Tia is a Naarm/Melbourne local who runs a beautiful company called Framework Designs. Her unique bags are timeless and use consciously sourced materials to create functional and aesthetic pieces. In this article she speaks to us about what a day looks like running Framework Designs, and how she approaches design.
Hi there! Could you introduce yourself and what you do for the readers?
I’m Tia (she/her) and I run my own business designing and making cycling accessories on Wurundjeri Land.
How did Framework Designs begin? How did you get started designing bike gear?
I have a background in textile design and have been sewing since I was 12. It was before a trip to Japan that my partner Joel asked me to make some canvas bags for our Bromptons. They housed the folding bikes for the flight over and then folded down and attached to the handlebars once we arrived in Japan. From there I purchased my first industrial sewing machine and began designing and sewing a small range of bike bags from our spare room.
Tia inspects a Frameworks Designs bag.
What does a normal day look like for you?
Joel brings me a coffee in bed every morning (because he’s amazing), I then plonk our 25kg dog Iris (the boy) in my cargo bike and we cycle along the Darebin creek to the workshop in Fairfield.
It’s just me behind the sewing machines, so my day is fuelled by iced coffees and podcasts. I’ve had some sewing help along the way but for the majority of the last six and a half years I’ve been working in a room by myself. Well, Iris has always been there too, but he’s not much of a conversationalist. My hope is to create a setup that’s less reliant on me sewing every single piece myself. It’s an incredibly labour-intensive process, and it doesn’t leave much time or energy for all the other crucial parts of running a business.
The day is usually a bit of a mixed bag of activities. I can’t do one task at a time for very long so I’m generally bouncing around the space. Cutting fabric and webbing, a lot of sewing, packing orders, then throw in a trip to the post office on the cargo bike, some emails I’ve neglected to reply to and zero content created (because I don’t have time to film myself doing tasks, I just need to get the shit done) and that’s about the day.
I’m dreaming of a time I can do more of what I love; designing, going outdoors and taking photos.
Do you have a favourite machine in the workshop? What makes it your favourite?
There are so many gadgets I now could not live without. The cylinder arm is probably the funnest sewing machine- everyone loves watching a binding video, but I was very lucky to get my hands on a second hand laser cutter (at a very low price) last year so that is going to be hard to beat. It is so extremely satisfying to watch. The automatic hot knife webbing cutter is also very high up there.
Do you have a particular approach to designing your gear? What informs your products?
I try not to look too closely at what other brands are doing, I’ve even hidden quite a few bike bag brands from my feed so that I’m not constantly comparing myself and my products- a great mental health hack. I think I just naturally developed my own style of product with equal importance given to functionality and aesthetics.
Handlebar Snack Pack Mixed Media #2
Are there any ways that you think people could support women in the outdoor makers scene?
The best way to support a brand that you love is to actually purchase something from them if you are in a position to do so. That kind of direct support goes a long way. If you're not, there are still so many ways to show support—share their work online, talk about them with your mates, credit their ideas, and help spread the word. Visibility matters.
Are there any small brands you'd like to shout out?
Tunitas Creative (https://www.tunitascreative.com/), Earthy Media (@earthymedia), Treehouse Cyclery (@treehousecyclery) are all women-owned and run.
You can find Framework Designs in the links below:
Instagram: @framework.designs
Handlebar Snack Pack: Shiraz Canvas
A massive thank you to Tia for taking the time out of her busy sewing schedule to give us a glimpse into the world of Framework Designs.
I'd love it if you could send this to your friends to share Framework Designs with the world.
Happy creating!
Abi x