@SunderlandVibe
SunderlandVibe
@SunderlandVibe
Talking to tomorrow's talent We’re showcasing the rising stars and talented youngsters who are changing our city’s future for the better…
businesses, with my first example being a website for my local park, which I published when I was just 9-years-old.
What is the inspiration behind Genu Prima? During lockdown, my feed across social media was flooded with people buying from cheap fast-fashion suppliers, sometimes spending large amounts per order. This made me research why these brands were so cheap, and I was alarmed to find that many brands use questionable, even illegal, work practices, and contribute massively to the fashion industry’s terrible environmental footprint.
Why did you launch Genu Prima? We launched Genu Prima as an affordable alternative to the immoral, fast-fashion industry, which thrives off of poor quality materials and exploitation of both people and our planet.
How is Genu Prima different to other clothing brands? Name: Alexander Robinson-Wood
Title: Owner and founder of Genu Prima
My connection to Sunderland is... I have lived here since I was 2-years-old. My family has a deep-rooted connection with the area, spanning generations. I still attend school in the area, where I’m in my final year.
How has the city shaped your business? Being a Sunderland resident and having a passion for spotting rising trends in the local area, I have noticed an upsurge particularly amongst students and young people - on the need for a fresh new take on casual-wear, with other brands simply not being able to adapt to the market.
How did you get to where you are now? I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Since I was young I have been creating
Genu Prima is different to other clothing brands in three ways. These three ‘principles’ have been defined since we launched: SUSTAINABILITY - all materials, packaging and logistics are entirely carbon neutral. We use organic cotton, and recycled polyester across our ranges. All transport is also offset using an algorithm that calculates our carbon emissions, and then offsets them using data from the Verified Carbon Standard. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - we believe that a 21st century brand should be socially conscious. This means enforcing strict rules around hate, whichever form it may take. We have also worked with charities such as The Trussell Trust, launching a collection in aid of them. GENDER-NEUTRALITY - all of our products across every range are designed to fit all. We believe that gender shouldn’t be a dividing factor in clothing, or in any industry, and this is why no Genu Prima product will ever be gender-specific.
was creating my not-for-profit, NoToAntisemitism.org, and most recently, Genu Prima, which I was proud to create during a difficult time for everyone.
What is your five year plan? In five years time, we hope to have made a lasting impact on the industry, and forcing it to change how it operates. In addition, we hope to have made our products more mainstream and less of a niche, as we believe sustainable fashion shouldn’t be exclusive to only those who can currently afford it.
What advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs in the city? My advice to other entrepreneurs would simply be to find your passion, follow it and never be told otherwise.
Tell us one rule you live by? A rule I live by is to continually learn from my experiences, including my mistakes.
Shout out to another local business doing great things in Sunderland? Thunderbolt Design, another Sunderlandbased business, has helped us massively with the designs, graphics and website for Genu Prima. They were great at using our ideas and making them a reality, with an unrivalled response time. GENUPRIMA.CO
What is your proudest achievement to date? My proudest achievement to date 15
