G'day there!
We're Laine and Erin, the co-foundersĀ ofĀ Blacksmith Camping Supplies (BS for short... & fun). Hereās a quick backstory before we get stuck into the BS detailsā¦
Mid 90's
It all started when our DadĀ opened aĀ camping & outdoor store here in Adelaide. A business selling quality gear at the lowest prices with ripping customer service, Snowys Outdoors represents all the values that our family believes to be the secret sauce to business success.
Erin and I were just a couple of whippersnappers at the time but over the 10-15 years that followed, we worked alongside Dad, industry experts & outdoor professionals, and learned the trade in just about every department. According to Dad, even scrubbing the dunnies was good experience... really?
The evolution of camping gear changed dramatically throughout those years with manufacturing moving from the traditional & hand-made... to mass-market production. Don't get us wrong, you can't have one without the other,Ā butĀ an industry thatĀ is so aligned with Australian heritage was feeling a bit lost & neglected so an idea started brewing.
It was simple.
- Source the very best AustralianĀ materials (plus YKK Zips)
- Design & build to lastĀ a lifetime
- Set the highest quality standards
- Australian made; one workshop, one roof
Fast forward toā¦
May 2019
By now, Erin had amassed a background in textiles and with my experience in graphic design, we felt it was the perfect combo to give our idea a good crack andā¦ Blacksmith Camping Supplies was born! From the pip-squeak sized office outĀ the back of the Snowys shop, we started creating prototypes after work - then on weekends... until we had a small range of carefully designedĀ Camp Oven Bags. Once we were able to source Australian PVC, we got to work onĀ expanding the range and included the now super-popular,Ā Toilet Bags.Ā
Our original workshop
- May 2019 -
May 2020
One year in and what a ride! Aussie owned, Aussie made and with true-blue Aussie grit... andĀ absolutely loving it. After 25 years, Dadās businessĀ is going gangbusters and now our carefully built-up BS range of 16 different bag designs, sells exclusively through Snowys.Ā
Weād started to receive so much support from our customers that it became too strong for Erin & I to keep up. Thanking our lucky stars, we were able to hireĀ some fantastic sewers and with three new staffĀ joining theĀ BS team, we became a crew of five!
October 2020
It was time to go hard or go home, so we pulled the trigger and signed our very own lease. Moving into a muchĀ bigger workshop in Keswick, SA has given us enough room to make our processes more efficient - plusĀ a comfortable working environment that'll allow our ideas to grow.Ā
See our workshop here:
February 2021
After months of preparation, we plugged the servers in and powered up our online store, blacksmithcamping.com. Offering free delivery for all Australian orders over $69 - and international delivery to our mates across the ditchĀ and up north in North America & Europe. On ourĀ second day, we received our first order... it was like the Beatles were in town. Pandemonium.Ā
You beauty! Our first website order!
- Feb 2021 -
Ā
March 2021
WeĀ sat down in front of the web-cam and spoke with Lauren & Ben on the Snowys Camping Show podcast. We discussed all-things Blacksmith, and manufacturing in Australia. Watch the interview here:ĀĀ
June 2023
After 3 years, we had growing pains. It was time to move in with our big brother (Snowys) and share some warehouse space. Very sad day to leave our first (proper workshop), so we brought the families in to say goodbye.Ā 
Wellā¦ weāre only just getting warmed up and have big plans for the rest of 2024Ā and beyond. If youād like to keep up to date with how weāre tracking, jump onto our Facebook or Instagram pages or, sign up to our monthly email (below) ā youāll be sure to get nothinā but quality BS.