Rosa Padula is the Operations Manager, who takes us through the workshop and how garments are made from the fabric, to being sewn and individual logos being put on each garment.

She shows us the details of testing fabric strength, colourfastness, imaging, comfort, and chats about what it's like to see a product you've made being worn by rugby players on television.

About Classic Sportswear:

Classic Sportswear is a privately owned company and has been manufacturing sportswear apparel since 1934.

In 2005 Classic purchased the business and property of Top Heavy and expanded into Licensed and Special Event merchandise. Classic employs over 75 staff with our direct sales team servicing NSW and QLD, agents manage the remaining retail markets in Australia and New Zealand.

Working in the clothing, textiles and footwear industry

Clothing Production includes Australian businesses manufacturing all forms of clothing (except leather, fur and headwear). There are an estimated 2400 businesses employing 19,400 people, generating annual turnover of $2.5 billion (2000-01). Local manufacturing needs to remain competitive and efficient in the face of cheap importe goods and offshore manufacturing trends.

As a result, many Clothing Production companies have adopted innovative strategies focussing on product design, development and innovation, high value added products, a sophisticated marketing strategy focussing on brands, and expansion of export markets.

Jobs in this industry are no longer process activities but now focus on design, supply, maintenance, and reaching consumers and retailers.

There are significant skills shortages in this field and anyone with an interest in fashion, clothing production, design and marketing can enter this field via fashion and design or through an apprenticeship in Textile, Clothing & Footwear Mechanical (Engineering - Mechanical Trade) Certificate III.