What started as a community run club, has morphed into a hat and soon-to-be apparel brand, founded and run by Matt Niutta. We chatted to Matt to find out how life’s twists and turns led him down a trail he never thought he’d be on.

 

From studying spatial science at uni to being diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition that changed how he lives, Matt’s story is a tale of dealing with challenges as they come and turning passion and community into a career. Join We Are Explorers Podcast host, Tim Ashelford, as he chats with Matt about his personal journey and how it led him to founding Fractel.

They chat about the importance of community in building a brand, the challenges of creating sustainable products, and the difference between being tokenistic verses actually holding yourself accountable.

 

In This Episode We Cover

  • Importance of sport in Matt’s life
  • Matt’s early career
  • Degenerative eye condition diagnoses
  • Dealing with changes/challenges in life
  • Getting back into running
  • Starting Fractel
  • Community and sustainability
  • Working with and showcasing First Nations artists
  • Upcoming work from Fractel

Fractel started as a run club

Matt modelling a Fractel cap

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Images supplied by Matt Niutta

Featured Event

Belangoloopy – Paddy Pallin Intro Rogain

  • Start Date: Jun 15, 2025
  • Venue: Belanglo State Forest

Come enjoy a classic 6 hour Paddy Pallin rogaine that is only a short drive from Sydney or Canberra! We’ll be using our navigation skills to explore stunning native forest. There will be plenty of route options for all ages,...

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Belangoloopy – Paddy Pallin Intro Rogain, NSW Rogaining

We share news on topics relevant to our mission of getting people outdoors and protecting the environment. We choose carefully to cover the topics we reckon you’ll find interesting or need to know about, this means quirky stories as well as the hard-hitting ones. We're all human here, so occasionally you'll get our writers' opinions as well. We’re proud to follow our Editorial Standards in every article we publish.