Protect Yo’ Self With Stuff By Fred

July 2, 2016


Forget Frank Body, meet Fred!


Stuff by Fred is an up and coming Australian made sunscreen that “stops you looking like a smoked kabana after catching some rays.” The difference? Though the fred logo looks like the cousin of the monopoly and pringles guy, it’s what’s on the inside that counts right? And boy does it count!

Fred only contains ingredients “that you can spell, pronounce and taste” making it one of the rare, completely organic sunscreens on our shelves. Not only will your body thank you for choosing to go natural, the oceans will too! Fred is certified SPF 20+ and brewed together using zinc oxide, coconut oil, beeswax, and cocoa butter.

Wow we are starting to sound like an advert. We promise there is no deal between us and Fred, just genuine stoke about the stuff!

The effortlessly cool approach to sun care has allowed Fred to lead the fight in ditching the lame stigma around wearing sunscreen, which was actually their main stand out point when we came across the brand. In a country obsessed with sunshine and skin cancer skyrocketing, we think Fred is exactly what Australia needs.

We love their laid back, humorous approach to any suspicions around quality compared to their non-organic counterparts claiming “if this stuff can keep Fred’s freckly face from looking like a ripe tomato, then it will keep pretty much anyone safe.”

Stuff By Fred sunscreen came as a breath of fresh air, as a young brand that is so open to share with you their ingredients and intentions. Crazy talk in today’s world, we know! 😉

Now, who is this mysterious Fred we speak of? Head below to meet the man behind the freckles and of course get all the oozy details on the creation of “Stuff By Fred.”

The question I’m sure everyone is wondering… who is this mysterious Fred?

I’m Fred. G’day. Nice to nose ya. In the past, some have called me part mad-scientist. Some have called me a part environmentalist. Some have called me a freckle face from outta space… But I just see myself as a bit of a thinker, bit of a tinkerer, a surfer and a ginger. A knock-about, everyday bloke who simply wants to make sure you, me and all of our mates can live it up and lap it up outdoors with the confidence that we are protected in a healthy, friendly way.


What does a day in the life of Fred look like?

I do my best to live a fairly simple life. I’m not much a fan of the hustle and bustle of the big smoke so I like to keep it small town local. Like I said above I love to surf, so my mornings usually involve a surfcheck accompanied by a warm cuppa-Joe. The conditions have to be pretty horrible to stop me from heading out so after some carpark chatter, I’ll wax my board, spread some of my Friendly Bronze Zinc Stuff on my mellon and paddle out. Once I’m back on shore it’s down to business. Out to the Fred Shed (as I’ve named it) to start tinkering and experimenting. I’ve got big plans, plenty more ideas and bucket loads more Friendly Skincare Stuff to brew. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you guys posted when it’s all ready to spread.

Ok, so what are the ingredients?

Screen Shot 2016-07-01 at 8.59.46 PM
My Friendly Bronze Zinc Stuff is brewed together using goodies like zinc oxide, coconut oil, beeswax, and cocoa butter. I wanted to make sure the ingredients I used didn’t require Google search. My goal was to use products I could spell, pronounce and even taste! And as a true blue Aussie (even though i’m a more red) it had to be 100% Australian made.

Why did you choose to go au naturale?

Without bashing you with too much enviro-stuff (I could honestly go on forever), most of these big brand sunscreens we see on supermarket shelves contain chemical filters. Stuff that we absorb into our skin and use to scatter the sun’s UV rays once they run into us down here on earth. And although they claim to protect us, they are actually causing a bunch of issues on the inside. Sun protection is completely possible via the good this earth has to offer. Why not use em?

How have you used social media to support Stuff By Fred?

Facebook, Instagram, snapchat, twitter…who can bloody keep up. To be honest, I don’t know the difference between a tweet and a poke but l do my best to put a few things out there and have a bit of a yarn. For me, social media has been a way to share a few bits and bobs and hopefully educate a few of my friends along the way. At the end of the day, if I can share some of my knowledge, answer some questions and provide a bit of value for my mates online, then I’m a happy camper.

Fred Insta

Now with all those squeezy bottles out there, what made you go the screw-top, tub option?

It’s all about convenience. You don’t want something big or bulky to cart around, especially if you’re a woman or man on the go like me. My jars of Stuff By Fred are small enough to throw in your pocket and take it wherever your day might take you. Down the beach, to the footy, frisbee in the park, or just cruising the streets…simply throw my Friendly Bronze Zinc Stuff it in your pocket or bag and you’re good to go. Oh, and an added bonus and you never worry about it popping open and squirting all over you or your gear either.

fred in bike

Australia is not just a sunburnt country, we also have one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, what does being sun smart and taking care of your skin mean to Fred?

You’re right, Australians are no strangers to a scorcher. Personally having skin that burns faster than a prawn on a hotplate, I know what it’s like to go redder than a ripe tomato after just a short amount of time in the rays. Unfortunately for us, we are sitting right near that big old hole in that protective layer we call the Ozone, and because of that we are in some serious strife. During summer, Australians are exposed to an extra 15% UV intensity compared to Europeans, causing us to suffer the highest rates of skin cancer globally, like you said. One person will die every six hours from melanoma in Australia with rates doubling in the last 15 years. And the worst part of all this… it’s completely preventable. If you going out into the sun, you gotta be protected. The old slip, slop, slap slogan had it right. How hard is it to throw on a t-shirt, whip on a hat and zinc up ya mellon? It could be a matter of life and death.


What made you start up a sunscreen business?

