Merchandise Supplier: The Sewing Room

Some of the newest members of the Tasmanian community are at the forefront of important work for the AFL’s newest club.

Immigrant workers at The Sewing Room in Hobart are playing a key role in handcrafting the latest batch of Tasmania Devils’ merchandise including t-shirts, fleece hoodies and polos.

The new range of merchandise is now available to club members.

“I’ve been lucky enough to find some highly qualified machinists and cutters,” Bronwen Feachnie, owner of The Sewing Room said.

“One young brother and sister worked in tailoring in Iran so they are just a godsend.

“I gain incredible talent and these young men and women then gain experience out in the workforce.”

Language barriers are steadily being overcome in what is a highly productive and supportive work environment.

“It gives them an opportunity to improve their English and gives me my opportunity to make a fool of myself speaking Farsi.”

The Sewing Room has previously provided garments for Brand Tasmania and the NBL championship winning Tasmania Jack Jumpers. The chance to produce Devils’ merchandise was an opportunity not to be missed but the quantity of clothing requested was initially cause for some anxiety.

“It’s out of the stratosphere…I went home and had a nervous breakdown,” Feachnie joked.

The agreement has led to further investment in the business and provided the impetus to grow The Sewing Room’s capacity.

“We’ve ramped up our machinery, we’ve had new straight sewers delivered, new overlockers delivered, new cutting machines and we’ve streamlined our systems completely.”

The collaboration between the Tasmania Devils and The Sewing Room is indicative of the club’s commitment to ensure as many layers of the community as possible benefit from the state’s AFL inclusion.

“My family and my staff feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to produce this work,” Feachnie said.

“We feel very passionately about getting our team and our stadium… There is huge support for it here and I think every Tasmanian is really proud.”