Episode 17: Mantua — Meet the Women Leading a Booming Sewing Studio Driven by the Expertise of Refugees
Mantua Sewing Studio is a Brisbane-based social enterprise that provides local, ethical and high quality design and manufacturing services for Australian clothing labels by drawing on the sewing expertise of women from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
In this episode, I have the privilege of sitting down with the Co-founder of Mantua & Operations Manager, Mady Taue; Training and Production Manager, Leah Andrea; and Junior Designer & Label Manager, Gabrielle Zemlich.
The tissues come out for this episode as they share right from the heart about their own personal stories of what drew them into this work in serving the migrant and refugee community. They have passion to help empower this vulnerable community here in Australia through employment and ultimately an opportunity to really belong. They also address some of the issues within the fashion industry and the exploitation of women in particular. There are lots of insights to take away from this interview, especially if you are someone that has a desire to get a charity or social enterprise started.
To learn more about Mantua visit https://mantua.com.au and you can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mantuasewing.
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Full Transcript
Leah Andrea: 0:00
One of our ladies is Jenny, she's tiny. She makes me look short. So she's under five foot. She has three teenage daughters that she's raising. And we up, we just all the machines are sort of in a row. It looks like we were in a bus sitting in a bus. And she sits right up the front of the bus and bit further back so I can watch what they're doing. And she, out of the blue, we were talking about having a job, but what that meant, and How awesome would it feel. And she said, In Australia, she said, you have to have two things, a license and a job. And if you have these two things, you have made it. And she said, "I've made it"... and at the risk of tearing up. Jenny has really attached herself to me, and vice versa. She messages me overnight. And she thanked me one night for recreating her because that was the only word... that was... She didn't have another word in English. And that was the only word she could express how she was actually feeling.
Tim Buxton: 1:35
You're listening to Justice Matters with Tim Buxton, a podcast inspiring the fight for a world where everyone belongs. Hi there. I am excited for today's episode, we have three lovely ladies from Mantua Sewing Studios. Now, it's a bit of a mouthful. So I'm going to read this out. Mantua is an employment focus social enterprise charity that provides local ethical and high quality design and manufacturing services to Australian clothing labels. Now they do this by drawing on the expertise of migrant and refugee background women. Now guys, I sat down with Mady who's a co founder. And she provides all the operational management for Mantua. I also sit down with Leah who brings with her 35 years of fashion industry expertise. She's the trainer, the product manager for Mantua. And then we have Gabrielle she's the newest addition to the team. She is head of label design management. And she's also a junior designer fresh from the UK, graduating at a at a great fashion school there in London. Now guys, the tissues come out for this episode, they share right from the heart, their own personal stories of what drew them into this work addressing the migrant refugee community to help empower them, this vulnerable community in Australia that really need employment and an opportunity to really belong and they are doing that. They also address some of the issues within the fashion industry and the exploitation really of women in particular. So guys, there's lots to take away from this. If you're someone that has an idea or a passion and want to get a charity or social enterprise started, you're going to be inspired by listening to this. I had a wonderful time talking with these ladies. Without further ado, here's my episode with them. Well, I'm so excited to have you lovely ladies in the studio. It's great to actually have an interview with people in person. Obviously, a lot of my previous guests have been on Skype. And you know, it's difficult sometimes getting people around with COVID these days and the different restrictions that have been on the last little while. But thanks for coming in. I can't wait to hear more about the story of men too. At first of all, though, you know, I I want to say Mady, thank you so much for sharing with me your story a little a couple months ago I came up to Brisbane where you have the operations headquarters and and you just you just really lit up my day I was able to meet with a few other people there and it was just lovely getting to know you and hearing your story and I knew I had to get you and your team in for a podcast interview. Let's start things off though. I'm assuming people don't really know much about men too. There might be a few of your fans out there tuning in. But for those that don't know what mental is can you tell me Mady, start with you. What is Mantua?
Mady Taue: 5:03
Okay, well, Mantua is a employment focused social enterprise. We're also a charity that provides local, ethical, high-quality design and manufacturing services for Australian clothing labels, by drawing on the sewing expertise of women from refugee migrant backgrounds. So that's our elevator pitch.
Tim Buxton: 5:24
That is amazing. I mean, can.. I'd love to unpack that? A bit more? Obviously, each of those points you kind of made are integral to the vision and the heart of men men to marry, I'd love to hear a bit more about your story. Can you tell me why? Why? You're a co founder? Why did you start Mantua?
Mady Taue: 5:52
It's a bit of a puzzle, like, a few different things have happened. But mainly for me, like, my parents were migrants. So they migrated from the Cook Islands to New Zealand, and from New Zealand, they came to Australia when I was about eight years old. My dad had very limited English when he came here, and my mom couldn't really speak English as well. So to be able to provide for us, he enrolled in a TAFE course to learn English. And so he did that in the evenings. And then he taught my mom how to speak English. And yeah, I just grew up saying a bit of a, like, a disconnect between, like, my mom not being able to speak English properly, and not being able to go out into like the local community. And yeah, just not feel comfortable. Not being able to get a job. And yeah, so that really resonated with me. Yeah. So that was one of the other things and then I tried to start a clothing label with my son. We went to Nicaragua on a mission trip with some other people to help raise money for people, the poorest of the poor, so they were living in a dumpster. And so we helped raise money to create funds so that they could have housing. And I thought the best way like, you know, would be a business like maybe we just start selling some shirts. And so, yeah, I advertised, I was looking for someone to make my shirts and I went on Gumtree and that's where I met Leah. And wow, she designed some really cool shirts for us. And yeah, we became friends. And then so then there's that part of it. That's the puzzle. Yeah.
