Bridgitte Brooks, an occupational therapist and farmer, is launching her fashion brand, Homestead Road, to blend her passion for agriculture and design in the Australian wool industry.

In Bringo, a region situated 370 kilometers north of Perth, Bridgitte Brooks is expanding her professional repertoire to include “fashion designer,” alongside her roles as an occupational therapist, farmer, and mother of four. This shift follows Brooks’ recent venture into the fashion industry with the launch of her all-wool brand, Homestead Road, last year.

Speaking to ABC News, Brooks explained her motivation, saying, “When you’re breastfeeding babies, you have a lot of time to sit around and think.” Her background on a farm and her marriage into a farming family have fostered a strong connection between agriculture and Australian households, shaping her entrepreneurial vision.

Brooks draws parallels between her passion for fashion and the well-known “paddock to plate” concept, which encourages consumers to connect with the origins of their food. She hopes to integrate her own wool into her designs in the future, although she acknowledges current constraints with her family’s wool sourcing. “Right now Dad has loyalties to his wool broker, but I’m still using all Australian wool,” she clarified.

Despite the challenges faced by the wool industry in recent years, with Brooks noting it has been a “tough time,” she remains committed to positively impacting the sector. “I want to do something to give back to the industry. It’s worth fighting for,” she said. Noticing a market gap in wool athleisure wear while raising her young children, Brooks decided to pursue her interests, stating, “So I just googled ‘How to start a fashion business’.” The process of launching her brand took four years and was described by Brooks as “long and expensive.”

In her pursuit of establishing Homestead Road, Brooks reached out for guidance from other wool-centric Australian brands. Marketing emerged as a significant hurdle. Australian menswear company M.J. Bale, which has been operational since 2009 and sources wool exclusively from two Tasmanian farms, offers insights into the market dynamics. Jonathan Lobban, head of brand at M.J. Bale, shared his observations, indicating a robust customer interest in the origins and farming stories behind wool. “The customer loves to know the origins of the wool, how it’s farmed, the people, the family and the stories behind it,” he stated.

The Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee (AWPFC) has projected a concerning 12 percent decrease in wool production for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which would result in output falling below 280 million kilograms, marking the lowest production level in a century. Although M.J. Bale maintains strong relationships with its wool producers, Lobban noted that they have still experienced the impact of the production slump, particularly with increased cloth processing costs. “We have to pass that cost on to the customer slightly,” he explained.

Despite these challenges, Lobban perceives a growing market for woollen athleisure products, driven by an increasing consumer demand for clean and natural fibers. However, he also identified price as a significant barrier to entry for many customers seeking merino products. Lobban advocates for a farm-to-fashion business model, underscoring the importance of design in this process. “Fashion is agriculture’s art form. You’ve not only got to be good at producing, but designing as well,” he emphasized.

The advancements in the wool industry and the niche carved out by innovative brands like Homestead Road reflect a dynamic intersection of tradition, sustainability, and contemporary fashion trends in Australia.

Source: Noah Wire Services