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By Jennifer Foden
Durham Region is home to a diverse range of micro-manufacturing businesses. We sat down with the founders of two of them to learn more.
Up North Naturals
Seven years ago, Lisa Keizer, then raising funds for charitable and non-profit organizations, started making hair products at home after she saw her own hair thinning following years of using chemical straighteners. “I decided to embrace my curls,” says Lisa, now the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Up North Naturals. “And eventually I launched my business with four products.”
The company, which manufactures and distributes chemical-free shampoo, conditioner and styling products for curly and textured hair, now has 10 items available for sale. Each one contains majority natural ingredients like aloe vera, coconut oil, shea butter and grapeseed oil. Lisa and her team produce a staggering 500,000 units per year; and you can find Up North Naturals products in salons and stores across Canada and the United States, including at Walmart and Target. This is a trail-blazing achievement for this Oshawa-based business: they are the first Canadian Black-owned company to hit the shelves at these two major retailers.
Lisa has learned a lot along the way and has plenty of valuable advice for other people starting their own business. “Access all the supports you can,” she says. This ranges from webinars and workshops to funding opportunities, mentorship and beyond. As Lisa has launched and grown Up North Naturals, she has relied on the support of Business Advisory Centre Durham, a Whitby-based non-profit small business support service, and the Whitby Chamber of Commerce, a business networking, education and advocacy organization.
“Also, seek out new friendships with other entrepreneurs,” Lisa adds. “It can be challenging running your own business and sometimes they will understand you more than your friends and family can.” Finally, Lisa says to seek out local companies that can support your other business needs–such as packaging, accountants, financial lenders, insurance providers, graphic designers, copywriters, etc. “All of our suppliers are local; we are very proud of this.”
Frère du Nord
When Milena Holmes and Duey Vlajic, a sister and brother, were growing up on a farm in Serbia, they had a dream of making clothes together. Fast-forward to adulthood, Milena became an engineer and Duey became an artist, pattern maker and video game developer. However, they never forgot their childhood ambitions. In 2016, in their early ‘30s, Frère du Nord was born.
They started by setting up a sewing factory in a 2,000-square-foot industrial space in south Oshawa and sold clothes online and at shows across the Greater Toronto Area. “While we had some intrepid customers that came to the factory for fittings, we knew we needed a retail store,” Milena recalls. “And because so much of our business is showing how clothes are made, we wanted a retail space to be within the factory.” In 2019, they opened their doors on Prince Street in downtown Oshawa.
A huge part of the business’ ethos is sustainability. There are no assembly lines at Frère du Nord; they sew one garment at a time. One sewer is responsible for the entire garment (pieces range from tanks and hoodies, to sweatpants and more) and they move from machine to machine to sew each step. Not only does this method significantly improve the quality of each piece over mass-production, it helps eliminate repetitive stress injuries that sewing operators are prone to. Also, because the company owns their own factory, they can control the amount of waste they produce. They cut small batches of styles and sizes based on demand, which means they never overproduce; and they cut different styles together to maximize fabric consumption.
Why is Frère du Nord in Durham Region? “We are here because this is where we live,” says Milena. She also credits the area’s growing population, low industrial rents and proximity to Toronto. Milena adds: “The city has been particularly supportive of us; there has been a significant push in recent years to improve support and services to businesses downtown.”
Are you thinking about starting your own micro manufacturing or retail business? Support is available in Durham Region. A great starting point is exploring the resources available through the Business Advisory Centre of Durham. Looking for a location or other resources? Get in touch with us.