Tim Buxton: 7:42
So sounds like we could probably chime in to Leah here in a bit. Man, what a story you have, like, I mean, to see your family. What did it feel like? For you? I mean, growing up in Australia, you you know, you're a young kid. I mean, must have been hard to see your parents struggle like that.
Mady Taue: 8:02
Yeah. Yeah. It was really hard. But they got through they met like a group of those, like a Community Church plant. And so through the Cook... there's a Cook Island community. Yeah. So we live in Logan. And there's like, all sorts of different communities there different backgrounds, it's very diverse,
Tim Buxton: 8:26
You know, part of Australia. isn't it, Logan, yeah...
Mady Taue: 8:28
Yep. We have a lot of migrants and refugees there. And so there is a Cook Island community there. Yeah. And through there, my parents were able to meet some people from a church. And my mom was really sick at the time. And so they taught her how to cook vegan meals. Yeah. And so my parents both became vegans. And, yeah, and that was a place a safe place for her, she was able to go and practice speaking English, because my dad taught her how to speak English. So she would go and she, you know, practice how did you get a chair?
Tim Buxton: 9:01
Did he just sit down at night and kind of do like his own little course. Because I know for a lot of refugees and migrants coming here. Yeah, they get given 500 hours of TAFE to 600 hours, I think to learn English, but a lot of them just really struggle still. I mean, it's just not necessarily the easiest way if I lived in another country. I lived in the Middle East and to learn the language, Kurdish I didn't have a formal education in it. I had to just go into the community but when you don't feel like you can belong into a community when everything feels strange, it can be really hard. Yeah. How did you dad do it?
Mady Taue: 9:39
Um, I can't really remember i what i do remember is that he would come home and he would have like these books and with Thesuaruses, and like he just like learn the different words and he'd practice it with me and then we'd write them out the spelling and yeah, and then so I do remember him like he would teach my mom what he Let's look at his class. Yeah.
Tim Buxton: 10:03
How? Wow, what a What an awesome dad. Yeah, you must must have wonderful family. Um, so switching over, is that alright? To Leah. You contact Leah Yes. You're starting a design business for with your son, is that right, at the time? But in the back of your mind you'd like got this desire to really help refugees and migrant people. Yeah. Leah, tell me your side of the story. How did you find out? What Why, why? What drew you to this work?
Leah Andrea: 10:36
Um, Mady answered a Gumtree ad that I had, where I advertise my services in the fashion industry, everything from product development, sampling, machining. And Mady answered an ad. And we started talking. And I really then I think, after a short amount of time I got we become friends. And then she said, told me about how she wanted to start a social enterprise. It was very, the idea was very basic in the middle. In the beginning, it was just a sentence on a piece of paper. Yeah, yeah. And so I remember starting to, because I used to work in my home base, a garage
Tim Buxton: 11:27
You've been in the industry for 35 years.
Leah Andrea: 11:30
Over 35 years, unfortunately. So. But, yeah, but um, I've always worked from home other than teaching at TAFE colleges, I've always worked from home from my home based work rooms, so that I could raise my children, and, you know, be involved with them, rather than being away from work. So the fashion industry actually provided that for me. Yeah, so I met Mady. I don't even remember how we start or when we started talking about, you know, didn't even have a name. It was just this idea. I do remember practicing cutting with a hand electric car. Because I thought, well, I'm gonna need that skill. And so I remember practicing it because it wasn't something I had been doing. And yeah, and then I, then we started talking about creating.
Tim Buxton: 12:34
So can you can you give me a bit more about your story and some of the, you know, I'm going to talk with you a bit before and you said, Look, this, this being a part of meant to in a way you said to kind of change your life. Yep. And what why
Leah Andrea: 12:53
Um working. I've always worked in the fashion industry, but because I've worked from my home, but based work rooms so that I could raise my children. It meant that I had to take on jobs that weren't usually very secure. And unfortunately, machinists in the fashion industry aren't paid promptly. And they're exploited, whether you are a white, Australian, or in particularly a new Australian. So the job that I had at the time ceased overnight. And, and I was I live on my own with my cats. And I wasn't for the, for the first time in my whole life, I wasn't able to live independently. And I had it was just a very scary time in my life financially. And but so I was basically homeless overnight. And it it amazed me that no matter how many skills I had, it I it only, you know, it goes with many people who are homeless in Australia, particularly, only they only have to leave lose a job or a spouse. You're on the brink basically, you're living on the brink. So Mantua . And I wasn't even called Mantua in the beginning, but we had no name for it. But we had this. This desire to, no matter what our own financial situations were, bear in mind. We had this need this urge, I had this urge to make a difference. And I've always thought that you know, my whole life wanting to make a difference to other people's life. And in. In my own personal growth, I thought the only way, the best way to make yourself feel better is to make someone else feel better. And every day, I am still amazed with how helping others, particularly with our refugee, and migrant women now, with mantra, they actually have given me a lot. Yeah, and my skills are being valued and respected. As it's never been before. I've never been so busy with you know, I imagined at this stage of my life that I'd be slowing down. Yeah, but my passion,
Tim Buxton: 15:59
Does she slow down? Is she slowing down?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 16:02
She's speeding up?
Leah Andrea: 16:05
I wine, I wine about it. My three, we have to set three-year goals. A few months ago for the business and one of my three, my first goal was to work 2425 hours a week. And my other goal was for mantra to be a happy, healthy workroom. And no, I'm trying to make both of these things to come true. Wait,
Tim Buxton: 16:33
Leah, What an incredible story. And it's only just beginning.
