About Us

 

HEIR OF THE DOG

 

Mambo was born in 1984, under the concrete palms of industrial inner Sydney, about as far from soul surfing as a Club Med surf camp.

 

By the time we had missed our 23rd job interview and were being cut from government welfare support, the surf industry had grown up, and out, bloated on its own sense of importance (something that took us another ten years to achieve), and its staggering lack of creativity.

 

Our plan, once we had decided on a plan, was to ignore everything that was happening in the surfing industry, and to provide like-minded friends with a fairly authentic and reasonably intelligent product that would provide both entertainment and value for money, along with a reliable cash flow that would enable us to not have to do a runner when the bill arrived. Failing that, our Plan B was to have enough unsold product loaded into the van before the liquidators arrived, to give away as Christmas presents to friends and family for the next ten years.

 

But the liquidators never arrived, and Mambo grew from a precocious group of surfers, and itinerate artists clutching crayons and a second-hand sewing machine into an international surf and streetwear brand with a unique vision and a healthy disregard for account managers and following the advice of non-surfing MBA’s.

 

Roll on to 2024, and the Year of the Dragon. There's a new site, and new team at the helm but no change in ambitions. Simply put it broke our heart that the brand had faded from view and delivery was frankly pot-luck.

 

Except getting your kit - rest assured, delivery is in the hands of adults.

 

From here, who knows? Welcome to the wonderful world of Mambo.

 

New site. New team. Different T-Shirts. Same Dreams & Optimistic Ambitions. Similar Paths. Unpredictable Future.

 

 

PRODUCTS AND SOURCING

 

When we aren’t trying to sneak off from work to play golf, bike with mates or look forlornly at our skateboards, we do try and consider what we do and how we do it.

 

I’d be telling a lie if I said we personally travel the world looking for amazing factories, whose owners actually give a shit. Fortunately, those people do exist and they are the guys we buy from, who have made it their mission to do this on our behalf. In return, we pay a fair price for all our garments and accessories, so it is passed on to the people who make these amazing products.

 

They have a Code of Conduct unlike some of the folks I have met over the years, and they build long term relationships and share a vision of doing their bit to rectify the damage we have knowingly or unknowingly, inflicted on our planet.

 

We aren’t about to stop wearing clothes, so we take quality seriously to make sure it will last for years, and focus only on organic cotton (or very occasionally recycled polyester and cotton - all products list their fabric composition).

 

We insist on traceability in the supply chain so there is a conviction in what we tell you. The use of GOTS ( Global Organic Textile Standards ) or GRS (Global Recycled Standards) is fundamental to our suppliers.

 

They involve themselves in initiatives like Fair Wear, carbon reduction and are making their first baby steps into circular production.

 

To keep art at the forefront, but waste to a minimum we also print most of the range on demand. Help us by checking out the size guide, and getting that order right first time.