WHO ARE WE?
Wilderness Wear Australia is a one-of-a-kind company. We have many competitors, yet there is nothing quite like us. (Nobody else comes close, in fact.)
We are the only Australian company that designs and self-manufactures premium level outdoor clothing at internationally recognised standards – for ecological conscience, material content, functionality and style – supporting a discerning, worldwide community of people dedicated to outdoor pursuits.
It is a constantly developing company, although one thing has never changed: The Wilderness Wear range is produced for enthusiasts by enthusiasts. So, when we are not designing, testing, manufacturing or marketing our lines, we are out there using them. Yes, we practice what we preach. (Or, maybe we just hate leaving work behind on a Friday afternoon?!)
We believe in things. Good things.
Like being Australian. We talk about being Australian a lot. Always have. Always will. All Wilderness Wear Australia product is 100% Australian made. And the company is 100% Australian owned. We reckon that makes us 200% Australian! (That’s six mentions in one paragraph. Love it.)
Ecology is a big factor in how the company operates and what our customers expect from process and product. It’s an end-to-end mindset that is with us continuously: ‘Think heavily, step lightly’. It makes sense that we should all respect the very thing – our environment – that sustains the pleasure we seek outdoors.
Wilderness Wear is defined by quality: Materials, performance design and manufacture. We call it ‘Quality 3’ – quality brought to the power of three. It adds powerful dimension to what we do.
With our focus on the worldwide ethical issue of traceability, we know well the pathway that materials and processes have travelled in order to bring a product to an end customer.
And control. (The benefits of self-manufacture.) We maintain all parts of the business under the one roof – so nothing escapes our attention.
These things are our conscience.
Wilderness Wear Australia’s history begins with socks and an old hosiery company in Tasmania that was bought by current Managing Director Philip Endersbee in 1989. Upon relocation of the company’s equipment to Melbourne, Victoria, the pre-existing sock range was re-defined with development a new item – the now iconic ‘Kosciuszko’ sock.
A devastating factory fire the next year determined another new start of sorts, and coincided with development of premium quality Polypropylene thermal base layers into the company range. Expansion of product was under way. And through this time the company positioned itself to successfully tender for contracts supplying military, corporate, public service and institutional customers.
2001 saw Wilderness Wear purchase land in Preston and commence construction of the current office, factory and warehouse facility, seeing the project completed in 2004. All the while, new product lines were being added to the range, with research and development of materials, design and manufacture becoming an increasingly significant point of difference in the company ethos. By this time, the Wilderness Wear brand was established as a leading manufacturer and marketer of a comprehensive range of premium level clothing for use in outdoor adventure activity.
The next year saw purchase of major equipment in new Sangiacomo knitting machines – state-of-the-art industrial technology for the production of socks. And all the time keeping equivalent machinery on the floor for pattern making, cutting, assembly, sewing and finishing. Always the best, to make the best.
2006 saw the beginnings of international expansion after attendance with Austrade and other Australian exporters at the Outdoor Retailer Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah USA. As a result, specialist distributors were assigned for the USA and Japan the following year and the company continues to market develop through this and other trade shows worldwide. Wilderness Wear remains in an expansive mode, always looking for challenges and opportunities with a thirst for interesting endeavours.
And yes, we still make socks. Lots of them.
As at December 2010, Wilderness Wear holds the following Trademarks and Trade names:
Wilderness Wear
Duotherm
Microlite
Blister Free
Treklite
Outdoor Solutions
Envirowool
Gridbloc
Flamebloc
Merino Fleece
Tecnowool
Compression Merino