Our long-term goal as a small business is to contribute to re-growing Australian manufacturing, which in turn will open up more opportunities for effective green solutions and keeping jobs local.

To help ensure our products takes it easy on the environment, we keep as local as possible. The whole family helps out in packaging stock, sending out orders and helping in the studio shop too.

Australian Made campaign accreditation:

• Blue Mountains Socks
• Brooches
• Greeting cards
• Tea towels
• Skirts

We have two incredible sewing manufacturer partners:
1. Le Pritchard in Victoria has the Ethical Clothing Australia tick of approval.

2. Country Womens Association (CWA) Bathurst Evening Branch. Our Blue Mountains Socks are manufactured in Victoria.

Our t shirts are printed in Australia but the t shirt itself is not manufactured in Australia.

We also showcase some other great Australians including jewellery makers, authors and illustrators and vintage Australian clothing labels.

Jan 21: We did work with Corrective Services Industries for a short time but after learning more about the programme, it didn't align with us.

Mount Vic and Me® has always taken a sustainable approach to business. Kara Cooper’s previous business was Kara Smith Handbags, where beautiful bags were made from vintage and recycled fabrics, using up everything from
tiny fabric scraps to old buttons and buckles. Before that she had left the advertising & graphic design world behind and moved to the Northern Territory, where she was able to put my graphic design and illustration skills to use by taking up contracts with Parks & Wildlife.

Kara and Geoff's home features double solar panel system, battery back-up, four water tanks, lots of chooks and a herb and vegetable garden.

Recycling is a natural element of Mount Vic and Me’s everyday operations, and our small team is always on the lookout for even greener packaging and printing solutions. When it comes to stockists, we align with businesses that have a similar ethos.

Tea towels and greeting cards are wrapped in cellophane bags, a viable alternative to dreaded plastic bags. More than 500 billion plastic bags
are used around the world each year, mostly just once, before becoming landfill and litter. Cellophane is derived from biodegradable cellulose, usually from wood, but can also be produced from cotton or hemp.

Our packaging is hand-collated in our studio or by our sewing
manufacturers. Look out for our eco-friendly, 100% home-compostable shipping satchels. They are waterproof and durable, and they break down in 3-6 months when composted, compared to the 300 years it can take plastic bags. Cardboard boxes are used so things don’t get crushed, and where possible, we use recycled bubble wrap from people in the village of Mount Victoria.

We donate funds to organisations or donate goodies for organisations to raffle.

2021-now:
Aboriginal Legal Aid
Arts Law
bentART
Beyond Blue
Black Dog Institute
Blue Mountains Frocktails
Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute
Bob Brown Foundation (monthly)
Canteen
Caritas Australia
Daniel Morcombe Foundation
Dog Rescue Newcastle
DV West
Full Stop Australia
Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species Ltd
Hawkesbury Headspace
Hawkesbury Helping Hands Inc.
Hotel Etico
Indigenous Literacy Foundation
Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre WA
Katoomba Rotary (fundraising effort)
Kids Cancer Project
Lymphoedema Association Australia
MYST Youth Services Team
Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
Rainbow Shoelace Project
Red Cross Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Appeal
Red Cross
Science for Wildlife
ShelterBox
Shine for Kids
Support the Girls Australia Ltd
Team Wonder Women Mystery Box
The Gender Centre Inc
The Kids Cancer Project
The Smith Family
The Victorian Pride Centre
Wayside Chapel
Wear it Purple
WIRES
Women Sport Australia Advocacy and Programs

Often we get asked do the politicians know about Mount Vic and Me. The answer is yes!

We send tea towels, socks, mugs, etc to them so they know they are featured. Some love to respond by sharing on social media, others we don't get a response at all. You can see some of the politicians and their designs here.

Check out our instagram reel on this commonly asked question too.

P.S. We would love Julia Gillard to respond but understand she chooses not to. We respect that. x

As much as we would love to manufacturer every item, we simply can’t! We partner with drop-shipping companies in Australia and overseas for: T shirts & hoodies, shoes and boots, aprons, cushions, clothing, totes, mugs (and more!)

By creating on demand and not creating mass-produced items, we generate less waste and aim to keep environmental impacts within the apparel supply chain to a minimum. Except for our Australian made tea towels, brooches and socks, this means we don't buy bulk then sell mass quantities of items that could potentially become landfill if not sold.

Each product item will list whether it’s shipped by one of our partner manufacturers or via our studio shop. Because of the nature of ‘made to order’, some items will be at least 10 days-4 weeks delivery time to your door.

We are thrilled to learn our drop-shipping partner has created a Code of Conduct (late 2023) and is committed to environmentally and socially responsible business management: 'We expect the same commitment and conduct from all our Suppliers. Printify also requires Suppliers to respect the principles of environmentally responsible, socially responsible, and ethical conduct by integrating these principles into their company culture.'

Manufacturers overseas include China, UK and USA.

We are always looking for Australian manufacturers, so please contact us if you’d like to quote.

Our sewing manufacturer in Victoria has the Ethical Clothing Australia tick of approval. As of August 2022, we are trialing sewing with the Country Womens Association (CWA) Bathurst Branch. We also sew a small volume at our studio shop.

Our Blue Mountains Socks are manufactured in Victoria.

Please note we did work with Corrective Services Industries for a short period but after learning more about the programme, we decided it was not aligned with our ethos.

Shipping: We have a flat rate shipping of $9.90 Australia-wide so go crazy! We use Australia Post whilst some of our manufacturers choose couriers. Some items come via our manufacturers and some via our studio shop.

Payment: 100% is required before despatch of your goodies. Use our easy checkout system online via credit card, shop pay or Afterpay for orders over $100.

Kara's mum raised her kids on second hand goodies. She was a single mum and did markets across Sydney for 30+ years. Kara's love for vintage frocks started there. It's where she learnt how to repair clothes, washing clothes, darning buttons and turning up jeans and became a 1st class ironing whizz to earn pocket money.

As part of the slow down on fast fashion, we have always been big on recycling and reusing. Vintage clothing, homewares and other curated finds are part of Kara's life. Sourcing treasures, discovering their value and repairing items so they can have another life is all part of Mount Vic and Me.

You'll find a great range of upcycled denim jackets instore too. These have salvaged finds, finishing touches, tassles, brocade and more. Totally unique!

The studio shop in Mount Victoria is perfect for vintage and retro finds. You'll find a lot of it online too.