Leah Andrea: 16:42
I'm just when I it's like signing a new lease on life, you know, when my on have actually carved my without knowing it. In the beginning, I've actually carved out my perfect job, which is training, which is my just love training. And in the aspects of the fashion industry that online without having to put up with the things I don't like,
Tim Buxton: 17:07
Yeaah. Well, I love your story of hope, even in the most darkest probably moment of your life, when it felt like everything was just ending and falling apart. There's a beautiful new door that's opened up. That's saying you do more than you ever could have dreamed off and got Gabrielle here on the other side of the table, just beaming and smiling as you share that. You're the newest member to the team. Yeah. And in fact, you kind of came in at quite a interesting moment, flew into Australia, right?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 17:42
Yep. July 24.
Tim Buxton: 17:44
July 24. That accident sounds like you from the motherland. Can you just you know, tell us a bit more about why you want to be part of men men to you love to hear your story.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 18:02
Yeah, basically, to make a difference. I've always loved being in the fashion industry, I always grew up being really creative drawing, painting, making clothes and just yeah, just in kind of fueling that passion. I think for a while It took me a couple years in my life to accept that I am creative. And that's what I need to do within my life. And I remember like experiencing many people, like, Ah, you won't be able to get a career in that, you know, you need something that's going to be able to pay well, as opposed to doing something because you actually love doing and so I took that as a stand like no, you know, what I really want to do what I love to do, and you know, you've got to do the rest of your life, you know, spending time doing that. So, sort of why not? So yeah, when I was two, I moved to the UK with my parents grew up there started school, secondary school, and then my family moved back five years ago. What was that like? Um, difficult, but I knew Oh, were you I was 17 at the time,
Tim Buxton: 18:58
And they left you high and dry in the UK.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 19:02
No, they did support me. Um, but when I went to university, and I did my foundation degree, I met a lovely family there. Who I stayed with, they pretty much took took me in as their own daughter. Yeah, and studied and yeah, graduated and it was pretty much the best decision of my life. But um, I think definitely the difference that mentor has is that you kind of feel a part of the family you feel at home, you feel valued. You feel taken care of. I did internships. And I had this one experience while I was a print designer for four months, and I had to do it as part of my year to year to project basically, and I came in they kind of told me, okay, well, this is what you're doing. This is your project, and like just left me to it. I just had a desk Face the wall. They weren't friendly. They pretty much told me the only communication I had with them was, you know, giving them my work that I did and they'd be like, okay, you need to change this color or change the size or, you know, learn a few more things on Photoshop, like there wasn't any training. And the only positive thing that I can draw out of it is it fueled me to know what I wanted to do. And it was a good thing. I love doing the print design aspect of things. But the whole, like communication and friendship and community like that was just completely gone. Yeah. So that was really hard. And I think a lot of people have negative experiences about the fashion industry, especially like what layers said. So to be able to find a place where you feel comfortable. I think that's really valid. And when you've got that, you know, don't let go of that. So yeah, I pretty much knew straight away that this is, yeah, where I needed to be. And it just felt really right. I didn't have any regrets, you know, moving across the world and things like that, especially during the pandemic time. Yeah, and the first day in the workroom, it just felt as if I've known Leah and Mady for all my life.
Tim Buxton: 20:51
How did you end up getting because you're in the UK? How did you end up getting the job you just put in... saw an ad, or?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 20:56
Yes. crazy story. We've got loads of stories here. Um, yes, I was a year out of university, really looking for a job. I had a part time job that kind of just supported me to pay my rent and things but it wasn't within my field, began to question what I wanted to do in life. I knew my family were in Australia, but I was very settled living in the UK had good church had good friends. I mean, one day, I just sort of felt this uncomfortable feeling normally when people would ask me, how would you ever move back to Australia, I was always like, God now like, I'm really settled. I know, this feeling sort of overcome me. And I didn't really know what to do. But I just kind of ran with it and thought, Okay, well, you know, let me try and apply for jobs in Australia, see, if it's a possibility, don't shut the door, you know, kind of be open to suggestions. And my auntie, she lives in Australia, and she's part of the fashion industry as well. So I was kind of talking to her just to kind of see how the community fashion community was here. What I needed to do whether you guys had internships here, and just how it sort of worked, and she came across man twice, she was in touch with them came and had some emails, and she goes, Oh, well, I follow them on Instagram, their little small team, you know, looking for an intern, you know, apply and see. So I thought, okay, you know, I applied and yeah, had an interview. And now it just went really, really well. Wow. All kind of really worked out. So see flew
Tim Buxton: 22:17
over July 24, you would have had to get special permission to leave or how did Dad What was that like coming into Australia?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 22:28
It was I felt like I was kind of in prison and something was wrong with me. You kind of get off the plane when I landed in Brisbane and yeah, no one was really in the airport.
Tim Buxton: 22:37
Did you get escort... What did they call it? Escorted?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 22:39
I did yeah, they had policemen there. They had people from the army that kind of sprayed you with this kind of unknown disinfectant thing as you came off yet and the police like read parts of the act of the law what you had to do, and he had to abide by these rules. You know, can't touch anyone. You have to be in quarantine. You can't get out of your hotel. You got to stay there you have you swapped testing done and everything like that. So yeah, I just felt like I didn't.
