifestyle, we offer fashion that is here to stay. Why not choose our Australian-made products and help promote local businesses?
