Our story — Meet IAN
Back in 2014, I was juggling part-time shifts at a local hardware store in suburban Adelaide and school drop-offs for my two kids, Harper and Isla. One winter, I decided to make a wool throw blanket during a quiet afternoon while they napped. It was a small project to keep me busy during the colder months, but it turned out better than I expected. When friends started asking for their own versions, I realised there might be more to it than just a hobby.
Before this, our family spent years visiting my parents in Mount Gambier, where the kids would run around the parks while I browsed local markets. I’d always admired the way regional makers combined natural materials with practicality, especially the wool from nearby farms. I started learning more about Australian merino wool — its softness, toughness, and how it’s farmed. Those trips planted the seeds for what would become Larch Goods.
The actual leap came when I sat down with a notebook and worked out what I was earning versus the costs of materials and potential sales. By mid-2015, I’d left the hardware store and set up my first workspace in the garage. Larch Goods officially launched that year, named after my daughter Harper (her nickname's Larch). I started with a single product — that same throw blanket — and it grew steadily from there. Orders trickled in through friends, a market stall in Glenelg, and eventually an online store.
These days, Larch Goods operates out of a workshop near Mount Gambier. It’s still a school-hours business, though we’ve grown to ship across the country. I work with a small team who help with everything from sourcing to packing. The business has given me more time with my kids, which was the goal all along. — IAN
— Thanks for supporting my small business — IAN, IAN KEITH SPARKES
Journal
Why I Named the Business After My Son
Larch Goods started on my kitchen table — a blend of chaos, good timing, and a bit of necessity.
Back in 2017, I was elbow-deep in raising a toddler and a newborn. I’d left part-time admin work the year prior; it wasn’t worth the commute or the childcare costs. One night, after the kids were asleep, I started tinkering with some fabric scraps left over from an abandoned sewing hobby. That tinkering turned into a few tea towels that somehow sold at the next school market. A fluke, I thought. Then it happened again. And again.
Naming the business after my eldest, Larch, felt like a full-circle moment. He was three when this all started and would sit at the table, stacking measuring tapes like blocks while I hemmed or stitched. The name stuck. It was better than ‘Ian Keith Sparkes Homewares’, anyway.
Mount Gambier has always been home, but as the business grew, so did the reach. By late 2018, I was shipping orders to suburban Adelaide and Melbourne, where people seemed to love that sense of small-town practicality. What started as tea towels quickly expanded into bigger, more ambitious items — throws, dining sets, rattan furniture. A few designs flopped (rip to the reversible placemats of 2019), but it’s been a learning curve.
People often ask how I manage it all — kids, house, business. Honestly, I don’t. The house looks like a cyclone hit most days, and I rely heavily on my mum for school pick-ups. But the business fits into the gaps of family life in a way my old job never could. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine.
So here we are, six years on from that first late-night sewing session. The kitchen table has new chairs (and many more scratches), but it still feels like the heart of it all. And Larch, now ten, never lets me forget who the boss of this operation really is.
Harbour Stoneware and Weeknight Dinners
Our Harbour Stoneware set is more than just tableware; it’s the backdrop for everyday meals and lazy chats.
There’s a running joke in our house that we eat off factory seconds. It’s true — one of the perks of this job is getting to keep the ‘not quite perfect’ pieces. Our family has a mismatched Harbour Stoneware set that tells its own little story. Half were prototypes, half were slightly wobbly extras from a production run. Together, they’ve seen countless weeknight dinners. Bolognese stains like you wouldn’t believe, but they scrub up fine.
I didn’t set out to create stoneware. The idea grew from my frustration with the flimsy ‘starter sets’ I had when I first moved out of home. I wanted something that could survive a clumsy toddler. Our Harbour range launched in 2021, made in collaboration with a small ceramics studio in Bendigo. Each piece is fired twice, which makes them more resilient. We’ve tested them against the most brutal dishwasher cycles, and they hold up.
A lot of customers tell me they keep their Harbour sets ‘for best’, but I think life’s too short for that. We use ours daily. It’s not polished or pristine anymore — there are chips from forks being a bit too enthusiastic — but I love that. It feels lived-in, not precious.
The process of working on these pieces taught me how much can go wrong in ceramics. A single miscalculation in the kiln can ruin an entire batch. The studio in Bendigo had to adjust their firing schedule based on the density of clay we used. It’s a balance of science and stubbornness, which I have a lot of respect for now.
Every now and then, I’ll serve something vaguely fancy (read: charcuterie board) on Harbour plates and remember how far the design has come. But most of the time, it’s spaghetti or tacos. If a plate can handle taco night with two kids, it’s a winner in my book.
Why I Swear By Bamboo Charcoal in Damp Weather
Nothing tests a house like Mount Gambier’s winters, but bamboo charcoal has been a surprising help.
If you’ve lived in Mount Gambier for long, you know our winters are less ‘cosy jumper weather’ and more ‘how is the laundry still damp after three days.’ The limestone’s part to blame — it traps moisture in a way that makes every corner of the house feel clammy. A few years ago, we had mould creeping in uninvited, and I was trying everything to get rid of it.
Enter bamboo charcoal. I didn’t invent it (wish I had), but a supplier in Sydney sent me some samples back in 2020. They looked deceptively simple — just little linen bags filled with charcoal. I popped one in the kids’ room, one in the bathroom, one near the shoe rack, and forgot about them. It wasn’t until a month later that I realised the damp smell had disappeared.
