[ad_1]
Brandon Robinson launched Ligas, a Polish athleisure wear company focused on leggings, about two months before his 25th birthday.
Bradford-raised Brandon Robinson became an international entrepreneur at just 25 years old.
It was October 2nd last year, a little over two months after my 25th birthday.th On his birthday, he launched Ligas, a Polish athleisure wear company based in Krakow. The company’s main product is women’s leggings, but they also offer T-shirts and tank tops.
Robinson focused on leggings because he found that leggings were not as popular in Central Europe as they were in North America.
“I saw a little bit of an opportunity there,” the Polish native said. “Women here mostly only wear leggings for the gym or yoga, so I wanted to create a luxury product that could be worn to the office, school, or as a fashion item, just like they do in North America. It was.”
So far, things have been going well, with Robinson saying sales are increasing every month and he hopes to expand into menswear later this year.
“People are really impressed with the fabric. They were surprised that it was made in Poland and not a French or Italian fabric as some people think. They are surprised that it is produced,” he said, pointing out that all the items are made in Krosno, a town southeast of Krakow.
For Robinson, that’s important. Because he wants Regas to be an ethical and sustainable company.
“I am committed to producing in Poland,” he said, adding that the quality of work is “very high” and that the country has a fair wage obligation and in addition, workers receive an annual It added that a standard of 20 days of leave has been imposed.
Robinson sources all of its fabrics from Poland, and all of its T-shirts and tank tops are made to global organic fiber standards. This means they are certified organic and sourced from fairly paid workers, and also indicates that they were produced without using organic fibers. It means it has OEKO-TEX certification. It is tested for GMO use and pesticides and other harmful substances.
The leggings are a mixture of polyester and elastane, so they are not certified, but they are sourced in Poland.
“I also think that European-made, Polish-made is a positive from a marketing perspective. People prefer to buy locally rather than from Southeast Asia, where the majority of other companies’ products are made,” Robinson said. said.
Despite his success, it wasn’t starting a business that brought him to Poland.
Robinson was born in Oakville and moved to Bradford with his family when he was eight years old, where he attended Fred C. Cook Public Schools and then Bradford District High School, graduating in 2016.
“As far as I can remember, all of my childhood was spent in Bradford and I was there until I completed my BA,” he said, moving from the town to York while he studied Greek and completed his BA. He added that he attended university for two years and studied Roman literature.
After completing a degree in Classics (Master of Science) at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, I felt drawn to investigate my family roots.
“The reason I went to Poland is because I’ve always been very close to my maternal grandparents who live in Bradford,” he said. “They’re Polish, so I was always very interested in Poland because of the stories they told me about life in Poland when I was little. So I wanted to explore it. .”
An architecture fan, Robinson was also drawn to the city, which is said to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
Dating back to the 7th century, Krakow has several buildings that are over 1,000 years old, including Wawel Castle Cathedral, Wawel Castle, St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Peter’s Cathedral, and St. Peter’s Cathedral. It is registered as a World Heritage Site by the Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Paul’s Church, Florianska Street and the Cloth Hall.
However, he quickly realized that Krakow was by no means outdated.
“I came for art and architecture and to see my grandmother’s village near Krakow, and I found a rapidly developing developed country,” he said, the only European country in recession. He pointed out that the unemployment rate is low in this country, which has avoided 2008 financial crisis. “It was all a surprise to me. It’s not the country my grandmother left during the communist era. It’s now a modern European country.”
Robinson worked in the city’s financial sector for about 18 months before deciding to strike out on his own, and again his family roots played a role.
The name Rigas is the maiden name of his maternal grandmother, who was born in Poland.
“This was an easy choice because I wanted the company name to have a personal connection to me and I wanted it to be Polish,” he said.
Robinson added that even in Poland, some people don’t know the name, which is unique to the southern mountainous region of the country that his ancestors once called home.
Speaking of homecoming, Robinson regularly tries to make time to visit his parents and grandmother, who still live in Bradford.
“The last time I was there was at Christmas. I’ve been back to Glasgow about twice a year since I started university there and I always enjoy my time there,” he said.
For more information about Liga and international shipping options, please visit ligasleggings.com.
[ad_2]
Source link
