A mystifying salute has been directed at the noble cow from local clothes company SÜK. The brand’s latest ‘Cowhide’ line can only be a gesture of some sort to the animal that helped the company get off the ground. The company, whose public face is in Brunswick East but is based in South Yarra, was co-founded in 2018. The family-owned company sells workwear for different types of bodies, creating fashionable and comfortable options for workers. Body positive and ostensibly produced in fair trade factories in Pakistan, SÜK states that it donates some of its profits to various not-for-profit organisations.
Alan Schmidt, inaugural director of SÜK when it began in 2018, has had a long career in live cattle exports, primarily shipping livestock to Israel, and is the current CEO of Global Meats Pty Ltd and AustAgri. In 2015, his company (Otway Livestock Exports) made news when leaked footage of inhumane practices at a destination abattoir in Israel led to a temporary shut down of the facility.
While Schmidt’s company took action to help improve conditions at the abattoir, they have since been involved in ship malfunctions resulting in extended voyages of high-stocked vessels. This is perhaps unavoidable in such a trade, which, in addition to its entanglement with questionable and difficult to regulate abattoir practices, raises concerns around the stress of long-haul journeys on animals in crowded conditions (sometimes in extreme temperatures). The increased risk of international virus transmission is also an ongoing concern associated with live exports.
Activists and federal government ministers alike have proposed the phasing out of the controversial industry since 2014. For instance, New Zealand has recently committed to banning all live exports from April 2023, and while the Albanese government has stated plans to phase out live sheep exports, it has yet to commit to a timeline.
While Mr Schmidt stepped down as SÜK director after a year, his wife Rachel, who co-owned Otway Live Exports, still has 50% ownership of the clothing company.
The ‘Cowhide’ line isn’t the only confusing messaging to come from the workwear brand. Earlier in the year, SÜK announced the return of its ‘Oxblood’ line, which, on reflection, might be a hark back to the Israel saga.
By SS and BB
NB: This article was published in hardcopy January 2023 – reproduced on request
The Coburg Meddler 