What Peppermint Magazine does

Peppermint Magazine is an independent Australian publishing company founded in 2008 by Kelley Sheenan and headquartered in Brisbane (Meanjin), Queensland. The company produces a print flagship magazine focused on sustainable fashion, slow living, sewing, and inclusive storytelling, alongside a digital sewing magazine (Sew&Tell), a catalog of downloadable sewing patterns, short DIY projects, and a curated marketplace featuring aligned sustainable and ethical brands. Peppermint serves primary audiences of sustainability-conscious consumers, home sewists and makers (beginner to advanced), and slow living enthusiasts, primarily in Australia with international reach through physical stockists in the UK, USA, and New Zealand, and digital distribution via Zinio.

The platform is built on a WordPress-based e-commerce stack that supports digital product delivery - including PDF sewing patterns delivered in A0, A4, and US Letter formats with copy-shop A0 versions and a five-download limit per purchase - and bundles a free digital sewing pattern with each print issue. Select patterns use a pay-what-you-can (minimum $10 AUD) pricing model to broaden accessibility. The company operates the PepTalks events program (2023 Mumbrella "Event of the Year"), community-driven social media engagement around the #PeppermintPatterns hashtag, and a Better Together editorial series developed in partnership with publishers including Penguin Random House Australia.

Commercially, Peppermint runs a hybrid revenue model: single print issues at $19.95 AUD, tiered annual subscriptions ($40 Sewing, $55 Peppermint, $70 International) in AUD, digital issues at $13, individual DIY projects at $2-$8, marketplace advertising/partner features, and event ticketing. The company is privately held, has been bootstrapped since inception, and is operated by a lean core team of approximately five staff (Founder/Editor-In-Chief/Designer, Deputy Editor, National Advertising Manager, Sewing Manager/People and Culture, Community Manager). The business has accumulated 64 print issues, multiple industry awards (Mumbrella, Australian Good Design, Publish Awards), carbon-neutral certification, and over $30,000 in charitable donations to social and environmental causes.

Name

Peppermint Magazine

Legal name

Peppermint Magazine

Website

https://peppermintmag.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Peppermint Magazine is an Australian independent publishing company producing a print magazine, digital sewing patterns, DIY projects, and community events focused on sustainable fashion and slow living, serving sustainability-conscious consumers and home sewists across Australia and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Lifestyle Magazine

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines (MPAJAEAA)

Keywords

• Independent print magazine
• Sustainable fashion media
• Sewing patterns
• Maker community content
• Digital lifestyle publication

Headquarters

HQ city

Red Hill

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Print Magazine Sales: Biannual print magazine sold individually at $19.95 per issue. Available through direct online orders with $7 flat-rate shipping Australia-wide, newsagencies, and specialty stores.
2. Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions: Peppermint Subscription ($55 AUD) includes 1 print issue, 1 Sew&Tell digital, 4 digital patterns; Sewing Subscription ($40 AUD) includes digital Sew&Tell and 4 patterns; International Subscription ($70 AUD).
3. Digital Magazine and Pattern Sales: Digital issues available at $13 per issue. Individual sewing patterns sold as pay-what-you-can downloads. DIY projects sold from $2-$8.
4. Marketplace Advertising: Featured partner brands in marketplace section with sponsored content. Advertising partnerships with aligned sustainable/ethical brands.
5. Event Ticketing: PepTalks events, workshops, and The Perfect Pitch seminars sold as tickets. Event of the Year award winner at 2023 Mumbrella Publish Awards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Peppermint Magazine is an Australian independent print and digital magazine publishing biannual print issues, an annual digital sewing magazine called Sew&Tell, and a library of downloadable sewing patterns sold under a pay-what-you-can model. The publication combines editorial content on sustainable fashion, ethics and slow living with bundled digital sewing patterns and community events (PepTalks), sold direct-to-consumer via its e-commerce platform and through physical stockists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sew&Tell: Digital sewing magazine featuring sewing stories and DIYs from Peppermint alongside new content, crafty ideas and projects.