Tim Buxton: 23:05
Welcome to Australia
Gabrielle Zemlich: 23:06
Yeah, yeah, brilliant. Because nobody on my family calm. They welcomed me to have balloons and I've got quite a big family so it was very much just well this is a new experience but
Tim Buxton: 23:15
um, hopefully they made up for it when you got out?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 23:18
They did, they threw me a party so I think Yeah, grandparents really happy family happy. Because I'll yeah, I was the only family member away from Australia. Well, welcome. Thank you.
Tim Buxton: 23:29
Welcome and, and I Mady is so excited that you're you're here and Leah too. And we're glad you made it. I just love the different, you know, obviously parts to the story. That's the puzzle that you kind of bring in men to is pretty, pretty new. How long have you guys been around? How did it happen? Can you talk more about how it began? And maybe you know a bit more about your roles and what you play. Let's get into the nitty gritty things of it. Maddie, I'll start with you.
Mady Taue: 24:05
Yes. So, um, when I had met Leah, that the idea for monto hadn't even
Tim Buxton: 24:14
Crystallized yet?
Mady Taue: 24:15
Crystralized, yeah, yeah. And then when I actually thought about it, yeah, I just wrote, I just wrote something, you know, like, wouldn't it be great if we could have like, a training center? Because like, I tried to get clothes done overseas, but you had to have all these large minimums. And it was very expensive. And I was like, oh, there's no way I'm going to be able to do any of this. I thought wouldn't be cool if we had like something here. Yeah, but I wasn't expecting something big. I was just thinking, you know, something small. Now local community we can because there's heaps of, you know, migrants and refugees. We could train them. And then yeah, so it was just like a little idea. Do a lot of community work, and that's where I met Kim. And yeah, so she had her own social enterprise. I didn't even know what a Social Enterprise is so yeah, well, I got to meet him. And she was like telling me I was like, Wow, that's so cool. And then I said, and then, yeah, so from there, I ended up showing her what I had written down on the piece of paper. And she's like, this is a social enterprise. I was like, Oh, okay. Wow. So she's like, Yeah, let's do it. And then, so she, uh, she had just her business went through the impact boom program accelerator program. So they help social enterprises. Yeah. Yeah. With connections and like startups become like from an idea. Like,
Tim Buxton: 25:35
Yeah. So the Impact Boom is founded by a group of investors essentially, that really want to get behind social enterprises and help them get started. Is that right?
Mady Taue: 25:49
Yeah.
Leah Andrea: 25:50
Brisbae Council?
Mady Taue: 25:51
Tom. I've forgotten his name, sorry...
Tim Buxton: 25:55
Tom. Someone named Tom.
Mady Taue: 25:57
Yes.
Tim Buxton: 25:59
Is he the guy he started Vanguard Laundry?
Mady Taue: 26:01
So that's Luke Terry. Yes. Oh, so through the program, we met Luke Terry. So he came and talked about Vanguard laundry and what he does another great social enterprise.
Tim Buxton: 26:12
Yes. Which we've had another another social enterprise, which is where we met on this podcast. Outland Denim, with James Bartle
Mady Taue: 26:19
Yes. So that's even another story.
Tim Buxton: 26:21
Yeah. So we've got lots of different awesome connections here. So there's, I think this is really awesome. Because there's some people out there, like you, they've got an idea in their head, but you just got to put it on paper. Yeah, let that little vision of yours start somewhere. It might be a little small, but you never know who's out there. Waiting to invest wanting to get behind you. You share it with somebody else. They share that passion. And suddenly something comes to life. And as you're sharing it, kind of I think for a lot of people might be listening in, they might have that real desire to make an impact, really wanting to see change in their community. And not to be not to hold back. And you might be a little quiet Maddie, but you have so much passion and drive in you. And that's just amazing to see. So you put it on paper. Yeah. You get some people behind, behind you there to kind of get get going. Can you flesh out the story a bit more? And
Mady Taue: 27:21
Yeah, so Kim was one of our co founders. So as Kimberly or myself, as part of the week get so we got through to the impact boom program. Yeah. And that's where we really knotted out how monto was going to run. And yeah, so Kim was to build your business plan.
Tim Buxton: 27:37
Yeah, more.
Mady Taue: 27:38
Yep. So that's like her skill. She has skills in startups and yeah, so she really helped us like she got stuff out of lady's head. Did you wanna share about that?
Leah Andrea: 27:50
No. Well, Kim, basically, I mean, I have had these schools all my life.
Tim Buxton: 27:56
You've been in the industry for so long. You've got so many? Yeah. Yeah. From production management to the actual skills to now teaching. Yeah, yep.
Leah Andrea: 28:06
So basically, we would have Sunday afternoons where we'd plan for three hours you know, and it would end up six hours. So Kim would take everything you write down everything that I said and and as you say, flesh it out, flesh out the all the processes, and I just explained it as she turned everything I do. And everything I say said into a spreadsheet and a process so
Tim Buxton: 28:41
What I'm getting from that is this the importance of having a plan, right. Not just you can have the heart You can have the passion, you can have the drive, but if you don't organize those things, you can even have the the equipment and it's you know, but if you don't have a plan Yeah, to work from to help guide you and to see you you it's gonna be very difficult to kind of achieve that goal that you want to have. It's it's really, really great. It's great how you find the right people the right time you found Kim. Yeah, got Leah, get Gabrielle. Justice matters is brought to you by ubelong. If you'd like to learn more about their work, empowering refugees to integrate and thrive in Australia, head on over to you belong.org.au. There you'll find ways to get involved, volunteer and financially get behind the several initiatives they've got going on. There's also a stack of articles and blogs that you'll find there that are really informative and engaging. Now, did you know this podcast is actually a video podcast featured on YouTube? Just search justice matters TV on YouTube and watch each episode right there. And while you're there, hit subscribe and get notified each time a new video drops. And so you run operations in it. You're the production and training and training manager. Gabrielle, what's your role?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 30:23
Yep, so I'm the label manager. So I work alongside Lear as well just to booking all of our scheduling and things like that, sending out the invoices, and just kind of being that middle person between Manoir and then the labels as well. And then also like a junior designer on the side. So we have the vision of having mantle on the label. So that that's where my skills will come in, during the technical flats and the drawings and thinking of the new items, we want to be able to produce and potentially sell alongside the production that we do for the labels just to be able to kind of fuel their training program funding.
