The Social Studio
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersCollingwood, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
The Social Studio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Social Studio
- Legal name
- The Social Studio
- Website
- https://thesocialstudio.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Social Studio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ethical Fashion and Apparel Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599), Home Furnishings Retailers (44912)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury & Designer Apparel Houses (CRAAAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Textile & Fiber Arts Classes (Weaving, Knitting, Embroidery, Dyeing) (THAJAKAB)
Keywords
Where The Social Studio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Collingwood
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Social Studio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Sales: Sales of clothing, accessories, and homewares through online store and physical retail location. Products include The Social Studio in-house label as well as curated pieces from other culturally diverse makers. All profits go back into supporting education and training programs.
- Manufacturing Services: Ethical clothing manufacturing services for other brands and organizations. Services include cutting, sewing, pressing, sample making, fabric sourcing, and low MOQ production. MOQ is 30 units for 1 colourway across 5 sizes, or 50 units for 2 colourways.
- Mending and Alterations: In-house mending and alterations services. Services include hem adjustments ($25-$45), zipper repair ($50-$85), patching ($45+), hand darning ($55-$65), waist adjustments ($45-$85), and bespoke repairs. Rush fee of $15 available.
- Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations (DGR1 status) from public donors. Monthly donor program called 'Common Thread' with Bronze, Silver, and Gold membership tiers. Donations support education, employment and training programs.
- Workshop Fees: Public workshops teaching creative mending and hand sewing. Workshop topics include Darning, Swiss Darning Knitwear, and Sashiko stitching. Three-hour workshops offered to general public.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Clothing products ranging from basic tops to outerwear |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift items and accessories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mending and alteration services |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Shipping and delivery |
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Education programs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Social Studio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Social Studio is a not-for-profit fashion label, fashion school and manufacturer based in Collingwood. It sells apparel, accessories and homewares through retail channels, delivers free accredited fashion education, and provides ethical low-MOQ manufacturing plus mending and alteration services.
Product overview
The Social Studio is a not-for-profit fashion social enterprise operating as a unified platform combining retail, education, manufacturing, and repair services. The core offering includes The Social Studio Label—an in-house fashion brand producing clothing, accessories, and homewares from deadstock fabrics—alongside curated products from culturally diverse makers. Product categories span clothing (dresses, tops, bottoms, jumpsuits, jackets), accessories (jewellery, hair accessories, bags, scarves, socks), and homewares (ceramics, objects, art prints, greeting cards, books). Supporting services include an RMIT-accredited Cert III in Clothing and Textile Production (free for eligible refugee/migrant students), public creative workshops (darning, sashiko, Swiss darning), in-house mending and alterations services, and Ethical Clothing Australia-accredited manufacturing with low MOQ for external clients. The enterprise is funded through retail sales, donations, and philanthropic partnerships, with all profits reinvested into education and training programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Social Studio Label
- Dresses
- Tops
- Bottoms
- Jumpsuits
- Jackets & Coats
- Jewellery
- Hair & Hats
- Bags
- Scarves
- Socks
- Ceramics
- Objects
- Art Prints
- Greeting Cards
- Books, Magazines & Stickers
- Cert III in Clothing and Textile Production
- Creative Workshops
- Mending & Alterations Service
- Manufacturing Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 1000+ people supported through education and training since 2009
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Social Studio
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
The Social Studio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Social Studio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and flagship.
- RMIT UniversitycoreEducation partnership delivering RMIT-accredited Certificate III in Clothing and Textile Production. The Social Studio delivers the curriculum on-site with additional language and social support for students.
- Creative VictoriamajorGovernment arts and creative industries funding partner supporting studio programs and operations.
- Creative AustraliamajorFederal government arts funding body supporting creative programs and initiatives.
- Department of Home AffairscoreGovernment department supporting programs for refugees and migrants.
- Babbara Women's Centre, ManingridamajorFirst Nations women's centre collaboration for community and creative projects.
- KahiniminorCommunity organization partnership for creative collaboration.
- South-East Community LinksminorCommunity services partnership for referrals and community engagement.
- Kay Abude x Alpha60flagshipFeatured fashion collaboration showcasing emerging designers.
- Lucy FolkflagshipFashion label collaboration for special projects.
- Atong Atem x Romance Was BornflagshipHigh-profile designer collaboration with Romance Was Born.
- Kuwaii x Ken DoneflagshipDesigner collaboration with Australian fashion icons.
- Hello TailrcoreOfficial partner enabling national mending services. Customers nationwide can book through Hello Tailr to send garments to The Social Studio for repair.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Social Studio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Eileen Fisher: Established US sustainable womenswear brand with circular take-back program (Renew) and long-standing commitment to ethical production. Broad incumbent in the same conscious-consumer apparel segment.
- Patagonia: Global leader in sustainable outdoor apparel with deep environmental and ethical supply-chain credentials. Broad incumbent sharing the same ethical/sustainability consumer mindshare but operating at much larger scale.
Direct peers
- HoMie: Melbourne-based social enterprise fashion brand supporting homeless and at-risk youth through retail and training programs. Directly comparable social-enterprise model combining fashion retail with employment pathways for marginalised communities in Australia.
- The SOUK: Sydney-based social enterprise supporting refugee women through fashion production and retail. Direct peer in the Australian social-enterprise fashion space with overlapping refugee-employment mission.
- Etiko: Australian fair-trade and organic clothing brand with certified ethical supply chains. Closely comparable in mission (ethical/sustainable apparel) and Australian market focus.
- People Tree: Pioneer fair-trade fashion brand working with artisan groups and ethical manufacturers globally. Comparable ethical-fashion mission, transparent supply chain, and curated artisan/maker product assortment.
- Outland Denim: Australian-founded ethical denim brand employing women who have experienced exploitation in Cambodia. Comparable social-enterprise apparel brand with a mission-driven employment model and ethical manufacturing positioning.
- ABLE: US-based ethical apparel brand employing and empowering women who have overcome poverty and trafficking. Comparable employment-of-marginalised-women model combined with DTC apparel retail.
Regional players
- Kowtow: New Zealand-based ethical and fair-trade fashion brand focused on organic cotton and transparent supply chains. Regional peer in the Australasian ethical apparel market.
Emerging players
- The R Collective: Hong Kong-based social enterprise fashion brand making garments from surplus textile materials. Comparable upcycled/deadstock sourcing model and social-mission positioning in the ethical-fashion space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Social Studio social profiles
Digital presenceThe Social Studio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Social Studio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Social Studio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Social Studio M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Social Studio
What does The Social Studio do?
The Social Studio is a not-for-profit fashion label, fashion school and manufacturer based in Collingwood. It sells apparel, accessories and homewares through retail channels, delivers free accredited fashion education, and provides ethical low-MOQ manufacturing plus mending and alteration services.
Is The Social Studio a public or private company?
The Social Studio is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Social Studio founded?
The Social Studio was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Social Studio based?
The Social Studio is headquartered in Collingwood, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does The Social Studio make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are manufacturing Services, mending and Alterations, donations and Fundraising and workshop Fees.
Who are The Social Studio's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Eileen Fisher and Patagonia. Direct peers are HoMie, The SOUK, Etiko, People Tree, Outland Denim and ABLE. Kowtow is listed as a regional player. The R Collective is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Social Studio have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Social Studio.
What industry is The Social Studio in?
The Social Studio's product category is Ethical Fashion and Apparel Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAAAC, Luxury & Designer Apparel Houses, with a secondary code of THAJAKAB, Textile & Fiber Arts Classes (Weaving, Knitting, Embroidery, Dyeing). Its NAICS code is 31599 and its SIC code is 5600.