Fashioned from the land

In an industry where fast fashion and synthetic materials are proliferating at alarming rates, this commitment represents something different: quality, authenticity and a return to Australia’s farming roots.  

Since 2009, he’s done just that, building M.J. Bale into a mainstay of the Australian men’s fashion industry. Matt and his team work directly with woolgrowers and other suppliers who provide the raw material for the company’s collections.

The company also invests a percentage of every garment sale back into the land.

“We work directly with the farms so that our garments have an amazing story of provenance,” Matt says.

A paradigm shift for the planet 

That’s not to say that Matt and M.J. Bale are stuck in the past. In fact, M.J. Bale has taken a decidedly entrepreneurial approach to sustainability that goes far beyond the use of natural materials.

In 2021, in partnership with Tasmania’s Kingston Farms, the company pioneered the world’s first methane-reduced wool by feeding sheep a seaweed supplement for 300 days. The initiative showed significant promise in reducing the sheep’s methane emissions with no impact on wool production or quality.

The following year, M.J. Bale launched Net Zero Knits, an even more ambitious project to further reduce the company’s carbon footprint by creating knitwear that’s sourced and produced entirely in Australia.

This commitment to sustainability, as well as to connecting its buyers to the growers, weavers and makers who underpin the brand, led to M.J. Bale achieving B Corp certification in 2024 in acknowledgement of their social and environmental performance.

“It’s important to try and focus on these inherent quality materials and fibres that are actually beneficial for people’s health, beneficial for the world and the planet as opposed to creating more pollution.”

Where nature and business collide 

Matt’s entrepreneurial approach has been shaped by his UTS degree. As a student in the Bachelor of Business in 1990, he started building the skills and the mindset that would later transform him into a fashion retail leader.

Back then, the Bachelor of Business was based on UTS’s Kuring-gai campus on Sydney’s north shore. Bordered by Lane Cove National Park and overlooking dramatic bushland, it was the sort of place that spoke both to Matt’s love of the natural world and his future business aspirations.

“The Kuring-gai campus had these wonderful views out over Kuring-gai Chase; it was just beautiful. With that came a freshness to the approach of the students, of the teachers, or the willingness to learn in a group environment and in an entrepreneurial way,” he says.

“There was a wonderful philosophy of group study and teamwork, and I think that really helped me in how we manage and operate our teams here today in a cooperative, clever and thoughtful way.”

After leaving UTS, Matt went on to found Herringbone, another iconic Australian fashion brand. Eleven years later, the company went into receivership, rocked by ongoing aftershocks of the global financial crisis.

But Matt, who had identified a gap in the market for quality menswear, refused to be deterred. Instead, he fell back on what he still believes is the secret to a successful business.

“You need to be strategically agile,” he says.

“I think if you embrace the idea of the market with strategic agility, and you have excellent discipline and creativity as a team addressing a problem, you can do so many things.”

Leading with integrity 

M.J. Bale launched in 2009, and more than 17 years later Matt’s ability to pivot has held him and the label in good stead. The company weathered the storm of COVID-19, launching what is now a thriving e-commerce arm that continues to supplement its in-store success.

In 2024, M.J. Bale took in more than $110 million in revenue. It now kits out many of Australia’s sporting teams, including the Wallabies (rugby union), the Kangaroos (rugby league), the Sydney Kings (basketball) and the Australian Test Cricket team. Its first-ever international outpost is due to open in London this year.

This rapid growth and widespread appeal reflect the brand’s commitment to creating opportunities for buyers, for growers and for the planet that benefits more than just the company’s bottom line.

For Matt, these values aren’t at odds with running a profitable business. Instead, they’re the foundation on which M.J. Bale’s success has been built.