Tim Buxton: 30:55
So you've got two sides, you've got clients that come to you and say, can you make this for me? So you do that, but then you've got your own? You're trying to develop your own label man to align? Yeah. And you've studied this in school in London.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 31:08
Yeah, I did. Yeah. So fashion illustration is what I studied.
Tim Buxton: 31:11
How cool is that? And so you bring in those skills and expertise, the fresh new ideas into the scene, and you've got your experience and, and your skills as well, guys, you like a powerhouse team? And what, what are what has been some of the biggest challenges that you've kind of faced?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 31:36
I think we've had good, good challenges, if that makes sense. So yeah, challenge at the moment is we've got a lot of people on our waiting list. So we've got about, you know, 17 labels at the moment. And every week, I get about five emails saying, you know, would you be able to produce for us, and we've got these ideas. And it's like, you know, we're really sorry, we've got a waiting list. And at the moment, we've got, like, over 30 people on our waiting list.
Tim Buxton: 31:58
How did they find out about you guys?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 32:01
Crazy, it's just just blows up through Google, we've got a Facebook page and Instagram page. And you know, we're just sort of starting out and just to be able to see that growth, or all these labels working with you at the moment. And we know her and you know, I want to start my own little label here. Would you be able to help? And just like, Oh, we just need more people. I think we had people then. So it's a good challenge to have.
Tim Buxton: 32:22
Yes. That's one of the more recent challenges. It's like a snowball effect. You mentioned earlier, it's like virally kind of growing and your your reputation is getting out there. That's really an Iraq. That's a great challenge. earlier on, though, I'm sure. Maddie, you've probably, you know, there's been some days where you may be wanting to just throw in the towel, maybe not throw in the towel, but you didn't know if you'd be able to make it Yeah, cuz you don't you don't strike me as the person that would ever consider giving up as an option. But can you talk about some of those early, early struggles? Yeah,
Mady Taue: 33:00
Yeah. Um, there's been a few. I think one of the main ones would have to be when Kim decided to leave, and like, we were happy, you know, I was happy for her. So grateful for everything that she'd done.
Tim Buxton: 33:18
Yeah. Early founder with you.
Mady Taue: 33:21
Yeah. Because we wouldn't have gotten to where we were without her. So yeah, I really appreciate that. And have a you know, happy that she was, you know, chasing her dream, because her other social enterprise is her dream. And so, like, my thought was anyone that comes to mind, you know, I would love them to be a part of it. But if at any time that they wanted to leave, they would have that option to leave. And we would, you know, not hold it against them. Because I want people that want to be here, like, you know, yeah, so that that was challenging because she had a lot of skills that I don't have answers like, I didn't know how we're gonna make this work. And so we had to try and transfer all her roles to Leo myself. This is before we had found Gabrielle so that was really stressful. So, yeah..
Tim Buxton: 34:08
And your, your mother of four?
Mady Taue: 34:11
Yes,
Tim Buxton: 34:12
Gosh, that's got to be I mean, I can see this, like this heart, this mother that you have for anyone that comes into the organization, they feel loved at home, and that's really special. But that's got to be quite a challenge to be doing putting all this time and energy in trying to raise children.
Leah Andrea: 34:30
Yes. Wow.
Unknown: 34:32
It's a lot of work. But um, yeah, I feel like this is what I've been called to do. Like, I feel like this is Yeah, this is what gets me up out of bed. It gives me purpose.
Tim Buxton: 34:44
Oh, man.
Leah Andrea: 34:46
Mady does part of her role from the beginning was the wraparound support. We there's one thing to offer training to this vulnerable group, which is refugee migrant women who are already vulnerable. They're easily exploited. And and as being a refugee and migrant women, they they're not familiar with what it means to actually even live in Australia, that alone holder job. So and you can we found very easily that we can offer training, and we can offer trans employment. Yeah. But we have to go further than that. You can't there's no point offering someone employment if they're too scared to drive to the workshop. Or if they don't know, procedure of what happens if I can't go to work, you know, you know, explaining the injury, the little things about what it means to have a job and your responsibility in that job, just life. I mean, they've come they're in a new culture, there's a new way of doing things. Yep. English is just varied. Yeah, they find we find that hard to understand them. And they always find it very hard to understand our so. Mady does,
Tim Buxton: 36:22
she speaks the language of love and make sure they get that support
Leah Andrea: 36:28
From the beginning. That he drives them was driving them all to the waking them up.
Tim Buxton: 36:34
Yeah, them home driving them in.
Mady Taue: 36:36
Yeah.
Tim Buxton: 36:37
Is there any particular story or person that kind of comes to mind when you think, Hey, this is why we do man too. And this is what it's all about. It's anyone anything that comes to mind?
