When it comes to discovering a local gem in a city as big and bustling as Calgary, sometimes a fresh perspective can be just what you need. And when it comes to local, no one is doing it quite like the team at Local Laundry.
Local Laundry is a Calgary clothing company dedicated to making high-quality garments in Canada, giving back to the community, ensuring sustainability, and fostering a sense of togetherness. And it’s not just talk — Local Laundry has the hefty goal of donating a total of $1 million to Canadian charities by 2030.
We sat down with Local Laundry co-founder Connor Curran to get his ultimate guide to Calgary.
Q: Take me through a day in the life of Connor Curran
A: I get to the warehouse in the morning and start with a daily meeting with the production team about what’s coming down the pipeline, followed by a meeting with the sales team who do our custom clothing to determine what needs to go out and get closed.
Then I work with the fulfillment team to go over inventory and meet with different partners and potential customers. If I have some time, I’ll dive through my emails and create some social media content to share what we’re up to throughout the day.
Q: When you’re not working, what does your perfect day off look like?
A: Doing something active with my family, like going for hikes. I’m not the best hiker by any means, but I really like Kananaskis. There’s a great trail there called Galatea Creek Trail, which has some nice waterfalls and ranges.
I’m also into supporting the city’s sports teams. I’m a big Calgary Surge fan — I love going to a basketball game. I’m also a big Cavalry FC fan.
Q: Aside from your own, what are some Calgary clothing brands you enjoy?
A: There are so many good ones. We have Camp Brand Goods, Madame Premier, and some other great clothing companies in Inglewood. Alberta Apparel is also fantastic.
We’re very lucky here in Calgary. There’s a manufacturer here called King Athletics who produces for these sources, and it’s great to see clothing actually being made in the city.
Q: Local Laundry has done a lot of collaborations over the years. Can you tell me about some of the companies and artists you’ve worked with?
A: Yes, we’re just wrapping up our Fifth Book collaboration with the Calgary Public Library Foundation, where a great local artist named Jarett Sitter came up with a T-shirt design. We ran a presale for the organic cotton bamboo shirts on our website and raised about $7,000 for the Calgary Public Library Foundation.
We also reintroduced our Jasper lineup, which was originally launched last year during the wildfires. During the presale, we raised over $75,000 for the Canadian Red Cross for wildfire relief in Jasper.
We’re also the merch provider for the Wild FC, and that’s probably my biggest, most favourite collaboration. To see professional women’s sport come to Calgary with such a positive community response has been absolutely fantastic.
Q: You’ve raised money for organizations all across Canada. What are some local nonprofits and charities whose work you admire?
A: We’re really lucky here in Calgary that there’s a fantastic community of nonprofits and charities that build our communities up. Brown Bagging for Calgary Kids is a fantastic one, and so is KidSport and Kids Up Front. Anything to do with the Children’s Hospital or the Alberta Cancer Foundation. The United Way does a lot of work in the community. The list goes on and on.
Q: What’s your favourite thing about Calgary?
A: My favourite thing about Calgary is that it doesn’t matter where you come from, who you are, what your last name is, or what university you went to. What matters is what you do. Calgary is a city where if you roll up your sleeves, have a good idea, and put your head down and go to work, you’ll be rewarded.
It’s really cool because my parents, who came here from Ireland with no money, were able to create a successful life for themselves, and there are so many other stories like that from similar Calgarians who have moved here from somewhere else and made a great life for themselves and their families.
To have a city filled with people like that makes for a great place to live and a really supportive community.
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