something up and try something different. How has the brand developed since? I realised that beanie hats are quite seasonal, so I wanted to do a range of graphic t-shirts and jumpers that can better communicate the adventure lifestyle – I don’t think you can do that through woven means! The tees and sweaters are made in India and approved by Fair Wear, a thirdparty organisation that protect working rights. The quality is always really high. All the sweaters are made from 100% organic cotton and the tees are organic cotton and bamboo, which is really good for sustainability. So, why Sheffield? I’m from Scunthorpe originally, but I came to university here and just love it. It’s a really cool place to be. I wanted to feed into the local economy; I think it’s good to support your local area if you can. I love the fact the products are hand screen-printed here in the city, there’s a real craft to it. There are other printing techniques which are probably cheaper and easier to do, but I just like the fact that it’s quite authentic. It also ensures that the image is completely sharp. I think the range of creative people here is amazing and there are so many good opportunities for people to display their work. Sheffield is a city that is really pro-independent artists! How do you go about finding your artists? I use Instagram, Pinterest, Behance and other creative networks to find work I like. I usually have an idea already in mind, like the ‘Take Me to the Mountains’ pieces. That’s our most popular design and that was something I came up with: the phrase came from me and I wanted it to be typography-focused but complemented by simple illustration. I found an illustrator whose work I really liked on Behance and contacted him about collaboration. We then worked together from the rough pencil sketches right through to the screen-printing. And now that design is
enjoyed and shared around the world. Where do you see The Level Collective going in the future? I sell a lot to customers in the US, about 70 or 80% of my sales come from there. Not many people in the UK have heard of us – I’ve only just sold to my first stockist outside of Sheffield, down in Exeter. We are stocked in three boutiques in Sheffield right now. A lot of the people I’ve connected with through Instagram are based in America and they have championed the brand over there. I went over to America and Canada this summer and stayed with a load of Instagrammers. We did a tour from Vancouver, through Seattle and Portland and down to Santa Barbara. I stayed with people who have been my photographers and I met some retailers who were all really positive about the brand. The brand is Sheffield-based but it seems like you’re worldwide really… I’ve posted to nearly 40 countries, it’s been crazy. I mean, some of the orders have just been one t-shirt, but still. That’s the beauty of Instagram: it’s a really amazing community. Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to start their own business? I found it really helpful to seek out older and wiser people who have already started businesses for advice. It doesn’t have to be in the same industry, but I met up with a few people who have been like business mentors and they have helped me out with some decisions that could have ended up being stupid ones! People love to tell their story and have their opinion heard, so I’d just say seek out people you respect and just ask for a little of their time. And also, start really small. It cost me under £200 to start the website up, it’s crazy what you can do with the technology that’s out there now. Think of the simplest way you can start, it’s called a minimum viable product. Start off small to test the waters and then you’ll find out the best way to work.
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