Like I said before, It’s wasn’t uncommon for me to look like a baked lobster after a day in the sun, but I love the outdoors too much, so I needed a safe solution. I found myself brewing my own home-grown sun protection. A mix something that was friendly and something I could trust. My goal was to use ingredients I could spell, pronounce and even taste. Offering an alternative to most of the creams on supermarket shelves. My other motivation was that as a surfer, we spend a lot of time under the sun doing our thing in the ocean. Now call me crazy, but if the most common protection we have against the sun is loaded with chemicals that are destructive to not only us, but the ocean we love and cherish…something’s very wrong. So the result… Stuff By Fred’s – Friendly Bronze Zinc Stuff. Australian made, friendly bronze zinc, brewed together using only the friendliest ingredients available. Certified at SPF 20+, if this stuff can keep me from looking like a smoked sausage, then it will keep pretty much anyone safe.


What’s the go with SPF?

Although we seem to stand by these numbers, SPF ain’t what it seems. SPF or Sun Protection Factor isn’t simply a sliding scale for UV protection. The truth is, SPF30 isn’t actually twice as good as SPF15 as we are lead to believe. The scale actually refers to the amount of time it will take you to burn with protection vs the amount of time it would take you to burn without. As SPF values get higher and higher, the difference in this protection factor actually gets smaller and smaller. SPF10 = 90% > SPF20 = 95% > SPF30 = 97% > SPF50 = 98% My mate Sean Gray over at the EWG (Environmental Working Group) says the difference between an SPF 50 product and and SPF 110 product is minuscule. Sean actually believes that these high rated SPF numbers can actually be dangerous. “We have studies that show that people who use the higher SPF products don’t re-apply, so they end up with more UV exposure overall.” At certified SPF20 Stuff By Fred’s Friendly Bronze Zinc Stuff was able to avoid using a number of chemicals and toxins that should be steered clear of. This means you are protected from 95% of UVA and UVB rays in a healthy, friendly way.

We love how you explain all the sciency stuff in such a relatable, easy to comprehend way. It is also slightly an excuse to ask you, what is the Oxybenzone you speak of, and how does it affect our oceans!?


Yep. The big bad Oxybenzone. This sucker is found in 80% of supermarket sunscreens. It penetrates our skin, is absorbed into the bloodstream and can potentially lead to allergic reactions, cell damage, hormone imbalances and in worst cases; skin cancer. Crazy right? And not only is it messing with us, it’s messing with the ocean, the fish and the coral reefs too. Oxybenzone causes a deadly effect on the ocean’s coral by bleaching it and blocking it from getting the nutrients it needs to survive. Worst of all, we are dumping somewhere between 4000-6000 tonnes of this crap onto coral reef areas each year. This is a big problem. But the buck doesnt stop there, like many chemical filters, Oxybenzone only protects from UVB rays and not UVA. UVB is the one that makes us go red and look like a baked lobster, but UVA is the one that has been linked to causing skin cancer, premature aging and wrinkles in our skin. Long story short, make sure you pick suncare that is “Broad Spectrum” which means it’s got you covered for UVA and UVB. I say boycott it!

If you don’t mind us asking, what is the price you have to pay to take Fred home? Wow. That came across weird, apologies.

Far out brussel sprout. What kind of website is this? Well, I couldn’t go past The Aussie Lobster could I? It fits too perfectly. If you ask me, $20 bucks to save ya schnoz is pretty bloody good and depending on what kinda #Fredhead you work with (all over the mellon, the off the lip combo or just zinc on the sniffer), one jar can last you the season.


Putting the laughs aside for a moment, what has been the toughest part of creating Stuff By Fred?

Stuff By Fred is a passion game for me, so as much as the whole thing has been a serious learning curve, it’s been a bloody fun one. There’s been up’s and down’s, triumphs and tragedies…and a lot of hard yakka. Who knew you had to think about branding, and trademarking, and packaging, and marketing, and websites, and social media, and storage and shipping…the list goes on. Starting and running a business is a marathon, but it’s one I don’t want to end. I’ve put blood, sweat and tears into each and every one of those little jars (not literally…although it would still be natural) and every time I send one off in the mail or see someone down the beach spreading some of my Friendly Bronze Zinc Stuff it puts a giant smile on my freckled face.

Is there any talk of Stuff By Fred branching off and creating a different range of …stuff?

Well, I like to say is, the future looks bright…pardon the pun…And without giving too much away you can expect a few more chemical free suncare products churning out of the old Fred Shed this summer. I’ve got big plans for this little brand so hold onto your’e hats. Haha. Cheers. Fred. Now you don’t have to go red due to sunburn orrrrrr embarrassment (yes mum I’m wearing sunscreen….) because Fred’s got you covered with it’s organic, insta-worthy tub of goodness. Oh.. and make sure to #SpreadtheFred!

Is there any plans to launch overseas?

As far as I’m concerned, suncare is a global issue. That big ball of fire in the sky we call the sun affects us all and protection and prevention should be a focus for everyone, regardless of where you’re from. With that in mind, my website ( is set up to service anywhere in the world. So far I’ve posted jars of my Friendly Bronze Zinc Stuff to America, Canada, France, Italy, Indonesia, New Zealand, Hawaii, South Africa and even Norway. My goal is to #SpreadtheFred as far and as wide as possible, helping people be safe and confidant outdoors.



To get yourself a tub or to hear the odd “did you know” skincare fact head to their:

Insta: @stuffbyfred

Stuff By Fred

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