About us
We are a 100% Indigenous owned and operated and self funded business,
We are local to Western Australia, from Yawurru and Karrajarri country in the Northwest of Australia, to the Minang and Wadjeri country of the Noongar nation, in the Southwest and everywhere in between.
Kaarli began back in 2022, Tom and I were sitting at the backyard table when we came up with the idea of starting a business. I make the Kaarli’s (boomerangs), and Tom does the painting and artwork. Our first product was a Kaarli made of blackbutt and painted by Tom.
We felt brave enough to take a leap into business after I completed a 12-week business/ entrepreneurial program organized by ‘Make it Happen HQ’, the deadly Peek sisters from Broome. Before this program I never thought of being a business owner, let alone an entrepreneur, because you can’t be, what you can’t see!
Coming from Broome in the Northwest of Australia, I loved going out bush and cutting Kaarli’s with my dad and uncle, something that I am very grateful for, passing that knowledge on to me. Kaarli (The business) is a way that I am able to practice my culture while being away from my country. (The Kaarli making has slowed down while we focused on the apparel side of the business but will be coming back in a big way in 2024, so keep an eye out!)
We got into socks and ties, because working with wood constantly, is a very manual intensive exercise. So, we decided to get Tom an iPad and do a bit of digital art to put on the socks and ties. Since then, we have slowly gathered pace as we invest all profits back into the business to support Indigenous artists and open our doors to work with more Indigenous artists in the future through collaboration in designs.
Knowing what I know today, coming from a strong cultural childhood growing up in Broome to being a leader in my fulltime workplace and growing in business, I feel that I truly walk in two worlds. This privilege of being a conduit between two worlds, is where we are moving toward in the future. I hope to share my knowledge with the next generation, in hopes to plant seeds in their minds to question the world around them and find their passion and purpose.
All collaboration is welcome, please get in touch.
Samuel Edgar
Founder and Creator
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