Phillip Island couple raise more than $4k for community groups
When Mark and Pharrah Underwood started their business in November 2019, they never imagined they would raise more than $4000 for local community groups. Now nearly 12 months on, they are more determined than ever to lift their game.
Bass Coast News
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Mark and Pharrah Underwood are making waves across the Bass Coast with their start-up business that is all about giving back to the local community.
Local Clothing launched in November 2019 and has so far raised more than $4000 for eight different community groups in Phillip Island.
They sell T-shirts, hoodies, beanies, poncho towels and face masks and each month donate 10 per cent of their product sales to groups that need the money.
“It was just going to be a few T-shirts here and there but it just grew,” he told The Bass Coast News.
“It was never supposed to be as big as it is already but we are super grateful”.
As a graphic designer, Mr Underwood designs the prints on the products each month.
“We design, photograph and run the website ourselves,” Mrs Underwood said.
“We don’t have to pay for those services so the only outlay is buying the products”.
“If we had to outsource everything, we wouldn’t be able to run the company because there’s really not margin in it,” Mr Underwood added.
Since launching Local Clothing have donated to Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club, Phillip Island CFA, National Surfing Reserve, Change for Sam, The Phillip Island Football & Netball Club, Phillip Island Landcare & PICAL’s Emergency Food Relief Fund and Cowes Primary School.
After moving from Pakenham to Phillip Island two years ago, the Underwood’s said their biggest challenge is the “local mentality” that exists with the community.
“There a bit of an ugly mentality going about the word local,” Mrs Underwood said.
“We want local to mean community and a lot of people do see it like that but there are people who question what local means,” Mr Underwood said.
“They say ‘how long have you been a local for’ and we want local to be about supporting other not excluding people”.
The Underwood’s are thankful for opportunity that has arisen from starting Local Clothing.
“We just love that we have met so many good people from this start-up,” Ms Underwood said.
“Our main drive is to get that cheque as big as possible for local groups that need the funds”.
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Contact Brooke at brooke.grebert-craig@news.com.au