Now we stock them in sets of four, and they’ve quietly become one of our best-sellers. I think it’s because they’re no-fuss. You scatter them where you need them, and they just get on with the job. Every two months, I put ours in the sun to ‘reactivate’ (a fancy way of saying they dry out and work harder). I’ve had some bags last over a year.
It’s funny — people love the big-ticket items, like blankets or dining sets, but it’s these unassuming little things that often get the most use. I keep one permanently in the car for that ‘wet dog’ smell after a beach trip. They’re also great if you’ve got musty cupboards or gym gear that refuses to behave.
I still don’t miss those pre-bamboo winters. The house feels fresher, less damp, and I like that there’s no ongoing cost or plastic involved. Just simple, quiet effectiveness. Much like Mount Gambier itself, really.
Why Autumn Always Feels Like Crunch Time
Autumn marks the start of throw blanket season — and the start of our busiest time of year.
Every April, I tell myself I’ll be organised this year. And every April, I find myself in a flurry of orders as soon as the weather dips below 15 degrees. The Evergreen Wool Throw Blanket is our most popular product from now until the end of July. I’d like to say I planned it that way, but it’s more that people associate autumn with getting cosy, and nothing says cosy like wool.
The throws are made in Geelong, using Australian merino wool. Geelong once had a huge wool industry, but it’s smaller now. The mill we work with has been running since 1926, and they know their way around a fleece. Each throw takes about 3.2kg of wool, washed, carded, spun, and dyed before it’s woven.
I pack the first batch of stock myself every year. It’s a ritual now — kids off to school, kettle on, and me sitting cross-legged on the floor, folding throws into bundles. By the second batch, I usually need to rope in extra hands (Mum and my sister are the unsung heroes when things get frantic).
Customers often send photos of their throws draped over couches or bundled around kids. I love that. It’s not always what you picture when designing something on paper, but seeing them in real homes makes the work feel tangible. Someone in Hobart once told me theirs was a permanent fixture in the car for early soccer mornings.
The rush will quiet down by August, but for now, it’s all systems go. I’m bracing myself for the late-night stock counts and the inevitable order mix-ups. And somewhere in the chaos, I’ll try to remember to keep one of the new colours for our couch before they sell out.
Customer reviews
Sarah J. — Fitzroy, VIC — 2024-03-15 — 5/5
Fast shipping and beautiful throw
I ordered the Evergreen Wool Throw Blanket and it arrived faster than I expected. The wool feels soft but durable, and it gives a nice, cosy touch to my couch.
James T. — Manly, NSW — 2024-07-20 — 4/5
Sturdy and stylish armchair
The Coastal Rattan Armchair is perfect for my reading nook. It’s very sturdy, but the seat feels a little firmer than I expected. Still a great piece.
Emily W. — Paddington, QLD — 2025-01-08 — 5/5
Love the wall shelf
The Tasmanian Oak Wall Shelf fits perfectly in my kitchen. The oak grain adds warmth to my space, and installation was straightforward.
Alex R. — Norwood, SA — 2024-09-10 — 5/5
Air purifier bags work well
Bought the Bamboo Charcoal Air Purifier Bags for my wardrobe, and they’ve noticeably reduced musty smells. Arrived well-packaged too.
Liam B. — Newtown, NSW — 2024-11-22 — 5/5
Great dining set
The Harbour Stoneware Dining Set is both functional and stylish. It arrived securely packaged, and the plates feel weighty and sturdy.
Sophia K. — West End, QLD — 2024-05-02 — 4/5
Lovely blanket
The Evergreen Wool Throw Blanket is soft and adds warmth, though the colour was slightly darker than in the photos. Still worth it!
Chloe H. — Glenelg, SA — 2025-03-12 — 5/5
Perfect armchair
The Coastal Rattan Armchair is exactly what I wanted. It’s lightweight but solid and looks great in my living room.
Oliver P. — St Kilda, VIC — 2024-08-30 — 4/5
Nice wall shelf
The Tasmanian Oak Wall Shelf is beautifully finished and simple to put up. I just wish it came in more size options.
Shipping
We deliver Australia-wide using Australia Post for standard shipping and StarTrack for express options. Standard shipping is free on orders over $150, and below this, a flat fee applies depending on your location. Express shipping is also available for an extra charge, calculated at checkout.
Orders placed before 2pm AEST Monday to Friday are processed the same day. Delivery times vary depending on your location: standard shipping typically takes 3-7 business days, while express shipping is faster at 1-3 business days. Regional areas may experience slightly longer delivery times.
All orders are carefully packed to prevent damage during transit. If your package arrives damaged, contact us immediately with photos of the item and packaging so we can assist in resolving the issue.
Returns
We accept returns within 30 days of delivery, as long as the items are unused, in original condition, and include all packaging. Refunds will be issued to the original payment method once the returned item has been inspected and approved.
Please note that sale items, custom orders, and gift cards are non-returnable. Customers are responsible for return shipping costs unless the item is faulty or incorrect. If you believe your item is faulty, please contact us with photos and a description of the issue.
All returns are handled in line with Australian Consumer Law. If you need assistance with a return or replacement, email us at support@larchgoods.com, and our team will guide you through the process.