Mady Taue: 36:49
Yeah, both the ladies that we have now? Yes, I was driving Jenny. And now she drives herself like, that is a big achievement in herself to get a license. Yeah, to get a license and to be able to navigate outside of her our community. I mean, she wants to know
Tim Buxton: 37:05
the English language well enough to really read the signs to know where to look know the rules, to know where to go. I mean,
Leah Andrea: 37:12
And to have the confidence to drive on the road up to confidence. Well, we're room is, there's a lot of traffic. So we the day she the first day she drove, we're just ridiculously over the moon. Yeah. And, and we celebrate all these little ridiculously small...
Tim Buxton: 37:31
They're not small, I found my driver's license test three times, three times. So I can only imagine, you know, what an incredible achievement later on in life too. I mean, when when, when you have to kind of go back into that situation, it can be a lot harder than
Leah Andrea: 37:51
I always try to put myself in their shoes, as to you know, what I'd be feeling if I was in this situation. And that that actually gets us through, or it gets you gets me through most days.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 38:05
Yeah, I felt really overwhelmed coming here. Not necessarily, like how Australia runs is very different to the UK. And this is for me, who, you know, speaks English and reads and writes English as well. So I couldn't I couldn't even imagine what the ladies. Yeah, you think those people who have come alone? So sure, ladies, like some of the stories that they've had, you know, just really inspiring. And I think you've got to take the small wins into consideration, because these are the things that kind of bring us and keep us going. And it's the things we're gonna, you know, look back on and be like, Oh, my gosh, yeah, we did that. Like, how cool is that? Yeah, let's hold on to that. And that just fuels our energy and kind of pretty much keeps us going for the next week and the next week and the next week. And then you're Yeah, like you say you're on and here we are.
Leah Andrea: 38:48
One of our... we can't have this interview without actually saying so telling you about some of the things a couple of the things. We have this. One of our ladies is Jenny, she's tiny. She makes me look short. So she's under five foot. She has three teenage daughters, and she's raising. And we, we just all the machines are sort of in a row. It looks like we're in a bus. And she sits right up the front of the bus and I'm a bit further back so I can watch what they're all doing. And she out of the blue. We were talking about having a job and what that meant and How awesome would it feel. And she said in Australia, she said, You have to have two things, a license and a job. And if you have them two things you have made it and she said I've made it. One at the risk of tearing up Jenny has really attached herself to me and vice versa. She messages me overnight. And she thanked me. Oh, this is, she thanked me one night for recreating her, because that was the only that was she didn't have another word in English. And that was the only word she could express how she was actually feeling. What happened to that tissue? And she said, You have given me back my life you have recreated me and
Tim Buxton: 40:39
For those of you listening on the audio, we are handing out the tissues.
Leah Andrea: 40:46
When we hear and see the difference we making, by the little tiny things that we're doing, you wouldn't think you would take you we would there be huge things that we celebrate and that we get teary over. But it's the tiny little things like recreating her giving her back her life. That is an all I'm doing is teaching her so it's, it's some it's shown us or reminded me, it's the tiny little things that make a great life. One of we, during this time before, when we were putting them on to as paid trainees were they now they started as vaulty. trainees, Mike students base Yep. And then when we got them to a certain stage, we put them on. So about six weeks ago, we put them on to being paid trainees now. And they've got a six month contract that I will can supervise them to achieve all the goals in the next six months. Jenny, we were talking about because we always try to ensure that we're actually achieving the goals that we want to with Marta. And so we always go back to our values, if we have to make a decision. And when we're talking with, because I talked with the ladies all the time that we sewing in the world, women can't help but told them there's funny is just so funny. And Jenny said, just she just popped up when she hadn't said it to me before. But she said Marta is not just a job, it's, it's a family. And it's like, out of the out of the back mouth of babes that was with, with we've actually broke up with Darren. And, and we we could not have done it without the ladies, the ladies, help us do what we and they remind us if we get a little bit above ourselves, what are we doing then? You can't help but want to do more. And and it's those type of things and the growth of both Jenny and cider. Who in, you know, who have tried to hold out jobs in outside of Montoya and if they've had terrible experiences, particularly in the fashion industry, you know, I mean, the fact is a lot,
Tim Buxton: 43:50
a lot of exploitation you referenced earlier. Yeah. What an awesome opportunity. You have to set the standard. raise the level of of respect. Yeah. That would machinists soldiers have yet their value. And maybe you could talk into like maybe why there's been such a growth in demand to I mean, I can only assume with with COVID 919. And some of the hate stock realities that it's important to produce locally, as well. You guys are an answer to that, as well. What are your thoughts on that?
Gabrielle Zemlich: 44:30
Yeah, I think in a way COVID-19 has made it a little bit more difficult, but also has made brands maybe realize more about what they want to do and how they kind of want to grow in that aspect of being able to not produce offshore, but actually bring it to Australia and help, you know, support and fuel the country that you know, we call our home, I think, yeah, I think it's a good thing. But also, I think with jobs at the moment, it's also difficult as well to be able to Find the people who have got the skill to be able to help. I think that's also difficult as well. And I think that's one of the struggles that we're having at the moment is trying to find machinists to be able to recruit to have on board so we can take on more work. And right, yeah, they're goldust
Tim Buxton: 45:17
You need more machinists. You also need to be able to train more to because that's a part of your training and, and developing those don't have skills and giving them like Jenny, a new new start in life, new career. You guys are doing a lot of things. You know, you
Leah Andrea: 45:37
We wear a lot of hats.
