Today we’d like to introduce you to Charmain Bertram

Charmain, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

According to my parents the only real tantrums I threw as a small child where when it came to choosing out my own outfits. By the time I was 4 I changed 3 times a day at least. My mom taught me how to sew when I was 9 and something sparked! I began taking clothes apart and altering them into my own visions. When I was 10 the movie Clueless came out and a few years later the Spice Girls hit the scene and that was it for me. Fashion was my world. The way to express myself without saying a word.
Fast forward to 18 when I started participating in the Gay Pride fundraiser fashion shows designing 10+ look collections for the runway show and also for my first custom client; a 6’2″ drag queen! No boundaries except my own imagination. I was in heaven!
At 19 I went to fashion design school at George Brown College in Toronto On, while working at Leo’s Textiles. Following college I worked for 2 different designers and then started my own company/brand at 22.

It’s been 18 years, 8 studios, 10 employees, 70+ student interns, 5 re-brands and 8764 pivots in direction (give or take a pivot!) and somehow through it all, I still love what I do.
It’s definitely not easy, especially since the shift in the economy and consumer mindset since the covid lockdowns of 2020, but no matter the obstacle, something within me pushes forward.

2024 and I’m still here. Developing and manufacturing sewn products for local designers under the company name Integrity Designs Contract, as well as designing and producing my own label, Absolute Rubbish.

The burnout is real, but the perseverance is stronger! 2025 let’s ride!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

There’s no such thing as a smooth road when it comes to small business ownership, especially in an industry like fashion. For me, my struggles always center around time and funds. I started my business so young and made many impulsive decisions which cost me both time and money. Such as the first time I invested in a large fabric order with an eco-textile company. I was so excited to work with organic cotton and hemp but I hadn’t confirmed samples, created a marketing or sales strategy or planned my production… $5000 later, a few products developed that I couldn’t make a decent margin on because I never did any costing, and the company went bankrupt before I could get a refund on the one fabric that was over 18″ off grain and unusable… the lessons you learn in a product based business are expensive!
Finding the money to create the beautiful things was always a challenge and then my passion for upcycling and working with remnants and scraps solved that issue for the most part. Finding time to develop designs is always an issue. (though, when you only sleep about 3-4 hours at a time there’s much more day in the day! haha) Until a piece is perfected, there’s no revenue coming in and then it’s still a risk when it’s launched; there are no guarantees of what will sell.
Though there have been many challenges to overcome, I’ve always tried to use those experiences to innovate and grow. It’s definitely not been easy. Without investment or capital to utilize I have had some hard times to push through and some lean times to live through.
I still believe in what I’m doing so I’ll always find a way!

We’ve been impressed with Integrity Designs / Absolute Rubbish, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

At Integrity Designs I provide sewn product development and production. I can take an idea from sketch, create patterns and first samples and get designers ready for cut and sew production. Some clients I proceed with the manufacturing here in house, some I get their patterns ready and they move onto larger local manufacturers.

Honestly, I’m 18 years in and I’m still learning and shifting my business practices. There’s always something to learn. From knowing when a client isn’t a good fit for me or being humbled by a miscommunication or misstep and having a client move on from me. My clients keep me in check and keep me ever ev0lving.

Currently moving into the 2024 holiday season and planning for 2025 and I’m reassessing my goals and plans yet again. The industry is changing, overhead costs are high and the last 4 years feel like a blur. When running in survival mode, it’s counterintuitive to stop and ask simple questions like, “what do I REALLY want to do?”. When the bills keep coming, it’s hard to pause and step back. But it’s absolutely necessary.

I’m proud I’m still here. It’s taken a lot of sacrifice. I don’t have the small luxuries of always making it to birthday celebrations, dinners, concerts or patio afternoons. Whether it be a lack of time or funds, it just doesn’t break my way very often.

I’m proud that I’m still developing my brand, Absolute Rubbish, from other designers’ remnants, upcycled clothing and upholstery scraps. Even though I’ve never been able to give enough time to develop it exactly the way I’ve wanted or as many styles as I’ve wanted. Nor have I had the money to invest in marketing and promotion how I would ideally like to see it communicated to the public; I do what I can with the skills and resources I have.
I still believe the time for Absolute Rubbish is coming and developing it slowly and thoughtfully means it will have staying power.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?

I’m an introverted extrovert. Most people who know me. think of me as a loud, chatty, opinionated person. Which is true. But I work nights, currently solo in the studio, and go days at a time without speaking to a single soul. And it’s by design. I revel in my alone time. When I am social I am very outgoing because I’ve saved up all my energy while on my own!
Growing up I sang and danced in public performances through school. I wore a thigh length zebra coat and platform shoes everyday in high school and became known for my loud fashion sense & voice! Since college and starting my own business I’ve definitely entered my “JOMO” years! (Joy Of Missing Out, a term I heard recently and LOVED! haha)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.absoluterubbish.me
• Instagram: @absolute__rubbish @integrity.designs.contract

Image Credits

Derek Lewis – Longpoint Photography