Products and services

• Peppermint Print Magazine Australian print magazine sold individually by issue ($19.95 inc GST) covering sustainable fashion, ethics, slow living, art and culture; bundled with a free digital sewing pattern.
• Peppermint Annual Subscription Annual subscription (AUD $55) including one Peppermint print issue, one Sew&Tell digital magazine and four digital sewing patterns over 12 months; Australia-only with 20% discount on back issues.
• Sewing Subscription Annual digital-only subscription (AUD $40) including one Sew&Tell digital magazine and four digital sewing patterns over 12 months.
• International Subscription Annual subscription for non-Australian subscribers (AUD $70) including one Peppermint print magazine, one Sew&Tell digital magazine and four digital sewing patterns.
• Sew&Tell Digital Magazine Annual digital-only sewing magazine ($12–$16 per issue) featuring sewing stories and DIYs alongside Peppermint editorial.
• Sewing Pattern Library (Pay-What-You-Can) Downloadable PDF sewing patterns sold under a pay-what-you-can sliding scale (minimum AUD $10), available in A0, A4 and US Letter formats with A0 copy shop versions; up to five downloads per purchase.
• DIY Projects Individual instant-download DIY sewing projects priced from $2 to $8 each, such as the Peppermint Market Tote ($5), Apron ($8) and Bush Buddies ($2).
• PepTalks Events & Workshops Ticketed in-person PepTalks events, workshops and The Perfect Pitch seminars featuring inspirational speakers and maker meetups across Australian cities.
• Myrtle Shift Dress Sewing Pattern Beginner-friendly digital sewing pattern for a shift dress with bust darts, pockets, top-stitching around neck and armholes, and a keyhole loop closure; sold as a digital download.
• Wattle Tracksuit Sewing Pattern Digital sewing pattern for a casual weekend-wear tracksuit released as part of the Peppermint pattern catalog.
• Daisy Dress Sewing Pattern Free digital sewing pattern for a flowy, blousy dress with raglan sleeves, optional lace/trim insertion, tie belt, button placket, pockets and band collar, bundled with Issue 64.
• Fern Pleated Pants Sewing Pattern Digital sewing pattern for tailored pleated pants with pockets, released in spring 2025.
• Acacia A-Line Skirt Sewing Pattern Classic A-line skirt sewing pattern suitable for both beginner and experienced sewists, released in winter 2025.
• Viola Quilted Jacket Sewing Pattern Quilted jacket sewing pattern for in-between-season wear, released in autumn 2025.
• Valentine Ruffle Top Sewing Pattern Digital sewing pattern for an off-the-shoulder or on-shoulder ruffle top with no zips or buttonholes, released in summer 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• Carbon neutral certification achieved through Carbon Reduction Institute audit
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Premium Media Partner for the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair. Peppermint will be present throughout the week-long event celebrating 20 years of DAAF, sharing highlights and covering Country to Couture runway events. Ongoing partnership supporting Indigenous art, design, and culture.
• FujiFilm AustraliacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Product partnership featuring FujiFilm QuickSnap waterproof cameras in editorial content. Multiple articles featuring camera reviews and community photography projects including Shutterbugs series documenting migrant experiences and ocean communities.
• Karmme ApparelminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Fabric supplier for Myrtle Shift Dress pattern. Provides complementary fabrics and notions including hand block-printed cottons from Jaipur, India, and quality linens. Brand also stocks tassels and closures for makers.
• Penguin Random House AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Content partnership for Better Together features. Co-created editorial content including book reviews and author interviews. Supports storytelling around friendship themes in partnership with publisher.
• Potter & CominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Fabric supplier sponsor for Daisy Dress sewing pattern included with Issue 64. Partnership supports pattern production with complementary fabrics.
• Sew Your WayminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Pattern support partner for Daisy Dress sewing pattern included with Issue 64. Provides additional resources for pattern makers.
• Crumpet ClubcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Website development partner responsible for Peppermint's website redesign funded by Meta Digital Innovation Fund. Created current website presence.
• Blaklash / Aboriginal Art CocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Ongoing consulting partnership to help shape editorial approach to diversity and Indigenous content. Collaboration to better serve and represent First Nations communities.
• GroundswellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of Groundswell, a giving circle that funds climate action. Collaborative giving initiative supporting environmental causes.
• Indigenous Fashion ProjectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of grassroots community created by Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair to build sustainable fashion futures centering First Nations voices.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Tilly and the Buttons: Independent sewing pattern brand with strong community and educational content around me-made wardrobe building. Comparable to Peppermint's pattern and sewing community offering but with a more commercialized, single-founder brand model.
• Slow Stitch Studio: Slow fashion and mindful-making platform emphasizing sustainable sewing practices. Adjacent in positioning around slow living and sustainability but lacks the print magazine component that anchors Peppermint's brand.
• Assembly Journal: Independent print publication focused on slow living, craft, and creative practice. Closest analog to Peppermint's positioning at the intersection of slow living, craft, and considered editorial design.

Direct peers

• Stitch Magazine: UK sewing-focused magazine with project tutorials, patterns, and community features. Competes for international sewing enthusiasts through similar magazine-plus-pattern bundles.
• Simply Sewing Magazine: UK sewing magazine with bundled patterns and beginner-friendly content. Directly competes with Peppermint's sewing pattern offerings and Sew&Tell positioning in international Anglophone markets.
• Seamwork Magazine: Digital-first sewing magazine and pattern library offering monthly patterns and editorial content. Closest direct competitor in the digital sewing pattern + editorial subscription model that Peppermint's Sew&Tell and pattern offerings approximate.
• Gathered Magazine: UK craft and sewing magazine covering sewing, knitting, crochet, and home crafts with bundled patterns. Direct competitor in the print-plus-pattern model with overlapping reader segments in the maker community.
• Mollie Makes Magazine: International craft and sewing magazine covering handmade, slow living, and maker culture. Competes for the same craft-and-sustainability-oriented reader segment with a comparable editorial mix of patterns, projects, and lifestyle features.
• Frankie Magazine: Australian independent print magazine with a similar craft/design/slow-living focus and a comparable boutique, women-led editorial voice. Closest analog to Peppermint's Australian independent lifestyle publishing positioning and price point.
• Love Sewing Magazine: UK sewing magazine offering patterns, tutorials, and project-based content. Overlaps with Peppermint's sewing pattern and DIY revenue streams, particularly for the international subscriber base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/peppermintmagazine
• Xx.com/PeppermintMag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Peppermint Magazine