Tim Buxton: 45:38
You wear a lot of hats. That's got to be quite challenging at times. Yeah. Yeah. And and what what is what, what do you hopes for the future? What are some of your goals that you've kind of, I'd love to hear some of those things. You've set out what some? what's the what's the future hold for Mantua?
Mady Taue: 45:58
Well, definitely the sewing school. So we want to start we want to launch Montreux sewing school. So that's been a big we just got at the beginning, we were so busy that we forgot to apply for our fundraising lessons. So we weren't actually allowed to ask for donations. So we just received that this week.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 46:18
Yes, that was a win. Yes.
Tim Buxton: 46:20
Yeah. get the party poppers out.
Mady Taue: 46:22
So yeah, I just came up with, like a donation program, like to help to be able to fund Mantua Sewing School. Because since manufacturing went offshore, like 20 years ago, the skills in Australia has, like declined. Yeah, like, we're interviewing people who are saying that their level fives and we actually, you know, bring them in for a trial and the level ones and twos and it's just not industry. Right. It's what Yeah, they're just not industry ready. So I've been like reaching out to some people in government, because it's not on the priority list. Yeah. But I really believe that it should be and that machining is going to be big. Yeah, huge. I swear proof of that, like what we're doing here, like the work that we've just got, we've got some we've got the work. We've got sowers. Yeah. So in my local community, and Logan, where we first found the first lot of training the women. They have like sewing hubs. And so yeah, I'm LinkedIn with all the sewing hubs. So we have sellers who are ready to be trained. Yeah, we have the work. We just need the space to be able to do it and some funding.
Tim Buxton: 47:33
You guys are ready to go. You've got the vision. You got the plan.
Leah Andrea: 47:38
We've got the work.
Tim Buxton: 47:39
You got the work, you just need a little bit of help. Yeah, so there's people people can volunteer with you guys. If they if they've got skills or have the opportunity. They can donate to you've got a fundraising license.
Leah Andrea: 47:54
We've had our first donation. Last week... this week.
Mady Taue: 47:59
I'm not sure I haven't checked yet. But yes, someone was emailing us and saying "oh, can I please make a donation?" Yes, of course you can.
Tim Buxton: 48:07
So we need to get the word out. Yeah, I wouldn't. It's an investment. That's what I love about it. You're investing in the future of business in Australia, you're investing in lives that have gone through so much trauma, so much suffering so much pain, but have people that have so much to give, and you're investing in change lives. If you're investing in women, I think that's really, really important too. There's so many, like you mentioned, like, women work so hard in this industry.
Leah Andrea: 48:47
And so machining skills. I mean, I've been a machinist teacher for 30 years and machinery, machines, machines skills. Do do actually hone machining skills. Is takes a lot like it's I've been working out for 35 years. I'm still learning. And yet it is the skill set is so devalued.
Tim Buxton: 49:14
Yeah. So there's a real need to bring that back.
Mady Taue: 49:19
Yeah.
Tim Buxton: 49:20
To the value that Yep. It deserves
Gabrielle Zemlich: 49:24
Yeah, yeah, I think not even just with machining, but being creative and even like, what Maddie was saying sewing how it's not, you know, the government don't see it as like a priority. And I think a lot of people struggle with that, especially for me, you know, or it's not a good career, but it's like, hey, you're wearing clothes, you know, you've got sofas, you've got pillows, you've got all this sort of stuff. It's like, well, who's gonna make that if you don't want us to follow our dreams and kind of pursue I always look at it that way. You know, there's jobs out there for everyone. And everyone is skilled at something else. I think that just needs to be appreciated more and yeah. Oh,
Tim Buxton: 49:56
I forget the statistic. I remember sitting down with James Bartel at Outland denim, he was given me this crazy statistic of how many people are, you know, percentage of people involved in the fashion industry
Gabrielle Zemlich: 50:10
Just so many,
Tim Buxton: 50:11
It's huge. And yet it seems like exploitation is rife with abuse.
Leah Andrea: 50:20
Can't remember who said who said it, but if you buy a $5 t shirt, someone has been exploited.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 50:31
Wow, you see things and I think especially coming on board with Manta, you kind of realize more like, when you go shopping and things like that and see the prices and, and seeing layer and, and geney inside actually how long it takes to sew and how much dedication and you know, accuracies delivered into each garment. And, you know, for the price of what you pay, I think it's really kind of made me realize that wow, okay, you're in the washer. Yeah, what's going on in the background sort of thing? You know?
Mady Taue: 51:00
Yeah. Cuz I wasn't really aware of, like, you hear stories, but you're not really aware of it and to actually learn it. And yeah, just like, the amount of money that people overseas workers get paid. It's just ridiculous. And yeah, it's oppression, like, they're being oppressed. And, yeah, I feel like that's like a little part, you know, that we can play we can help.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 51:26
That's our difference. Yeah.
Tim Buxton: 51:27
You talked about that, at the beginning, your ethical foundations as company is a local, Australian owned and run your social enterprise, empowering, the vulnerable, to be lifted out of poverty, to be to be respected in their craft, to learn new skills. I mean, that is giving dignity recreating someone's life. There's so many incredible reasons to get behind the work that you are doing. And it's really an honor to have you guys come in and talk about that to share the stories and it's personal. It's very real for you. Yeah. Is there any other ways people can can kind of get involved in and and partner with you find you maybe what what social media handles Do you have out there?
