Innovation

Mini Jumbuk are the manufacturing pioneers of large-scale premium wool bedding. They are the only large-scale manufacturer and wholesaler who specialise solely in wool bedding in Australia and arguably world-wide. Their ability to innovate and continually employ sustainable manufacturing and operating processes is what makes them unique.

Mini Jumbuk’s Managing Director, Darren Turner had the following to say about their uniqueness on a global scale:

“The use of the word ‘premium’ is probably what separates us from the rest.”

Inspiration

The inspiration for the business came when local sheep shearer, Don Wray, began experimenting with Australia’s best wool varieties from local farmers to create Mini Jumbuk’s first duvet (also commonly called a ‘quilt’). At the time Australians were just starting to adopt the use of ‘feather and down continental quilts’ which were already popular throughout Europe. Applying his unique understanding of wools composition, Don succeeded in creating a wool quilt that was light, warm, comfortable and long lasting; a new industry was born.

Since that time, Mini Jumbuk has grown to become a global leader in the design and manufacture of premium wool bedding products and is still proudly Australian owned with manufacturing remaining in Naracoorte.

Don Wray, Founder and Chairman said the following about the inspirations behind Mini Jumbuk.

“Good people who care and take pride in their work – they are the heartbeat of Mini Jumbuk.”

Overall impact

Mini Jumbuk provides employment to more than 70 people in the country regional town Naracoorte, South Australia. They are the 2nd largest employer in the town with an annual payroll well in excess of $2m which provides an important financial stimulant to the town. The success of Mini Jumbuk over a long period has helped maintain the population and viability of Naracoorte.

Importantly through the success of Mini Jumbuk and other local employers, the town maintains a sense of purpose and community highly linked to its heritage as a farming community. This in stark contrast to many rural towns in Australia which have sadly seen the degradation of their local communities as individuals and whole families have moved to larger regional towns and cities seeking employment opportunities. The flow on benefit in the local community is felt in many indirect ways including up and down the line employment to farmers and shearer’s as well as transport logistic companies and financial services. The owners and directors continue to reside in Naracoorte which further ensures much of their personal expenditure and financial success is reinvested into the local community.

Further the business sponsors many events on the local calendar. Importantly, they are the key sponsor of the Naracoorte Cup and Food and Wine Tasting Festival weekend and have done for 20+ years. This combined event is Naracoorte’s biggest community event of the year.

In 1986, Mini Jumbuk won the ‘National Small Business Award’, the Federal Member for Barker, James Porter MHR had the following to say.

“The extraordinary growth of Mini Jumbuk, from producing, manufacturing and marketing a wide range of products, to enjoying strong demand throughout Australia, Japan and North America, attests to their entrepreneurial skills and sound business planning.”

Business benefit

Mini Jumbuk, as pioneers and innovators of wool quilts, have successfully created a strong demand and market for woollen bedding in Australia. Their premium woollen bedding ranges are now being expanded into other markets like China, which is the company’s strongest export market as well as the United States and the United Kingdom. This offers Mini Jumbuk the opportunity to take its health and wellbeing promise of a ‘giving a better night’s sleep’ to a global market.

Mini Jumbuk operations provide employment across a range of jobs (sales, product development & innovation, manufacturing, finance & marketing) which necessitate varied skills. They provide in house on the job training to many previously lowly skilled employees and additionally support offsite specialised training. Critically it is this investment that helps to drive a low rate of staff-turnover and higher productivity.

Social and environmental benefit

Importantly, Mini Jumbuk’s workforce is heavily skewed to females (over 80%); with women holding the majority of managerial positions. Nearly all factory workers are female with the business investing heavily in developing machinery which has lower physical requirements. This high level of female employment is important in rural towns where historically the majority of jobs are male orientated due to the higher physical requirements of farming related jobs. By providing work to females, many local families benefit strongly from having a second income.

Mini Jumbuk also employ responsible production and material sourcing techniques. 100% of the wool used in their products is sourced from Australian farmers from sheep who are shorn, without harm, 1-2 times per year over many years. Thus, making the main production input ‘wool’, a natural renewable and sustainable product. The company has resisted sourcing and manufacturing from lower cost countries. Instead, their product proudly bears the ‘Australia Made’ logo, a standard requiring a minimum of 50% of the cost of manufacturing to be borne in Australia.

Popular alternative bedding solutions all have varying negative impacts on the environment and animal cruelty. ‘Feather and down’ requires the harvesting of ducks and geese often utilising inhumane processing techniques including hot scalding, slaughtering, live plucking and over populated farms. China and Hungary produce the vast majority of this product but sadly both countries have poor environmental and animal cruelty reputations. Polyester variants have varying but not insignificant environmental impacts through their manufacturing processes as well as the majority of products are not biodegradable.

The benefits of Mini Jumbuk products extends beyond its products’ end of life with wool being 100% biodegradable, and as such does not contribute to landfill. Further Mini Jumbuk’s cardboard packaging is made from recyclables and as such can be further recycled.

Finally, there are many significant health benefits of sleeping with wool and getting a good night sleep. Mini Jumbuk utilise merino wool coupled with their in-house developed ‘Airlight TechnologyTM’ manufacturing. This innovative manufacturing process creates multiple layers of wool allowing each layer to trap more air. This results in the product having superior insulating properties being lighter, more breathable and able to regulate your body temperature which aids a deeper and less restless night’s sleep. It is these insulating properties that make woollen bedding an ideal product in both cold and hot climates. Mini Jumbuk wool is also hyper allergenic. The wool absorbs moisture creating a dry environment which is hostile to the growth of bacteria, fungus and dust mites.

Interview

Darren Turner, Managing Director