T-shirt companies are a dime a dozen in Detroit, but
Lazlo, a new company in Corktown, is working to set itself apart from that pack.
Brother and sister partners Christian and Kathryn Birky are doing so by employing formerly incarcerated Detroiters to make high-end, socially conscious t-shirts and paying them a living wage.
"A large portion of the prison population ends up back in prison after it gets out," Christian Birky says. "There are many reasons for this, but the difficulty in finding a job is part of it."
Christian Birky spent time working as a tutor in a prison in New Jersey before starting Lazlo. He knows there is a large pool of untapped potential in that section of the population that only needs a pathway to success, which to him includes a well-paying job.
The Birky siblings think they can provide that by making high-end clothing in Detroit. Lazlo's first product is a white t-shirt. The Birkys are using high-end, organic cotton produced in America to make shirt, which is designed to better fit each user and comes with a life-time guarantee. Prices start at $120 and top out at $198.
"I was looking for clothing I wanted to wear made in a way that I wanted to support," Christian Birky says. "There was a disconnect between what I was wearing and the values I held in my life."
The Birkys plan to expand their product line into more menswear items by next year. They also want to expand their production team to 10 people by next year. In the meantime they are working to raise $27,000 in a
crowdfunding campaign to get their venture off the ground.
Source: Christian Birky, co-founder of Lazlo
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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