Mady Taue: 52:22
So we've got Instagram and we've got Facebook or LinkedIn onto a sewing and then
Tim Buxton: 52:28
what was that @mantuasewing
Mady Taue: 52:29
@mantuasewing. Yeah, Instagram and Facebook. And then we have our website Mantua.com.au
Tim Buxton: 52:35
Mantua.com.au.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 52:36
Yeah, go check it out, guys.
Tim Buxton: 52:38
Yeah, it will be in the show notes. So make sure you plug on a you know, you plug in those links into your your phone or your computer and check out what they do. Yeah.
Mady Taue: 52:50
Can I just also, I wanted to like mentioned the help of White Box Enterprises. Yeah, like without what, like Luke and his team Yes, board, there's no way we'd be able to run it. Because, you know, I have access to their finance manager. Like, I don't have any of those skills. Like, this is what blows my mind is because I didn't even finish high school. So I don't even have an education. And here I am, like, you know, running this business with these amazing ladies. And yeah, I just really want to thank them for
Leah Andrea: 53:24
Mady now applies for our grants. Yeah, he writes our policy.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 53:31
Proposals, contracts. Yes. Yeah.
Mady Taue: 53:34
Yeah. So yeah, I just really want to thank you for the help. Because without them, yeah.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 53:38
Just an email away for all of us. Yeah. Can we have help? So like, yeah, call will come in here. And we'll sit down and you know, draft everything out. It's great. Okay. Yeah.
Tim Buxton: 53:47
I need their number. Please.
Leah Andrea: 53:49
yeah. They've provided a space to
Mady Taue: 53:53
It's a beautiful work room. Yeah. And sewing machines,
Tim Buxton: 53:56
Well, shout out to White Box Enterprise, Luke, you're out there. We know you've done an incredible job with many other social enterprises as well. And I think it just goes to say you're an incredible success story. All of you are, in this room have an incredible story. And it just goes to show that when you just go out there and have a crack, you'll be you be surprised the amount of people that will get around that will support you. And believe you and Ivan I believe you know, even maybe some people listening in to this will go up. I want to get in touch. I want to know how I can support and get behind this initiative. And there might be someone listening with their own idea, their own goal, their own passion, and all they needed is to hear your story. Yeah, you can make a difference.
Gabrielle Zemlich: 54:46
You just got to go for it. Just give it to you all. If it's your passion, if it's what you love, like don't let anyone stop you from doing that. That would be one piece of advice, not feel. Fear, just kind of push through like us. Last couple weeks feeling a bit overwhelmed. I took over Kim's role and you know learning all the new procedures and all the software and things like that. I remember saying to like Maddie Leo, I feel so out of my depth and they're like, No, you know, data time to what we do and what I used to breathe in when I used to see like, 10 emails pop up, okay, I'm not gonna be able to answer all of these emails. And now Yeah, day by day in next three months? Well, I'm three months in. Yeah, I love it. So
Leah Andrea: 55:26
Even with my 35 years experience, I, I tell the ladies, these girls, I'm still fake. Love I get Yeah, if nobody knows that you feeling uncomfortable? Or you're doing something for the first time, or you're a bit out of your depth? So I feel that after all my experience, so I kind of, you know, imagine how other people
Tim Buxton: 55:54
Yeah, what an inspiration you guys are, and you making a big difference. There's some women that you're gonna go back to in just a minute, and they're gonna, you look into their faces, and you see the way you've changed their lives. It's gonna drive to keep going, I appreciate you making the time to step away from your hard work to come here to talk about it.
Mady Taue: 56:16
Thank you for having us. Yeah,
Gabrielle Zemlich: 56:18
It's been great.
Tim Buxton: 56:19
We'll see you again soon.
Mady Taue: 56:20
Thank you. Thank you.
Tim Buxton: 56:27
Well, how much fun was that it was so good to have three lovely ladies in the studio and in person interview is always a treat. I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Mady, Leah, and Gabrielle from Mantua Sewing what an incredible work that they're doing. Guys, you can learn more about their work, you can partner with them and support them by heading over to Mantua.com.au. in the show notes, I'll have all the links to this social, Instagram and Facebook feeds and you can follow them there. And I actually do have a bonus conversation with Mady, we catch up a bit later on over Skype. And if you want to hear that, you can become a patron of the show. All patrons get access to bonus episodes where I talk to all my guests at length about 10 to 15 minutes, we get into really some fun, interesting, quick questions, you really gonna enjoy that. But you only can do that by becoming a Patreon. And you can do that by giving just as little as $5 a month to help us produce the show, head over to patreon.com forward slash justice matters. And you can learn more about that. Now it takes a lot of people to produce this show. And I'd like to thank them personally right now. I'd like to thank John Ardnt and David Gungor, also known as "The Brilliance" for their use of the music that we use on the podcast. Thanks, guys, I really appreciate it. Now I'd also like to thank Jose Bitto, the audiovisual engineer who works tirelessly behind the scenes to film and edit and publish these podcasts. Thanks, mate so much for all that you do for me and for you belong. And lastly, if you are enjoying the podcast, there's one other way that you can support us and that is by rating and reviewing the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, can subscribe to us on YouTube, you could share an episode that you really enjoyed, you could make a comment, guys, we'd love being able to have these conversations and sharing them and really pushing into places where I know a lot of people don't really want to go but conversations we really need to have. And we want to be able to continue to do that. And so if you're enjoying it and you'd like to show you support, please do so by ratin and reviewing. Now it's time fo me to sign off. Thanks so muc for joining me for this episode Come back again soon for th next episode that'll be droppi g next week. But for now, I'm yo r host, Tim Buxton. Thank you o much for listenin
