See also Episode 1: On A Mission | https://wootten.com.au/ep1onamissionvideo/

See also Episode 2: Provenance Is Everything | https://wootten.com.au/ep2provenanceiseverythingvideo/

See also Episode 3: Our Story So Far | https://wootten.com.au/ep3ourstorysofarvideo/

See also Episode 4: Good Things Take Time | https://wootten.com.au/ep4goodthingstaketimevideo/

See also Episode 6: It's All About The Craft

THE BIGGER PICTURE:

As creatives in a manufacturing business it is easy to get stuck in your own "world", which is your workshop. We all need connection, belonging and inspiration to creatively thrive. For us, being located in the centre of the burgeoning creative community of the Central Highlands of Victoria has had a profoundly positive impact.

After nearly thirty years in Melbourne, we relocated the workshop to the historic city of Ballarat. This is where the production happens, showcasing our ever-expanding collection with a full range of fitting stock to try on.

The Gun Cotton Complex where our flagship workshop resides had recently been subdivided and its wartime industrial grandeur spoke to us. The building was a WW2 munitions factory with our specific workshop being the general goods store. The scale and engineering are something you wouldn’t see built today. Triple brick none loadbearing walls fill in around a steel framed structure that is some 11m high. The entire Gun Cotton precinct was 8 hectares and had its own train line and power supply. It was a major strategic undertaking during the war. It was only in operation for a very short period as the war ended soon after its completion.

Three factors principally drove the decision to set up in Ballarat. Proximity to our home in Gordon, the recent history of bootmaking in Ballarat, and finally the abundance of amazing heritage industrial buildings and the industries that occupy them still.

The Lost Trades fair has been incredibly positive both personally and from a business perspective. We first became involved nearly 10 years ago and have met some amazing craftspeople over this time. The cohort of makers and craftspeople that the fair has brought together is truly world-class. The vast majority of makers at the Lost Trades Fair are based in our region.

For the direct Youtube link click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3zdFBwSkPk