About
Photo by Rosina Possingham
A knitting machine, and a family of artisans
I'm Angelina Russo, founder of Fleurieu Made. I design, knit and repair knitwear in Normanville, on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula, on the lands of the Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri and Ramindjeri people.
Fleurieu Made is a circular fashion studio. We make small-batch knitwear including scarves, wraps and accessories almost exclusively from natural vintage and deadstock yarns. Each piece is knitted on vintage flat-bed machines and hand-finished locally. Working this way gives existing materials a second life, avoids overproduction, and keeps every piece traceable and repairable.
I have worked with knitting machines for more than 25 years. The craft came to me through my family's Italian textile heritage. Fleurieu Made began in 2023 as a way to connect my irrational passion for textiles with my deep love for knitwear manufacturing.
I am also a researcher. I hold a PhD and an MBA, I am a Professor at Flinders University's Factory of the Future, and I advise the SAFIA board. That work led me to create the FM Index®, a way of assessing how circular an individual garment really is, and the FM Repair Protocol, which records every repair so a garment's history travels with it.
What the studio does
- Make. Our own knitwear, and sampling and small runs for other labels.
- Mend. Knitwear repair with a written repair record.
- Teach. Machine knitting classes and events and activations.
- Measure. The FM Index® for brands, buyers and councils.
You can also listen to Fashion Unlocks, our podcast, and read our research in Imagine Circular Fashion and Reports.
Recognition
- Green Industries SA Women in Circular Economy Leadership Fellow 2025
- Adelaide University ICC Venture Catalyst Program Resident (2025-2026)
- ComItEs Progetta Donna, Visionary in Creative Industries (2025)
- Women in Innovation Finalist, Creative Industries (2025)
- One of five brands chosen to represent the Australian Fashion Council at Fashion InStyle Hong Kong, April 2025
- Australian Wool Fashion Awards, First Prize Knitwear, 2010 and 2016
- Queensland Premier's Smithsonian Fellowship (2005)
Where to find us
- Online: shop the current collection here at fleurieumade.com.
- In person: regular appearances at markets in Willunga and seasonal events across South Australia. See Events & Activations.
- Stay in touch: join the mailing list for new pieces, circular wardrobe tips and news from the studio.
For collaborations, research partnerships or media enquiries, email angelina@fleurieumade.com or use the contact page.
Photo by Rosina Possingham