G’day I’m Amanda or Mandi I’m better know as to my Z&Tee Crew. I am the Owner Operator of Z&Tee, named after my 2 kids Zane and Tasmyn. I am also a Fifo Wife, Mum, Emergency Services Communications Officer and Identical Twin married to a Quadruplet. Crazy I know!
Have you ever tried to find a nice sun safe, good quality shirt or hat to wear to the beach, camping or gardening? One that you love so much you’re also happy to wear down to the shops?
Well that was my problem back in 2016 when I tried to find a nice long sleeve, quick dry polo style “fishing shirt” from the local outdoors shop for my son Zane and I.
There was literally 1 choice each for us and the ladies being a pink shirt with a massive fish which didn’t really appeal to me. I ended up walking out with 1 for my son which I wasn’t really happy with. Or for someone like my daughter Tasmyn who likes to dress herself and only in all things girly, her favourite being Princesses and Unicorns trying to find things she will wear is almost impossible.
I started Z&Tee in February 2018 selling a range of clothing and accessories online. Just before Christmas that year I launched a range of kids Construction, Dinosaur and Fairy “Fishing Shirts” and boy were they popular. I then started working closely with a local designer coming up with range of designs specifically for kids and women. I wanted to create a range of “Fishing Shirts” that didn’t look like well….Fishing Shirts.
Our family love the outdoors, going to the beach for a swim where the kids just love playing in the sand and exploring to see what treasures they can find. We often go to the local creeks with our kayaks where we love going for a paddle or float downstream. We also love camping especially now the kids are older and always try to be sun safe.
Everyone in our family has fair and sensitive skin, so much so that when I was a kid my sister and I were allergic to a wide range of sunscreen. There is a history of sun cancers in the family and this year I got a Basal Cell Cancer (BCC) cut out of the crease of my nose. I had gone in for my first skin check I had a couple of spots I was questioning which turned out to be nothing and a small skin coloured bump which I had absolutely no concern about turned out to be the problem. I got 2 internal and 2 external stitches and was quite shocked. I do have fair skin and have family members who had skin cancers removed but who were much older. Since my experience I have been telling everyone GET YOUR SKIN CHECKED! I have also quite a few people who are my age or younger who have also had BCC's or even Melanoma's removed!
We only need to check the Australian Skin Cancers Stats and start talking about it to realise how common it is. So please do yourself a favour get yourself checked, start the conversation with family and friends and 🎵 Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide have fun outside don't get fried, slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shade, slide on sunny's its as simple as that.Slip, Slop, Slap seek and slide, don't get fried. Slip, Slop, Slap seek and slide!!!!" 🎶 - Mandi
We all need to protect ourselves and loved ones from the sun whenever we can. I know from experience it can be hard work trying to get the kids (or hubby) to be some safe by wearing sun safe rashies. They are hard to get on and feel restrictive and let’s face it not really flattering either. And boy getting them to put sunscreen on is always a fight. I now have over 100 of my own shirt designs sold exclusively by Z&Tee. I love that our designs are bright and fun, we certainly always stand out from the crowd and always get asked about our gear.
I also offer a variety of custom products where more recently I have worked with a local school on their new Staff shirts, I have also worked with a range of local and interstate businesses on promotional products as well as Sports Clubs and Organisations for special events. I also do smaller custom orders for groups heading to Music Festivals and Camping Trips.
I also like to give back to the community when possibly raising money and donating products to a range of charities and groups supporting our Australian Wildlife, Farmers, Schools and Fishing groups to name a few.
It really is satisfying and gives me a great sense of achievement when I see people out and about wearing my brand. My kids get super excited too I have to tell them to keep it down as not to scare anyone off were even spotted on the national news breaking the Nut Bush Record at the Big Red Bash. I mean they certainly stand out from the crowd.
I have aligned myself with some fantastic local businesses. I work very closely with a local designer and shirt supplier who themselves are a husband and wife team.
Up here in Far North Queensland, were we can all enjoy the outdoors whilst ensuring we have the right gear to keeps us sun safe during our adventures. Staying sun safe never looked so damn good! Thank you for supporting our Small Aussie Family Business - Mandi and the Crew Zane, Tasmyn and Glenn.
