#wearingmongrels

After over 10 years of making Mongrel Socks, we must have turned out many thousands. Still, I can't quite explain the buzz I get when I see someone wearing something I made.
Happened at the supermarket yesterday. Next aisle from ours, minding thier own business. Loz and I both checked out this blokes feet, and had to stop ourselves from interupting the poor fella's shopping to say "Hey, we made those!" It got us to thinking just how far our humble Tasmanian Merino socks, arm/leg warmers etc have travelled.
We are always pumped by the stories our customers are so kind as to relay. Births, deaths and even marriages have had Mongrel Socks play a part! A longtime customer told us about seeing a play at the Sydney Opera House last week "Sex with Strangers" starring Jacqueline McKenzie, wearing our Mongrel Socks on stage! Nice! Would love a photo of that.
As we drove home from the supermarket we reeled off who we knew had worn or been given Mongrels or where they had been.
Here's a few of the people or places we came up with, in no particular order.....
Antarctica, K2, HRH Prince Charles, Jamie Dury, Kara Korum Hwy - Pakistan/China, On a glacier and a volcano in Iceland, Julian Clary, Numerous State and Federal Ministers, A Trucking Magnate, An AFL football team and 650 of their supporters, rafting down through the Yukon and the Franklin River, a full bridal party at Meadowbank, a number a babies born to Mums wearing Mongrels, Paris, Oprah Winfrey's best Gail King, Milan, the list could go on, but I've work to get back to, like making more socks.

Feeling the Love!

We've had a crazy week, bumps and troughs, ups and downs - the lot. Not boring that's for sure. I won't go in to the downs now - no need to re-live it. But the UPS! Yee Ha! We've been really pushing for international sales over the last year - a hard sell in the post GFC market place. There has been progress in this area now - not sown up yet - but looking good.
We have also been blessed with the most fantastic customers (like in the last post), money couldn't buy the exposure and good will we've enjoyed lately. I found out last week an Aussie (international) actress love's our humble Mongrel socks (I won't mention her name 'cos that's not cool). Lucky she's not afraid to mention our name! Then on Saturday we got a "poetic" mention in the local paper, written by a high profile arts/culture identity, completely unsolicited and much appreciated.
Today, we are delighted!

To our surprise, an audience of over 340,000 people listened to Denis Walter interview world renown gay icon, comedien, and very naughty Julian Clary. Incredibly Julian was more interested in talking about our socks ( Denis was wearing a pair of blue/green pure wool mongrel socks at the time) than talking about himself and his current Australian tour (only joking). Unbelievable! We are feeling the love. It's all good. While it's wonderful that these well known folk like what we do, it puts a spring in our step and is very motivating, the same can be said for any feedback we get from our customers. A highlight moment came when I was busy checking our web site stats, looking at where our traffic was coming from etc and noticed some visitors coming in via an unknown (to us) blog. So I tracked it back and again was thrilled to read someones post about our socks - again all good. But when I read one of the comments left, it brought tears to my eyes.  The comment was that their mother loved her Mongrel Socks so much that she was buried in them. It chokes me up even now. mmm. What lucky people we are.