Perth start-up MOG Cartel taps into Australia’s FIFO workforce
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A Perth clothing start-up founded by two mates from the mining, oil and gas industries is building a growing following among FIFO workers across Australia.
For thousands of Australians, flying out for work is simply part of everyday life.
Long shifts, weeks away from family, remote camps, underground operations and offshore facilities are all part of the FIFO lifestyle — and it is exactly that world Perth-based brand MOG Cartel was created to represent.
Founded by two mates with backgrounds in the mining, oil and gas sectors, the small start-up was built around a simple idea: create clothing for the people who actually work in the industries.
The name itself stands for Mining, Oil and Gas, with the brand’s range drawing heavily on the humour, language and culture found across Australian worksites.
MOG Cartel co-founder Ryan Czechowski said one of the driving forces behind the business was giving workers something that represented their careers beyond the worksite.
“We really wanted workers to be proud of their craft because it’s really not represented outside of work, and a lot of people are genuinely proud of what they do,” Ryan said.
Its shirts, hoodies and hats feature references to drilling, rigging, underground mining and oil and gas, with many of the designs built around terminology and humour workers immediately recognise.
Co-founder Ben Challis said his motivation was to build something that genuinely reflected the community and culture he had spent much of his working life around.
“I know the banter, the long swings and the pressure that can come with being away from home,” Ben said.
But one part of MOG Cartel the pair want to develop beyond apparel is its “You Good Mate?” initiative.
The message is centred on mental health and encouraging workers to genuinely check in on the people beside them, but Ryan said he wants MOG Cartel’s approach to feel different from many of the broader campaigns already seen across the resources industry.
“The ‘You Good Mate?’ mental health side needs to be different from what we already see in the industry,” Ryan said.
“There are well-known organisations that receive a lot of financial backing, but personally I’ve rarely felt the impact of that where the boots are actually on the ground.”
Rather than trying to replicate large-scale mental health programs, Ryan said the aim was to keep the initiative practical, personal and focused directly on workers and their mates.
“We want to directly help our mates. Even if that means cooking up a barbecue in a park and just having a conversation with people, that’s something real we can do.”
Ben said the message was deliberately simple.
“‘You Good Mate?’ is about using the MOG platform to encourage people to genuinely check in on each other, not just say it as a throwaway line.”
What began as a small Perth operation is now reaching workers across Australia, with the business growing through social media, word of mouth and support from within the mining, oil and gas community.
For Ryan and Ben, the long-term goal is straightforward: build a brand workers are proud to wear, while using that platform to make a positive difference for the people behind the industry.
Proud of what you do? Wear it with pride.