Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Manuel Varela. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Manuel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

At Syva Apparel, we create performance oriented clothing for everyday wear. We focus on working with ethically responsible suppliers, and using sustainable materials, without compromising the quality or capabilities of our products. From packaging to manufacturing, we care about our impact on the planet and our communities.

It was my sophomore year of undergrad (~2016) when the initial idea struck me. During my lunch break, I was shopping online and began to notice the limited options for versatile menswear. These options were mostly limited to a handful of big-name brands, many of which primarily focused on women’s clothing. When I say ‘versatile,’ I mean clothing that could be worn at the gym, school, and work and look good for any of these occasions– what’s now categorized as athleisure or workleisure wear. Not only were the choices limited, but the quality was inconsistent. Often, a shirt or pair of shorts would start to fray or pill after the first wash. Given the prices these brands charged, I was disappointed by the poor quality, and led by frustration, I started to research the industry in hopes of finding a brand that I would be satisfied with.

However, the more I learned about the fashion industry, the less I wanted to support major brands and their practices. It seemed to boil down to profit maximization, cheap materials sourced from areas with minimal environmental regulations or protections, overseas production in factories with questionable labor conditions and low wages, and large purchase orders. This was the norm in the industry, with such high order quantities and low material cost, garments can be produced between $4-$9 and then sold for $40/$50/$60 or more. I thought there had to be a better way – a way to create clothing responsibly, minimizing environmental impact and eliminating the reliance on overseas labor. This was the starting point for what would become Syva Apparel. I had no prior experience, knowledge, or industry connections, but my goals were simple: create durable clothing that lasts and avoid contributing to overproduction and its subsequent waste and exploitation of our environment. While these objectives are broad, they have become the foundation of what Syva Apparel stands for. If I believe a fabric/material or supplier won’t help us achieve these goals, we revisit the initial steps of our development process to make the necessary changes and provide a product we can stand by.\

Manuel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My experience and expertise lie in the restaurant industry, an industry that’s quite different from the fashion world. However, managing a restaurant demands long hours, lots of running around, and adhering to a business casual dress code. This experience gave me great insights into fabrics – what was comfortable, breathable, and what held up best against sweat and odor. During my time in undergrad, I was working and attending school full-time, while still living at home with my parents. Often, I’d wear my work clothes to class if I was short on time and couldn’t swing back home to change. This led me to prefer performance-oriented brands. The issue was that these polo shirts were expensive, and I found myself frequently buying new ones as they couldn’t withstand my frequent wearing and washing. After having a better understanding of the fashion industry, I believed I could introduce a menswear brand to the market that offered the same versatility, but at a more reasonable price point and with greater quality compared to what was already available.

Currently, we offer two lines of men’s crewnecks and polos (with more on the way). Our 10k Series was our initial launch, comprising a synthetic blend infused with silver, not treated or washed with a silver chemical, but actual silver woven into the fabric. It feels as soft as cotton but has the benefits typically associated with polyester-based fabrics, along with the added bonus of silver’s odor-resistant properties. Our second line, the everyday basics, features a unique blend of recycled polyester that incorporates chitosante fibers, derived from crustaceans’ biomass. This adds antimicrobial properties to the fabric without posing any risk to individuals with shellfish allergies, as the chitosante fibers are not protein-based. We are constantly on the lookout for innovative fabrics that enhance everyday wear. From UPF50+ protection to four-way stretch and quick-drying materials, our aim is to make our menswear as versatile as possible by utilizing some of the most innovative fabrics available.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Pop-up shops! They have proven to be the most effective path for our growth. Setting up booths with racks of clothes at events across the city has yielded fantastic results. We’ve been present at networking events, community workouts, car shows, and our upcoming shop will be at a golf tournament. Whenever and wherever an opportunity to set up a booth arises, I’ll jump on it. It’s the best way to personally connect with the people purchasing our shirts and build relationships with them. This not only helps us foster brand loyalty but also enables us to listen to customer feedback, which, in turn, helps us better meet their needs.

For instance, some of our first customers expressed the desire for a shirt durable enough for rigorous workouts like crossfit, where barbells and kettlebells are frequently coming into contact with the shoulders and upper chest. Our everyday basics line is a reflection of this feedback, featuring a slightly thicker fabric and a reinforced yoke, all while maintaining a lightweight and breathable design.

One of the challenges we face as an ecommerce business is representing the quality of our products through photos. So from a customer’s perspective, having the opportunity to see and feel the fabric in person at our pop-up shops is invaluable. Witnessing the moment when a person realizes our products are more than just another shirt is truly rewarding. On top of that, meeting our customers in person has improved our marketing strategy. The biggest surprise has been that women make up a large portion of our customer base, something I had not even considered when managing our ad spend and defining our target demographic.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

Manufacturing proved to be one of the most significant challenges I encountered when launching Syva Apparel. I spent months reaching out to and speaking with account managers at various factories across the country, trying to find someone I could trust to bring my vision to life. Attempting to design a shirt over Zoom and email didn’t seem ideal, and I certainly couldn’t afford to fly out of state every time a modification was needed. Fortunately, one day out of pure luck I came across an ad for a small design and development company called Stitch Texas. Funny enough, they were actually located just a few streets down from the restaurant I work at, hidden within a small commercial complex. I can’t recommend them enough, especially to anyone in the Austin or central Texas area. The folks at Stitch Texas are not only incredibly kind but also highly knowledgeable about the industry. They were patient with me, and taught me so much about the industry. Stitch Texas designed and created our 10K series (shoutout to Rebekah!), and shortly afterward, they were acquired by our current manufacturer, Lefty Productions.

Entering the design and development process, I had no idea what to expect. I was, however, surprised by how long it can take to progress from design to full-scale production. For our 10K series, it took nearly a year of designing and prototyping before I was satisfied with the outcome and ready to move into production. It was a long journey, and at times, I felt like it would never end. I nitpicked every detail I found unsatisfactory. However, in the end, we reached the production phase, and every alteration, no matter how small, was worth it. For those looking to enter the fashion industry, and start their own brand, I’d like to offer some advice:

-Patience and Trust: Be patient and trust the process. Avoid rushing to market with an inadequate product simply to get your brand online. First impressions matter in online sales, and if a customer feels misled by the quality of your product, it can be challenging to win them back.
-Design Clarity: Have a clear understanding of the design you want and provide reference samples to your manufacturer or design team. This not only saves you time but also money. Prototyping can quickly become an expensive step in the process and will slow you down significantly, if you bounce around different designs too much.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.syvaapparel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syvaapparel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089476851166
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@syvaapparel

Image Credits
Levi Thompson Randy Baca