Our Story
Manny Artango is a business owner and entrepreneur and is proud of his Torres Strait Islander heritage. Starting out in sales for a small apparel provider, Manny rose to forge and create his own professional pathway into the custom apparel industry.
With such a robust background in apparel supply and having been backed by sporting legend Petero Civoniceva, Manny founded Pacific Custom Sportswear in 2015. Since, he has worked closely with sporting organisations, schools and other organisations to provide high-quality products that are fit-for-purpose.
As a result of organic growth within PCS, Manny identified a need for a custom apparel provider that could deliver high-quality corporate wear and work wear to businesses throughout Australia. This, Manny considered, was a perfect opportunity for him to do what he does best, whilst also working with the indigenous community to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander initiatives in the process.
Artango Apparel was born in 2020 and with it, the establishment of the Artango Civoniceva Fund set up to provide funding to indigenous initiatives.
Petero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva is an esteemed Fijian-Australian sporting figure, and former professional player for the rugby league. Petero’s career hit the ground running after he received the Rookie of the Year Award for the Brisbane Broncos in 1998. A former Captain of the Penrith Panthers, Petero has built an impressive CV for himself and has been the recipient of numerous awards and honours over the course of his career. He has had notable success, both on home soil and internationally, and holds the record for the most international matches played for Australia of any football forward in history.
Football skills aside, Petero is also a savvy businessman and well-known for his good character, generosity, cultural pride and philanthropy. He has two footballing medals named in his honour, which speak to these personal traits; one is awarded to the Australian Fijian Player of the Year and the other is awarded to the Queensland Cup Player voted as the best and fairest team player.
About the Artist
Tatipai Barsa, was born in 1967 in the Torres Strait Islands. Tatipai is a descendant of the Magaram tribe, which is one of eight indigenous tribes of the Murray Island. Tatipai still lives on Murray Island, and takes inspiration from his natural settings to inform his distinctive designs.
Tatipai works primarily with synthetic polymer paints and linocuts; however, he experiments with different materials and techniques to best harness the beauty of the Murray Island natural landscape. Tatipai is more than an artist; he is also a skilled printmaker and fabric designer.
